Davy Jones's locker
Davy Jones's locker
The deepest depths of the ocean, especially as a grave for those who have died at sea. Tragically, many men from that battle in the Pacific Ocean are now in Davy Jones's locker.
See also: Davy, locker
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
Davy Jones's locker
the bottom of the sea, especially when it is a grave. They were going to sail around the world, but ended up in Davy Jones's locker. Most of the gold from that trading ship is in Davy Jones's locker.
See also: Davy, locker
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
Davy Jones's locker
Also, Davy's locker. The bottom of the sea, especially the grave of those who die at sea. For example, Caught out at sea during the hurricane, they thought they were heading for Davy Jones's locker . This term, first recorded in 1726, alludes to Davy Jones, a name given to the evil spirit of the sea. The ultimate origin of both Davy and Jones is disputed. A logical theory is that Jones referred to the biblical Jonah who was swallowed by a whale, and Davy was a corruption of a West Indian word for "devil."
See also: Davy, locker
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Davy Jones's locker
Death, by drowning or some other means. The term was originally nautical slang, in which the bottom of the sea—the locker in question—was regarded as the grave of those who died there. It dates from the second half of the 1700s. By the mid-1800s, it had been transferred to other kinds of death as well. The term appears in writings by Washington Irving, Herman Melville, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, and James M. Barrie, among others, as well as in the opening verse of the U.S. Navy’s anthem, “Sail on to victory, and sink their bones to Davy Jones.”
See also: Davy, locker
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- Davy
- from sea to shining sea
- an ocean of (something)
- an ocean of something
- ocean
- cry an ocean
- boil the ocean
- across the pond
- big drink
- go to Davy Jones's locker