royal mast

or royal·mast

noun

, Nautical.

a mast situated immediately above, and generally formed as a single spar with, a topgallant mast.

Discover More

First recorded in 1785–95

Discover More

Topmast: The next mast to the lower mast; in ships, the topmast is succeeded by top-gallant mast and royal mast.

The smoke of her gun was sailing off to leeward in a little cloud, and signals were again flying at her main-royal-mast-head.

He could feel the royal mast swaying and whipping like a fishing-rod—the stays were as tight as the strings of a fiddle.

Masts: The masts of a full-rigged three-masted ship are the following: Fore-mast, topmast, topgallant-mast, royal mast.

The third mate would keep him two hours on end, larnin' to rig out a sterns'l boom, or grease a royal mast.

Browse