Nautical Term: All hands

Definition of All hands

All hands signifies the entire crew on board a ship. This call to action is used to ensure that all crew members are aware of and responding to a given order or situation.

For instance, during a heavy storm at sea, the captain might issue the command All hands on deck! This call would ensure that every crew member is aware of the emergency and is actively contributing to the ship’s safety and survival during the storm.

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