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beach n Cp DC ~ lot (1824); SEARY 90, 140, 144; cp Shetland Truck
System, p. 13 [Restriction of fishermen by letting of beaches for curing fish] for
sense 1; for comb in sense 2: DAE ~ bird, 'sandpipers or other small birds'
(1800-); cp Shetland Truck System, p. 35 [splitters and beach boys].
1 A level stretch of shingle or sea-worn rocks along the
foreshore, convenient for spreading salted fish to dry and often belonging to a
particular fishing-ship or 'planter'; freq developing into place-name; BAWN 2. Cp ROOM 1.
1613 Willoughby Papers 17a, 1/2 Here is a good beach and
the fishinge neare, to be assured of a good place to fish and a beach, boats and stage
may be worth more than one or tow hundreth pounds yearely for a shipp. [c1614] ibid 1/24
For fishing and likewise for inhabitting upon it [Bell Island is satisfactory] for ther
is an exceeding good beach for the making of fish. [1693] 1895 PROWSE 233 The master of
every ship shall content himself with such beach as he shall have necessary use for.
[1712] ibid 273 No complaints that any admiral, vice-admiral, and rear-admiral do ingross
more beach or flakes than they pitch upon at their arrival. [cl830] 1916 MURPHY 13 About
daybreak it was worse... Ryan in the Caledonia got in safely. 'Native' Walsh, from
the 'Beach' got in also. [c1944 JONES] "Darn the Man that I Can Get" [broadside]: I have
a few cents in the bank, / A home down by the beach, / And the very first night I am
married / Hub will have a bottle of screech. 1951 Nfld & Lab Pilot i. 193 ...
Grand Beach point, a low wooded projection. 1971 NOSEWORTHY 12 [The catch] was split and
salted on board the vessel, and was washed in the harbour upon arrival in Grand Bank.
When the weather was favourable the fish was taken by cart to the 'beaches,' which were
really level fields along the shore covered with the small round rocks taken from rocky
beaches.
2 Attrib, comb, cpd beach bird, beachy bird:
(a) variety of sandpiper (Actitis macularia) or other small bird frequenting
the shore; (b) variety of plover (Charadrius spp) (see 1891 quot); (c) sanderling
(Crocethia alba) (1959 quot).
[1620] 1887 MASON 151 [We
saw] 2 or 3 excellent kinds of Beach Birds very fat and sweet. [1766] 1971 BANKS 122 Went
with gun [and] Killd a small Bird ... Calld here Beach Bird. [1785] 1792 CARTWRIGHT iii,
76 He killed a grey-plover and five beach-birds. 1846 TOCQUE 276 Several beachbirds ...
were hopping about the rocks. 1870 Can Naturalist v, 292 [Each variety of plover
is) a summer migrant and breeds on the coast: this and the following species are called
'beach birds.' 1891 PACKARD 427-8 Semi-palmated Plover. Occurs abundantly throughout the
coast region... Known as 'Beach Bird' in Labrador. 1924 ENGLAND 127 Me? I can't sing no
more 'an a crippled beach bird! 1957 Daily News 15 July, p. 2 Beachy birds, or
something like them, flew and walked over the stony beach where the river ran in. 1959
MCATEE 34 Beachy bird. Sanderling (Nfld, 'Labr'). T 45/6-64 The yarn about beach-birds.
They were that thick one night, this great big flock of beach-birds come, and when they
flew over the place, they thought this big heavy cloud was goin' to rain. 1967 Bk of
Nfld iii, 283 Spotted Sandpiper; Beachy Bird (because of its fondness for beaches).
beach racket: discussion concerning crews of women who will
'spread' and cure salted cod-fish in the coming summer; cp RACKET2.
1942 Grand Bank U C School 37 [The] 'beach racket' begins
soon after Christmas.
beach rock: large, smooth boulder
rounded by the action of waves; SALT-WATER ROCK.
1909 BROWNE 281
He never kept books... It is said that his standards of weight and measurement
were a 'beach-rock' and a 'flour-barrel stave.' 1937 DEVINE 63 As plentiful as beach
rocks. 1975 GUY 113 A beachrock ... heated in the oven and put into two wool socks. Sling
the rock under the bedding ... then scravel off your clothes down to the knitted
undergarments.
beach room: stretch of foreshore sufficient
for the activities of fishing and curing the catch; ROOM.
[1766]
1976 HEAD 192 Jerseyman's Harbour had 'convenient places for building of stages &
beach room for a good many Boats.' 1976 ibid 60 Gledhill had the properties, including
the all important beach room where the fish were dried, in his control.
beach woman: one employed in 'spreading' and curing salted
cod-fish on the foreshore. Cp
SHORE1: SHORE CREW.
M 66-18 Beach-women would turn the fish each morning and afternoon
to dry. In the evening the fish would be piled in 'faggots' or 'piles.'
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