The Sailor's Word-Book.

The old sailing navy spoke a language all its own, thousands of terms for every rope, spar, manoeuvre and mood of the sea, and this famous dictionary gathers that whole vanished vocabulary between two covers.

What it's about

This is a comprehensive dictionary of nautical words and phrases, compiled to explain the vast technical and colloquial vocabulary of the sailor's world. It defines the terms of rigging and seamanship, navigation and naval life, along with the slang, customs and lore of those who worked the ships. Drawn from long experience of the sea, it aims to make the whole language of the maritime world intelligible.

Themes

The book is a monument to a specialised way of life and the precise, colourful speech it generated. It reflects the world of the sailing navy and merchant marine, where exact terminology could mean the difference between safety and disaster, and it preserves not only technical definitions but the flavour and humour of a distinctive seafaring culture.

Why it still matters

As the age of sail receded, its language risked being lost, and this dictionary remains one of the great preserves of that vocabulary. It is indispensable to readers of maritime fiction and history who wish to understand the terms of the ships, and a delight to browse for anyone who loves words and the strange richness of a trade's own tongue.

Who it's for

For readers of nautical fiction and naval history, for sailors and lovers of the sea, and for word-lovers who relish a great specialised dictionary to lose themselves in.