MÂTE en semaque, masted for a sprit which crosses the sail diagonally.

MÂTELOT, a sailor, or mariner; a man before the mast.

MÂTELOTAGE, the hire, wages, or pay of seamen.

Il est un bon MÂTELOT, he is an able seaman.

Vaisseau MÂTELOT, a good company-keeper, or a ship that sails well, and keeps her station in a fleet; also the ships, in a fleet of men of war, which are appointed seconds to the admirals or commanding officers.

MÂTELOTS-gardien, the ordinary-men attending a royal dock-yard, and it's harbour or dock; including also the carpenters and caulkers appointed to watch in the ships of war.

MÂTER, to fix or place the masts of a ship.

MÂTEREAU, a small mast, or end of a mast.

MÂTEUR, a mast-maker. See MÂITTRE-mâteur.

MÂTURE, the art of masting ships; also a general name for the masts themselves.

La MÂTURE, the mast-shed, or the place where the masts are made.

MAY, a sort of trough bored full of holes, wherein to drain cordage when it is newly tarred.

MAUGERES, or MAUGES, the scupper-holes.

MECHE, the Match by which a cannon is fired.

MECHE de cabestan, the middle-piece, or body of the capstern.

MECHE de mât, the main or middle piece of a lower mast, when the latter is composed of several pieces, as usual in many ships of war.

MECHE du gouvernail, the principal piece of a rudder.

MECHE d'une corde, the middle strand of a four-stranded rope.

MEMBRES de vaisseau, a name given to any of the pieces of which the ribs are composed; as the floor-timbers, top-timbers, and futtocks.

Reference Works