🍏 By the Board: A Nautical Journey through Loss and Abandonment 🌊
Definition: To be lost or abandoned. Originally, this term referred to falling or being thrown overboard from a ship, a fate nearly always without hope of recovery. The “board” denoted the ship’s side.
Synonyms: Overboard, astray, awash, forsaken, cast away, gone, missing.
Antonyms: Recovered, found, safe, secured, salvaged.
Humor-Filled Quote: “Sailors don’t suffer from insanity. Rather, they enjoy every single moment of it—especially when it all goes by the board!”
Proverbs & Expressions:
- “Gone like yesterday’s wind.”
- “Over and out.”
- “Down the drain.”
References in Literature:
- “The Wreck of the Hesperus” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: A poignant depiction of sea tragedy, highlighting the older use of “by the board.”
- Moby Dick by Herman Melville: Ahoy, carouse as Melville sends some limbs and parts ‘by the board’ in the ultimate saga of adventure.
Songs:
- “Sloop John B” by The Beach Boys: Experience seaside sorrow as this tempo shines a light on what can go ‘by the board’.
- “Rolling Home” by Hank Snow: A song filled with longing, perfect for that ’lost at sea’ sentiment.
Movies:
- “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”: Expect a movie so sea-soaked and swashbuckling that ‘by the board’ action is guaranteed.
Suggested Reading:
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson: Adventures where ‘by the board’ instances are just the start to treasure and treachery.
- Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne: Journey beneath oceans where giant squids send plenty ‘by the board’.
Quizzing Boatswain Beckons!
### Which term means to be lost or abandoned, originally relating to maritime distress?
- [x] By the board
- [ ] By the cap
- [ ] By the compass
- [ ] By the crows
> **Explanation:** "By the board" signifies something lost or abandoned, originally relating to sailors lost overboard.
### Which well-known poem includes the phrase "by the board"?
- [x] The Wreck of the Hesperus
- [ ] The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
- [ ] Sea Fever
- [ ] Dover Beach
> **Explanation:** In "The Wreck of the Hesperus" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the phrase "by the board" vibrantly captures the dangerous loss of the ship's parts.
### True or False: The term 'by the board' was first used in the seventeenth century.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** True, ‘by the board’ originates from the seventeenth century, though it was later widely applied to various forms of loss and abandonment.
### Which of these expressions is equivalent to 'by the board'?
- [ ] Walking the plank
- [ ] Catching the sea breeze
- [x] Going down the drain
- [ ] Raising the anchor
> **Explanation:** "Going down the drain" is synonymous with ‘by the board’ illuminating ultimate loss whether on land or sea alike.
Until our next voyage through linguistic waters, remember: every word and phrase has sailed through history’s seas just like you! Stay curious and keep navigating.
Yours aye, Salty Seadog 🚢⚓
