lower mast

American  

[loh-er] / ˈloʊ ər /

noun

Nautical.

1. the lowermost spar of a compound mast, stepped in the hull of a vessel and carrying a topmast and any other upper spars.

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Example Sentences

The only sail that rises above the lower mast is the gaff.

From Man on the Ocean A Book about Boats and Ships by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

A small projection on the outside of the cheeks of a lower mast, at the upper parts of the hounds.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

In the same manner as the top mast slides up through the cap of the lower mast, the topgallant-mast slides up through the cap of the top-masts.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir

The lower mast had already been parbuckled on to the deck, where sheer-legs had been erected by another party.

From A Roving Commission Or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

The ships had now so much motion as to strain the gear very much, and even to make the lower mast of the Fury bend in spite of the shores.

From Narratives of Shipwrecks of the Royal Navy; between 1793 and 1849 by Gilly, William O. S.