Pirate speak is a language in itself, and one of the best parts of throwing or participating in a pirate-themed party. To help you sneer like a true buccaneer, here’s a large list of pirate terms and their definitions. Select a few you’ll use at your pirate party or on International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
And don’t forget to check out The Pirates Revenge Pirate-Themed Murder Mystery Party Game with a version to suit your party, no matter the size!
A
Acts of Pardon/Acts of Grace: A “pardon” for an ex-pirate that makes him a privateer
Ahoy: Hi there!
And ye may lay to that! You betcha!
Arrack: A strong drink made with fermented fruit or palm sap, rice, or molasses
Avast: Stop!
Aye: Yes
Aye aye! – Yes sir, right away!
_________________________________________________________________
B
Bachelor’s Wife: a mistress
Beauty: A friendly term toward a woman, preceeded by “me”.
Begad: “By God”
Belay: To immediately cease or stop.
Bilged on her anchor: a ship pierced by her own anchor
Bilge rat: An insult or joke toward another pirate
Black spot: a mark of death
Booty: treasure
Bowspirit: the figure or icon on the bow of a ship
Brought a spring upon her cable: a ship coming about in a different direction
Bung hole: A hole in a wooden barrel, sealed with a cork.
Buccaneer: A pirate
_________________________________________________________________
C
Careen: to cause a vessel to keel over on its side
Cat o’ nine tails: a whip for flogging
Chain shot: cannon balls fastened together with chain
Chase guns: cannon on the bow of a ship
Clap in irons: to put someone in manacles, usually in the dungeon
Clap of Thunder: powerful drink
Come About: to change tack
Crack Jenny’s Tea Cup: To visit a house of ill repute
_________________________________________________________________
D
Dance the Hempen Jig: To hang (a reference made to the fact the ropes were made out of hemp)
Davy Jones’ Locker: the bottom o’ the sea, where the souls of dead men lie
Doubloons: pieces of gold
Dungbie: The hiney or rear end.
_________________________________________________________________
E
Ensign: a flag
_________________________________________________________________
F
Fiddlers Green: Pirate heaven
Fireship: a ship loaded with gunpowder and explosives, set on fire and sent to drift into enemy ports
Freebooter: a pirate
Furner: A pirate’s own ship, as opposed to one that was stolen during an attack
_________________________________________________________________
G
Gentlemen o’ fortune: A nice term for a pirate
Go on the account: to leave on a pirate quest or cruise
Grog: Rum, water and lime juice
Ground: the bottom of the sea
_________________________________________________________________
H
Heave to: Stop!
Hempen Halter: The hangman’s noose
Hogshead: a cask full of alcohol – rum, wine or beer usually
Hornswaggle: To cheat or defraud
_________________________________________________________________
J
Jack: a flag or a sailor
Jack o’ Coins: the paymaster
Jolly Roger: the traditional skull and crossbones pirate flag
_________________________________________________________________
K
Keelhaul: a punishment in which a pirate is tied to a rope and thrown overboard to be dragged along the bottom of the ship, which was covered in tough barnacles.
_________________________________________________________________
L
Landlubber: A land-faring person
Lass: A polite term for a woman
Lassie-Lucy: A more polite term for a very attractive woman
League: three miles
Lily-livered: wuss
List: lean to one side
Loaded to the Gunwales: drunk
_________________________________________________________________
M
Marooner: A pirate who has been marooned or a military deserter who is now a pirate.
Matey: A shipmate or a friend.
Me hearty: a friend or shipmate.
Messdeck lawyer: a know-it-all
Me: My
Motherload: the target treasure or a large amount of booty
_________________________________________________________________
N
Nipperkin: a tiny drink
_________________________________________________________________
P
Parley: a discussion between enemies to discuss a truce or negotiate peace
Pieces o’ eight: silver pieces that can be cut into smaller pieces
Press Gang: pirates who recruit using violence and intimidation
Privateer: a pirate officially sanctioned by a national power
_________________________________________________________________
Q
Quarter: 1) part of the side of the ship nearest the stern 2) mercy shown to an opponent
_________________________________________________________________
S
Salmagundi: a hodgepodge dish of pretty much anything the chef can throw in a pan
Savvy: understanding. As in “ye savvy?”
Saucy: Attractive, sexy
Scallywag: A scoundrel – either pirate or landlubber
Scurvy dog!: an insult
Scrumpet: A woman
Shiver me timbers!: Surprise
Show a Leg!: An order to wake up
Son of a Biscuit Eater: a bastard son of a sailor
Sprogs: a newer pirate – a rookie
Squiffy: an imbecile
Smartly: be quick about it
Strike: to lower or hit
Strike the Colors: to haul down a ship’s flag as a signal of surrender
Swaggy: a ship about to be attacked
Swashbucklin’: sword fighting
Sweet trade: the career of piracy
_________________________________________________________________
T
Thar: There
_________________________________________________________________
W
Waister: an imbecile sailor
Walk the plank: a punishment that makes one a shark’s breakfast
Wench: a derogatory term for a woman
_________________________________________________________________
Y
Yo-ho-ho: laughter
_________________________________________________________________
