all hands to the pumps



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

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
StevenSTEEV-ən (English), STAY-vən (Dutch)English, Dutch
Sharru-Kinu-Ancient Near Eastern
Erica['erikə]
Placida-Late Roman, Italian
Isaiahie-ZAY-ə (English), ie-ZIE-ə (English)English, Jewish, Biblical
PhÚC-Vietnamese