Sailors slang

Learn the ropes: 10 common sayings that came straight from sailors

Life on ships was all about teamwork and facing the unknown. Sailors dealt with changing weather, rough waters, and threats that weren’t always easy to anticipate. Many phrases that still sound familiar today came out of that world, even though most of us don't use ropes or read the wind anymore. Even far from the ocean, these 10 expressions still describe everyday life.

Can you imagine what "true colors" meant in sailing slang? It was actually a direct reference to a ship’s flag. Back then, flags could show a ship’s country or empire, loyalty, or even surrender. But ships could also sail under false colors to deceive other ships and hide their real intentions. When those intentions were finally revealed, the ship showed its true colors.

That meaning is not far from the one we use today. Today, the expression is used when someone reveals their real feelings or intentions after keeping them hidden for some time.

We’ve all entered a new job or tried a new activity, and had to learn how the whole system works before taking the first steps. That is the moment you get to learn the ropes, before things start to flow naturally. And on a ship full of real ropes, sailors had to learn, one by one, which rope was for which function and where it belonged before starting to sail by themselves.

When the ship faced a dangerous or urgent situation at sea, everyone’s help was needed, and the call was simple: all hands on deck. In that phrase, "hands" meant the sailors or workers on board. It was a call for when the crew had to act quickly. The phrase keeps almost the same spirit these days. We use all hands on deck when a task is too big for one person, and everyone’s effort is required to get the job done.

Imagine standing on the shore and spotting a ship far out at sea, which isn’t close enough to arrive yet. That distant part of the sea was called the offing, so when a ship was in the offing, people knew it was on its way. The phrase made its way from ships to everyday life, and today, "in the offing" means something will happen soon, and you already see it coming.

When getting ready for difficult situations, we often say we’d better "batten down the hatches." Originally, the expression meant getting ready for rough weather. Sailors would close and secure the ship's hatch covers so water couldn’t get below deck. The word "batten" refers to strips used to fasten things down. Years had passed, and the meaning went from protecting a ship from bad weather to protecting yourself before any challenge.

Cannons were extremely heavy and mounted on wheeled carriages. If the heavy ropes or tackles securing them broke during a battle or a heavy storm, the cannon would become a "loose cannon," sliding and rolling violently across the gun deck, destroying everything and everyone in its path. That dangerous image stuck over the decades, and today, we use the phrase to refer to someone who is unpredictable or to a situation that is dangerously getting out of our control

In sailing, the sheets were the ropes or chains that controlled the sails, and when the sheets came loose, the sails could flap, and the boat would start to move in a messy, unsteady way. The comparison is easy to imagine: someone very drunk can stumble like a boat that can’t stay steady. Sailors already used that image for a person who was too drunk to walk straight, and to this day, there may be no better way to describe it.

Out at sea, "by_"_ meant sailing close to the wind, while "large" meant sailing with the wind coming more from behind or from the side. So, when a ship sailed well by and large, it was capable of handling different kinds of wind. Over the years, that idea became a way to express something in a broad sense; it is used when talking about something in general, describing the big picture without getting stuck in every small detail.

Currently, "taken aback" describes a shocking or unexpected situation, but back in the sailing days, it was all about the wind. It described the moment when the wind hit the sails from the wrong side and pushed back against the mast. Now, when people are taken aback, it's probably because they received unexpected news or were caught off guard, leaving them unsure how to react.

The phrase smooth sailing comes from the kind of trip every sailor wanted: calm water, good wind, and no major trouble ahead. When conditions were right, the ship could move forward easily. Today, the phrase works almost the same way, but outside the sea. People use it when situations become easier after a problem is fixed. A work project or a trip can become smooth sailing once the hardest part is over.

BEHIND EVERY GREAT BRAND THERE’S A GREAT NAME

Take a Look at the Stories Behind 12 Big Brand Names

Image: Kristian Egelund

The genesis of iconic brand names often involves a mixture of creativity, inspiration, and strategic vision. Incredibly successful companies like Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, and Google have names that today are synonymous with their products but that was not the case when those names were chosen.

Unraveling the stories behind these brand names shows the intention, symbolism, and market positioning, showcasing the strategic acumen that underpins their enduring legacies.

Image: Jason Leung

The birth of the name "Apple" for the iconic tech company traces back to the fertile grounds of Steve Jobs' creativity. Co-founder Steve Jobs, known for his penchant for simplicity and innovation, chose the name as a departure from the prevailing trends in the tech industry dominated by complex and intimidating names.

Jobs envisioned a brand that would resonate with consumers on a personal level, evoking warmth, simplicity, and approachability. The choice also carried a personal touch, as Jobs had spent some time working on an apple orchard during his youth.

Image: TR

While the name "Starbucks" now conjures images of coffee culture, community, and global ubiquity, its origin is rooted in nautical history rather than caffeinated pursuits. Founded in Seattle in 1971 by three partners inspired by Moby-Dick, the name pays homage to the first mate on the ship Pequod, Starbuck.

This literary allusion captures the seafaring spirit of the brand's Pacific Northwest origins. The founders sought a name that conveyed the rich, seafaring tradition of coffee trading, and Starbucks resonated as an evocative and memorable choice. The maritime theme extends to the iconic logo, featuring a twin-tailed mermaid.

Image: Timothy Hales Bennett

The name "Facebook" is now synonymous with social networking, but its origins can be traced back to a more unconventional source: college dormitories. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, the name describes the platform's initial purpose: connecting students within a university's social circles.

The term "Facebook" itself refers to the printed directories universities distributed to students, containing photos and basic information about their peers. Zuckerberg's digital adaptation transformed this concept into a virtual space where people could share their lives, making the name a metaphorical extension of a real-world social directory.

Image: Mahbod Akhzami

The name "Coca-Cola" is a perfect testament to the brand's rich history and the fusion of its original ingredients. Conceived by Dr. John Stith Pemberton in the late 19th century, the beverage was initially marketed as a patent medicine, containing coca leaves and kola nuts.

The name "Coca" is a direct reference to the coca leaves, while "Cola" is derived from the kola nuts. The combination of these two elements not only gave the drink its distinctive flavor but also created a name that resonated with consumers.

Image: Wu Yi

The name "Nike" comes from ancient Greek mythology. Co-founder Phil Knight, a track and field athlete, and his business partner Jeff Johnson drew from the winged goddess of victory, Nike.

In Greek mythology, Nike symbolizes strength, speed, and triumph, aligning seamlessly with the ethos of the athletic brand. The swoosh logo, designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971, further embodies the brand's spirit, representing movement and speed.

Image: Szabo Viktor

The name "Adobe" is synonymous with digital creativity and design. It finds its origins in the co-founders' love for the Adobe Creek that ran behind the house of John Warnock, one of the company's founders.

In the context of the software giant, the name signifies the seamless flow of ideas and innovation in the realm of digital creativity. It captures the essence of the company's commitment to providing tools that empower individuals and organizations to create, express, and transform ideas.

Image: Jueun Song

Founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA is an acronym that combines the founder's initials (I.K.) with those of Elmtaryd, the farm where he grew up, and Agunnaryd, his hometown.

The Swedish origin of the name adds a touch of Scandinavian flair, enhancing the brand's image as a global purveyor of well-designed, ready-to-assemble furniture.

Image: Kvistholt Photography

The name "Cisco" itself is derived from the term "San Francisco," the city where the company originated. Its logo resembles the Golden Gate Bridge. Beyond its geographical symbolism, the name reflects Cisco's core mission: to act as a bridge, connecting people and information seamlessly.

The choice of a concise name aligns with the brand's commitment to simplifying complex networking solutions. Today, Cisco stands not just as a name but as a symbol of connectivity and innovation.

Image: ANIRUDH

"Amazon" draws its inspiration from the world's second-longest river. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, the name symbolizes the ambitious and expansive vision of the e-commerce giant.

The Amazon River, with its immense volume and diverse ecosystem, epitomizes abundance and variety. Bezos envisioned his company in a similar vein, aiming to create an online marketplace that offered an extensive array of products.

Image: Carson Masterson

Perhaps one of the most straightforward names on this list, the IBM acronym stands for International Business Machines Corporation. Established in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), the company evolved through mergers and acquisitions.

The name change to IBM in 1924 signified a strategic shift towards global computing solutions. The choice of the "International" part of the name emphasized the company's global aspirations, while"Machines" reflected its focus on manufacturing tabulating, and calculating machines.

Image: Giorgio Trovato

Few people know that "eBay" was initially named "AuctionWeb." However, as the site expanded beyond auctions to encompass a broader spectrum of online transactions, the name needed a change to reflect its evolving identity.

The founder Pierre Omidyar, inspired by the notion of an "electronic bay" where people could drop their goods and conduct business, coined the new name "eBay" in 1997. This moniker not only captures the digital essence of the platform but also emphasizes the idea of creating a virtual marketplace.

Image: Mitchell Lou

A brand name as ubiquitous as Google originated as a misspelling of "googol", a mathematical term representing the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin chose this name in 1997 to convey their mission of organizing the vast amount of information on the internet.

The transformation from "googol" to "Google" not only showcased the company's playfulness but also its commitment to making immense amounts of data accessible and searchable.