walked the plank
Forced overboard march
Walked the plank is the past tense of walk the plank, a phrase referring to the pirate punishment where a captive was forced to walk off a board extended over the ship's side and fall into the sea.
The expression now typically describes being forced out of a position, especially by colleagues or superiors: After the scandal broke, the CEO walked the plank.
- buccaneersCaribbean sea raiders
- piratesMaritime thieves and raiders
- drowningDeath by water inhalation
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- privateersLicensed wartime ship raiders
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