Naval Slang
This page may include irreverent, improper and sexist language so if you are easily offended exit this page now or as they say in the RN “sling yer hook”.
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| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A's & A's | Alterations and additions |
| AB Dab (see Dabtoe) | Stokers term for a Seaman (an AB whose main job was to dab paint on things). |
| Adqual | Additional qualifications |
| Adrift | Late for work or duty |
| AFO | Admiralty Fleet Orders - see DCI |
| Aggie on horseback | Weston-Super-Mare |
| Aggie Weston's | Royal Sailors Rests |
| Airy Fairy | Derogatory name for Fleet Air Arm personnel |
| Alaskan highway | Area of deck on a carrier to the starboard side of the island not part of the flight deck |
| All about | Astute |
| All boots and gaiters | Parade or Gunnery Instructor |
| All for it | Enthusiastic (sometimes ironically) |
| All hands in | Everybody |
| Ambeet/Amtoot | Nickname for cheapest Maltese wine |
| Amp tramp | Electrical rating |
| Anchor-faced | Enthusiastic about the Royal Navy (see Pusser) |
| Andrew (The) | The Royal Navy |
| Animal | Sailor whose social and sexual activity would be considered excessive by normal standards |
| Arse bandit | Homosexual |
| Arseholed | Very drunk |
| Arse over tit | Head over heels |
| At the rush | As fast as possible |
| Babies heads | (1)Tinned Steak and Kidney pudding or (2) Painful stretch of anal sphincter after bout of constipation |
| Babies ration packs | Females breasts |
| Badger | Steam catapult operator onboard proper aircraft carriers |
| Bag off | Sexual intercourse |
| Bag shanty | A brothel |
| Ball and chain | Wife |
| Banjo | Filled baguette |
| Banyan | Beach party where lots of beer is drunk |
| Barbary Coast | Senglea marina across from HMS St Angelo home of the Fellowship Bar, Glory of England, Manchester Bar, The Black Cat etc. |
| Baron strangler | Taking advantage of someone well off |
| Barrack stanchion | Sailor who seems to be able to avoid sea drafts |
| Bash | Casual Naval acquaintance |
| Bashing the Bishop | Masturbating |
| Basket weaving course | Spell in Z Ward in RVH Netley (now closed) near Southampton |
| Beef/Beefer | Homosexual |
| Beef Screen | Ship's butcher's ready use store |
| Beer, big eats, bag off back on board | Jack's ideal run ashore |
| Beer tokens | Money |
| Belay | Stop or cease doing something |
| Bellfin | Stinking/smelly |
| Biffins bridge | Connecting tissue between vulva and anus or the shelf between the "playpen" and the "gash chute" |
| Bible basher | Regular church attender "in extremis" |
| Big eats | Pay week meal ashore |
| Bilge (A load of) | Talking rubbish |
| BITS | Beans in tomato sauce (see Herrings in) |
| Black catter | Someone who tops your story |
| Black enamel bastard | Lucky chap - from the days before Chromium Plating was seen as first class finishing, black enamel (japanning) was used to upgrade ordinary metal objects for a superior finish. |
| Black gang | Stokers |
| Black ham | Mombasa ladies of the night |
| Blank week | Week in which no payday |
| Blowdown (A good) | A good shit |
| Blow-through | Sexual intercourse |
| Blue | Casual Naval acquaintance |
| Bluebell | Metal polish |
| Blue Card man | Special dutyman not required for standard duty watch |
| Blue Liners | Navy issue cigarettes |
| Bluey | Free airmail letter from operational area eg Iraq |
| Blushing & farting | Shy, embarrassed |
| Boats | Submarines |
| Bo'ness beastie | Slang name for ladies of that town who used to frequent the Flotilla Club at South Queensferry |
| Bombay Runner | Large cockroach |
| Bombhead | Aircraft Armourer responsible for fitting & removing ejection seats, missiles, bombs & rockets to Naval aircraft |
| Bootneck | Royal Marine |
| Both watches | Muster of hands at the start of the working day |
| Bramah | Success attained with extreme difficulty |
| Brass hat | Commanders & above cap |
| Bravo Zulu (BZ) | Well done! |
| Brightwork | Any brass fitting that has to be polished eg Ship's Bell |
| Bristol fashion | Neat and tidy as in all shipshape and Bristol fashion |
| Brothel creepers | Soft soled shoes |
| Brown Clown | See brownhatter |
| Brown Nose | Person who snivels round superiors to curry favour |
| Brownhatter or Brownjob | Homosexual |
| Brownhatters handlebars | Long sideburns or long moustache |
| Brownhatters overalls | Pyjamas |
| Brownhatters scrambling net | String vest |
| Brownhatters tea party | Fairly loose meaning for a gathering |
| Bubble head | Navy Diver (see also Deeps) |
| Bubbly | Pussers rum – grog – tot |
| Bucket of shit | Friendly greeting as in Me old bucket o' shit how's it goin |
| Buffer | Chief Bosun's Mate |
| Buffing up | Polishing brightwork (see above) |
| Bug run | Parting in one's hair |
| Buggers grips | Tufts of hair grown on cheeks (popular in Nelson's day) |
| Buggery board | Metal sheet separating two bunks (usually with ventilation holes) |
| Bugis Street | Singapore Red Light area famous for Kytais (re-vamped 1985 now trendy shopping centre/tourist attraction ) |
| Bum fodder | Toilet paper |
| Bunrun (The) | Wardroom |
| Bunch of bastards | Length of tangled rope that will take some undoing |
| Bunting Tosser | Tactical signals branch rating |
| Burberry (Rub of) | Lend me your raincoat |
| Burma Doo | Bermuda |
| Burma Road/Way | Below decks passageway forward to aft |
| Button | Wooden cap on top of a mast - see Truck |
| Button boy | Junior seaman on top of the mast (HMS Ganges) |
| Buttons (got his/hers) | Promoted to Chief Petty Officer |
| Buzz | Rumour |
| Caboosh | Small work compartment, store, office, hideaway |
| Cackle the fat | Idle chatter |
| Cackleberry | Boiled egg |
| Call the hands | Naval reveille |
| Calling for hooey | Spewing |
| Can Man | See Canteen Damager |
| Can spanner | Tin opener |
| Canteen boat | Junior Captain – gets all the shit jobs |
| Canteen Damager | NAAFI Canteen Manager |
| Can't see me suit | Bootneck or pongo in camouflage kit |
| Catch the boat up | Contract a venereal disease |
| C.D.F. | Commonsense. Common dog f*** |
| Channel night | Last night at sea PU before getting into base port |
| Cheesy 'ammy eggy | Toast with bacon on top covered in a cheese mixture and topped with an egg |
| Chew and Spew | Cafe next to HMS Tamar in the 60's |
| Chicken on a raft | Eggs on toast |
| Chinese wedding cake | Rice pudding with currants |
| Chippy | Shipwright |
| Chippy's mate | Shipwright's assistant |
| Chokie laundry | Chinese laundry |
| Chokka | Upset |
| Chop Chop | Get a move on. Hurry up. |
| Chop one off | Salute |
| Chuck up | Praise for a job well done |
| Chuffed | Very pleased |
| Chuffs & Puffs | Chiefs and Petty Officers |
| Cinderella leave | Leave until midnight only |
| Civvy/Civvies | Non-Service personnel/ Civilian clothing (out of uniform) |
| Clacker | Pie crust |
| Clanky | Someone in the engineer branch |
| Clear lower deck | All personnel to muster |
| Clear your yardarm | Ensure no blame will come to you if something goes wrong |
| Clews | Cords from which a hammock is slung (see nettles) |
| Close to the wind | Living dangerously |
| Close up | Go to your action station/place of duty etc |
| Closing down to Zulu Alpha | Three matelots and a young lady in a ménage a quatre |
| Clubswinger | Physical Training Instructor - PTI |
| Coil one down | Have a sh*t in an unusual place |
| Cook of the Mess | Prepare meals for the mess & clean up |
| Cock and arse party | Officers cocktail party |
| Colours | Ceremonial hoisting/lowering of White Ensign |
| Comic Cuts | Sailors confidential or promotion reports |
| Con | Control of ship's steering |
| Condensing snot | Snoring |
| Corkhead | Isle of Wight resident who catches the ferry for Pompey ship/shore base |
| Corticene | Pussers linoleum (usually red in colour) |
| Counterpane hurdling | Sex |
| Crab Air | Air travel courtesy of the RAF |
| Crabfat | RAF personnel |
| Crabhutch or crabby | Not very clean |
| Crab ladder | Strip of hair growing from the pubic area to the navel |
| Crabs | Pubic lice, often known as “crutch crickets” |
| Crash/Crash out | Go to bed |
| Cross the bar | Die - He's crossed the bar ie left life's harbour |
| Crossing the line | Equator/Arctic/Antarctic |
| Crusher | Regulating Petty Officer |
| Crutch Hammock | Sanitary towel |
| CUMDAFFERS | Clear up messdecks and flats for evening rounds |
| CSB | Courage Sparkling Bitter - strong ale brewed for HM Ships |
| D by P | Discharge by purchase (forerunner to PVR) |
| Dabtoe | Seaman |
| Daddy "S" | Commander in Supply Branch |
| Deeks | Royal Naval Detention Quarters |
| Deeps | Navy diver or Submariner |
| DCI | Defence Council Instructions succeeded AFO's circa 1960 |
| Deckhead survey | Sleeping |
| Dghajsa (sounds Diso) | Harbour rowing boat peculiar to Malta |
| Dhobey | Wash/bath/shower |
| Dhobey bucket | Bucket used for crashing out clean clothes |
| Dhobey dust | Soap powder |
| Dhobey hitch | Unrecognisable knot which comes undone easily |
| Dhobey rash | Red rash caused by not rinsing clothes properly |
| Dhobey Wallah | Laundryman (normally Chinese) |
| Dig in/out | Help yourself – “fill yer boots” |
| Dip | To fail |
| Dip in/Dipped in | Strike lucky |
| Dip out/Dipped out | Lose out on something |
| Dip your wick | Have sexual intercourse |
| Ditch | Dispose of permanently |
| Ditty Box | Where Jack keeps his prized possessions |
| Divisions | Formal parade or how Departments are split |
| Dockyard jellyfish | Green gob of phlegm |
| Dockyard matey | Dockyard "worker" |
| Dockyard oyster | Green gob of phlegm floating in water |
| Dockyard pizza | Vomit |
| Dockyard runaround | Being messed about |
| Dockyard tortoise | Cornish pasty |
| Dode | More than a smidgen |
| Dog robbers | Civilians |
| Doggo | Ugly, usually ungallantly of a woman |
| Dog Watch (in for a) | Derogatory term for a sailor who has only been in RN for a short time |
| Dog Watches | 1600 to 1800 First Dog. 1800 to 2000 Last Dog |
| Dog's bollocks | Great |
| Dollar bosun | Paymaster/ Supply Officer /Senior Writer Rating |
| Doofer | Half smoked cigarette (do fer later) |
| Doofa scope | Telescope |
| Double breasted matelot | Coarse name for Wren (now female sailors) |
| Draft Chit | Movement order to another ship/unit |
| Drafty | Person/office that issues draft chits |
| Draw one off | Punch or slap |
| Drip | Moan, complain |
| Drip chit | Complaint form |
| Drop test | Electrical version of Float Test |
| DTS | Dinner time session or Dartmouth Training Squadron |
| Duck run derby | Popular run ashore race with knicks round ankles and coin clenched in buttocks which has to be deposited in a pint jug. |
| Duff, Up the | Pregnant |
| Duff up | Give a hiding to |
| Dung hampers | Underpants - see keks |
| Ear pounding | Bollicking |
| Ease springs | Go for a comfort break (pee) |
| Egg Banjo | Eggs in a long bread roll (similar to a French stick) smothered in ketchup or brown sauce. Usually obtained East of Suez. |
| Egyptian AFO's | Pornographic books with poor spelling - see AFO |
| Elmer | An American |
| Essence | Word to describe something beautiful (usually female) |
| Exped | Adventurous training |
| Falls | Ropes for raising/lowering boats (see marry the falls) |
| Fang farrier | Dentist |
| Fanny | Container for liquids eg Rum Fanny |
| Fanny Bowser | Transport from Wrennery to workplace on Naval Air Stations |
| Fanny rat | Womaniser |
| Fast black | Taxi (orig Singapore) |
| Father Famine | Caterer etc or Supply Officer responsible for food |
| Feed 'em rice | Uncaring |
| Feed of ars* (shortened to feed) | Bullshit |
| FES (pronounced Fezz) | Far East Station |
| FFO | Furnace fuel oil |
| FFSBU | For F***s sake buck up |
| Fid | Small marline spike or a sheaf of papers |
| Fish head | General Service personnel (word used by Wafoos) |
| Figgy duff | Suet pudding, usually with fruit |
| Flaked out | Asleep or lying in relaxed position |
| Flag 8 | Women in the vicinity |
| Flags | Senior Rate Yeoman Signalman |
| Flag wagger | Another name for a Bunting Tosser/Signalman |
| Flanker | Pull a fast one as in "work a flanker" |
| Flash up (1) | Lose your temper |
| Flash up (2) | Start machinery/main engines etc |
| Flat top | Aircraft carrier |
| Float test | Ditch something overboard or getting rid of something |
| Flog yer log | Masturbate |
| Flying cowboy | Fleet Air Arm |
| FOD | Foreign Object Damage |
| Foo Foo (see also Whompo) | Talcum powder |
| Food Hooks | Cutlery (see Gobbling Rods) |
| Fore and Aft Rig | Chuffs and puffs uniform |
| Forty Four | Pompey ladies (Tombola call) |
| Fouley | Foul weather jacket with elasticated cuffs and adjustable hood (see windy burbs) |
| Four o'clockers | Tea |
| Free gangway | Able to proceed ashore without formal inspection |
| Fresh out | The equivalent of no chance to a request for some item or perk |
| Freshers | Chilly day eg it's a touch of freshers up top today |
| Friday while | Long weekend leave |
| FRISP | F*****g repulsive ignorant Scottish pig (Rosyth Dockyard Matey) |
| Gannet | Greedy |
| Gas & gaiters | Gunnery rating |
| Gash | Surplus to requirements |
| Gash bin | Rubbish bin |
| Gash hand | Spare (but normally useless) rating |
| Get your hat | See in the (Rattle) |
| Get your lagging on | Getting dressed for going ashore |
| Get your lagging off | Get your knickers off |
| G.I. | Gunnery Instructor |
| Gizzits | Free gift of any description |
| Glimper | Someone who looks up a ladies dress when they descend an internal ladder |
| Gnats piss | Weak beer |
| Go round the buoy | Repeat, take a second helping |
| Gobbie | Civilian Instructor at Artificer Training Establishments |
| Gobbler’s gulch | Area between stocking top and suspender belt |
| Gobbling Rods | Cutlery (see Food Hooks) |
| Gob shite | Loudmouth |
| God walloper | Chaplain/Padre |
| Goffer | (1) Big breaking wave or (2) Fruit flavoured soft drink |
| Golly | Electronic warfare specialist |
| Goofer | Spectator |
| Gos | Cap (tiffies term - Good Old Soak) when caps were not plastic |
| Grappling irons | Cutlery |
| Green rub | Unjust treatment, detailing, draft etc |
| Greenies | Electricians (Electrical Officers had green between the gold rings) |
| Grey Funnel Line | The (seagoing) Royal Navy |
| Grippo | Free treat - usually by a civilian |
| Gronk | An ugly woman |
| Gronk board | Mess board with pictures of ugly women |
| Grounders | To give away a whole tot. Would have to be a spectacular favour for this to happen |
| Grubber | Airframes and Engines mechanic |
| Grunters | Officers (derogatory) |
| Gruntery | Wardroom |
| Guard & steerage | 30 minute lie in for non watchkeepers working late |
| Gulpers | Very generous gesture regarding rum usually given for a big favour eg sub for duty. 8 gulpers = 1 tot. |
| Gut (The) | Strait Street, Valetta Malta (in)famous for bars/loose women (Gyppo Queen, Sugars etc) |
| Guzz | Plymouth ** See Trivia (20) |
| Gyro failure | Staggering after having one too many |
| Half a dog watch | Short time- usually derogative about length of service |
| Handsomely | Slowly and carefully eg lowering a seaboat |
| Hang out of | Cohabit with a woman |
| Hard cheese | (see below) |
| Hard shit! | Bad luck |
| Hard Tack | Ship's biscuit |
| Harries | Anything you don't know the name of |
| He-She | Tranvestite (see Kytai) |
| He's like a Maltese hammock | He doesn't have a clew |
| Head down | Sleep: ‘Get your head down’ |
| Heads | Toilet |
| Heads (Captain of) | Rating responsible for cleaning toilets |
| Hedgehog | Oversized prickly & painful bowel motion. Exceeds babies heads (2) in discomfort |
| Herrings in | Herrings in tomato sauce (HITS) |
| Hoggin | The sea |
| Holiday | When painting ship a holiday is a bit you missed |
| Hollywood | Staying too long in the shower - using more than your fair share of water |
| Homeward bounders | Large, untidy stitches |
| Honk | Smell offensively |
| Honk (your ring up) | Be violently sick |
| Honky Fid | Hong Kong |
| Hook | Anchor |
| Hooky | A leading hand |
| Hopping off at Fratton Bridge | Coitus Interruptus. Having intercourse without a condom. (See Nautical Trivia Page (23) |
| Housewife | Sewing kit - usually issued on joining up |
| Ickies | Any foreign currency |
| Inflate your mate week | Second week at sea |
| Irish Pendant | Poorly secured line or hanging lanyard |
| Jack | Sailor and also Union Flag |
| Jack Dusty | A supply rating |
| Jack me Tickler | A know-all sailor. Been there done it type. |
| Jackproof | Robust piece of equipment or kit |
| Jack Strop | A bellicose rating |
| Jacksie | Anus |
| Jackspeak | Naval parlance |
| J.A.F.O. | Just another f*****g observer |
| J.A.M.T.F. | Just another mouth to feed |
| Jago's Mansions | RN Barracks, Devonport, HMS Drake ** See Trivia (21) |
| Jan/Janner | West Country rating |
| Jankers | Where you were put after being trooped |
| Jankers shuffle | Men under punishment doubling with a rifle |
| Jaunty/Joss/Jossman | Master at Arms |
| JB | Johore Bharu (near Singapore) |
| JD | An unruly and/or delinquent junior rating |
| Jewish march past | Checking money after run ashore |
| Jig-a-jig | Brothel visit |
| Jimmy/Jimmy the one | First Lieutenant |
| Jockanese | Scots accent |
| Jolly | A run ashore |
| Keks | Underpants - see dung hampers |
| Killick | Leading hand |
| ‘kin ‘ell! | Abbreviated expostulation |
| Kipper | Two faced b*****d with no guts |
| Kit muster | Formal inspection of kit |
| Knacker crackers | Beefy female thighs |
| Knee trembler | Having sex standing up |
| Knob jockey | Rides knobs - homosexual |
| Knobber | Homosexual |
| Knocking shop | Brothel |
| Knuckle | Hit somebody with fist |
| Knuckle bosun | Punchy matelot |
| Kytai (sounds KyeTie) | Transvestite (He-She) see Bugis Street |
| Kye | Cocoa made from grated dark unsweetened chocolate |
| La bunch of bastards | French knot |
| Lamp tramp | Electrical rating |
| Larboard | Original word for Port (left) side of ship |
| Lash-up | Generous hospitality also makeshift arrangements |
| Laughing gear | Mouth |
| Lazy lob | Partial erection |
| Lead on MacDick | Undiscriminating fornicator (see Fanny rat) |
| Leatherneck | Royal Marine |
| Lee side | Sheltered side |
| Leg iron | Useless c**t |
| Leg it | Disappear from the scene swiftly |
| Liberty Boat | Small vessel used to take Jack ashore & return him |
| Libertymen | Jack proceeding ashore (usually at a designated time) |
| Lifebuoy ghost | Sentry at aft end of ship when underway |
| Lightweight | Someone with a cushy number onboard |
| Like a Midshipman's cabin | Untidy |
| Limers | Very strong fruit drink made from Pussers lime crystals, sugar and water |
| Lined up | On a disciplinary charge |
| Listing | Drunk (a matelot is often akin to a ship in a storm on such occasions) |
| Loafing | Hanging around doing nothing |
| Lob on | An erection |
| Lower Deck lawyer | A Jack me Tickler always quoting rules and regulations |
| Mailey/mailies | Letters from/to home usually. See bluey |
| Make and Mend | Afternoon off (usually given after a middle watch) |
| Make and Mend with leave or Sports Make and Mend | Self explanatory. (Orig. when sailors had to make own clothes and were given afternoon off to repair them - hence make and mend) |
| Magic Stick | The Majestic Ballroom in Guzz |
| Malta dog | The dog - having the shits (diahorrea) |
| Maltese breaststroke | Pulling hands towards chest as if piling up money |
| Maltese lace | Badly sewn on badge |
| Mankey | Filthy |
| Marry the falls | Bringing the ropes together when lowering a seaboat |
| Marsovin & 7 Up | Lethal Maltese cocktail |
| Matelot | Sailor |
| Medical stoppage | Leave/tot stopped (see catch the boat up) |
| Messdeck dodger | Messdeck sweeper or cleaner |
| Mick | Hammock (‘sling me mick’) |
| Mickey Duck | Cartoon film |
| Mickey Mouse Killick | Leading Hand with no Good Conduct Badges |
| Middie's Meniscus | Midshipman with a drink, whose glass is topped to the brim: Full to the brim: Implies greed: Will not hold any more. |
| Middle Watch | Midnight to 0400 (4am) shift (or watch) |
| Milestone | Extra large wave periodically encountered |
| Mogadogshit | Mogadishu (Somalia) |
| Mombers | Mombasa, Kenya - see Black Ham |
| Monkeys fist | Large decorative knot used to weight the end of a heaving line |
| Muck on a truck | Meals on wheels (usually for ships in refit) |
| Muff diver | Rating given to oral intercourse |
| MUPPET | Most useless person pusser ever trained |
| Mulct | Stoppage of pay (disciplinary punishment) |
| Muscle bosun | PTI, or body-builder rating |
| Musical fruit | Baked beans or pussers peas |
| Muster | Gather together as a group eg Duty watch muster |
| NAAFI rating | No ambition and f*** all interest |
| Nap hand | Unlucky, contracting both gonorrhoea & syphilis/crabs |
| Navy cake | Homosexual sailor |
| Neaters | Unwatered rum |
| Necky | Got a nerve (as in more neck than a 3 badge giraffe at action stations with a make and mend chit) |
| Netley | Naval nuthouse - now a housing development |
| Nettles | The cords that make up a hammocks clews |
| Nigerian lager | Guinness |
| Nine o'clockers | Snack at 2100 - usually in RN Barracks (but often earlier just to confuse new joiners) |
| Nix and flip flops | Jacks bathroom attire |
| North-easter | Rating having no money on pay day - NE: not entitled |
| Not my part of ship | Not responsible |
| Nozzer | New entrant to RN in Ganges, Raleigh or St Vincent |
| Number One | First Lieutenant or Chinese Laundryman |
| Number Two/Three etc | Laundryman's assistants |
| Nutty | Sweets |
| Nutty Bosun | Someone with a sweet tooth |
| OD | An unruly and/or irresponsible older hand who should know better and is a bad example to others |
| Oggie | Cornish pasty or native of Cornwall |
| Old ships | Old shipmate – someone previously served with |
| On the trot | To desert from the RN |
| One all round | Have a smoke break |
| Oppo | Close chum |
| Out of watch | ‘Getting a bit’ with a lady – not one’s wife/girlfriend |
| Out pipes | Stop smoking and get back to work |
| Over the wall | Spell in detention quarters |
| P7R | Medical category - Unfit for sea |
| PVR | Premature Voluntary Release (see D by P) |
| Panic Bosun | Someone who is excitable |
| Part of Ship (POS) | Place of duty or compartment/workspace you are responsible for |
| Party | Sailors steady girlfriend |
| Pash | Girlfriend |
| Pea-doo | Long service and good conduct medal (origin obscure - but possibly "Pay Due" because of the £20 gratuity that used to be paid on award). The LS & GC was introduced on the 24th August 1831. |
| Pension trap | Some mishap that may prevent Jack collecting his pension after his 22 |
| Phoo-phoo | Talcum powder |
| Pierhead jump | Draft at very short notice |
| Pig | RN Officer (impolite) |
| Pig's meat | Wrens who date only officers |
| Pilot | Skipper's name for the Navigating Officer |
| Pinkie | Aircraft radio mechanic |
| Pipe | Bosuns whistle blown, normally precedes an order |
| Pipe down | Keep silence or "out lights" and turn in |
| Pi-r squared rating | One who can do sums, studious (derogatory) |
| Piso | Tight (Not for me - but for my Dhaighsa (Diso) - you British matelots are so piso). |
| Pissed off | Fed up |
| Piss flap | Buttoned flap on sailors trousers |
| Piss flaps | Female genitalia |
| Piss poor | Not very good |
| Piss strainers | Saute'd kidneys (used to be served at breakfast) |
| PJ | Poxy Jock (origin - Faslane) |
| Plushers/plussers | Rum remaining in tub after issue made - later Queens |
| Pompey | Portsmouth |
| Polar Bears Ars*holes | Linen washers (used on ring binder pages) |
| Pongo | Army personnel |
| Porridge guns | Bagpipes |
| Potmess | Messdeck stew |
| POTS | Petty Officer Telegraphist |
| Pox doctor’s clerk | Generally lucky |
| Pulpit puffda | Vicar |
| Punkah louvre | Forced air ventilation (orig India) |
| Push the boat out | Celebrate lavishly |
| Pusher | Another term for girlfriend |
| Pusser | Supply Officer or someone very formal navy-style |
| Pusserised | See Anchor Faced |
| Pussers Crabfat | Ship's side grey paint |
| Pussers Issue | Officially issued item of uniform/kit |
| Pussers Hard | Navy soap |
| Pussers Soft | Soft soap |
| Pussers Terrapin | Steak and kidney pie (generally the rectangular shaped ones) |
| Pussers war canoe | Naval vessel |
| Quack | Medical officer |
| Queens | Rum left over in fanny after tots issued |
| Queens machines | Royal Marines |
| Quick burn | Rapidly and slyly smoked cigarette |
| Quiet number | Cushy job |
| Quiet run | Civilised run ashore |
| QT | On the quiet/unofficial |
| Rabbits | Presents/souvenirs or something acquired on the QT |
| Rabbit job | Some work done on the side |
| Racing snake | Skinny person |
| Ram it | Get lost. I'm not doing it! |
| Rattle, in the | Up on a disciplinary charge |
| RBG | Rich brown gravy |
| RDP | Run down period (period just before going on draft when interest wanes). As in Shep Woolley's song "Ram it - I'm RDP") |
| Red devil | Pussers bike |
| Red grenade | McEwans Export tin of beer |
| Red lead | Tinned tomatoes |
| Reggy | Navy police |
| Re-scrub | Do it again eg Mess Rounds not up to standard |
| Ringbolted | Paralytic |
| Ring piece | Anus |
| Ring stinger | Hot curry |
| Roof rats | Flight-deck gang |
| Ropey trophy | Usually an elaborately decorated toilet seat taken on a mess run ashore and awarded for the ugliest female trapped that evening |
| Rose cottage | Venereal disease ward or clinic |
| Rotten | VD - see Rose Cottage |
| R.O.M.F.T. | Roll on my f*****g time/Roll on my first twelve |
| Roughers | Heavy seas |
| Rounds | Usually an inspection of living/work spaces etc |
| Royal | Sailors name for Royal Marine – usually bootneck |
| Royal Naval School of Dancing | Any popular hang out for Jack to observe the local talent eg the Paramount in Guzz in the 60's. |
| Rub/rubber | Loan eg Give us a rub of your dhobey dust/fiver 'til next payday etc |
| Rug rat | Small child |
| Rum Bosun | Person detailed to collect rum for the mess |
| Rum rat | Person who likes more than his own tot |
| Run (going on the) | Deserting |
| Run ashore | Jack having a few beers |
| Sailor (or Submariner's) mattress | Wren |
| Scab lifter | Medical rating |
| Scale | Standard punishment for an offence |
| Schoolie | Instructor Officer |
| Scrambled egg | Gold leaf embellishment on senior officers cap |
| Scran | Food |
| Scran-bag (1) | Where kit found "sculling about" was put |
| Scran-bag (2) | Untidy rating eg "he's dressed like a scranbag" |
| Screw | Ship's propellor/sex |
| Scribes | Rating in Writer branch |
| Scrub round it | Never mind, forget it |
| Scupper | Drain/soak away or to scupper someone's plans (to demolish the plan) |
| Scummer | Southampton native |
| Scurs | Sailor with beard |
| Scuttle | Porthole |
| Secure | Finish work |
| Sembewang sausage | Satay dipped in sauce from a galvanised bucket sold by street vendors outside Sembewang dockyard |
| Sergeants | Another name for Commanders |
| Sess (pronounced sesh) | Having a booze up eg dinner time sess see DTS |
| Set | Full beard and moustache |
| Seven beller | Leave allowed until 1130 next day |
| Seven bells of shit | Using excessive force eg he knocked seven bells of shit out of him |
| Sew Sew | Ship's tailor (usually Hong Kong Chinese) |
| Shagnasty | Person with low moral standards (nasty person) |
| Shake | Wake someone up eg shake your watch relief |
| Shakes list | Book containing names of people requesting a shake |
| Shave off! | (1) Cry of disgust (2) Order to remove unacceptable facial hair |
| Shit and periods | Sausages and tinned tomatoes |
| Shit in it | Shut up |
| Shitnicks | Underpants |
| Shit on a Raft | Braised kidneys on toast |
| Shitehawk | Seagull |
| Shiters | Drunk |
| Shoot through | Fail to keep appointment or leave run ashore early |
| Shufti | Take a look |
| Sick on toast | Sandwich spread |
| Sickbay shackle | Safety pin used to secure chin stay |
| Side or Sea locker (stow in the) | Ditch overboard |
| Sin Bosun | Padre |
| Singapore ear | Ear infection |
| Singers | Singapore |
| Sippers | More substantial than a wet of rum. Usually given on birthdays. 4 sippers = 1 gulper |
| Skate | Idle loafing sod |
| Skidders | Dubious stain on back of underpants |
| Skin/skin and essence | Young looking sailor - usually not yet shaving |
| Skive off | Avoid work detail |
| Skylarking | Messing around |
| Sky Pilot | Padre |
| Slack hammock | Badly lashed hammock/punishment for oversleeping |
| Slap in | Make a written request eg "I'm going to slap in to see some b*****d about this. |
| Slide | Butter (when available) |
| Sling yer hook | Go away! (impolite) |
| Slop chit | List of responsibilities |
| Slop Room | See (Slops) below |
| Slops | Clothing, tobacco, mainly cash sales |
| Smidgen | A very small quantity (origin - Chatham Dockyard Maties) |
| Snapper | Homosexual |
| SNLR | Services no longer required |
| Snotty | Midshipman |
| Sods opera | Ship's concert |
| Soogie | Mixture of water and soft soap to wash down paintwork |
| Spaghetti bollock naked | Spaghetti bolognese |
| Spanner wanker | FAA Airframes/engines mechanic |
| Sparks | Radio Operator |
| Spasm chasm | Vagina |
| Spinning a yarn | Telling a far fetched or misleading story |
| Spithead pheasant | Kipper |
| Spitkid | Gashbin in messeck (originally used for spitting in - spitoon) |
| Split-arse mechanic | Female (derogatory) |
| Sports pages | Love letter |
| Sprog | Child or baby. (Old Navy. Allegedly entered in the physicians log as the acronym - SPROG - Sibling Produced Recoil of Gun - when the gun was used to assist childbirth). Also a new Artificer Apprentice Fag as in John Brown's schooldays. |
| Square it off | Tidy things up |
| Square rig | Junior ratings uniform |
| Squeegie | Implement with a rubber strip on the end of a broom handle to clear water |
| Squeeze up | Experience VD |
| Squid | Ahead throwing anti-submarine mortar |
| SRD | Maltese dark rum almost as good as Pussers |
| Stand down | Relax from duty |
| Stand easy | NAAFI/Tea break |
| Station Card | Card given to gangway staff prior to going ashore |
| Stamps | Of no important status |
| Stand to | Prepare for action |
| Stickies | Collective name for stodge cakes, buns etc as in "Tea and Stickies" |
| Sticky greens | Drinks bought for bar girls |
| Stoker | Engine room mechanic |
| Stonker | Erection |
| Stow | Put away safe and tidy (lash up and stow) |
| Straight rush | Roast meat and vegetables |
| Stroll on! | An expression of incredulity |
| Sub | Stand in for duty |
| Suck back | Change your mind or Uckers ploy/move |
| Submariners Dhobi Dust | Talcum powder |
| Sun dodger | Submariner |
| Swain | Coxswain – senior rate of a small warship |
| Swallow the anchor | Retire |
| Swansea virgin | Welsh rarebit |
| Sweating neaters | Very anxious state |
| Swinging the lamp | Telling sea stories |
| Swinging the lead | Lazy, going through the motions of doing something without achieving anything |
| Tailor-made | Manufactured cigarette as opposed to hand-rolled |
| Tanky | Rating responsible for liquid eg fresh water/fuel |
| TAS ape | Towed array sonar Operators |
| Tea and stickies | Friendly non alcoholic hospitality |
| Technicolour yawn | (Fairly self explanatory) |
| Teepol | Pussers equivalent of Fairy Liquid |
| Tiddley | Smart |
| Tin fish | Torpedo |
| Tiger tops | Favourite drink - Fleet Canteen Singapore |
| That is all | Phrase to end a pipe that starts D'ye hear there |
| Thickers | Condensed milk |
| Thin out | To go home, depart or leave (the vicinity) |
| Thousand miler | Casual shirt/top worn for a long time |
| Three badge AB | Able Seaman with three Good Conduct Badges |
| Three badge FA | Alternative to above (work it out). Also Three badges gold. Too f..king old. |
| Three sheets to the wind | Drunk and/or out of control |
| Tickler | Navy issue cigarette tobacco |
| Tiddley | Smart, as in “tiddley suit” No 1 uniform |
| Tiffy | Artificer |
| Tilley | Dockyard utility vehicle |
| Tinned fishes | Sardines |
| To call for a damp | A silent deadly (or Ninja) fart. See Nautical Trivia page (22) |
| Toggle and two | Male genitalia |
| Tombola | Bingo - Navy style |
| Toothwright | Dentist |
| Torpoint chicken | (Built like) ie all prick and toenails |
| Tottie | Good looking girl |
| Townie | Shipmate with the same home town |
| Train smash | Ketchup |
| Tram smash | Bacon and tinned tomato |
| Trap/trapping | Ashore, out looking for women |
| Trick cyclist | Pyschiatrist |
| Troop | See in the Rattle |
| Truck | Wooden cap on top of a mast - see Button |
| Turd burglar | Tool/rating to clear blocked heads |
| Turn in | Go to bed |
| Turn to | Start work |
| Turtles head | Constipated poo protruding from the anal sphincter - usually stuck |
| Twelve | Continuous service engagement of 12 years |
| Two sheets to the wind | Intoxicated |
| Two six, heave | Words spoken prior to a co-ordinated lift etc |
| Two's up | Reserving position eg "two's up with that book" |
| Uckers | Ludo - Navy style |
| Ullage | Residue in a barrel ie worthless |
| Up and down and round and round | Everything is OK |
| Up harbour night | See Channel night |
| Up homers | Family hospitality extended to Jack in a foreign port (see Grippo) |
| Up spirits | Piped order prior to rum issue - sometimes followed by Stand Fast The Holy Ghost! |
| Up the line | Usually going home on leave |
| Up the trot | Reserve Fleet |
| Upper scuppers | Upper deck |
| Upside down head | A bald sailor with a beard |
| Vampires bag meal | Performing oral sex on a lady at the wrong time of month/Used sanitary towel in a bun/bap/roll |
| Victualled | Living on board |
| Virgins corner | Area in Neesoon (Singapore) where the elderly prostitutes gathered |
| Wafoo | Fleet Air Arm personnel. Also WAFU Wet and f****ng useless. |
| Wanchai burberry | Hong Kong umbrella usually costing a dollar |
| Wank your very crutch | Thank you very much |
| War canoe | Naval vessel |
| Warming the bell | Returning onboard only just in time |
| Watch on stop on | Continuous duty without relief |
| Weed, weejie | To be angry |
| Weighed off | (1) Understands the situation/problem or (2) Punished ie the Skipper has weighed him off for being adrift. |
| Wet (Have a) | Taste of shipmates rum/Friendly gesture |
| Wet as a scrubber | Description of a useless individual |
| White empire | Supply & Secretariat branch |
| Whompo | More expensive than foo foo |
| Widows hop | Weekly dance in Plymouth for ladies over 30 (meant to be easy prey but it never worked out like that). |
| Wind yer neck in! | Shut up! |
| Windward | Opposite of lee side |
| Windy burbs | Lightweight nylon jacket (see Fouley) |
| Windy chisel or hammer | Air driven tool for paint chipping |
| Winger/Wings | Another word for oppo |
| Wodge | A very large quantity of anything |
| Wood butcher | Carpenter or chippy |
| Woofter | Homosexual |
| Working your/his/my ticket | Intentionally getting into trouble to get discharged from the RN |
| Wordsmith | Someone with the gift of the gab |
| Wrap up | Give up doing or saying something |
| X-Factor | That unknown additional element in Jack's pay |
| Yaffle | Eat greedily |
| Yellow Peril | Poached smoked haddock |
| Yodel in a bucket | Be seasick |
| Yomp | Going on a long forced march |
| Yonks | A long time eg I haven't done that for yonks |
| You-can’t bend-it | (1) Vague reference or (2) Chips in a French stick from a chip shop in Gib |
| Zeds | Sleep - he's piling up the zeds |
Interested in joining us?
We’d love to have you as part of the HMS Cavalier & HMS Carysfort association.
