Wordology, Bitter End

This term first appeared in Captain John Smith's 1627 publication, Seaman's Grammar: "A Bitter is but the turne of a Cable about the Bits, and yeare it out by little and little. And the Bitters end is that part of the Cable doth stay within boord." Basically, a bit is a post on the deck of a ship to which rope is wrapped around. When a rope is pulled out to the "bitter end," it means there is no more rope left to be used.