mast

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (4)

  1. a vertical spar for supporting sails
  2. nuts of forest trees (as beechnuts and acorns) accumulated on the ground
  3. nuts of forest trees used as feed for swine
  4. any sturdy upright pole
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Mast \Mast\ (m[.a]st), n. [AS. maest, fem.; akin to G. mast, and E. meat. See Meat.] The fruit of the oak and beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns. [1913 Webster]

Oak mast, and beech, . . . they eat. --Chapman. [1913 Webster]

Swine under an oak filling themselves with the mast. --South. [1913 Webster]

Mast \Mast\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Masted; p. pr. & vb. n. Masting.] To furnish with a mast or masts; to put the masts of in position; as, to mast a ship. [1913 Webster] Mastaba
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]

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