mast

views updated May 23 2018

mast1 / mast/ • n. 1. a tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels generally carrying a sail or sails. ∎  a similar structure on land, esp. a flagpole or a television or radio transmitter.2. (in full captain's mast) (in the U.S. Navy) a session of court presided over by the captain of a ship, esp. to hear cases of minor offenses.PHRASES: before the mast hist. serving as an ordinary seaman in a sailing ship (quartered in the forecastle).DERIVATIVES: mast·ed adj. [in comb.] a single-masted fishing boat.

mast

mast2 • n. the fruit of beech, oak, chestnut, and other forest trees, esp. as food for pigs and wild animals.

mast

views updated May 23 2018

mast a tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels generally carrying a sail or sails.
before the mast in historical usage, serving as an ordinary seaman in a sailing ship (quartered in the forecastle).

See also half mast, nail one's colours to the mast.

mast

views updated May 29 2018

mast1 long pole set up on the keel of a ship to support the sails. OE. mæst = (M)LG., (M)Du., (O)HG. mast :- WGmc. *masta :- IE. *mazdos, whence poss. L. mālus mast, OIr. matan club.

mast

views updated May 17 2018

mast A fruit, especially of beech but also of oak and other forest trees, often used as a food for pigs.

mast

views updated May 23 2018

mast See milk, fermented.

mast

views updated Jun 08 2018

mast2 fruit of forest-trees, esp. as food for swine. OE. mæst = MDu., MLG., OHG. mast :- WGmc. *masta.

mast

views updated May 23 2018

mast A fruit, especially of beech but also of oak, elm, and other forest trees, formerly often used as food for pigs.