Breakers Ahead
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Hidden danger at hand. Breakers in the open sea always announce sunken rocks, sand banks, etc.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Breakers Ahead” mean?
Hidden danger at hand. Breakers in the open sea always announce sunken rocks, sand banks, etc.
Is “Breakers Ahead” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.