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bank n OED ~ sb1 5 (1605-), DAE n1 1
(1635-), DC ~ n1 1 (Nfld: 1584-), banks 2 (Nfld: 1622-) for sense 1;
OED sb1 2 obs (1325-1420), EDD sb1 1 for sense 2; for
combs. in sense 3: DAE ~ cod (1814-), OED ~ fish (Nfld: 1666), O
Sup2 ~ fisherman (1782), ~ fishery (Nfld: 1777), ~ fishing (1797),
DC ~ herring (Nfld: 1883). For New England background and parallels see also
Fisheries of U S i, 123-33, 148-87.
1 An underseas
elevation or area of shoal water with abundant bait-fish, plankton, etc, where fishing is
successfully carried out; sometimes with specific designation GRAND, GREAT, NEWFOUNDLAND,
OFFER a, WESTERN, etc; freq pl. Cp GROUND.
[1583] 1940
Gilbert's Voyages & Enterprises ii, 397-8 [Hayes' narrative] Before we come to
Newfound land about 50 leagues on this side, we passe the banke, which are high grounds
rising within the sea and under water, yet deepe enough and without danger, being
commonly not lesse than 23 and 30 fadome water upon them... A man shall know without
sounding when he is upon the banke, by the incredible multitude of sea foule hovering
over the same, to pray upon the offalles & garbish of fish throwen out by fishermen,
and floting upon the sea. 1612 Willoughby Papers [Guy's narrative] November 1 Word
was broughte that theare was noe harborough, but a sandie banke for a league of a gray
colour [with] not fower fadome [of] water. [1663] 1963 YONGE 54 These islands of ice
infest the coast in the beginning of February, and last till June and sometimes later.
They are caused by the ice breaking out of the northwest passage, which grounding on the
banks, do there accumulate and by the snow and rain increase. [1693] 1793 REEVES xvi Now
in order to promote these great and important purposes, and with a view, in the first
place, to induce his Majesty's subjects to proceed early from the ports of Great
Britain to the banks of Newfoundland, and thereby prosecute the fishery on the
said banks... [1715] 1976 HEAD 73 This has been but lately experimented, I think last
year was the first of it, that the sending of these small shalloways, sloops and other
kind of vessels to the Banks for fish, and when loading is caught to come in and cure
them. [1770] ibid 168 [They sailed] with Caplain for the shoals [and returned] from the
Banks, or rather the Shoals with 27 [thousand] fish amongst them. [1831-9] 1926 AUDUBON
231 They all depart at once, and either by rowing or sailing, reach the banks to which
the fishes are known to resort. 1842 BONNYCASTLE ii, 171 Had Newfoundland possessed a
vigorous maritime population at the close of the last general war ... we should not now
see the fishery on the banks employing only a dozen or so of small island or British
vessels, where a thousand formerly rode in triumph. 1933 Nfld Royal Commission Report
96 The Bank fishery is conducted on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, 50-300 miles to
the south-east of the Island; and on Green Bank, St Pierre Bank, Banquereau, Sable
Island, Misaine and St Anne Banks. 1951 Nfld & Lab Pilot i, 313 Other shoals,
with depths of from 6 to 9 fathoms over them, the position of which can be seen on the
chart, lie between the Bank and the coast northward. [1952] 1965 PEACOCK (ed) i, 108 "The
Banks of Newfoundland": The springtime of the year is come, / Once more we must away, /
Out on the stormy Banks to go / In quest of fish to stay.
2
Hill, high ground or elevated 'barren'; also cpd bank-berry.
[1941] 1974 BRIDLE (ed) i, 350 A raised plateau, locally known as
'The Berry Bank,' lies between the westerly end of Goose Bay and the Hamilton River.
Approach in the past has been chiefly by a footpath, used for generations of
berry-pickers, who frequent the bank in the fall of the year to pick cranberries. 1956
ROULEAU 26 Bank-berry: Vaccinium macrocarpon.
3
Attrib, comb bank cable: heavy 2 in. (5.1 cm) rope used aboard vessels engaged in
the offshore trawl fishery (P 113-55); BANKING CABLE.
bank
cod: cod-fish population frequenting offshore fishing grounds.
1832 MCGREGOR i, 118 The bank cod (which I will take upon me to
class gadus bancus) frequents the great bank of Newfoundland, and other banks at a great
distance from land.
bank fish: see bank cod; FISH.
[c1600] 1954 INNIS 47 [They] brought their bancke fishe, which they
tooke on the bancke forty or three score leagues from Newfoundlandland. 1765 WILLIAMS 5
But from the Bank Fish you have but a small Quantity ... which will be 645 Tuns of Train
Oil. 1842 BONNYCASTLE i, 264 In this town the bank-fish, or those caught on the banks,
are supposed to be superior in quality to the shore-fish, or those caught near the coast.
1969 HORWOOD 174 All the bank fish was made by the women—every cod's tail—and a
hundred women might share $1,000 between them.
bank
fisherman: one who engages in the cod-fishery on the offshore fishing grounds;
BANKER.
1895 GRENFELL 81 The average catch per head for 'bank'
fishermen last year was 47 1/2 quintals.
bank fishery:
cod-fishery prosecuted in vessels, or in dories carried by vessels, on the offshore
fishing grounds.
1813 CARSON 17 The frequent wars in which Great
Britain has been engaged, have, by endangering, destroyed the Bank fishery; a very small
proportion of the fishery carried on upon these shores, belongs to adventurers. 1839
TUCKER 80 The Bank Fishery is carried on in vessels generally from 60 to 100 tons
burthen and manned with eight or ten men each. [1892] 1896 Consolidated Statutes of
Nfld 257 The term 'Bank fishery' in this chapter shall be construed to mean a fishery
prosecuted at a distance of at least forty miles from the coast of this colony. 1939
LODGE 50 The cod-fishery falls into three divisions. The first in point of time is the
deep sea 'Bank' fishery begun in the early spring. 1975 BUTLER 65 In 1880 he outfitted
two vessels for the bank fishery carrying six dories and fourteen men each.
bank fishing: fishing for cod on the offshore grounds, usu
with trawls or hook and line.
1611 GUY 414 ... falling in the
reckoning as well of the commoditie that they may make by the banke fishing, as by
husbandry of the Land, besides the ordinary fishing. 1785 SHEFFIELD 92 Neither the bank
fishing, nor the in-shore, or boat fishing, will admit of any other but salt provisions.
1888 Colonist Christmas No 19 He has lately gone largely into the bank-fishing
business, and has been very successful. 1960 FUDGE 8 Fitted with four dories and single
hand-lining, we went to the West Coast of the Labrador. With great disappointment I was
obliged to forget the bank fishing industry for the time.
bank
herring: variety of herring frequenting offshore grounds; see also HERRING.
1883 HATTON & HARVEY 324 There are two varieties of herring
taken on the shores of the island—the Bank (called also the Labrador) herring, and
the Shore herring ... the Bank being the full-grown fish, and measuring on an average
thirteen and a half inches.
bank hook: type of fish-hook
used in hand-line fishery for cod offshore.
[1751-66] 1954 INNIS
181 [inventory] To 3 Dozen Bank hooks for Giggers 8s.
bank
line: type of stout line or rope used in the deep-sea fishery.
T 50/2-64 Trawl line is a big line. Bank lines is bigger
again—fifty fathoms. The bankers use it. They'd be all put together—go to what
they call a trawl knot; never slip. P 9-73 The ends of the doorways [of the cod-trap] are
brought to like this on a bank line.
bank man: (a) see
bank fisherman; (b) vessel prosecuting the offshore cod-fishery; BANKER.
1907 MILLAIS 156 How many of the missing bank-men meet their end in
this way can only be conjectured, but certain it is that far more are sunk than are
reported to the world. 1911 MCGRATH 131 The 'bank-men' are all crewed by picked
fishermen.
bank ship: see bank man (b); BANKING VESSEL.
[1612] Guy 52 This night by sayling & rowing we came to Harbor
de Grace, as farre in as the Pirates forte, wheare the banke shippe roade.
bank weather: damp, foggy weather.1842 BONNYCASTLE i, 353 In
1841, there were only seventeen days and a half of thick fog at St John's, which is more
exposed to the bank weather, as it is called, than any other part of the island.
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