yo-ho-ho

The term was popularized by a (fictional) pirate shanty in the novel Treasure Island (1883) by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) – see the quotation – but appears in earlier songs of sailors. The term is possibly a variant of yo-he-ho, apparently a short form of yo-heave-ho (“a repetitive call made to synchronize workers performing some collective physical labour, such as hauling on a rope”).[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈjəʊhəʊhəʊ/, /jəʊhəʊˈhəʊ/

• Audio (RP)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈjoʊhoʊhoʊ/, /ˌjoʊˌhoʊˈhoʊ/
• Rhymes: -əʊ

yo-ho-ho

1. A cry associated with pirates and seafaring, originally a repetitive chant intended to synchronize workers performing some collective physical labour, such as hauling on a rope.
   • [1852, William B[atchelder] Bradbury, “The Fisherman”, in The Alpine Glee Singer: A Complete Collection of Secular and Social Music, […], New York, N.Y.: Newman & Ivison, […], →OCLC, page 66:

     How happy, my comrades, how happy are we, / While drawing fish from the dark rolling sea, / While drawing fish from the dark rolling sea. / Yo ho, yo ho, yo ho, ho, ho!]

   • [1876, W. O. Perkins, “Sailor’s Chorus”, in The Male Voice Glee Book, for Colleges, Men’s Vocal Clubs, and the Social Circle; […], Boston, Mass.: Oliver Ditson & Company, […], →OCLC, page 52:

     We're rolling along, rolling along, / As over the sea we go, / As over the sea we go, / And our anchor we heave, while we're singing our song. / Sing yo! ho! cheery men, ho! / Sing yo! cheery men, ho!]

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Ebb-tide Runs”, in Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC, part V (My Sea Adventure), page 188:

     The endless ballad had come to an end at last, and the whole diminished company about the camp fire had broken into the chorus I had heard so often:— / "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest— / Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! / Drink and the devil had done for the rest— / Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

   • 1914, Werner Mathews, “Sailor’s Song. (Invitation to the Sea).”, in Adolescence: Being Selections from Occasional Poems and Meditations Illustrating that of the Author, Cambridge: At the press of the Cambridge Review; Fabb & Tyler, Limited, →OCLC, page 45:

     Where the Ships sail down / To the Western Sun / Alone in the Ocean Blue, / Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho! / Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

   • 2004, Jackie French, “My Mum the Pirate”, in One Big Wacky Family, Sydney, N.S.W.: Angus & Robertson, →ISBN:

     'With a yo ho ho and we'll raise the flag, / We've lots of cake in a paper bag. / We've six watermelons and pizza too. / It's a pirate's life for me and you!' / The sound of singing—well, something like singing, anyway—floated up from the creek.

   • 2016, Adam Guillain; Charlotte Guillain, Catherine Coe, editor, Yo Ho Ho! (Rising Stars Reading Planet), London: Rising Stars UK, Hodder Education Group, →ISBN, page 13:

     When Asha threw the hair clip, the pirates jumped like flying fish to grab it. Pirate Joe leaped the highest and caught it. "Yo ho ho! It's mine!" he said.

• yoho (rare)

• yo-he-ho
• yo-heave-ho

• Thesaurus:pirate

• Dead Man's Chest on Wikipedia.Wikipedia