History
Although 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":
"Peace? Shiver my timbers! what a noise ye make -- ye seem to be fonder of peace than ye be of quiet." ... "Lather me! -- Shiver my timbers. if so be he comes athwart me -- I'll soon lower his topsails for him -- Here's King George and old England for ever!"
The expression is a derivative of actual 18th century nautical slang, when the phrase "timbers!" or "my timbers!" meant an exclamation (cf. "my goodness!") as can be seen in Poor Jack, a song from 1789 by Charles Dibdin.
The opening of the phrase, 'shiver my..', also predates Jacob Faithful with the following lines from John O'Keeffe's 1791 comic play Wild Oats an earlier example:
- Harry: I say it's false.
- John: False! Shiver my hulk, Mr. Buckskin, if you wore a lion's skin I'd curry you for this.
Read more about this topic: Shiver My Timbers
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“In every election in American history both parties have their clichés. The party that has the clichés that ring true wins.”
—Newt Gingrich (b. 1943)
“To history therefore I must refer for answer, in which it would be an unhappy passage indeed, which should shew by what fatal indulgence of subordinate views and passions, a contest for an atom had defeated well founded prospects of giving liberty to half the globe.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“In front of these sinister facts, the first lesson of history is the good of evil. Good is a good doctor, but Bad is sometimes a better.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)