sea-cook
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
"son of a SEA-COOK," an opprobrious phrase used on board ship, differing from "son of a gun," which is generally used admiringly or approvingly.
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 “sea-cook” mean?
"son of a SEA-COOK," an opprobrious phrase used on board ship, differing from "son of a gun," which is generally used admiringly or approvingly.
Is “sea-cook” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.