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Any port in a storm

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For the album, see Any Port in a Storm.
"Any port in a storm" lithograph 1884 (Currier and Ives)

Any port in a storm is a proverb that loosely means that when someone is in trouble they cannot wait for the perfect solution. The phrase has been used in popular culture and politics since 1749. The original meaning of this nautical phrase was that a ship at sea in rough weather had no choice of harbor for shelter.[1]

Etymology

The first known publication of the phrase was in a 1749 erotic novel: John Cleland's Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure. The phrase, "Pooh!", says he "my dear, any port in a storm."[2][3][4] The phrase "any port in a storm" was used to describe a private theatrical play hosted by Lord Eldon in 1809: it was reported in the Augusta Columbian Centinel.[5] In 1841 the phrase became a political slogan for the Whig Party's Winfield Scott as a candidate for US president when party members were opposed to Henry Clay they said, "Give us any port in a storm."[6]

In 1908, the phrase appeared in a popular song composed by Kerry Mills and Arthur J. Lamb entitled "Any Old Port in a Storm".[7]

In 1973 an episode of the television program Columbo was titled "Any Old Port in a Storm". In the case of the television program it may have been a double entendre describing a corpse found in the ocean, and a bottle of Port wine.[8]

The phrase has become a colloquialism in the 21st century with news services using it in articles.[9][10][11] The phrase was used as the title of an album by the musical group the Dirty Heads: Any Port in a Storm.[12] A variation of the phrase was the title of an episode of the HBO show The Wire, "Port in a Storm".[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ Any port in a storm The Free Dictionary
  2. ^ Cleland, John (1888). Memoirs of Fanny Hill. Paris: Isadore Liseux. p. 245. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  3. ^ Apperson, G. L. (2006). The Wordsworth dictionary of proverbs (New ed.). Ware, Herts.: Wordsworth Reference. p. 21. ISBN 978-1840223118. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  4. ^ Manser, Martin H. (2002). The Facts on File dictionary of proverbs. New York: Facts on File. p. 9. ISBN 978-0816046072. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Private Theatrical". Augusta Columbian Centinel. 25 November 1809. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Any Port in a Storm". The Ohio Democrat. 25 November 1841. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  7. ^ Tyler, Don (2007). Hit songs, 1900-1955 : American popular music of the pre-rock era. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 39. ISBN 978-0786429462. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Columbo Any Old Port in a Storm". Columbo Phile. Columbo Phile. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  9. ^ Cohen, Tim (25 August 2022). "Any port in a storm, but please not in South Africa". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  10. ^ Spence, William L. (26 August 2022). "Creating a port in a child care storm". Lewiston Tribune. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  11. ^ Lowe, Sam (31 March 2022). "Any Port In A Storm? The Future For Freeports". The House Magazine. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  12. ^ Raper, Dan (September 17, 2008). "Music: The Dirty Heads - 'Any Port in a Storm'". PopMatters. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  13. ^ Brian Ford Sullivan (January 4, 2001). "The 50 Best Episodes of 2003: #20-11". The Futon Critic. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
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