Davy Jones's locker

[ john-ziz, johnz ]

noun

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

Davy Jones's Locker

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.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Davy Jones's locker¹

First recorded in 1795–1805

Idioms and Phrases

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.”

Example Sentences

“Where are they going? Davy Jones’s locker,” he said.

From New York Times

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

If the Robbie project takes off, it is easy to see Disney quietly putting any other plans back in Davy Jones’s locker to focus on what works.

From The Guardian

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

They’d taken refuge in the crow’s nest, and she and Will and Roger used to take turns going up there to see them, only one day Roger lost his footing and plunged down into Davy Jones’s locker.

From Literature

Related Words

• expanse
• lake
• ocean
• pond
• surf