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• Davy Jones's locker
  Davy Jones's locker

  noun

  the ocean's bottom, especially when regarded as the grave of all who perish at sea.
• Davy Jones's Locker
  Davy Jones's Locker

  Sailors'slang for the bottom of the ocean. Someone drowned at sea may be said to have “gone down to Davy Jones's Locker.”

Davy Jones's locker

American  

[john-ziz, johnz] / ˈdʒoʊn zɪz, dʒoʊnz /

noun

1. the ocean's bottom, especially when regarded as the grave of all who perish at sea.

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Davy Jones's Locker Cultural  

1. Sailors'slang for the bottom of the ocean. Someone drowned at sea may be said to have “gone down to Davy Jones's Locker.”

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Davy Jones's locker Idioms  

1. Also, Davy's locker. The bottom of the sea, especially the grave of those who die at sea. For example, Caught out at sea during the hurricane, they thought they were heading for Davy Jones's locker. This term, first recorded in 1726, alludes to Davy Jones, a name given to the evil spirit of the sea. The ultimate origin of both Davy and Jones is disputed. A logical theory is that Jones referred to the biblical Jonah who was swallowed by a whale, and Davy was a corruption of a West Indian word for “devil.”

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Etymology

Origin of Davy Jones's locker

First recorded in 1795–1805

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Davy Jones's locker Davy Jones's Locker

Mr Sherborne said on Thursday it was a "shame" that messages where "lying at the bottom of the sea in Davy Jones's locker".

From BBC ● May 13, 2022

What you see here is a Brazilian maniac dropping into the tsunami-manifestation of Davy Jones's locker, and somehow living not only tell the tale, but also accept to an award for it.

From Golf Digest ● Apr. 30, 2018

Like everybody else, scientists have long wanted to know what Davy Jones's locker holds, besides sunken ships.

From Time Magazine Archive

Many dusty years have passed since the appropriation of this Davy Jones’s locker to any purpose, and during the whole period within the memory of living man, it has been hasped and padlocked. 

From The Uncommercial Traveller by Charles Dickens

"Nor yet if they are going to Davy Jones's locker," said one scoffer, "as it seems to me they are."

From The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras by Edouard Riou

I tell thee, Jack, thou'rt Free, as Free as I am; leastways if we get to Jamaica without going to Davy Jones's Locker; for on blue water no man can say he's Free.

From The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous, Vol. 2 Who was a sailor, a soldier, a merchant, a spy, a slave among the moors... by George Augustus Sala

I. A small group has collected before Mr. Wyllie's "Davy Jones's Locker," which they inspect solemnly for some time before venturing to commit themselves to any opinion.

From Voces Populi by F. Anstey

“For the port of Davy Jones’s Locker, my son,” replied the captain.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 13 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson

"For the port of Davy Jones's Locker, my son," replied the captain.

From The Wrecker by Robert Louis Stevenson

A small group has collected before Mr. Wyllie's "Davy Jones's Locker," which they inspect solemnly for some time before venturing to commit themselves to any opinion.

From Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 98 June 7, 1890 by Various

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