Freeze the Balls Off of a Brass Monkey

[RedDog]

It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was a major problem. The best storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others.

The solution was a metal plate with 16 round dimples, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey.But if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls quickly rusted to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make the plates of brass - hence, Brass Monkeys.

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and contracts more rapidly than iron when chilled.

Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.

Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you thought that it was just a vulgar expression, didn't you?

[Just Say N20]

After reading this I felt, "wow, I now have some new knowledge." I was prepared to accept this information as outright fact for two reasons:

1. It seemed to make sense. I have a good understanding of physics and the properties of matter. I have experience with shrinking and expanding metal with respect to temperature.
2. I happen to know that a huge number of common (and uncommon) phrases in the English language have nautical origins. This merely seemed like another one in the library.

Shortly after reading the "brass monkey" article, I was thankful to learn that if I had chosen to believe this story I would have been absolutely wrong.

This is the link <http://mtskeptics.homestead.com/BadFacts.html> that saved me from the all too common folly of believing what we read without question.

I looked up the coefficient of linear expansion and found similar numbers as those given in the link above. The coefficient for brass appears to be 10.4 x 10-6 inches per degree Fahrenheit. The coefficient for iron appears to be 6 x 10-6 inches per degree Fahrenheit. If the temperature dropped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the difference in expansion of the metals is something like 1 hundredth of an inch at most.



An interesting example of "bigger than life" fable is the explanation of the origin of the phrase "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey." Do a Internet search and you will find thousands on "hits" that authoritatively claim that this phrase originated as a nautical term. When 18'th and 19'th century war-ships used cannon balls, they stacked them in a four-sided pyramid shaped pile of thirty alongside the cannon. So that they wouldn't roll away, the bottom layer was placed in a rack called a "monkey" and was made of brass, in lieu of wood which would break or of iron which would rust to the balls.

In very cold weather it is claimed the brass contracted more than the iron balls, consequently toppled the pile and thereby giving rise to the aforementioned phrase. If you determined veracity only by the predominance of opinion (i.e. the vocal majority), that explanation is undeniable. The only problem is that it is not true and none of these thousand "authorities" bothered to verify that fact, which would have been very easy to do.

The differential linear coefficient of linear expansion between iron and brass is 0.000008 per degree centi- grade. It means the "brass monkey" shrinks about 0.01 inch in the worst of weather - hardly enough to topple the balls.

There is also the additional problem - none of our authorities verified that the retainer for the cannon ball is called a monkey.

Nevertheless, we cannot comment on the etymology of the phase. Even though the explanation is definitely wrong, we still can't be sure some misguided sailor didn't mumbled it as he chased cannon balls rolling around an ice covered deck. But, we can be sure some creative soul gave up with a colorful story and thousands have referenced it without verification.


But, it is a cool story.

[Ghost]

I never cease to be amazed by explanations like these. Let me say two things about that. First, I suspect that there are exaggerations that attribute more to nautical roots than history merits. Second, nonetheless, I suspect an incredible percentage of etymology stems from nautical jargon, especially the Royal Navy.

It is impossible to overestimate the significance of the Royal Navy in modern history. While it is true what Churchill said about the RAF in the Battle of Britain, the shape of the world, for better or worse, seems so dependent on Britain's navy that it cannot be overstressed.

[joel3078]

Could it be as simple as the iron cannon balls would form ice around them from the wet sea environment. The ice lowered the friction holding the balls together via gravity, and the pile fell apart. If so, then it the term cold enough to freeze the balls off a monkey would make sense.

It was below zero up here in MN for many days in a row a couple weeks ago. Ice formed on all kinds of metal things I have outside such as trailer, truck, etc. Ice on a metal part is slippery like you wouldn't believe. Come to think of it, so is a metal part on ice. Think of ice skates.

Ok now deep freeze a bunch of metal balls and let ice form on the balls. Have fun stacking them icy balls. Have even more fun stacking them on a moving ship.

I can tell we are gonna have fun talking about frozen icy balls as this thread deteriorates right into the toilet. :nilly:

[Ghost]

It very well could be. I claim only to be amazed, not to have any specific knowledge about what is correct.

[Donzi Vol]

All I know is that lately I've felt like a brass monkey every morning when I head to work. Boo for cold!

[Ghost]

I'm going to attempt to add some aftermarket bolt-on coherence to what I blathered last night. This particular expression (and a few others) I have heard explained with several detailed histories, each of which is convincing as all get out, even if they can't all be right. And I don't know what the real answer is. But some are right, and I like the stories anyhow.

And I think it is true that an incredible amount of lingo comes from the days of sailing ships, lingo that everyone uses and almost nobody knows came from there.

Now I feel better.

Except it's cold as balls this morning, and I have to go into the city...

[Bubba Dog]

With temps rising in the day and falling at night, freeze/thaw, things could get slick.

[DonziJon]

Speakin of monkeys: Here's another old nautical term for ya to ponder. Any of you Lubbers ever hear of a Monkeys Fist? Just wonderin. :lookaroun: John

[zelatore]

Speakin of monkeys: Here's another old nautical term for ya to ponder. Any of you Lubbers ever hear of a Monkeys Fist? Just wonderin. :lookaroun: John

I might have tied a few in my day....I might even still be able to do it if I tried real hard.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

Speakin of monkeys: Here's another old nautical term for ya to ponder. Any of you Lubbers ever hear of a Monkeys Fist? Just wonderin. :lookaroun: John

John, Here you go. Bill

http://www.netknots.com/assets/images/monkey_fist.gif

[Carl C]

I don't know anything about brass monkeys but I've been freezing my balls off up here in Michigan this winter. It's supposed to go below zero this week-end again. I guess the cannon balls will be rolling around....