hurricane hole
n.— «Antigua is, in sailor’s parlance, a “hurricane hole,” which sheltered the ships of Britain’s great naval hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson.» —“Sand ‘n’ sugar” by Betsa Marsh Indiana Star (Indianapolis) Dec. 30, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Mark in Bismarck, North Dakota, spent years as a sailor, and wonders about the term sea painter, meaning “a rope attached to a lifeboat.” Why painter? The word may derive from Middle French pendeur meaning “a kind of rope that...
Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There’s a word for that: googleganger. Plus, the language of hobbyists and enthusiasts: If you’re a beekeeper, perhaps you call yourself a...