Nautical metaphors in English - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Thanks to the historical importance of seafaring in British culture, the English language is rich in related metaphor

Metaphor

A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...

s from the age of sail. Some examples are:

I like the cut of your jib used to characterise the way a person looks, sailors would recognise the nationality of other ships by the shape of the triangular forsesail (or Jib
Jib
A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...

).
Taken aback, on a square-rigger the sails were 'taken aback' when the wind was blowing on the wrong side of the sails causing a dangerous situation. Later used to indicate a difficult or unexpected situation.
Batten down the hatches

Clear the decks to get everything out of the way as a warship went into action.

Show someone the ropes to show or explain to someone how to do a task or operation. Taken from the use of ropes to orient and adjust the sails.

Sail close to the wind is to operate hazardously on very slim margins, usually applied in a financial sense. Derived from the technique of sailing close to the direction of the oncoming wind.

Loaded to the gunwales
Back and fill

On one's beam ends
Awash

Nail one's colours to the mast
Flying the flag

Plain sailing
With flying colours - the colours was the national flag flown at sea during battle, a ship would surrender by lowering the colours and the term is now used to indicate a triumphant victory or win.
In the doldrums

All hands to the pumps
Weathering a storm

A different tack
Swinging the lead is to avoid duty by feigning illness or injury, original a confusion between Swing the leg which related to the way dogs can run on three legs to gain sympathy and the sailor's term heaving the lead which was to take soundings.
Left high and dry
May the wind always be at your back and may you have following seas
Three sheets to the wind, meaning "staggering drunk," refers to a ship whose sheets have come loose, causing the sails to flap uncontrolled and the ship to meander at the mercy of the elements. Also, "Three sheets in the wind, unsteady from drink."
Sun over the yardarm: This phrase is widely used, both afloat and ashore, to indicate that the time of day has been reached at which it is acceptable to have lunch or (more commonly) to have an alcoholic beverage.
Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
Brass monkey (colloquial expression)
The phrase "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" is a colloquial expression used by some English speakers. The reference to the testes of the brass monkey appears to be a 20th century variant on the expression, prefigured by a range of references to other body parts, especially the...

was said to refer to a tray on which cannonballs were stored, but this story has been discredited, according to the linked article.
"Take soundings": In suspected shallow waters, a crewmember may have the task of repeatedly throwing into the water a lead line, or piece of lead tied to a string knotted every fathom, for the purpose of estimating the depth of the sea. This saying the nautical equivalent of "Take the lay of the land": see how things are going, or see what people think about a proposed course of action.
"Son of a gun" may have referred to a boy born aboard ship during the age of sail-power. Although technically never allowed, women were not infrequently aboard British ships during at least some of their voyages (these women included both wives and prostitutes). One theory holds that "son of a gun" was entered into the official log of the ship in cases of questionable or uncertain paternity. Another theory holds that the guns themselves occasionally aided in the birthing process by "kicking" the bulkhead against a woman's back. This theory holds that any boy born in such a manner was a son of a gun.
"All set" is derived from setting lobster traps, commonly used to denote a completed task.

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