• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / What Does the Term “Close Quarters” Mean and Where Did it Come From?

What Does the Term “Close Quarters” Mean and Where Did it Come From?

April 15, 2020 by Karen Hill

Being at “close quarters,” meaning to be overwhelmed within a small space, is a naval term from the 1700s.

Merchant sailing ships laden with valuable cargo had their decks outfitted with four strong wooden barriers with musket holes to which they could retreat and continue to fight if they were boarded by pirates or privateers.

They referred to these desperate circumstances as fighting at “close quarters.”

Related Facts

  • Where Did the Term "Noon Hour" Come From and What Did the Term For Midday Mean Originally?
  • What Does the Term "A1 Condition" Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
  • What Does the Term "Alma Mater" Mean and Where Did the Term Come From?
  • What Does the Term "Straw Boss" Mean and Where Did the Term For Work Supervisor Come From?
  • Where Did the Term "Scuttlebutt" Come From, What Does it Mean, and How Did the Word Originate?
  • How did the Term "Ivy League" Originate, Where did it Come From, and What does it Mean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where did the Expression “Has No Clue” Originate and What Does it Mean?
Next Post: How did the Phrase “Tabloid Journalism” Originate and What Does it Mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy