Sayings From Sailing Ships

These are some saying reputed to come from sailing. Because the origins of saying can be obscure, their origin may be at times disputed. 

Loose cannon: If a cannon was being fired on a ship and it broke free from its securing ropes, the recoil would pose a danger to both the ship and crew.

Today: Used to describe someone dangerous and unpredictable. 

At a rate of knots: To measure speed at sea, knots were tied on a piece of rope at regular intervals, which was dropped overboard. As the rope unwound from a reel, the number knots that passed calculated the speed of the vessel. 

Today: To do something very quickly. 

Take the wind out of their sails: A ship moves in front of another ship and blocks the wind, it could slow right down or stop completely. 

Today: To discourage or deflate someone. 

Groggy: Grog was the daily ration of rum for sailors. When sailors had too much to drink, they would be called groggy. 

Today: When someone is sleepy or disorientated. 

Plain sailing: Sailing is proving easy and successful.

Today: Everything is going well. 

A leading light: When docking at night, lights on shore helped guide ships safely into port, and a leading light was placed prominently to assist.

Today: Someone well respected in a particular field. 

As the crow flies: It is suggested Vikings released crows to help find a route to the nearest shore.

Today: The direct distance between points A and B.

On an even keel: The keel is the primary structural backbone of a boat, running lengthwise along the bottom of the hull. If the keel is even then the ship is stable in the water. 

Today: Describe something as steady and predictable. 

Batten down the hatches: When a storm was on its way, the captain would give this order.

Today: Prepare for something negative about to happen. 

Not enough room to swing a cat: There was a whip called the cat-o'-nine-tails. This was a painful naval punishment. It was usually too cramped to swing the whip below deck.

Today: Describes a space too small to do what you want.

Cut and run: A ship may cut the rope connected to the submerged anchor to get away suddenly. 

Today: Cut your losses and get out of a situation or leave very suddenly, even if it cost you to do so.

Three square meals a day: A wooden plate was used by sailors to eat their food from.

Today: Denotes getting three good, adequate meals a day.

On the fiddle: The above plates had a raised edge called a fiddle, to contain the food. The fiddle (the raised rim) kept the food on the plate. If too much food was on a plate and was touching or overlapping the fiddle, the individual had taken too much food. A serious offence in the Navy. 

Today: Someone doing something dishonest. 

The Beauty of Creation

Fancy a walk up a mountain meadow, with spectacular views as your reward? 

After a warm walk through a tropical forest, a waterfall to with a soothing sound and a cool swim.

Riding on a paddle board to say hello to some visitors, before enjoying some fresh tropical fruit.

Admiring a Monarch butterfly in your garden on a warm summer's day.

The last creation and the most beautiful of all.

Courtship or Dating?

The two words are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences in their meaning. The history of the words will clarify this.

Courtship: The term goes back to the latter 1500s and referred to a man wooing a woman to win her affection and for her to give consent for marriage. 

The concept was about chivalry among the nobility but spread down to society in general. A man would visit a woman at her family home with her parents very much supervising proceedings. 

The word took on the meaning of an extended period that couples would spend developing a romantic connection, with the intended goal of an engagement. It was about protecting the virtue of a woman and her social reputation.  

Dating: The word started entering English usage in the US at the beginning of the 20th century. It's initial meaning was a simple prearranged meeting of a social nature. 

With young ones less likely to be under their parent's roofs and gaining car ownership, the family dynamics changed. Young ones now met with little or no supervision. The term dating was used in such situations. 

So there is the basic history of the words. Today, dating is widely used but among religious folk who still adhere to Bible moral standards, they will often prefer the term courtship. So now to simplify and a final summary.

Courtship: The goal is marriage. It may involve a chaperone or group setting, the couple observing each other in various situations. It usually involves limits for physical contact.

Dating: It has more of an exploration and fun angle with less pressure. Often it involves one on one interaction. It is viewed as flexible, from casual interaction only, to eventually living together without marriage, or occasionally even looking for a long term relationship in marriage. 

Summary: Courting offers a clear destination and will appeal to those with stricter moral standards. Others feel it is out of step with the modern world. Dating's flexibility appeals to many, especially if their moral standards are more liberal. The lack of defined goals can lead to misunderstandings that can hurt emotionally. The possibility of pregnancy outside of marriage is also more likely.