main-topmast
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - The topmast next above the mainmast: The "main-topmast" is the second mast, or topmast, that is stepped (placed) directly above and extends upward from the mainmast on a sailing ship.
Usage
- This term is used specifically in the context of traditional sailing vessels with multiple masts and sections of masts.
- It refers to a specific structural part of a ship's rigging.
Examples
- Noun:
- During the storm, the crew worked frantically to secure the sails on the main-topmast.
- The lookout spotted land from his perch high up on the main-topmast.
Advanced Usage
- "To send down the main-topmast": A nautical command meaning to lower the main-topmast to the deck, often done in preparation for bad weather to reduce wind resistance and top-heaviness.
- The captain ordered the men to send down the main-topmast as the gale approached.
Variants and Related Words
- Mainmast (noun): The principal and usually the tallest mast on a sailing vessel.
- Topmast (noun): A secondary mast mounted on top of a lower mast.
- Main-topgallant mast (noun): The mast section next above the main-topmast.
Synonyms
- Main topmast (This is the full, standard form; "main-topmast" is often hyphenated).
Notes
- This is a highly specialized nautical term. In modern language, it is primarily encountered in historical texts, maritime literature, or when discussing the rigging of tall ships.
- The word is a compound noun formed from "main" (indicating its position on the mainmast) + "topmast".
Noun
- the topmast next above the mainmast