mast Meaning, Definition & Usage

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

WordNet

Mast noun
Etymology
AS. mæst, fem. ; akin to G. mast, and E. meat. See Meat.
Definitions
  1. The fruit of the oak and beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns.
    Oak mast, and beech, . . . they eat. Chapman.
    Swine under an oak filling themselves with the mast. South.
Mast noun
Etymology
AS. mæst, masc.; akin to D., G., Dan., & Sw. mast, Icel. mastr, and perh. to L. malus.
Definitions
  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.
    The tallest pine Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mast Of some great ammiral. Milton.
    ✍ The most common general names of masts are foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast, each of which may be made of separate spars.
  2. (Mach.) The vertical post of a derrick or crane.
Mast transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Masted; present participle & verbal noun Masting
Definitions
  1. To furnish with a mast or masts; to put the masts of in position; as, to mast a ship.

Webster 1913