How do you use "Pump ship" in a sentence?

Just going to pump ship—back in a tick. Had to pump ship after all that beer. Excuse me while I pump ship.

Pump ship

Q: What does "Pump ship" mean?

To urinate (nautical slang) Nautical slang for urinating, from the action of pumping bilge water out of a ship. A slightly genteel way of expressing the need to urinate.

Slang Term British ★★☆☆☆ Uncommon Casual

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Meaning: To urinate (nautical slang)

小便（航海俚语）

Orinar (argot náutico)

小便をする（航海スラング）

소변을 보다 (해군 속어)

Nautical slang for urinating, from the action of pumping bilge water out of a ship. A slightly genteel way of expressing the need to urinate.

表示小便的航海俚语，源自将船舱积水泵出的动作。是一种稍显文雅的表达上厕所需求的方式。

Argot náutico para orinar, derivado de la acción de bombear el agua de sentina fuera del barco. Una forma ligeramente refinada de expresar la necesidad de orinar.

排尿を意味する航海スラング。船のビルジ水を汲み出す動作に由来する。トイレに行く必要性をやや上品に表現する言い方。

소변을 보는 것을 뜻하는 해군 속어로, 배에서 빌지워터를 퍼내는 동작에서 유래했다. 소변이 마려울 때 약간 점잖게 표현하는 방법이다.

Examples

Just going to pump ship—back in a tick.
去上个厕所，马上回来
Voy a echar una meada, vuelvo enseguida
ちょっとトイレ行ってくる、すぐ戻る
잠깐 화장실 다녀올게, 금방 돌아와.
Had to pump ship after all that beer.
喝了那么多啤酒，得去上个厕所
Tuve que ir a mear después de tanta cerveza
あれだけビールを飲んだからトイレに行かないと
맥주를 그렇게 마셨으니 화장실에 가야지.
Excuse me while I pump ship.
失陪一下，去上个厕所
Disculpad mientras voy al aseo
失礼、ちょっとトイレに
실례, 잠깐 화장실 좀.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: friends, informal

Tone: humorous, nautical

✓ Do Say

Off to pump ship
去上厕所了
Voy a orinar
トイレに行ってくる
화장실 좀 다녀올게
Need to pump ship
得去上厕所
Necesito ir al aseo
トイレに行かないと
화장실 가야 해

✗ Don't Say

May sound affected if you're not nautical
如果你不是船员，听起来可能很做作
Puede sonar afectado si no se tiene relación con el mar
船乗りでない人が使うと気取って聞こえる
항해와 관련 없는 사람이 쓰면 거드름 피우는 것처럼 들릴 수 있다

Common Mistakes

Using without nautical connection seems pretentious

Origin & History

From nautical terminology—pumping water out of a ship's bilge. The metaphor transfers to emptying one's bladder. Used since at least the 18th century.

Etymology: Nautical metaphor from bilge pumping

First recorded: 18th century

Cultural Context

Era: 18th century onwards

Generation: Older generations

Social background: Maritime, middle class

Pop culture: Nautical fiction

Regional notes: British nautical heritage.

Variations

Pump shipPumping ship