blow the grampus

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English

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Verb

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blow the grampus

  1. (nautical, slang, obsolete) To throw water on a sleeping person, generally as a practical joke.
    • 1829, William Nugent Glascock, Sailors and Saints: Or Matrimonial Manœvres, page 179:
      There was the goggle-eyed daughter a blowing the Grampus with the platter-faced planter, whenever he caulked [slept] upon deck; []
    • 1840, Edward Howard, Jack Ashore, page 127:
      " [] why then we must blow the grampus."
      He then discharged the contents of the water-jug on her face and neck, and she opened her eyes, and would have screamed, had not the prompt Horatio clapped his hand over her mouth.