Tag Archives: avast

What the Nautical Term ‘Avast’ Means and The Origin of Many Other Seafaring Words and Phrases

pirate encyclopedia

Avast: meaning “stop” or “hold still.” The word was originally derived from the Dutch phrase “houd vast,” which literally means “hold fast.”  The frequent usage of this phrase eventually got it slurred down to “hou’ vast” and later “avast.” This became a common term among sea-folk around the late 17th century. Coxswain: a boy servant (swain) in charge of a […]

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