hand-mastn.
/ˈhan(d)mɑːst/, /ˈhan(d)mast/, U.S. /ˈhæn(d)ˌmæst/ Nautical. Now historical.
A pole or spar out of which ships' masts are made (see quot. 1875), esp. one carried on board a sailing ship to replace a mast if necessary.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > spar > [noun] > large round
bomespar1660
hand-mast1794
1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 9 Sheers, used for masting vessels in the merchant service, are two hand-masts or large spars, erected on the vessel whose masts are to be fixed or displaced.
1830 F. Marryat King's Own III. i. 11 We can carry away a top-mast, and make a new one out of the hand-mast, at sea.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 158 Cant-mast spar, a hand-mast pole, fit for making small masts or yards, booms, etc.
1875 T. Laslett Timber & Timber Trees 232 Hand-mast..is a technical term applied..to a round spar, holding at the least 24, and not exceeding 72, inches in circumference. They are measured by the hand of 4 inches.
1904 E. R. Fremantle Navy as I have known It xii. 272 The ‘Topaze’ burnt a hemp cable, a hand-mast, etc.
1993 P. O'Brian Wine-dark Sea (1994) ii. 38 The sheers moved forward to the stump of the Franklin's mainmast, fitting to it a curious object made up of yet another spare topmast and a hand-mast.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1794