What does this phrase mean?
Treasure Island, Chapter X:
""Now, Barbecue, tip us a stave," cried one voice.
"The old one," cried another.
"Ay, ay, mates," said Long John, who was standing by, with his crutch under his arm, and at once broke out in the air and words I knew so well—
"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest"—
And then the whole crew bore chorus:—
"Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

The man asked him to sing, but what do the words "tip" and "stave" exactly mean?

Question

What does this phrase mean?
Treasure Island, Chapter X:
""Now, Barbecue, tip us a stave," cried one voice.
"The old one," cried another.
"Ay, ay, mates," said Long John, who was standing by, with his crutch under his arm, and at once broke out in the air and words I knew so well—
"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest"—
And then the whole crew bore chorus:—
"Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

The man asked him to sing, but what do the words "tip" and "stave" exactly mean?

Answer

Tip us a stave means to Give us a song.

Answer

As you have already guessed, "Tip us a stave" means "give us a song" in nautical talk. I've never used or heard of the phrase previously.

Answer

I won't answer this question, because I would have to do some studying on it first. This is pirates talking. They had there own language basically and I've never learned pirate english. For this reason, I don't know that anyone will be able to answer this question.

Answers · 3

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