number of his mess
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
When a man dies in the army or navy, he is said to "lose the NUMBER OF HIS MESS."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “number of his mess” mean?
When a man dies in the army or navy, he is said to "lose the NUMBER OF HIS MESS."
Is “number of his mess” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.