Random Interesting Fact

The origins of the phrase, "to the bitter end"

Taken from this book.

"Despite appearances, the phrase has nothing to do with bitterness. 'Bitter end' is a mid-nineteenth-century nautical term for the end of a rope or chain secured in a vessel's chain locker, or 'abaft the bitts'. When there is no windlass the cables are fastened to bitts, that is, pairs of bollards fixed to the deck, and when the rope is let out until no more remains, the end is at the bitts - hence the bitter end."

This still doesn't mean much to me, until you look up the other terms.

abaft: the nautical way of saying "behind"

bitt: a frame of two strong timbers fixed perpendicularly in the fore part of a ship, on which to fasten the cables as the ship rides at anchor... other bitts are used for belaying, sustaining the windlass etc...

bollards: the nautical way of saying "a post." Those things that stick up out of a dock or ship's deck that you wrap rope around.

windlass: an alternative to a capstan, that has the same purpose (hoisting up a heavy object like sails or an anchor).

capstan: In Pirates of the Caribbean 1 the first time Elizabeth Swan sees the pirates' true forms, she runs out onto the deck and gets spun around as the skeleton pirates are doing their chores. That spinny thing.

Yep... still means nothing to me. Guess that's why its a random interesting fact.