ENGLISH
REFERENCE

kiss the gunner's daughter

idiom
Meaning

To be flogged or beaten while restrained over a cannon.


Examples
SIMPLE

The sailor feared he would have to kiss the gunner's daughter.

CONTEXTUAL

After the mutiny failed, the captain ordered the crew to kiss the gunner's daughter as punishment.

COMPLEX

In the harsh days of the old navy, a sailor who broke the rules often found himself forced to kiss the gunner's daughter before the entire ship's company.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    betray with a kiss

    To betray someone in a seemingly inconspicuous or innocuous manner.

  2. 02

    blow a kiss

    To kiss one's own hand, then blow on it in a direction towards the recipient.

  3. 03

    bricks and Mortar

    [Cockney slang]daughter

  4. 04

    daughter of Eve

    Any woman or girl; any female human.

  5. 05

    gunner's daughter

    The gun to which sailors were tied to be flogged.

  6. 06

    kiss and cry

    The publicly viewable enclosure in which figure skaters sit immediately after a performance, while they await and receive the judging results.

  7. 07

    kiss and make up

    To settle one's differences and forgive.

  8. 08

    kiss and tell

    To betray a confidence by disclosing private information, especially of a sexual nature.

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