The use of the term "head" to refer to a ship's toilet dates to at least as early as 1708, when Woodes Rogers (English privateer and Governor of the Bahamas) used the word in his book, A Cruising Voyage Around the World.
As toilet paper had not been invented the men would either have to use bits of old rag or rope to clean their back sides or sometimes there was a communal bucket and sponge. Urination was either into buckets or directly over the side.
In the past, only the captain would have had a private toilet near his quarters, at the “stern” (back) of the ship. The rest of the crew would have to make do with a toilet in the “bow” (front) of the vessel, close to the waterline. By placing a toilet in the bow of the ship, the seawater could wash it out naturally.
Davy Jones' Locker: Graveyard at the bottom of the sea for those killed or drowned. Dead Men Tell No Tales: An expression that means dead people will not betray any secrets. Used as a threat to kill someone, or a way of saying there were no survivors. Doubloons: Types of gold coins.
Pirates typically do not have a specific term for their lovers. However, they may refer to them as "me hearties" or "me.
Lass or lassie: A child.
It's difficult to know what female pirates were called. Many disguised themselves as men to be able to fit into pirate crews undetected. Female pirates were a minority – and openingly female pirates – even rarer. In today's popular culture you can find references to girl pirates, women pirates, she-pirates and so on.
Because of this, many seamen drank grog, beer or ale as opposed to water. Fresh water on board would often become tainted by green scum and slime, so a small amount of alcohol was often added in order to improve the bad taste of old water. This water and alcohol combination is better known as grog.
A brig was a prison aboard any sailing vessel.
A tow rag was a long piece of frayed rope that dangled in the water. The ropes were tied to the part of the ship that was used as a toilet. After wiping, they would drop the rope back into the water and let the ocean do the clean-up.
Waves breaking over the bow would also wash the area and aid in keeping it clean. Modern sailors still refer to the bathrooms on ships as the “head,” which refers to this practice of going to the bathroom at the bow, or head of the ship.
Khazi. Another slightly dated alternative word to the toilet, 'khazi' (also spelt karzy, kharsie or carzey) is derived from the low Cockney word 'carsey', meaning a privy. It has its roots in the nineteenth century, but gained popular usage during the twentieth century.
Pirates Did Not Brush Their Teeth!
The toothbrush that we use today was not invented until 1938; long after pirates sailed the seven seas. If pirates ever did clean their teeth it would have been using a "chew stick" which was not a very effective way to keep teeth clean and free of plaque.
Pirate captains and higher-ranking members had private sleeping quarters, while common sailors had to sleep in one room. Some of them slept on hammocks. Others slept on the floor. It was easier for them to sleep on hammocks because they swayed and rocked with the ship's movements.
A sash worn around the waist, fashioned from a luxurious material such as silk and his outfit adorned with gold jewelry.
Ahoy is the most versatile pirate word used in movies and books. Sailors use it to call to other ships, greet each other, warn of danger, or say goodbye.
Rum, which was distilled from sugar, became a primary export. As a result, many of the ships on the waters that pirates attacked were filled with it. Crews tended to drink much of the liquid loot they found. However, rum was also used as a currency and often traded for goods.
Anne Bonny – At the top of the list is Anne Bonny, probably the most famous female pirate to sail during the Golden Age. She was a member of Calico Jack's crew, along with Mary Read, but it is said that the two women fought with more skill than any man on board the ship.
Crew member (commonly crewman or crewmen) was the generic term given to a member of a ship's crew, whether they were pirates or members of the East India Trading Company or the Royal Navies. There were numerous other slang terms for members of a ship's crew, some equally generic, such as "sailor" and "mate."
The oath was sometimes taken on a Bible, but John Phillips' men, lacking a Bible, swore on an axe. Legend suggests that other pirates swore on crossed pistols, swords, on a human skull, or astride a cannon.