mast

Etymology 1

From Middle English mast, from Old English mæst (“mast”), from Proto-West Germanic *mast, from Proto-Germanic *mastaz (“mast, sail-pole”), from Proto-Indo-European *mazdos (“pole, mast”). Cognate with Dutch mast, German Mast, and via Indo-European with Latin mālus, Russian мо́ст (móst, “bridge”), Irish adhmad.

noun

1. (nautical, communication, aviation) A tall, slim post or tower, usually tapering upward, used to support, for example, sails or observation platforms on a ship, the main rotor of a helicopter, flags, floodlights, meteorological instruments, or communications equipment, such as an aerial, usually supported by guy-wires (except in the case of a helicopter).
2. (naval) A non-judicial punishment ("NJP"); a disciplinary hearing under which a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those under his command.

verb

1. To supply and fit a mast to (a ship).

Etymology 2

From Old English mæst (“fallen nuts, food for swine”) and mæstan (“to fatten”), from West Germanic; probably related to meat.

noun

1. The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals.
   She shut them straight in sties, and gave them meat: / Oak-mast, and beech, and cornel fruit, they eat, c. 1609, George Chapman, Homer, Prince of Poets [translation of Odyssey]
   He […] would begin to pick up the seed-cases or mast, squeeze each one with his fingers to see if it were fertile, and drop it if it were not. 1955, Robin Jenkins, The Cone-Gatherers, Canongate, published 2012, page 162

verb

1. (of swine and other animals) To feed on forest seed or fruit.
2. (agriculture, forestry, ecology, of a population of plants) To produce a very large quantity of fruit or seed in certain years but not others.
   Any individual tree which masted in a generally non-mast year would be subjected to the exclusive attention of the seed predators and so would be selected against. 1985, Michael Fenner, Seed ecology, page 33
   However, if this were true, all or most masting species (e.g., Fagus and Quercus) in a forest would have to mast in synchrony to be effective against generalist herbivores. 2004, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Christian Körner, Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Forest Diversity and Function: Temperate and Boreal Systems, page 28
   Because dipterocarp seeds are winged and spin gracefully as they fall, the dispersal of millions of dipterocarp seeds during a masting event is one of the greatest spectacles that you can see on planet Earth. 2008, Chris Rowthorn, Muhammad Cohen, China Williams, Borneo, page 50

Etymology 3

Clipping of Masteron.

noun

1. (bodybuilding slang) The anabolic steroid Drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron

Etymology 4

From French masse, with -t probably after Etymology 1, above.

noun

1. (obsolete, billiards) A type of heavy cue, with the broad end of which one strikes the ball.