jigger-mast

The jigger-mast stands tall at the stern of the four-masted sailing ship.

Definition

1. Noun (Nautical):
   • The fourth mast on a sailing vessel: "jigger-mast" refers to the aftermost mast on a four-masted sailing ship, typically smaller than the mainmast and mizzenmast. It is also known as the "jigger" or "spanker mast".

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The crew climbed the jigger-mast to adjust the spanker sail. (The sailors ascended the rearmost mast of the four-masted vessel.)
  • On a four-masted barque, the jigger-mast is the smallest and most aft mast. (The jigger-mast is located at the stern end of the ship.)

Advanced Usage

• "jigger-mast" in modern contexts: Though historically used on sailing ships, the term is now largely archaic and appears only in nautical historical texts or discussions of traditional rigging.
  • The restoration of the clipper ship included careful reconstruction of the jigger-mast. (The rearmost mast was rebuilt as part of the historic vessel's renovation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Jigger (n): a short mast or a small sail used on the jigger-mast; also a general term for a small spar or boom.

  • The jigger was hoisted to catch the light breeze. (A small sail on the jigger-mast was raised.)

• Mast (n): a tall vertical pole on a ship that supports sails and rigging.

  • Each mast on the ship serves a specific purpose, with the jigger-mast being the sternmost.

Synonyms

• Spanker mast: another term for the mast that carries the spanker sail, often synonymous with jigger-mast.
• After mast: a general term for any mast located at the rear of a ship.

Related Idioms

• "jigger-mast to the mainmast": a nautical phrase referring to the entire length of a ship, from the rearmost to the foremost mast.
  • The storm damaged everything from the jigger-mast to the mainmast. (The entire ship's rigging was affected.)