Lexicon

Learn to speak like a pirate or a royal

Pirate Lexicon

Word or Phrase Part of Speech Meaning
Addled Verb Mad or Insane
Aft or Abaft Adjective/Verb At, in, toward, or close to the stern of a vessel or rear.
Ahoy Interjection Used to hail a ship or to attract attention.
Amidship Verb The middle of a vessel
Arrr!, Arg!, or Yarr Noun A statement of excitement or I concur.
Avast Interjection To stop or cease, from the Italian Basta meaning “Enough”.
Aye or Ay Noun An Affirmation or Yes.
Batten down the hatches Phrase To prepare for trouble. Literally meaning to fasten the entrances to the lower part of a ship using wooden boards to avoid water entering.
Becalmed Adjective Rendered motionless for lack of wind.
Belay Verb To secure or make fast a rope by winding on a cleat or pin.
Bilged on her anchor Phrase A ship that has run upon her own anchor.
Bilge Rat Noun An insult. Literally A rat living in the bilge of a ship.
Black Jack Noun A drinking vessel, sometimes called Jacks, it was coated on the inside with a black pitch or tar resin to make it waterproof.
Black Spot Noun A black smudge on a piece of paper used by pirates as a threat. Mostly a fictional term.
Blimey! Interjection Expression of surprise or wonder.
Blunderbuss Noun A short musket of wide bore and flaring muzzle, used to scatter shot at close range.
Blow the man down Phrase When a sudden wind catches a ships sail and capsizes the ship. Sometimes used as a term to mortally wound someone.
Boom Noun A pole extending from the mast to hold or extend the floor of a sail.
Booty Noun Treasure.
Buccaneer Noun Another term for a pirate.
Bucko Noun A blustering or bossy person.
Bring a spring upon her cable Phrase To change course or direction as a surprise maneuver.
Cackle Fruit Noun An egg.
Careen Phrase To lean (a ship) on one side for cleaning, caulking, or repairing, or to lean to one side while sailing.
Carouser Noun A drinker or a noisy reveler.
Chain Shot Noun Two balls or halves of a ball connected by a chain, primarily used to cut down the masts of a vessel or rigging.
Come about Verb To maneuver the bow of a ship across the wind so that the wind changes from on side of the ship to the other.
Corsair Noun Another term for a pirate. Also sometimes a pirate ship operating with official sanction.
Coffer Noun A Strongbox.
Crimp Noun A person who tricks or coerces others into services as sailors.
Dance the hempen jig Phrase To be hanged by the neck until no longer living.
Davy Jones’ Locker Phrase The bottom of the sea, or the resting place of sailors who have drowned.
Deadlight Noun A plate fastened over a ship’s portholes or cabin window during stormy weather. Also may indicate a small opening or let to admit light into a cabin.
Dead men tell no tales Phrase Meaning those who are not alive cannot reveal secrets.
Fire in the hole Phrase A warning of an imminent explosion in a confined space.
Furl Verb To roll up and secure a flag or sail to something else.
Gangway Noun A passage along either side of a ship’s upper deck.
Give no quarter Phrase To show no mercy or concession.
Go on the account Phrase To become a pirate.
Grog Noun An alcoholic liquor usually rum diluted with water.
Grog Blossom Noun A red confluence on the face of a heavy drinker.
Handsomely Verb Carefully; in shipshape style.
Haul the Wind Phrase To turn the head of ship nearer to the point from which the wind blows.
Heave To Verb To halt the headway of a ship.
Ho Interjection Used to express surprise or joy, or to urge onward.
Hornswoggle Verb To bamboozle; deceive.
Hogshead Noun A large cask for liquors, etc.
Holystone Noun A piece of soft sandstone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship.
Knave Noun An unprincipled, crafty fellow.
Landlubber Noun A person unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship.
League Noun A unit of distance equal to 3.0 statute miles.
Leeward Verb/Adjective On or toward the side to which the wind is blowing.
Loot Noun Stolen goods or money.
List Verb To lean to one side.
Marooned Verb To be left on a desolate island as punishment.
Matey Adjective Sociable; friendly.
Motherload Noun A very large amount of something valuable.
No purchase, no pay or No prey, no pay Phrase Meaning in the event of an unsuccessful raid participants would receive no reward.
Overhaul Verb To slacken a line or to release and separate the blocks of tackle.
Parley or Parlay Noun A discussion or conference, especially between enemies over terms of truce or other matters.
Pieces of Eight Noun An historical English term for peso, a silver coin, that was minted in Spain from the end of 15th century, equal to eight reales (hence the name).
Plunder Verb To seize wrongfully or by force; steal.
Powder Chest Noun A small wooden box containing a charge of powder, old nails, scrap iron, etc., formerly secured over the side of a ship and exploded on the attempt of an enemy to board.
Pressgang Noun A body of men employed to force others into military or naval service.
Quarter Verb To furnish with housing, or a means of a pirate expressing mercy to someone.
Quartermaster Noun highest ranking officer on a pirate ship underneath the captain.
Rapscallion Noun A rascal; a good-for-nothing fellow.
Run a shot across the bow Phrase To issue a warning shot, that will not strike the target.
Scallywag Noun A rascal or a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel.
Scuttling Verb The act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.
Sea Legs Noun The ability to adjust one’s balance to the motion of a ship, especially in rough seas.
Shark Bait Noun Someone thrown overboard.
Shiver me timbers Phrase An exclamation, of surprise or otherwise. This phrase originated from when the water or a canon would hit the ship, and the ship would shake.
Show a Leg Verb To wake up and get out of bed.
Splice the Mainbrace Verb To have a drink.
Strike Colors Verb To lower, specifically a ship’s flag to signal surrender.
Swab Noun A kind of mop for cleaning floors, the desks of vessels, etc., esp. one made of rope-yarns or threads.
Swag Noun Loot
Swashbuckler Noun An adventurous, romantic swordsman who is also chivalrous, witty, and generally has a sense of humor.
Weigh Anchor Verb To raise the anchor from the seabed prior to getting under way.
Windward Adjective Of or moving toward the quarter from which the wind blows.

Royal Lexicon

Word or Phrase Part of Speech Meaning
A Pox Upon Thee Phrase A curse.
Alas Interjection Used to express sorrow, regret, grief, compassion, or apprehension of danger or evil.
Alder-liefest Adjective Most beloved.
Ale-soused apple john Phrase A drunkered.
Anon Verb At another time; later.
Argosy Noun A large merchant ship or a ship of burden.
Aroint Verb To drive or scare off by some exclamation.
Beadsman Noun A man employed in praying; especially, one who prays for another.
Bawcock Noun A fine fellow.
Bawdy Adjective Obscene; filthy; unchaste.
Bezonian Noun An indigent wretch; a beggar or scoundrel.
Brock Noun Literally a badger but used as a term of contempt.
Bodikin Noun A diminutive of body, forming part of the exclamatory phrase “odd’s bodikin”, a corruption of God’s body.
Bootless Adjective Unavailing; unprofitable; useless; without advantage or success.
Butt-shaft Noun A light arrow for shooting at a target.
Buxom Adjective Obedient.
Bully-roo Noun A bragging cheater.
Before the mast Adjective A term to describe sailors who were not officers.
By-my-trowth or Troth Verb An oath.
By-your-lady Verb An oath.
Clap I’ The Clout Phrase To shoot an arrow into the bull’s eye of the target.
Cock and Pie Phrase An oath.
Dispatch Verb To remove someone from existence.
Dudgeon Noun A dagger.
Drumble Verb To be sluggish or lazy; to be confused.
Doth Noun Do or Does
Enow Adjective/Verb Enough.
Fancy-free Adjective Not in love or married; unattached.
Fare-thee-anon Phrase Until later or another time.
Fare-thee-well Phrase Farewell or Goodbye.
Fie Interjection Used to express distaste, disgust, or outrage.
Forbode Noun Forbidden.
Garish Verb Overly bright or ornamented, especially in a vulgar or tasteless way; gaudy.
Good Morrow Interjection Good day.
Gramercy Interjection Used to express thankfulness, with surprise; many thanks.
Hanged Be Phrase Impatience, irritation.
Hag-seed Noun Seed or offspring of a hag.
Harry Verb To annoy, harass.
Hark Verb To listen.
Heavy Adjective Sad or painful.
Hither Verb To or toward this place.
How dost thou Phrase How are you.
How now? Interjection How is it going.
Hugger-Mugger Noun Privacy; secrecy.
Inkhorn-Mate Noun A contemptuous term for a man of learning.
Jack Noun A sailor; a tar, or a mean fellow.
Jest Verb To make witty or amusing remarks.
Laced-Mutton Noun A courtesan.
Malkin Noun A kitchen servant, or any common woman; a slattern.
Methinks Verb It seems to me.
Nether-Stocks Noun Stockings.
Noddy Noun A dunce or fool; a simpleton.
Nought Noun Nothing
Lubberwort Noun Any food or drink which makes one idle and stupid.
Oft Verb Often.
Orgulous Adjective Proud; haughty; disdainful.
Ouphe Noun a small, often mischievous sprite; a fairy; a goblin; an elf
Ousel-Cock Noun A blackbird.
Perchance/Mayhap/Belike Verb Perhaps; possibly.
Pew-Fellow Noun A comrade or friend.
Portance Noun The manner in which one carries oneself; personal carriage; bearing; deportment; mien.
Pouncet-Box Noun A small perfume box with a perforated top.
Prithee/Pray Thee Interjection Used to express a polite request.
Privies Noun Toilets
Progress Noun A ceremonial journey made by a sovereign through his or her realm.
Prorogue Verb To protract; to prolong; to extend.
Quat Noun A pustule or pimple.; used in contempt of a person.
Quiddit Noun A subtle question.
Quire Noun A body of singers; a chorus.
Ratolorum Noun A ludicrous mistake.
Rapt Adjective Transported with emotion.
Rawly Verb In a raw manner; unskillfully; without experience. Without proper preparation or provision. In a raw manner.
Sirrah Noun A term of address implying inferiority and used in anger, contempt, reproach, or disrespectful familiarity, addressed to a man or boy, but sometimes to a woman.
Sooth Adjective Truth.
Tainture Noun Defilement.
Tawdry-lace Noun A silk ribbon or string worn as a necklace in the 16th and early-17th centuries.
Thee/Thou/Thy/Thine Pronoun Various forms of the informal ‘you’ or ‘your’.
Tidings Noun Information or news.
Verily Verb In truth; in fact.
Well Met Adjective A salutation.
Wherefore Verb Why.
Woe Noun A cause of sorrow or misery; a misfortune.
Woo Verb To seek the affection of (someone, especially a woman) with the intent to marry or begin a romantic relationship.
Wroth Adjective Calamity, misfortune.
Yeoman Noun An attendant, servant, or lesser official in a royal or noble household.
Yon Adjective/Verb Yonder or over there
You/Your Pronoun Formal address used for God and royalty.