Marine Language

Consider the following story, how many bits of the English language derive themselves from our maritime heritage.In January a new managing director joined the company. In his opening speech to the staff he said that he was glad to be aboard and eager to take the helm and hoped that we would all pull together to steer us through the present patch of troubled waters. I understand that he has had his own minor local difficulties with his marriage on the rocks after his wife left him high and dry, however with a fair wind we all looked to the future. He has now been with us a couple of months and is starting to learn the ropes. From the middle management side he is certainly giving us more scope to develop our selves. He is a great believer in good canteen food and tries to make sure everybody gets a square meal each day. He is also very fair but if he catches anybody on the fiddle then they are in deep water and one employee was certainly up the creek without a paddle. I certainly believe that with him as our guiding star then the horizon should be rosy.

Please contact me with any other words or phrases that could add to this exiting story of everyday life.

I would be interested in the backgrounds to all of these phrases, particularly if they are not as obvious as they seam. Also I may be wrong and the background has a different origin.

Glad to be aboard
Taking the helm
All pull together
Troubled waters
On the rocks
High and dry
Learning the ropes
More scope
Square meal: See comments at the top of home page re. HMS Victory
On the fiddle: The raised side of the square plate. Too much food and you were on the fiddle!
In deep water
Up the creek without a paddle.
Guiding star
No room to swing a cat (A cat of nine tails that is!)
Warping out of harbour (orbit). Pulling the boat out by its anchor warps.