⚓ Sea grave 👹 Ghost sea captain

Davy Jones

1 8.9

A fictional sea captain often shown as a scary monster in stories and films

noun
/ˈdeɪvi dʒoʊnz/

: Davy Jones

In legends, sailors fear being sent to Davy Jones, the Underworld for those lost at sea.

Examples

They should be in the care of Davy Jones.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Davy Jones.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
The heart of Davy Jones.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
And what of your fate, Davy Jones?

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Many things you were, Davy Jones, but never cruel.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
My regards to Davy Jones.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
And if Davy Jones were to learn of your survival? -[man 1]

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Jack, Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
The crew believed that spending eternity with Davy Jones was a fate worse than death.

Surface Forms

Davy Jones singular

Morphology

Davy + Jones

This is a proper name and cultural reference: the meaning (a mythical/monstrous sea captain associated with the ghost ship) cannot be derived from the constituent names 'Davy' and 'Jones', which carry no descriptive semantics for learners. Understanding this expression requires specific cultural or literary knowledge rather than knowledge of the parts, so it would be opaque to a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Davy Jones later became the name of a feared 'sea-demon' or cursed captain in stories and songs. Sailors pictured him as a cruel ruler of the deep who took souls and ships, so today he appears as a monstrous captain who rules the ocean in books and films.