Where does the phrase to the bitter end come from?

It appears first in Captain John Smith’s Seaman’s Grammar of 1627. It meant the end of a cable or rope that remained fixed on board ship when it was being paid out through the bitts. The word would seem to be bitt plus -er, as in header, rounder and cropper.

Which end is the bitter end?

The bitter end is a nautical term. The bitt end (or bitter end) refers to the final part of the anchor rope near to where the rope is fixed to the ship’s deck. Usually marked with coloured rags, the bitter end gets its name from the bollards (or bitts) on the deck to which the anchor rope was tied.

What does the term bitter end mean?

(Entry 1 of 2) : the last extremity however painful or calamitous.

What’s the meaning of bitter end?

: until the end of something that may be very bad, unpleasant, etc. I knew she would stand by me to the bitter end.

Is the bitter end still open?

Bitter End is currently closed as we rebuild our 64 acres following Hurricanes Irma & Maria, but our crew has not been idle. To get the latest updates, check out our video series, Bringing Back Bitter End, and scroll our blog to get the latest news from our crew.

What is understood by the term take the helm?

1 : to steer a boat or ship The ship’s captain took the helm. 2 : to take a position of full control or authority in an organization She took the helm of the university.

What does thin air mean?

—used to say that someone or something appears in a sudden and unexpected way.

What’s the meaning of let the cat out the bag?

Letting the cat out of the bag (also box) is a colloquialism meaning to reveal facts previously hidden.

What is the meaning of the idiom man in the street?

An ordinary, average person, as in It will be interesting to see how the man in the street will answer that question. This expression came into use in the early 1800s when the votes of ordinary citizens began to influence public affairs.

What is the purpose of bitter end on a ship?

(nautical) That part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains inboard when a ship is riding at anchor. (nautical) The final six fathoms of anchor chain before the point of attachment in the chain locker of modern US naval vessels.

What does the phrase to the bitter end mean?

to the bitter end. (also until the bitter end) › to the end of something difficult that will likely have a bad ending: The president fought for his plan to the bitter end.

What happens at the end of Post Toastee?

Around the 4:40 mark the band begins to lower the tone and bring the song down to what you think is the end. At the five minute mark the music stops and gradually starts up again first with a gentle guitar, then the saxophone and so forth till all instruments are jamming again.

What did sailors refer to as the bitter end?

Note: Sailors used to refer to the end of a rope or chain that was securely tied as `the bitter end’. Bitts were posts on the ship’s deck and ropes would be tied to these to secure the ship in a harbour.

Who was determined to fight to the bitter end?

I was determined to fight to the bitter end any measure for war. This city I shall defend to the bitter end. The president fought for his plan to the bitter end. The official mind remained determined to the bitter end to preserve the symmetry of the promotion pyramid.