"Fire in the Hold"
2006-10-22 05:01:02 · 17 answers · asked by colin050659 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
It means exactly that. There is a fire in the hold. The "hold" is the bottom deck of an sailing ship (such as the Black Pearl) and as they used old oil lamps and candles and the ratings aslo had to cook down there (if they were ever llucky enough to have anything to cook that is). then fires were not uncommon so it got shouted a lot. Those who think it should be "hole" are quite mistaken, but that could be a corruption of the original warning.
2006-10-22 06:26:57 · answer #1 · answered by Cream tea 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
We know what the literal meaning is as explained by many people answering. The saying is not literal. It's an epithet meant to describe something that will culminate in disaster. If you were on a wooden sailing ship then a fire in the hold would lead to the sinking of the ship. Similarly if you are in a situation where there is no chance of it being rectified or which will end badly you could use the expression to describe this situation.
2006-10-22 07:38:51 · answer #2 · answered by quatt47 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 'hold' is, traditionally, the place on a sea going vessel where 'goods / cargo' are stored.
Having a fire break out there could be devastating. So they developed a language for ignorant sailors, which had at its basis, 'Fire In The Hold,' to warn all other members of the crew and where together they could attempt to put the damned thing out and thus avoid (amongst other things), the deeply embarrassing possibility of 'sinking' and loosing the cargo and all their
wages.
Sash.
2006-10-25 14:23:37 · answer #3 · answered by sashtou 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard this phrase in many action movies, usually screamed as a warning that an explosive device was just thrown into an enclosed area. I wonder about the origin of this phrase, if it wasn't originally used as an alarm in response to the extremely dangerous situation of having an uncontrolled fire in a wooden ship's *hold*. Another theory is as an alarm to other soldiers that gunfire has erupted in a soldier's dugout (hole).
2006-10-22 05:03:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are mixing the terms,
''Fire in the hole'', first used in the second world war, when hand held ordnance was used to clear foxholes.
and
''Fire in the hold'' which indicates a fire in the hold of a ship, but this is not a common used phrase like the first one.
2006-10-22 05:13:52 · answer #5 · answered by Stevie t 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The correct saying is "Fire in the hole!". It is meant as a warning to all persons near a blast site to take cover, as there is an activated explosive about to go off. In mining, they drill holes in the rock and fill them with explosives. The pressure created by the explosion causes the rock to separate and crumble. When the explosive charge is set the person responsible for detonating it will yell "Fire in the hold!" to let others know that it is about to go off.
2006-10-22 05:07:55 · answer #6 · answered by Jay M 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It probably means there is a fire in the hold of a ship.
2006-10-22 05:03:27 · answer #7 · answered by John S 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I also think it is "Fire in the Hole". u know like the day after you had a hot curry
2006-10-22 05:11:00 · answer #8 · answered by jabelite 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it probably originated when firing cannons from ships, but now can be used in reference to any explosive device.
2006-10-22 06:52:51 · answer #9 · answered by Allegra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a subtle way of saying abandon ship.
2006-10-22 11:53:56 · answer #10 · answered by malcy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋