English Explanatory Dictionary

yo-ho-ho

English dictionary entry

Meanings

intj
  1. A cry associated with pirates and seafaring, originally a repetitive chant intended to synchronize workers performing some collective physical labour, such as hauling on a rope.

Pronunciation

/ˈjəʊhəʊhəʊ/ /jəʊhəʊˈhəʊ/ En-uk-yo-ho-ho.oga /ˈjoʊhoʊhoʊ/ /ˌjoʊˌhoʊˈhoʊ/

Word forms

yo-ho-ho

Etymology

The term was popularized by a (fictional) pirate shanty in the novel Treasure Island (1883) by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) – see the quotation – but appears in earlier songs of sailors. The term is possibly a variant of yo-he-ho, apparently a short form of yo-heave-ho (“a repetitive call made to synchronize workers performing some collective physical labour, such as hauling on a rope”).

Synonyms

yoho

Related words

yo-he-ho yo-heave-ho pirate
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