Navy Slang or something else?
I am looking for the origins of a term I learned in my youth and still use to this day.
"To ret (rett) the table."
Meaning to clear off the table after dinner. Both my father and mother were in the Navy as well as my older brother and thus, as Navybrats, we kids were exposed to many Navy terms and slangs that have followed us to this date.
Things such as deck, head, chow, ship shape, square away your room, clean the head, are pretty obvious but the term "to ret the table", seems more allusive.
Growing up on post I heard this term for clearing off the table after eating being used in other families and thus thought it to be a "normal" thing to say. Later when my father retired and we moved into a civilian nieghborhood, I only got strange looks when I said such things as "I'm going to the head." or "let me help you ret the table."
My question is: Is this a Navy term and if so where does it come from? If not, does anyone know the origin of the term?
Thank you.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by NavyDads CoAdmin Jim Gramza on
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That's a new one on me. Google gave nothing.
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retret/verb
- soak (flax or hemp) in water to soften it and separate the fibers.
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Permalink Reply by Margaret Clayton on
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Never heard it. Dad was Navy, so was I, and my husband, and it rings no bells.
I did find it is old Scottish slang, used in PA area.
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