Correctly using idiomatic expressions makes you sound more like the natives no matter what language you are trying to speak. Learning them can be tricky, though, because you often can’t guess the meaning of an idiom from the words. Trying to remember idioms as random sets of words is not very interesting or productive. The easiest way to learn and really remember idioms is to learn about their history. When you understand where they came from, it’s a lot easier to remember what they mean. Some idioms are so old that no one is really sure where they came from, but you can find clear written records of many of the idioms we use today. My main resource for this post is the Dictionary of Idioms and their Origins by Linda and Roger Flavell.
In this blog post, I am going to cover some nautical idioms in English. Even though English is spoken in many parts of the world today, the birthplace of English is an island. England has been dependent on the sea for food, transportation, and trade since ancient times. So, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of idioms related to ships and sailing. Here are a few:
Taken Aback
“To be taken aback” means to be shocked or surprised by a sudden change of events. It is often used with negative events. “Aback” is an old-fashioned word that means “in a backward direction.” For example, “The employees were taken aback when they discovered that the factory where they were working was closing.” The employees were shocked when they learned that they would lose their jobs. Here is a little history about this idiom from Linda and Roger Flavell:
In the days of sailing-ships, if the wind unexpectedly whipped the huge sails back against the masts, the ship was taken aback, that is, its progress was abruptly halted. This could happen either through faulty steering or a swift change in wind direction.
(Flavell, p. 1)
The shock of a big ship suddenly stopping is connected to the shock a person feels when they receive unexpected news.
By and Large
“By and large” means “in general” or “for the most part.” For example, “By and large, I enjoyed my time at school.” This means I enjoyed being at school most of the time. “By and large” is a combination of two old sailing terms: “full and by” and “to sail large.” Linda and Roger Flavell say:
…the joining of these two technical nautical expressions suggests the wind both before and behind the beam [of a ship]: a little of each, an average of them. There is also the implication of taking the rough with the smooth.
(Flavell, p. 46)
To be Left High and Dry
“To be left high and dry” means to be stranded and left without any help. For example, “The departure of several key employees has left the business high and dry”. The employees have abandoned the business and now it doesn’t have the help it needs. In The Phrase Finder, it says:
This term originally referred to ships that were beached. The ‘dry’ implies that, not only were they out of the water, but had been for some time and could be expected to remain so.
A good mental image for this expression is a ship that is stuck in the sand when the tide goes out. A ship that is out of the water is going nowhere.
I hope that knowing a little about the history of these nautical idioms will help you to remember them and use them correctly. The next post in this series will cover three more nautical idioms that are still commonly used.
References
Flavell, Linda, and Roger (2011) Dictionary and Idioms and their Origins, Kyle Books, London, UK
The Free Dictionary by Farlex, https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/, Accessed April 23, 2023
The Phrase Finder, https://www.phrases.org.uk/, Accessed April 23, 2023
Would you like to support my content? Make a donation at Buy Me a Coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/diffengexplnd
Get notified of new blog posts on my Telegram channel. Sign up at https://t.me/diffengexplnd.