ship v Cp OED ~ v 12 'to engage for service on a ship' (1643-).
1 To engage a person for service as member of a fishing or sealing crew; to agree to serve in a crew.
[1791] 1902 Christmas Bells 12 [He was sentenced] to leave the district, and all persons were forbidden from shipping him. [1810] 1971 ANSPACH 2 This would make the regulations more general and extend it to such persons though not shipped or actually employed in the fishery, at the time of their desertion. 1842 BONNYCASTLE ii, 216 The farm-servants frequently go to the seal-fishery, and are, with the other classes, except amongst the higher grades, shipped, as it is called; or in other words, have a paper to sign mutually with the master, for the agreement as to time and wages. [1880] 1898 Nfld Law Reports 372 I as agent for the plaintiffs agreed that the defendant and his brother should be engaged as in previous years, the one as a shipped servant on wages and the other as a shareman. 1895 PROWSE 278 All these 'youngsters' were shipped for two summers and a winter. 1919 GRENFELL2 419 There's a girl down North I fancies, but I'm shipped to a man here for the summer, and can't get away. Wouldn't you just propose to her for me, and bring her along as you comes South? 1936 SMITH 106 Having all my crew [for the Labrador] agreed and shipped, eight men and two girls... 1944 LAWTON & DEVINE 65 The first summer he was married, he and his wife shipped to a planter for that summer. [1951] 1965 PEACOCK (ed) i, 105 "The Banks of Newfoundland": Most sad was my misfortune in the year of 'sixty-three / When I shipped on board for fishing there caught on a drunken spree, / I shipped on board the Eastern Light as you might understand / For to go out on the salty sea to the Banks of Newfoundland. C 67-6 [of girls hired to cook for a Labrador fishing crew] The first of May is Collar Day. / When you're shipped you must obey. / When you're tied you can't run away. P 72-74 The other three men were known as 'shipped men' and their wages were paid by the three sharemen regardless if the fishing season was a success or not. 1976 CASHIN 64 A trap crew came into service around the middle of May. They were hired, or as we called it in those days, 'shipped,' for a period of two months or until August 5th or 10th.
2 To engage for domestic or other employment on land or in activities other than the fishing enterprise; to agree to such service.
1842 JUKES i, 13-14 I engaged, or in his own language 'shipped' [him]. All domestic servants come to be 'shipped.' Families are applied to to know whether they want to 'ship' a housemaid or a cook. 1875 HOWLEY MS Reminiscences 61 He told me he had just arrived from a foreign voyage as the men were being shipped for the survey, and he concluded he would like to try a trip ashore, so applied and was accepted. 1880 WHITE MS Journal 15 Nov [John Moore] shipped to E White for 12 Months wages £23-0-0. 1896 J A Folklore ix, 35 Girls coming to the mainland to hire as servants will talk of shipping for three months, or whatever time they propose to engage. 1937 DEVINE 43 ~ To employ or be employed. From being used in connection with employment at the fishery, the word has passed into general use for any capacity, where a written agreement of service is made. P 266-64 ~ To sign contract to work in woods for specified length of time. P 141-73 A girl employed for household work was said to be 'shipped' to her emplover.
3 To sell produce of the fishery, etc, to a merchant.
1846 TOCQUE 322 The cured cod-fish ... are now being shipped off to the merchants by the fishermen. 1957 Nfld Qtly Sep, p. 5 Ned Perry owes a big bill here and if he ships all his fish to Penny's, Mr Stone'll stand a poor chance of getting paid. P 54-63 The verb has also been used for generations meaning to sell produce of the country, e.g. 'Skipper Mark Chard shipped his fish' (oil, seals, berries, etc) to Slade's. C 75-136 Ship is used by Conche fishermen in referring to the selling of salt fish to the merchant. The process involves taking the dry fish from the store and bringing it to the merchant's store or to a schooner collecting fish for the merchant. 1976 CASHIN 70 [He] was generally able to obtain special prices from Bowring's, to whom we nearly always shipped our fish. 1979 TIZZARD 295-6 [We] went to Twillingate to ship the following list of codfish at Arthur Manuel Ltd...
4 Phr ship green: to stow cod-fish aboard a vessel salted but not dried (1925 Dial Notes v, 341). See GREEN.
ship out: to cut branches off a tree or log;
LIMB, SHIVE*.
1937 DEVINE 43 ~ To limb out a tree. P 54-61 ~ to cut off all its branches with an axe.
