The get-together Blog

English group - 20th Jan 2016

21-01-2016 by Gary

Ahoy there landlubbers!

Well our first get-together at the former Police Academy was a bit of a mix-up...the theme of the day was not clearly defined, some thought it was cell phones, others sailing vocabulary. In reality I wanted to deal with everyday English expressions of nautical origin.

We did discover that there is no shortage of such expressions fairly well documented on internet.

On the 20th we covered the following terms:

• it's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey (brass monkey weather is really cold)
• posh
• man o'war (warship)
• under the weather
• dressed to the nines
• to know the ropes
• to be 3 sheets to the wind
• to sail too close to the wind
• awkward
• a shot across the bows
• to be all at sea
• anchors aweigh
• apeek
• awash
• ashore
• adrift
• batten down the hatches
• between the Devil and the deep blue sea
• broad in the beam
• by and large

Because the theme was not clearly set, the session turned into a passive review of vocabulary relieved by Eliane's Gewürtzraminer (Thank you Eliane).

So next week we stay on the subject of seafaring terms used in everyday English, but this time I want each of you to find 3 terms that you consider interesting. You should be ready to explain to the group the meaning and origin of your 1 of your 3 expressions.

So see you in room B2 at the Police Academy on Jan 27th.

Gary

PS I asked you to prepare 3 expressions in the hope that this will avaoid repetition.