The masts of a boat are the tall upright poles that support its sails.
2. countable noun
A radio mast is a tall upright structure that is used to transmit radio or television signals.
3. to nail your colours to the mast
4. to nail your colours to someone's mast
More Synonyms of mast
mast in British English1
(mɑːst)
noun
1. nautical
any vertical spar for supporting sails, rigging, flags, etc, above the deck of a vessel or any components of such a composite spar
2.
any sturdy upright pole used as a support
3. Also called: captain's mast nautical
a hearing conducted by the captain of a vessel into minor offences of the crew
4. before the mast
verb
5. (transitive) nautical
to equip with a mast or masts
Derived forms
mastless (ˈmastless)
adjective
mastlike (ˈmastˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English mæst; related to Middle Dutch mast and Latin mālus pole
mast in British English2
(mɑːst)
noun
the fruit of forest trees, such as beech, oak, etc, used as food for pigs
Word origin
Old English mæst; related to Old High German mast food, and perhaps to meat
mast- in British English
combining form
a variant of masto-
mast in American English1
(mæst; mɑst)
noun
1.
a tall spar or, now often, a hollow metal structure, sometimes in sections, rising vertically from the keel or deck of a vessel and used to support the sails, yards, radar and radio equipment, etc.
2.
a specified section of this
the topmast
3.
any vertical pole, as in a crane or derrick
4.
a metal post for the support of a radio aerial or television antenna
5. US; [alsoM-], US Navy
a summary session held by the commanding officer to try minor offenses, hear requests, or give commendations
: in full captain's mast
verb transitive
6.
to put a mast or masts on
Idioms:
before the mast
Word origin
ME maste < OE mæst, akin to Ger mast < IE *mazdos, a pole, rod > L malus, mast (< *madus with Sabine l for d), Ir maide, a stick
mast in American English2
(mæst; mɑst)
noun
beechnuts, acorns, chestnuts, etc., esp. as food for hogs
Word origin
ME maste < OE mæst, akin to Ger mast < IE base *mad-, moist, dripping (with fat, sap) > meat, Gr mastos, a breast
mast- in American English
masto-
used before a vowel
More idioms containing
mast
nail your colours to the mast
Examples of 'mast' in a sentence
mast
Everybody is encouraged to climb the mast.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
On a hill overlooking the road, a British army observation post has been dismantled and replaced with a mobile phone mast.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Wireless networks and mobile phone masts emitting spectral rays are ideal fodder for this sort of panic.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Put up a radio mast on your farm.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The earth was rich with undisturbed deposits of leaf mould and beech mast.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They had been showing people around the ship and climbing the mast for colours.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
According to legend he had himself strapped to the mast of a ship in a storm.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They also raised fears over the extra mobile phone masts being erected near the airport.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It has a mass of nearly a tonne and its camera mast stands taller than a grown man.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Many of them will be the sons and daughters of the very people who want mobile phones without masts.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Radio masts placed in residential areas?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It is not only mobile-phone masts that offer juicy yields.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This involves erecting a 16m mast in the central atrium.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It includes work on masts, rigging and decayed timbers.
The Sun (2011)
Other countries in Europe permit taller masts to be built.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The ship has four masts and 16 sails.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The thin lines of the boat masts were added by applying paint to the edge of the palette knife and pressing this onto the painting.
Bulgin, Sally Acrylics Masterclass (1994)
They complained that the plans would punish firms that have invested in improving their networks and remove any incentive to build new phone masts in remote areas.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Negotiations also involve rural landowners and farmers, who often have lucrative leases with the phone companies who erect masts on their land.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Everyone has to get used to being aloft, which means climbing up the masts in a harness and out on to the yards.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It is also said to stabilise membranes and mast cells, two important constituents of the liver, as well as other organs.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Thanks to an ingenious salvage operation, it resurfaced in 1961 and is now exhibited in a museum where its masts and rigging soar through an open roof.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Wrapping one arm around the mast- even up here it was too big to reach around completely- I grasped one of the stays and edged out.
Wilson, Bob STONE THE CROWS, IT'S A VACUUM-CLEANER (1993)
In other languages
mast
British English: mast /mɑːst/ NOUN
The masts of a boat are the tall upright poles that support its sails.
American English: mast
Arabic: صَارُ
Brazilian Portuguese: mastro
Chinese: 桅杆
Croatian: jarbol
Czech: stožár
Danish: mast
Dutch: mast
European Spanish: mástil
Finnish: masto
French: mât
German: Mast Agrarkultur
Greek: κατάρτι
Italian: albero
Japanese: マスト
Korean: 마스트
Norwegian: mast
Polish: maszt
European Portuguese: mastro
Romanian: catarg
Russian: мачта
Latin American Spanish: mástil
Swedish: mast
Thai: เสาเรือ
Turkish: direk kale, gemi
Ukrainian: щогла
Vietnamese: cột buồm
Chinese translation of 'mast'
mast
(mɑːst)
n(c)
(Naut) 船桅 (chuánwéi) (根, gēn)
[for radio, television etc]天线(線)杆(桿) (tiānxiàn gān) (根, gēn)
1 (noun)
Definition
a vertical pole for supporting sails, radar equipment, etc., above the deck of a ship
the slapping of the flag on the short mast
Synonyms
flagpole
support
Rats had been gnawing at the supports of the house.
post
Eight wooden posts were driven into the ground.
pole
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
upright
2 (noun)
Definition
a tall upright pole used as an aerial for radio or television broadcasting
The tower block is covered in phone masts and aerials.
Synonyms
aerial
transmitter
pylon
Additional synonyms
in the sense of pole
Definition
a long slender rounded piece of wood, metal, or other material
The sign hung at the top of a large pole.
Synonyms
rod,
post,
support,
staff,
standard,
bar,
stick,
stake,
paling,
shaft,
upright,
pillar,
mast,
picket,
spar,
stave
in the sense of post
Definition
a length of wood, metal, or concrete fixed upright to support or mark something
Eight wooden posts were driven into the ground.
Synonyms
support,
stake,
pole,
stock,
standard,
column,
pale,
shaft,
upright,
pillar,
picket,
palisade,
newel
in the sense of support
Definition
a thing that bears the weight of an object from below
Rats had been gnawing at the supports of the house.