lose the number of one's mess

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lose the number of one's mess (third-person singular simple present loses the number of one's mess, present participle losing the number of one's mess, simple past and past participle lost the number of one's mess)

1. (nautical, idiomatic) To die, to perish.
   • 1870, W.H.G. Kingston, From Powder Monkey to Admiral:

     "What do you think we come to sea for? If we can take a man-of-war of our own size she's worth half a dozen merchant craft, though, to be sure, some of us may lose the number of our mess; but we all know that, and make no count of it."

   • 1880, J.C. Hutcheson, Fritz and Eric:

     Shore folk think sailors are heartless, and that when a poor chap is lost overboard, they only say that "So-and-so has lost the number of his mess!" and, after having an auction over his kit in the fo'c's'le, then dismiss him from their memory!

   • 1993, Patrick O'Brian, The wine-dark sea:

     "And then before the mast, there was poor John Proby, who lost the number of his mess two days out of Callao."