all hands to the pumps

all hands to the pumps

Everyone available to help with a problem, or a call for those people to help. The phrase is nautical in origin. Your grandmother arrives tomorrow and the house is still a mess—I need all hands to the pumps to help me clean! All hands to the pumps! We've got to roll out this tarp before the rain starts. Now let's go!
See also: all, hand, pump
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

all hands to the pumps

used to indicate that everyone is urgently needed to help out in an emergency.
The expression originated in nautical parlance, and hand in that context means ‘a member of the crew’.
2004 Bolton Evening News If we find ourselves struggling and needing the points then it's going to be all hands to the pumps.
See also: all, hand, pump
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

all hands to the pumps

Help! The phrase comes from sailing days when a leak in the hull required immediate help in bailing out the incoming seawater. A variant is “all hands and the cook on deck,” meaning the entire ship's roster was needed in an emergency, even the cook, who was never expected to participate in mariner activities.
See also: all, hand, pump
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • be cruel to be kind
  • cruel
  • cap in hand
  • say the word
  • help a lame dog over a stile
  • helping
  • lame
  • a damsel in distress
  • help on
  • help (someone) on
References in periodicals archive
Implying he was in wintry Britain when he was in the sunny Caribbean, as the Agency did with his apparent approval, added insult to injury when it was all hands to the pumps.
Swept away; VOICE OF THE
Money for HS2 should be derailed, money for foreign aid jettisoned and the old adage "All hands to the pumps"- regarding money for more important needs in the country - given priority.
Too little, too late on floods; Letters letters@coventrytelegraph.net
ALL HANDS TO THE PUMPS: John, Kathleen and Michelle Brogan behind the bar at the Slubbers Arms
Slubbers Arms; PUB OF THE WEEK Question time with John and Kathleen Brogan
We are all in this together, so all hands to the pumps! This is basic private enterprise.
Time's ripe for right to build your own; LETTERS
IT'S a case of all hands to the pumps as Pelaw Grange starts its Easter Racing and Beer Festival today, writes John Forbes.
Punt and a pint at Pelaw festival
It's been all hands to the pumps at a South Wales fire station which played host to Serbian firefighters and Scouts.
Serbian visit provides a lift for firemen
"In normal circumstances we would not have put Brian through a game with that injury, but it was a case of all hands to the pumps against Plymouth."
Football: Brian had to be Prest into action
Melvyn Fookes, finance director with the Stafford-based firm, said: "We tell it like it is here and in an uncertain market it's all hands to the pumps. We enjoy what we do and we continue to work to maximise value to our shareholders.
UCM sound warning as profits dip
It is all hands to the pumps for Bishop Auckland at Prescot Cables where manager Brian Honour is definitely minus suspended pair Stephen West and Chris Neil.
Unibond League
But if we're struggling and needing points then it'll be all hands to the pumps.''
Football: Barry set for earlier return
But added: "If we find ourselves struggling and needing the points then it's going to be all hands to the pumps." Scotland midfielder Ferguson, who joined Rovers in a pounds 7.5million summer switch from Rangers, had surgery to mend his broken knee-cap in Manchester on Monday.
Football: BARRY'S ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL
* ALL HANDS TO THE PUMPS: The Armitage Bridge Club volunteer helpers are kept on their toes as thirsty Monkeyfest-goers are called to the bar and, inset, visitors raise a glass and drink a toast to the festival Pictures by Andy Catchpool (AC070712Hmonk-01/06)
Monkey business with beer
The north-east circuit, who are the track with a 'Casque Mark' for supplying their racegoers with real ale, will be holding their annual beer festival over the Easter Holiday and it will, quite literally, be all hands to the pumps.
McKenna and Pelaw staff to get on the beer; AROUND THE NORTH
ALL hands to the pumps as Wales keep out this free-kick from Lukas Podolski; TOSHACK directs his troops in Frankfurt last night
Football: TAFF LUCK; GERMANY 0 WALES 0 Toshack heroes shut out Germans to end qualifying campaign with high hopes for the future
5 ALL HANDS TO THE PUMPS: City's defence, including a bloodied Barry Quinn, prepare to repel another aerial assault.
FOOTBALL; ACTION REPLAY