any port in a storm

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English

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WOTD – 26 September 2024

Etymology

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Probably from the earlier figurative use of port in a (or the) storm to mean a comfort or refuge in difficult circumstances:[1] see the 1657 quotation.

Pronunciation

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Proverb

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any port in a storm

  1. (idiomatic) One should accept any passable option when time is of the essence in an adverse situation.
    Synonyms: beggars can't be choosers; see also Thesaurus:satisfactory
    • [1657, Samuel Purchas, “[The Second Part. Being Meditations and Observations, Theologicall, and Morall, upon the Nature of Bees.] The Third Centurie.”, in A Theatre of Politicall Flying-Insects. […], London: […] M. S. for Thomas Parkhurst, […], →OCLC, section XIX, page 354:
      [W]hen vveaker veſſels beare ſaile only in a calme, a true veſſell of Chriſt ſhould ſaile beſt to his vviſhed port in a ſtorme.]
    • 1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the Second]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume II, London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC, page 133:
      Pooh, ſays he my dear, any port in a ſtorm.
    • 1804 August 4, “Levity: Bob Rousem’s Epistle to Bonypart”, in Oliver Oldschool [pseudonym; John Elihu Hall], editor, The Port Folio, volume IV, number 31, Philadelphia, Pa.: […] Hugh Maxwell, […], →OCLC, page 246, column 2:
      I'll give you the journal, my boy, […] eight A.M. Bonypart running away; nine A.M. Bonypart on board; ten A.M. Bonypart sinking; eleven A.M. Bonypart in Davy's Locker; Meridian Bonypart in the north corner of ——, where it burns and freezes at the same time: but you know any port in a storm, Bony, so there I'll leave ye.
    • 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in The Pirate. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 60:
      [A]s this Scotsman's howf lies right under your lee, why, take any port in a storm.
    • 1893–1897 (date written), Robert Louis Stevenson, “I Meet a Cheerful Extravagant”, in St. Ives: Being the Adventures of a French Prisoner in England, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1897, →OCLC, pages 264–265:
      I was equally indifferent to cost and convenience in my choice of a lodging—"any port in a storm" was the principle on which I was prepared to act; […]
    • 1974 January 27, Dennis Smith, “Playing with fire can mean getting burned [review of Firehouse]”, in The New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2017-09-09, page 17:
      After finding both stairwells untenable at the roof, the Captain and the rookie take the window‐washing scaffold—any port in a storm—down the side of the building to the fire floor.
    • 2008 December 28, Jon Henderson, quoting Malcolm Holmes, “Kinnear: A man you can swear by”, in The Observer‎[2], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2024-04-08:
      Most supporters have been surprised at how Joe [Kinnear] has steadied the ship and most people seemed to have warmed to him. He wasn’t the most popular appointment, but I think the phrase ‘any port in a storm’ came to mind when we were getting turned down by everyone.

Usage notes

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  • This expression is usually used as if it were a complete sentence, serving as an ellipsis of “Any port will do in a storm”, “Go to any port in a storm”, or a similar sentence.

Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Compare “any port in a storm” under “port, n.1”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2024.

Further reading

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