By The Board

“By the board” meaning to finish with something appears to have come from the sea too. It used to mean overboard, most references are to a ship in trouble where it’s masts have gone “by the board” i.e. over the side and into the sea. This from the London Gazette in 1666 “Our Main-stay, and our Main Top-Mast came all by the board”.

So whether you’re a land lubber who’s scared of deep water like me or an able seamen we all have a bit of ancient mariner in our vocabulary. And for some reason I find that rather pleasing.

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