subs. (old).—Formerly the hulks; now applied to any prison: see CAGE.

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  1856.  H. MAYHEW, The Great World of London, 82, note. [List of thieves’ names of prisons.] The Hulks, or any Public Works—THE BOAT.

2

  GOOD BOAT, subs. phr. (military).—A soldier who spends his money freely with his poorer comrades.

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  Verb (old).—1.  Originally to transport; the term is now applied to penal servitude. TO GET THE BOAT (or TO BE BOATED) = to be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment, equivalent to transportation under the old system.

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  2.  (American thieves’).—To join as partner; evidently a corruption of ‘to be in the same boat,’ i.e., to be in the same position or circumstances.

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  1897.  BARRÈRE and LELAND, A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant, I., 142. ‘On the Trail.’ ‘Does he BOAT with you?’ ‘Yes, and he’s an artist. Only last night, down at the Albany break-up, he buzzed a bloke and a shakester of a reader.’

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  TO SAIL ONE’S OWN BOAT, verb. phr. (American).—To be self-reliant; TO PADDLE ONE’S OWN CANOE (q.v).

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  TO ROW IN THE BOAT, verb. phr. (old).—To go snacks; to have a share in any transaction. TO LET A PERSON ROW WITH YOU = to admit to a share (FAUX).

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  TO SAIL (or ROW) IN THE SAME BOAT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To pursue the same course; to be in the same condition; to be subject to the same circumstances.

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  1573.  HUDSON, The History of Judith, Book III. [SYLVESTER, Du Bartas].

        What? haue ye pain? so likewise pain haue we:
For in one boat we both imbarked be,
Vpon one tide, one tempest doth vs tosse;
Your common ill, it is our common losse.

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  TO HAVE AN OAR IN ANOTHER’S BOAT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To meddle; to busybody.

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