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From Complete Book of The Sailor's Word-Book: An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc.
By Unknown Author
MAASH. A large trading vessel of the Nile.
MACE. A war-club of old.
MACHICOULIS. A projecting gallery over gateways, or walls insufficiently flanked: being open at the bottom between its supporting corbels, it allows of defending the foot of the wall.
MACKEREL. The Scomber vulgaris, a well-known sea-fish.
MACKEREL-BOAT. A stout clinch-worked vessel, with a large fore-sail, sprit-sail, and mizen.[462]
MACKEREL-SKY. See Cirro-cumulus.
MACKEREL-STURE. A northern name for the tunny, Scomber thynnus.
MACULÆ. Dark temporary spots which are very frequently observed upon the sun's disc: they are of various forms, surrounded by a lighter shade or penumbra.
MAD. The state of a compass needle, the polarity of which has been injured.
MADDY, or Maddie. A large species of mussel abundant among the rocks of the western islands of Scotland and Wales.
MADE. A professional term for having obtained a commission, or being promoted. Also, in some points synonymous with built. (See Made Masts, &c.)
MADE-EYE. Synonymous with Flemish eye (which see).
MADE MASTS. The large masts made in several pieces. A ship's lower mast is a made spar; her top-mast is a whole spar.—Made block is one having its shell composed of different pieces.
MADRIERS. Long and broad planks, used for supporting the earth in mining. Also, an old term for sheathing.
MAGAZINE. A place built for the safe-keeping of ammunition; afloat it is confined to a close room, in the fore or after part, or both, of a ship's hold, as low down as possible; it is lighted occasionally by means of candles fixed in the light-room adjoining it, and no person is allowed to enter it with a lamp or candle. (See Light-room.)
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS. A popular term for the two Nubeculæ, or great cloudy-looking spots in the southern heavens, which are found to consist of a vast number of nebulæ and clusters of stars.
MAGELLAN JACKET. A name given to a watch-coat with a hood, worn in high latitudes—first used by Cook's people.
MAGGED. Worn, fretted, and stretched rope, as a magged brace. Also, reproved.
MAGNET. See Compass.
MAGNETIC AMPLITUDE. The angle between the east or west point of a compass and any heavenly body at its rising or setting.
MAGNETIC AZIMUTH. An arc of the horizon intercepted between the azimuth circle of a celestial object and the magnetic meridian.
MAGNETIC COMPENSATOR. An iron plate fixed near the compass, to neutralize the effect of local attraction upon the needle.
MAGNETIC NEEDLE. Applied to theodolites, ships' compasses, &c. A balanced needle, highly magnetized, which points to the magnetic pole, when not influenced by the local attraction of neighbouring iron. The magnetism may be discharged by blows, or a fall; hence, after an action at sea, the needles are often found to be useless, until re-magnetized.
MAGNETIC STORM. An extraordinary magnetic action indicated by delicate magnetometers in a magnetic observatory, not perceptible on ordinary magnets.
MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. An instrument for communicating messages by means of magnetism.[463]
MAGNITUDE OF AN ECLIPSE. The proportion which the eclipsed part of the surface of the sun or moon bears to the diameter; it is sometimes expressed in digits, but more frequently as a decimal, the diameter being taken as unity.
MAGNITUDES OF STARS. The relative degrees of apparent size in which the fixed stars are arranged, and classed according to the intensity of their light. The first six classes, designated by Greek letters, include all those which are distinctly visible to the naked eye.
MAHONE, Mahonna, or Maon. A former Turkish flat-bottomed vessel of burden, mentioned among the ships of Soliman Pasha, in the siege of Diu.
MAID. A coast name of the skate.
MAIDEN. A fortress which has never been taken.
MAIL. A coat of armour. Also, a number of rings interwoven net-wise, and used for rubbing off the loose hemp from white cordage after it is made.
MAIL-SHELL. A name for the chiton.
MAIN. A continent or mainland. Also, figuratively, the ocean.
MAIN-BODY. The body of troops that marches between the advance-guard and the rear-guard of an army.
MAIN-BOOM. The spar which stretches the foot of the boom-mainsail in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel.
MAIN-BRACE. A purchase attached to the main-yard for trimming it to the wind.
MAIN-BREADTH. The broadest part of a ship at any particular timber or frame, distinguished by upper and lower heights of breadth lines.
MAIN-CAPSTAN. The after one, as distinguished from the jeer-capstan.
MAIN-COURSE. The main-sail.
MAIN-GUARD. The principal guard of a garrison town, usually posted in the place-of-arms, or the market-place.
MAIN-HOLD. That part of a ship's hold which lies near the main-hatch.
MAIN-ICE. A body of impenetrable ice apparently detached from the land, but immovable; between which and the land are lanes of water.
MAIN-JEERS. Jeers for swaying up the main-yard.
MAIN-KEEL. The principal keel, as distinguished from the false-keel and the keelson.
MAIN-PIECE. The strong horizontal beam of the windlass, supported at the ends by iron spindles in the windlass-bitts.
MAIN-PIECE of the Rudder. The rudder-stock, or piece which is connected by the rudder-bands to the stern-post.
MAIN-POST. The stern-post, as distinguished from the false-post and inner-post.
MAIN ROYAL-MAST. That above the main topgallant-mast.
MAIN-SAIL. This, in a square-rigged vessel, is distinguished by the so-termed square main-sail; in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel it obtains the name of boom main-sail. Brigs carry both.[464]
MAIN-SAIL HAUL! The order given to haul the after-yards round when the ship is nearly head to wind in tacking.
MAIN-SHAFT. The principal shaft in machinery.
MAINSHEET-HORSE. A kind of iron dog fixed at the middle of a wooden beam, stretching across a craft's stern, from one quarter stanchion to the other; on it the mainsheet-block travels.
MAIN-SPRING. The source of continuous motion in a time-keeper. Also, that part of a musket-lock which is sunk into the stock.
MAIN-STAYSAIL. A storm-sail set between the fore and main masts.
MAIN-TACK BLOCK. A block forming part of the purchase used for hauling the main-tack down to.
MAIN-TACKLE. A large and strong tackle, hooked occasionally upon the main pendant, and used for various purposes, particularly in securing the mast, by setting up the rigging, stays, &c.
MAIN-TACKLE PENDANT. A stout piece of rope with a hook in one end, and a thimble in the other, sometimes used for hauling the main-tackle down.
MAIN-TOP BOWLINE. The bowline of the main-topsail. It is used to haul the weather-leech forward when on a wind, which makes the sail stand better.
MAIN-TOPSAIL HAUL! The order used instead of main-sail haul, when the main-sail is not set.
MAIN-TRANSOM. A term often applied to the wing-transom (which see).
MAIN-WALES. The lower wales, which are generally placed on the lower breadth, and so that the main-deck knee-bolts may come into them.
MAIN-YARD MEN. Those in the doctor's list.
MAISTER. See Master.
MAIZE. Indian corn, an article of extensive commerce in many countries. In Italy it is called Turkey grain and grano d'India; in America simply corn, all other grains retaining their distinctive names.
MAJOR. The next rank below that of lieutenant-colonel; the junior field-officer.
MAJOR AXIS. In the orbit of a planet, means the line joining its aphelion and perihelion.
MAJOR-GENERAL. The next in rank below the lieutenant-general.
MAJOR OF BRIGADE. See Brigade-major.
MAKE, To. Is variously applied in sea-language.
MAKE A GOOD BOARD. See Board.
MAKE A LANE THERE! The order of the boatswain for the crew to separate at muster, to facilitate the approach of any one whose name is called. (See Lane.)
MAKE BAD WEATHER, To. A ship rolling, pitching, or leaking violently in a gale.
MAKE FAST. A word generally used for tying or securing ropes. To fasten.[465]
MAKE FREE WITH THE LAND, To. To approach the shore closely.
MAKE HEAD-WAY. A ship makes head-way when she advances through the water.
MAKE IT SO. The order of a commander to confirm the time, sunrise, noon, or sunset, reported to him by the officer of the watch.
MAKE LEE-WAY, To. To drift to leeward of the course.
MAKE READY! Be prepared.
MAKES. This expresses coming on; as, the tide makes, &c.
MAKE SAIL, To. To increase the quantity of sail already set, either by letting out reefs, or by setting additional sails.
MAKE STERN-WAY, To. To retreat, or move stern foremost.
MAKE THE LAND, To. To see it from a distance after a voyage.
MAKE WATER, To. Usually signifies the act of a ship leaking, unless the epithet foul be added. (See Foul Water.)
MAKING IRON. One of the caulker's tools; it has a groove in it, and is used after the caulking iron to finish off the seam. (See Meaking.)
MAKING OFF. Cutting the flensed blubber of a whale into pieces, fitted to pass in at the bilge-holes of the butts which receive it.
MALA FIDES. In admiralty law, not to be presumed, even under concealment of letters, or deviation from truth in formal papers.
MALDUCK. One of the names given to the fulmar, Procellaria glacialis.
MALKIN. A joint-staff sponge, for cleaning out a piece of ordnance.
MALINGERER [Fr. malingre]. One who counterfeits illness for the purpose of avoiding duty.
MALLARD. The male of the wild duck (Anas boschas).
MALLEMAK, or Mollymauk. A sea-bird; the Procellaria glacialis, called also fulmar (which see).
MALLEMAROKING. The visiting and carousing of seamen in the Greenland ships.
MALLET. A wooden hammer, of which there are several sorts. —A caulking mallet is employed to drive the oakum into the seams of a ship. The head of this mallet is long, cylindrical, and hooped with iron. —Serving mallet.
A cylindrical piece of wood with a groove on one side and a handle on the other. It is used in serving the rigging, binding the spun yarn more firmly about it than could be done by hand.
MALLOW. A northern name for the sea-plant Zostera marina.
MALTHA. Mineral pitch.
MAN. A ship is frequently spoken of as man; as man-of-war, merchantman, Guineaman, East or West Indiaman, Greenlandman, &c.
MAN, To. To provide a competent number of hands for working and fighting a ship; to place people for duty, as "Man the barge;" "Man the capstan;" "Man the yards," &c.
MAN, Isle of, Battery. A name given to the three guns mounted on ships' turrets.
MANACLE. A handcuff.[466]
MANARVEL, To. To pilfer small stores.
MANATEE, Manati, or Sea-cow (Manatus americanus). A herbivorous aquatic animal of the order Sirenia, found in the West Indies and South American rivers. Another species (Manatus senegalensis) inhabits the west coast of Africa.
MAN-BOUND. Detained in port in consequence of being short of complement.
MAN-BROKER. Synonymous with crimp (which see).
MANBY'S MORTAR. An efficient apparatus for throwing a shell with a line and chain attached to it, over a stranded vessel, and thereby opening a communication between the wreck and the shore.
MANCHE of Mangalore. A flat-bottomed boat of burden, about 25 to 35 feet long, 6 or 7 feet broad, and 4 or 5 feet deep, for landing the cargoes of the patamars, which are discharged and loaded at the mouth of the river. These boats are sewed together like the Masulah boats of Madras.—The Manché of Calicut is very similar to the foregoing, with the exception of a raking stem for the purpose of taking the beach.
MANCHINEEL. Hippomane mancinella, a tree which grows to a vast size on the coasts of the Caribbee Isles and neighbouring continent. The fruit and sap are highly poisonous; but sleeping beneath the branches does not cause death, as was erroneously supposed.
MANDARIN. A Portuguese word derived from mandare, "to command." It is unknown to the Chinese and Tonquinese, who style their dignitaries "quahn."
MANDILION. A loose boat-cloak of former times.
MANDRIL. A wooden cylinder for forming paper cartridges.
M., Part 1
MAASH. A large trading vessel of the Nile.
MACE. A war-club of old.
MACHICOULIS. A projecting gallery over gateways, or walls insufficiently flanked: being open at the bottom between its supporting corbels, it allows of defending the foot of the wall.
MACKEREL. The Scomber vulgaris, a well-known sea-fish.
MACKEREL-BOAT. A stout clinch-worked vessel, with a large fore-sail, sprit-sail, and mizen.[462]
MACKEREL-SKY. See Cirro-cumulus.
MACKEREL-STURE. A northern name for the tunny, Scomber thynnus.
MACULÆ. Dark temporary spots which are very frequently observed upon the sun's disc: they are of various forms, surrounded by a lighter shade or penumbra.
MAD. The state of a compass needle, the polarity of which has been injured.
MADDY, or Maddie. A large species of mussel abundant among the rocks of the western islands of Scotland and Wales.
MADE. A professional term for having obtained a commission, or being promoted. Also, in some points synonymous with built. (See Made Masts, &c.)
MADE-EYE. Synonymous with Flemish eye (which see).
MADE MASTS. The large masts made in several pieces. A ship's lower mast is a made spar; her top-mast is a whole spar.—Made block is one having its shell composed of different pieces.
MADRIERS. Long and broad planks, used for supporting the earth in mining. Also, an old term for sheathing.
MAGAZINE. A place built for the safe-keeping of ammunition; afloat it is confined to a close room, in the fore or after part, or both, of a ship's hold, as low down as possible; it is lighted occasionally by means of candles fixed in the light-room adjoining it, and no person is allowed to enter it with a lamp or candle. (See Light-room.)
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS. A popular term for the two Nubeculæ, or great cloudy-looking spots in the southern heavens, which are found to consist of a vast number of nebulæ and clusters of stars.
MAGELLAN JACKET. A name given to a watch-coat with a hood, worn in high latitudes—first used by Cook's people.
MAGGED. Worn, fretted, and stretched rope, as a magged brace. Also, reproved.
MAGNET. See Compass.
MAGNETIC AMPLITUDE. The angle between the east or west point of a compass and any heavenly body at its rising or setting.
MAGNETIC AZIMUTH. An arc of the horizon intercepted between the azimuth circle of a celestial object and the magnetic meridian.
MAGNETIC COMPENSATOR. An iron plate fixed near the compass, to neutralize the effect of local attraction upon the needle.
MAGNETIC NEEDLE. Applied to theodolites, ships' compasses, &c. A balanced needle, highly magnetized, which points to the magnetic pole, when not influenced by the local attraction of neighbouring iron. The magnetism may be discharged by blows, or a fall; hence, after an action at sea, the needles are often found to be useless, until re-magnetized.
MAGNETIC STORM. An extraordinary magnetic action indicated by delicate magnetometers in a magnetic observatory, not perceptible on ordinary magnets.
MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. An instrument for communicating messages by means of magnetism.[463]
MAGNITUDE OF AN ECLIPSE. The proportion which the eclipsed part of the surface of the sun or moon bears to the diameter; it is sometimes expressed in digits, but more frequently as a decimal, the diameter being taken as unity.
MAGNITUDES OF STARS. The relative degrees of apparent size in which the fixed stars are arranged, and classed according to the intensity of their light. The first six classes, designated by Greek letters, include all those which are distinctly visible to the naked eye.
MAHONE, Mahonna, or Maon. A former Turkish flat-bottomed vessel of burden, mentioned among the ships of Soliman Pasha, in the siege of Diu.
MAID. A coast name of the skate.
MAIDEN. A fortress which has never been taken.
MAIL. A coat of armour. Also, a number of rings interwoven net-wise, and used for rubbing off the loose hemp from white cordage after it is made.
MAIL-SHELL. A name for the chiton.
MAIN. A continent or mainland. Also, figuratively, the ocean.
MAIN-BODY. The body of troops that marches between the advance-guard and the rear-guard of an army.
MAIN-BOOM. The spar which stretches the foot of the boom-mainsail in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel.
MAIN-BRACE. A purchase attached to the main-yard for trimming it to the wind.
MAIN-BREADTH. The broadest part of a ship at any particular timber or frame, distinguished by upper and lower heights of breadth lines.
MAIN-CAPSTAN. The after one, as distinguished from the jeer-capstan.
MAIN-COURSE. The main-sail.
MAIN-GUARD. The principal guard of a garrison town, usually posted in the place-of-arms, or the market-place.
MAIN-HOLD. That part of a ship's hold which lies near the main-hatch.
MAIN-ICE. A body of impenetrable ice apparently detached from the land, but immovable; between which and the land are lanes of water.
MAIN-JEERS. Jeers for swaying up the main-yard.
MAIN-KEEL. The principal keel, as distinguished from the false-keel and the keelson.
MAIN-PIECE. The strong horizontal beam of the windlass, supported at the ends by iron spindles in the windlass-bitts.
MAIN-PIECE of the Rudder. The rudder-stock, or piece which is connected by the rudder-bands to the stern-post.
MAIN-POST. The stern-post, as distinguished from the false-post and inner-post.
MAIN ROYAL-MAST. That above the main topgallant-mast.
MAIN-SAIL. This, in a square-rigged vessel, is distinguished by the so-termed square main-sail; in a fore-and-aft rigged vessel it obtains the name of boom main-sail. Brigs carry both.[464]
MAIN-SAIL HAUL! The order given to haul the after-yards round when the ship is nearly head to wind in tacking.
MAIN-SHAFT. The principal shaft in machinery.
MAINSHEET-HORSE. A kind of iron dog fixed at the middle of a wooden beam, stretching across a craft's stern, from one quarter stanchion to the other; on it the mainsheet-block travels.
MAIN-SPRING. The source of continuous motion in a time-keeper. Also, that part of a musket-lock which is sunk into the stock.
MAIN-STAYSAIL. A storm-sail set between the fore and main masts.
MAIN-TACK BLOCK. A block forming part of the purchase used for hauling the main-tack down to.
MAIN-TACKLE. A large and strong tackle, hooked occasionally upon the main pendant, and used for various purposes, particularly in securing the mast, by setting up the rigging, stays, &c.
MAIN-TACKLE PENDANT. A stout piece of rope with a hook in one end, and a thimble in the other, sometimes used for hauling the main-tackle down.
MAIN-TOP BOWLINE. The bowline of the main-topsail. It is used to haul the weather-leech forward when on a wind, which makes the sail stand better.
MAIN-TOPSAIL HAUL! The order used instead of main-sail haul, when the main-sail is not set.
MAIN-TRANSOM. A term often applied to the wing-transom (which see).
MAIN-WALES. The lower wales, which are generally placed on the lower breadth, and so that the main-deck knee-bolts may come into them.
MAIN-YARD MEN. Those in the doctor's list.
MAISTER. See Master.
MAIZE. Indian corn, an article of extensive commerce in many countries. In Italy it is called Turkey grain and grano d'India; in America simply corn, all other grains retaining their distinctive names.
MAJOR. The next rank below that of lieutenant-colonel; the junior field-officer.
MAJOR AXIS. In the orbit of a planet, means the line joining its aphelion and perihelion.
MAJOR-GENERAL. The next in rank below the lieutenant-general.
MAJOR OF BRIGADE. See Brigade-major.
MAKE, To. Is variously applied in sea-language.
MAKE A GOOD BOARD. See Board.
MAKE A LANE THERE! The order of the boatswain for the crew to separate at muster, to facilitate the approach of any one whose name is called. (See Lane.)
MAKE BAD WEATHER, To. A ship rolling, pitching, or leaking violently in a gale.
MAKE FAST. A word generally used for tying or securing ropes. To fasten.[465]
MAKE FREE WITH THE LAND, To. To approach the shore closely.
MAKE HEAD-WAY. A ship makes head-way when she advances through the water.
MAKE IT SO. The order of a commander to confirm the time, sunrise, noon, or sunset, reported to him by the officer of the watch.
MAKE LEE-WAY, To. To drift to leeward of the course.
MAKE READY! Be prepared.
MAKES. This expresses coming on; as, the tide makes, &c.
MAKE SAIL, To. To increase the quantity of sail already set, either by letting out reefs, or by setting additional sails.
MAKE STERN-WAY, To. To retreat, or move stern foremost.
MAKE THE LAND, To. To see it from a distance after a voyage.
MAKE WATER, To. Usually signifies the act of a ship leaking, unless the epithet foul be added. (See Foul Water.)
MAKING IRON. One of the caulker's tools; it has a groove in it, and is used after the caulking iron to finish off the seam. (See Meaking.)
MAKING OFF. Cutting the flensed blubber of a whale into pieces, fitted to pass in at the bilge-holes of the butts which receive it.
MALA FIDES. In admiralty law, not to be presumed, even under concealment of letters, or deviation from truth in formal papers.
MALDUCK. One of the names given to the fulmar, Procellaria glacialis.
MALKIN. A joint-staff sponge, for cleaning out a piece of ordnance.
MALINGERER [Fr. malingre]. One who counterfeits illness for the purpose of avoiding duty.
MALLARD. The male of the wild duck (Anas boschas).
MALLEMAK, or Mollymauk. A sea-bird; the Procellaria glacialis, called also fulmar (which see).
MALLEMAROKING. The visiting and carousing of seamen in the Greenland ships.
MALLET. A wooden hammer, of which there are several sorts. —A caulking mallet is employed to drive the oakum into the seams of a ship. The head of this mallet is long, cylindrical, and hooped with iron. —Serving mallet.
A cylindrical piece of wood with a groove on one side and a handle on the other. It is used in serving the rigging, binding the spun yarn more firmly about it than could be done by hand.
MALLOW. A northern name for the sea-plant Zostera marina.
MALTHA. Mineral pitch.
MAN. A ship is frequently spoken of as man; as man-of-war, merchantman, Guineaman, East or West Indiaman, Greenlandman, &c.
MAN, To. To provide a competent number of hands for working and fighting a ship; to place people for duty, as "Man the barge;" "Man the capstan;" "Man the yards," &c.
MAN, Isle of, Battery. A name given to the three guns mounted on ships' turrets.
MANACLE. A handcuff.[466]
MANARVEL, To. To pilfer small stores.
MANATEE, Manati, or Sea-cow (Manatus americanus). A herbivorous aquatic animal of the order Sirenia, found in the West Indies and South American rivers. Another species (Manatus senegalensis) inhabits the west coast of Africa.
MAN-BOUND. Detained in port in consequence of being short of complement.
MAN-BROKER. Synonymous with crimp (which see).
MANBY'S MORTAR. An efficient apparatus for throwing a shell with a line and chain attached to it, over a stranded vessel, and thereby opening a communication between the wreck and the shore.
MANCHE of Mangalore. A flat-bottomed boat of burden, about 25 to 35 feet long, 6 or 7 feet broad, and 4 or 5 feet deep, for landing the cargoes of the patamars, which are discharged and loaded at the mouth of the river. These boats are sewed together like the Masulah boats of Madras.—The Manché of Calicut is very similar to the foregoing, with the exception of a raking stem for the purpose of taking the beach.
MANCHINEEL. Hippomane mancinella, a tree which grows to a vast size on the coasts of the Caribbee Isles and neighbouring continent. The fruit and sap are highly poisonous; but sleeping beneath the branches does not cause death, as was erroneously supposed.
MANDARIN. A Portuguese word derived from mandare, "to command." It is unknown to the Chinese and Tonquinese, who style their dignitaries "quahn."
MANDILION. A loose boat-cloak of former times.
MANDRIL. A wooden cylinder for forming paper cartridges.