foremast

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

the mast nearest the bow in vessels with two or more masts

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Foremast \Fore"mast`\, n. (Naut.) The mast nearest the bow. [1913 Webster]

Foremast hand or Foremast man (Naut.), a common sailor; also, a man stationed to attend to the gear of the foremast. [1913 Webster]

Mast \Mast\, n. [AS. maest, masc.; akin to D., G., Dan., & Sw. mast, Icel. mastr, and perh. to L. malus.] [1913 Webster]

1.(Naut.) A pole, or long, strong, round piece of timber, or spar, set upright in a boat or vessel, to sustain the sails, yards, rigging, etc. A mast may also consist of several pieces of timber united by iron bands, or of a hollow pillar of iron or steel. [1913 Webster]

The tallest pine Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mast Of some great ammiral.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

Note: The most common general names of masts are foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast, each of which may be made of separate spars. [1913 Webster]

2.(Mach.) The vertical post of a derrick or crane. [1913 Webster]

3.(Aeronautics) A spar or strut to which tie wires or guys are attached for stiffening purposes. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Afore the mast, Before the mast. See under Afore, and Before.

Mast coat. See under Coat.

Mast hoop, one of a number of hoops attached to the fore edge of a boom sail, which slip on the mast as the sail is raised or lowered; also, one of the iron hoops used in making a made mast. See Made. [1913 Webster]