A woman in Vancouver, Washington, wants to know the origin of the phrase the coast is clear, meaning “it’s safe to proceed.” It most likely has to do with a literal coast, whether from the perspective of a ship at sea or guards patrolling the shoreline. The Spanish equivalent, no hay moros en la costa, translates literally as, “There are no Moors on the coast.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “The Coast is Clear”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hello, this is Nan. I’m calling from Vancouver, Washington.
Welcome to the show.
What’s going on?
Thank you.
At my house, my husband and I are always coming up with, now where did that word come from, or why do we say that thing? And it’s really great. I have a list inside my phone that I keep a list of words for A Way with Words to call you and ask you about.
So do we.
And the one that came up is the coast is clear. And we’re just kind of like, well, why do we say that? And I think that what we mean when we say the coast is clear is you can sneak by now without being seen or whoever you don’t want to see you won’t see you at that moment. It’s safe, that sort of thing.
Where did you run into it this time?
Watching some heist movie or something?
Yeah, probably. I don’t know. We say it ourselves all the time. When you’re trying to sneak cookies past the kids? Sneak out without waking up the kids or that sort of thing. Coast is clear, Martha. Go ahead.
Yeah. Well, it’s a term that’s been around for hundreds of years and literally, apparently, has to do with the coast of a country. Like where the land meets water.
Yeah, where the land meets water. And we’re not really sure if it had to do with pirates and smugglers who were talking about the coast being clear so that they could come onto the land or if it had to do with watching out for ships that were coming in, you know, invaders.
I see. So in one way, a smuggler or a pirate wants to make sure not to run up against the Navy or military of some kind, right? They don’t want to be observed. Being clear of the coast also just means being out of danger from running aground or running up against submerged rocks and that kind of thing, right?
It could be that, yeah. If you’re headed outward.
Yeah, or yeah, if you’re headed outward and there’s no one there to impede you. Coast is clear.
Okay.
Yeah.
There’s a similar expression in Spanish, no hay moros en la costa.
There are no moors on the coast.
Exactly. And that’s been around for probably longer.
Since the 1200s, right?
Right. At least.
Yeah.
Wow. And you still hear that today, or hay moros en la costa. Like somebody comes to a party and you’re alerting your friend that there are people that you don’t want to run into.
Oh, the moors are watching.
Yeah.
Yeah, given the history of Spain.
Oh, that’s so interesting.
Yeah. Well, that’s great, and I will share that with my husband. Thank you so very much for your phone call.
Yeah, call us about that list that you have. We’d love to hear more questions.
Oh, I got a list.
All right.
Bye-bye.
Okay, you guys, have a good day. Take care. And hi to your husband.
Bye.
I will.
Bye.
Bye-bye.
Well, if you have a list of words that you’d like to ask us about, call us and ask us about one. 877-929-9673 or send it an email to words@waywordradio.org.
