![]() ![]() Alternatively the word "slivers" itself (meaning a small, thin, narrow piece of something cut or split off a larger piece, which also defines a "splinter"), may be the word "shivers" expresses. The Argus Newspaper Archive records the use in the news event as: "As for nine French men-of-war are laying along side us jist now, and overhauling our rigging and tactics, splinter my timbers into shivers if I don't think they are all buccaneers." would indicate the meaning of "shivers" as the breaking into wedges, small pieces or slivers. "yarn about the Emp'ror o' Rushy and we o' the Talavera and shiver my timbers if I shall ever forget it. The phrase appears in a news article showing that the phrase was in use at the time. if so be he comes athwart me – I'll soon lower his topsails for him – Here's King George and old England for ever!" "Peace? Shiver my timbers! what a noise ye make – ye seem to be fonder of peace than ye be of quiet.". Since on the high seas the ship was the sailors' 'world', it may also be interpreted as an exclamation for "shake my world" as the subject being referred to could be, or may be considered a potentially 'world shaking' event.Īlthough the Oxford English Dictionary says the expression "shiver my timbers" probably first appeared in a published work by Frederick Marryat called Jacob Faithful (1835), the phrase actually appeared in print as early as 1795, in a serial publication called "Tomahawk, or Censor General", which gives an "extract of a new MS tragedy called 'Opposition'." In the words of the "old sailor": Such an exclamation was meant to convey a feeling of fear and awe, similar to, "Well, blow me down!", or, "May God strike me alive and well". In heavy seas, ships would be lifted up and pounded down so hard as to " shiver" the timbers, startling the sailors. The phrase is based on real nautical slang and is a reference to the timbers, which are the wooden support frames of a sailing ship. It is employed as a literary device by authors to express shock, surprise, or annoyance. " Shiver me timbers" (or " shiver my timbers" in Standard English) is an exclamation in the form of a mock oath usually attributed to the speech of pirates in works of fiction. ![]() ![]() "Shiver my top-sails, my Laſs, if I know a better way." For other uses, see Shiver My Timbers (disambiguation). ![]()
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