# sea legs

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/sea-legs
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The ability, when walking aboard a ship, to anticipate the motion of the deck so as to walk steadily without losing balance.

## Examples

- It takes time to get your sea legs on a boat.
- The waves were quite rough at first, but I finally found my sea legs after an hour on deck.
- Although the captain had navigated these treacherous waters for decades, he still required a few moments to regain his sea legs whenever the vessel encountered a sudden, violent swell.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.