sea-pie

A sailor enjoys a hearty sea-pie for his dinner.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sailor's pie: "sea-pie" is a type of pie traditionally made by sailors, consisting of layers of meat (often salted or preserved) and vegetables, baked or cooked in a dish. It is a hearty, practical meal for long voyages.
   • A bird: In ornithology, "sea-pie" is an alternative name for the oyster catcher (genus Haematopus), a wading bird found along coasts, also known as a "sea pilot."

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The crew looked forward to a serving of hot sea-pie after the storm. (A sailor's layered meat pie.)
  • We spotted a sea-pie probing the wet sand for shellfish. (A coastal bird, the oyster catcher.)

Advanced Usage

• "sea-pie" as a historical term: In maritime contexts, "sea-pie" often refers to a specific recipe using layers of salted beef, pork, or fish, with potatoes, onions, and hardtack (ship's biscuit), cooked slowly in a pot.
  • The cook prepared a sea-pie with leftover salt pork and ship's biscuit. (A traditional sailor's meal.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sea-pie (n): The spelling may appear as "sea pie" or "seapie" in older texts.
• Sea-pilot (n): Another name for the oyster catcher, used interchangeably with "sea-pie" in some dialects.

Synonyms

• Sailor's pie: a general term for a pie eaten at sea.
• Oyster catcher: the bird species, also called "sea-pie."

Idioms

• As tough as sea-pie: (rare) used to describe something very hard or difficult, referencing the crust of a traditional sea-pie.
  • That old rope is as tough as sea-pie. (Extremely durable.)

Related Terms

• Hardtack: a type of hard, dry biscuit used in sea-pies.
• Galley: the ship's kitchen where sea-pie is prepared.