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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Term “Swashbuckler” Come From and What Does the Phrase “Wide Berth” Mean?

Where Did the Term “Swashbuckler” Come From and What Does the Phrase “Wide Berth” Mean?

June 25, 2020 by Karen Hill

Swashbuckler, a word we use for a pirate, was created from the archaic words swash, meaning “to make noise by striking,” and buckler, meaning “shield.”

A swaggering brute yelling and banging his sword on his shield was called a swashbuckler.

These bullies were given a “wide berth,” which in nautical lingo means to anchor or berth a ship a safe distance away from another that might cause trouble.

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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.

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