powder monkey
Ship's young helper
A powder monkey was a boy employed on a warship to carry gunpowder from the magazine to the cannons during battle.
The term now applies more broadly to anyone who works with explosives, particularly in mining or demolition: The powder monkeys set the charges before the blast.
Large mounted gun
- gunnerOne who fires artillery
- artillerymanSoldier operating heavy weaponry
- ordnanceMilitary weapons collectively
- magazineBound periodical with articles
ammunition · cartridge · shot · charge · broadside · salvo · cannonade · battery
Young shipboard servant
- deckhandShip's manual laborer
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
- midshipmanOfficer trainee at sea
- cadetMilitary academy student
recruit · trainee · novice · greenhorn · fledgling · tyro · tenderfoot · page
Combustible propellant mixture
- chargeCost or accusation
- cartridgeSealed container for supplies
- fuseProtective melting wire
- detonatorExplosive initiation device
magazine · blasting · pyrotechnics · cordite · combustible · incendiary · nitroglycerin · dynamite
Armed sailing vessel
- frigateMedium-sized naval warship
- galleonLarge historical sailing ship
- brigShipboard detention quarters
- sloopOne-masted fore-and-aft rigger
battleship · gunboat · armada · fleet · navy · sailor · mariner · seafarer
Era of wind-propelled ships
- NapoleonicOf the French emperor
- Royal NavyUK naval military branch
- press gangForced military recruitment squad
- NelsonEnglish family name
Trafalgar · privateer · corsair · buccaneer · wooden ships · line of battle · colonial · 18th century
cannon
Large mounted gun
- gunnerOne who fires artillery
- artillerymanSoldier operating heavy weaponry
- ordnanceMilitary weapons collectively
magazine · ammunition · cartridge · shot · charge · broadside · salvo · cannonade · battery · muzzle
cabin boy
Young shipboard servant
- deckhandShip's manual laborer
- apprenticeLearner bound to employer
- midshipmanOfficer trainee at sea
cadet · recruit · trainee · novice · greenhorn · fledgling · tyro · tenderfoot · page · squire
gunpowder
Combustible propellant mixture
detonator · magazine · blasting · pyrotechnics · cordite · combustible · incendiary · nitroglycerin · dynamite
man-of-war
Armed sailing vessel
- frigateMedium-sized naval warship
- galleonLarge historical sailing ship
- brigShipboard detention quarters
sloop · battleship · gunboat · armada · fleet · navy · sailor · mariner · seafarer · boatswain
Age of Sail
Era of wind-propelled ships
- NapoleonicOf the French emperor
- Royal NavyUK naval military branch
- press gangForced military recruitment squad
Nelson · Trafalgar · privateer · corsair · buccaneer · wooden ships · line of battle · colonial · 18th century · 19th century
- Old Jobsblacksmith, farrier, wheelwright, chandler, apothecary
- ship crewsailor, seaman, crewman, deckhand, first mate
- artillery crewgunner, loader, cannoneer, artilleryman, gun crew
- soldiersinfantryman, private, grenadier, grenadiers, fusilier
- bomb expertsbomb tech, bomb squad, bomb disposal, deminer, bomb maker
- minersminer, coal miner, gold miner, forty-niner, overman
powder monkeycaptain
One who commands
admiral · commodore · commanding officer · bosun · able seaman
powder monkeygunner
One who fires artillery
gunnery officer · artillery officer · cannoneer · artillerist · weapons officer
powder, monkey, powders, powdered, powdering, powdery, monkeys, monkeyed, monkeying