This page belongs to HMS Carysfort's website www.hmscarysfort.co.uk and may include irreverent, improper and sexist language so if you are easily offended exit this page now.
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This page belongs to HMS Carysfort's website www.hmscarysfort.co.uk and may include irreverent, improper and sexist language so if you are easily offended exit this page now. |
NAVAL SLANG
Alpha
| A's & A's | Alterations and additions |
| Adqual | Additional qualifications |
| Adrift | Late for work or duty |
| AFO | Admiralty Fleet Orders - see DCI |
| Aggie Weston's | Royal Sailors Rests |
| Airy Fairy | Derogatory name for Fleet Air Arm personnel |
| 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 |
| Arse bandit | Homosexual |
| Arseholed | Very drunk |
| Arse over tit | Head
over heels |
| At the rush | As fast as possible |
Bravo
| Babies heads | (1)Tinned
Steak
and Kidney pudding
(2) Painful stretch of anal sphincter after bout of constipation |
| Bag shanty | A brothel |
| Banyan | Beach party where lots of beer is drunk |
| 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 RVH Netley (ex mental hospital 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 |
| BITS | Beans in tomato sauce (see Herrings in) |
| Black catter | Someone who tops your story |
| Black gang | Stokers |
| Black ham | Mombasa ladies of the night |
| Blank week | Week in which no payday |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Brownhatter or Brownjob | Homosexual |
| 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) |
| 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 ) |
| 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) |
| Buzz | Rumour |
Charlie
| Caboosh | |
| Cackle the fat | Idle chatter |
| Cackleberry | Boiled egg |
| Call the hands | Naval reveille |
| 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 |
| Chinese wedding cake | Rice
pudding with currants |
| Chippy | Shipwright |
| Chippy's mate | Shipwright's assistant |
| Chokka | Upset |
| Chop Chop | Get a move on. Hurry up. |
| Chop one off | Salute |
| Chuffed | Very pleased |
| Chuffs & Puffs | Chiefs and Petty Officers |
| Cinderella leave | Leave until midnight only |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Corticene | Pussers linoleum (usually red in colour) |
| Counterpane hurdling | Sex |
| Crabfat | RAF personnel |
| Crab Air | Air travel courtesy of the RAF |
| 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 |
| Crusher | Regulating Petty Officer |
| CUMDAFFERS | Clear up messdecks and flats for evening rounds |
| CSB | Courage Sparkling Bitter - strong ale brewed for HM Ships |
Delta
| D by P | Discharge by purchase (forerunner to PVR) |
| Dabtoe | Seaman |
| Daddy "S" | Commander in Supply Branch |
| DCI | Defence Council Instructions succeeded AFO's circa 1960 |
| Deckhead survey | Sleeping |
| Dhaigsa (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 |
| 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 runaround | Being messed about |
| Dode | More than a smidgen |
| 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 |
| Dollar bosun | Paymaster/ Supply Officer /Senior Writer Rating |
| Doofer | Half smoked cigarette (do fer later) |
| 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 |
| Drop test | Electrical version of Float Test |
| DTS | Dinner time session or Dartmouth Training Squadron |
| Duff, Up the | Pregnant |
| Duff up | Give a hiding to |
| Dung hampers |
Echo
| 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 |
Foxtrot
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Flanker | Pull a fast one as in "work a flanker" |
| Flash up (1) | Lose your temper |
| Flash up (2) | Start machinery/main engines etc |
| Float test | Ditch something overboard or getting rid of something |
| Flog yer log | Masturbate |
| FOD | Foreign Object Damage |
| Free gangway | Able to proceed ashore without formal inspection |
| Friday while | Long weekend leave |
| FRISP |
Golf
| Gannet | Greedy |
| Gas & gaiters | Gunnery rating |
| Gash | Surplus to requirements |
| 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 |
| Gnats piss | Weak beer |
| Go round the buoy | Repeat, take a
second helping |
| Gobbler’s gulch | Area between stocking top and suspender belt |
| Gob shite | Loudmouth |
| God walloper | Chaplain/Padre |
| Goffer | Big breaking wave.
Fruit
flavoured soft drink |
| Goofer | Spectator |
| Green rub | Unjust treatment, detailing, draft etc |
| Greenies | Electricians |
| 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 |
| Grubber | Airframes and Engines mechanic |
| 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 (Gippo Queen, Sugars etc) |
| Guzz | Plymouth |
| Gyro failure | Staggering after having one too many |
Hotel
| 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) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Housewife | Sewing kit - usually issued on joining up |
India
| Ickies | Any foreign currency |
| Irish Pendant | Poorly secured line or hanging lanyard |
Juliet
| 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 |
| J.A.F.O. | Just another f*****g observer |
| J.A.M.T.F. | Just another mouth to feed |
| Jagos Mansion | RN Barracks, Devonport, HMS Drake |
| Jan/Janner | West Country rating |
| Jaunty/Joss/Jossman | Master at Arms |
| J.B. | Johore Bharu (near Singapore) |
| Jig-a-jig | Brothel visit |
| Jimmy/Jimmy the one | First Lieutenant |
| Jockanese | Scots accent |
Kilo
| 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 |
| 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 |
Lima
| 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) |
| Lee side | Sheltered side |
| 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 |
| Lob on | An erection |
| Lower Deck lawyer | A Jack me Tickler always quoting rules and regulations |
Mike
| 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 |
| Maltese breaststroke | Pulling hands towards chest as if piling up money |
| 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 glas 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 |
| Muck on a truck | Meals on wheels (usually for ships in refit) |
| Muff diver | Rating given to oral intercourse |
| Mulct | Stoppage of pay (disciplinary punishment) |
| Muscle bosun | PTI, or body-builder rating |
| Musical fruit | Baked beans or pussers peas |
| Muster |
November
| 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 |
| Nix and flip flops | Jacks bathroom attire |
| North-easter | Rating having no money on pay day - NE: not entitled |
| Number One | First Lieutenant or Chinese Laundryman |
| Number Two/Three etc | Laundryman's assistants |
| Nutty | Sweets |
| Nutty Bosun | Someone with a sweet tooth |
Oscar
| Oggie | Cornish pasty or native of Cornwall |
| Old ships | Old shipmate – someone previously served with |
| 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 |
Papa
| 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) |
| 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 poor | Not very good |
| PJ | Poxy Jock (origin - Faslane) |
| Plushers/plussers | Rum remaining in tub after issue made - later Queens |
| Pongo | Army personnel |
| Porridge guns | Bagpipes |
| Potmess | Messdeck stew |
| POTS | Petty Officer Telegraphist |
| Pox doctor’s clerk | Generally lucky |
| 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-s |
| Pussers Crabfat | Ship's side grey paint |
| Pussers Hard | Navy soap |
| Pussers Terrapin | Steak and kidney pie (generally the rectangular shaped ones) |
Quebec
| Quack | Medical officer |
| Queens | Rum left over in fanny after tots issued |
| Quick burn | Rapidly and slyly smoked cigarette |
| Quiet number | Cu |
| Quiet run | Civilised run ashore |
| QT | On the quiet/unofficial |
Romeo
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Ring piece | Anus |
| Ring stinger | Hot curry |
| Roof rats | Flight-deck gang |
| Rose cottage | Venereal disease ward or clinic |
| Rotten | VD - see Rose Cottage |
| 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 |
| Run ashore | Jack having a few beers |
Sierra
| 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 |
| Scummer | Southampton native |
| Scurs | Sailor with beard |
| Scuttle | Porthole |
| Secure | Finish work |
| 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 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 |
| 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 | Young looking sailor - usually not yet shaving |
| Skive off | Avoid work detail |
| 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 |
| Snotty | Midshipman |
| Sods opera | Ship's concert |
| Sparks | Radio Operator |
| Spasm chasm | Vagina |
| Spithead pheasant | Kipper |
| Spitkid | Gashbin in messeck (originally used for spitting in - spitoon) |
| Split-arse mechanic | Female
(derogatory) |
| 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). |
| 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 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 |
| Sticky greens | Drinks bought for bar girls |
| Stonker | Erection |
| 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 |
| Swain | Coxswain – senior rate of a small warship |
| Sweating neaters | Very anxious state |
Tango
| Tailor-made | Manufactured cigarette as opposed to hand-rolled |
| Tanky | Rating responsible for liquid eg fresh water/fuel |
| Tea and stickies | Friendly non alcoholic hospitality |
| Tiddley | Smart |
| 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) |
| Tickler | Navy issue cigarette tobacco |
| Tiddley | Smart, as in “tiddley suit” No 1 uniform |
| Tiffy | Artificer |
| Tilley | Dockyard utility vehicle |
| Tinned fishes | Sardines |
| Toggle and two | Male genitalia |
| Tombola | Bingo - Navy style |
| Toothwright | Dentist |
| Torpoint chicken | (Built like) ie all prick
and toenails |
| Townie | Shipmate with the same home town |
| Tram smash | Bacon and tinned tomato |
| Trap/trapping | Ashore, out looking for women |
| Trick cyclist | Pyschiatrist |
| Truck | Wooden cap on top of a mast - see Button |
| Turn in | Go to bed |
| Turn to | Start work |
| Twelve | Continuous service engagement of 12 years |
| Two six, heave | Words spoken prior to a co-ordinated lift etc |
| Two's up | Reserving position eg "two's up with that book" |
Uniform
| Uckers | Ludo - Navy style |
| Ullage | Residue in a barrel ie worthless |
| Up homers | Family hospitality extended to Jack in a foreign port (see Grippo) |
| Up spirits | Piped order prior to rum issue |
| 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 |
Victor
| Vampires bag meal | Used sanitary towel in a bun/bap/roll |
| Victualled | Living on board |
Whisky
| Wafoo | Fleet Air Arm personnel. Also WAFU Wet and f****ng useless. |
| Wanchai burberry | Hong Kong umbrella
usually costing a dollar |
| Warming the bell | Returning
onboard only just in time |
| Watch on stop on | Continuous duty without relief |
| Weed, weejie | To be angry |
| Wet (Have a) | Taste of shipmates rum/Friendly gesture |
| Wet as a scrubber | Description of a useless
individual |
| Wind yer neck in! | Shut up! |
| Windward | Opposite of lee side |
| Winger/Wings | Another word for oppo |
| Wodge | A very large quantity of anything |
| Wood butcher | Carpenter or chippy |
| Wordsmith | Someone with the gift of the gab |
| Wrap up | Give up doing or saying something |
X-Ray
| X-Factor | That unknown additional element in Jack's pay |
Yankee
| Yaffle | Eat greedily |
| Yellow Peril | Poached smoked haddock |
| Yodel in a bucket | Be seasick |
| You-can’t bend-it | (1) Vague reference
(2) Chips in a French stick from a chip shop in Gib |
Zulu
| Zeds | Sleep - he's piling up the zeds |
The list is not exhaustive - please send your own favourite by clicking the email link.
