Ahoy there me hearties! – ‘Hello friends!’
All hands on deck – ‘Everybody help, now!’
Batten down the hatches – Tie everything down and prepare for a storm.
Blow me down! – ‘What a surprise!’
Dead men tell no tales – If there are no survivors, nobody can tell other people the bad things I’ve done.
Fire in the hole – ‘Get ready, I’m about to fire a cannon.’
Hang him from the yardarm! – ‘Tie him up!’ (What pirates did with their prisoners.)
Heave to – ‘Stop.’
No prey, no pay – This means that pirates wouldn’t get pay, instead they got a share of the gold and treasures found or stolen by the crew.
Run a shot across their bow – To fire a shot across the bow of a ship to frighten the crew on that ship or to get their attention.
Show a leg – ‘Stop sleeping and get up.’
Splice the mainbrace – To have an alcoholic drink or two.
Thar she blows! – ‘I see a whale.’
Three sheets to the wind – To have drunk too much alcohol.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! – ‘Lift the anchor and unfurl the sails, it’s time to set sail.’
