Mizzen

mizen, mizzen ('miz(e)n). Nautical

Forms:

  • 15th century: meseyn,
  • 15-17th century: meson,
  • 16th century: mizine, myszen, mesen, messyne, myssen, missone, mysson, Scottish. mozan,
  • 16-17th century: misen,
  • 16-18th century: missen, misne,
  • 17th century: myson, meisseine, mison, miszen, mizon, mizan(e)
  • 17th- century: mizen, mizzen.

    [adopted French misaine (in modern French foresail, foremast; c 1381 migenne in Hatz.-Darm.), believed to be adapted Italian mezzana mizen-sail; the Italian word is feminine of messano middle. Cf. Spanish mesana, Portuguese mezena foresail, Dutch bezaan (earlier bezane), German besan (-mast, -segel) mizen.

    The agreement of the use in English and Italian suggests that the divergent use in modern French is not original; the statement that Italian mezzana originally meant "mainsail" seems to be merely a conjecture based on the etymological meaning of the word, the precise implication of which is uncertain: some have suggested that it may be "middle-sized".

    The 16th century MUSALL (Scottish) and myssyll (see quotation c 1515 s.v. MAIN-MIZEN) appear to be synonymous, but their relation to this word is obscure.]

    1.a. (also mizen-sail) A fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of the mizen-mast. Often used as synonymous with SPANKER, but more correctly applied to the 'mizen trysail', set instead if the spanker in stormy weather.

    † Formerly also applied to a sail of similar shape serving as the principal sail in certain small craft.

    1465
    Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 200: Item, for a yerde for a meseyn, xvj.d.
    1485
    Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 37: Blokkes for the meson with iij sheves of brasse. Ibid. 41: Meson sailes . . . ij.
    1549
    Compl. Scot. VI. 41: Heise the miszen and change it ouer to leuart.
    1591
    PERCYVAL Bibl. Hisp., Dict.: Messana vela, the mizine saile.
    1601
    HOLLAND Pliny II, 1: Yet are not wee content with a single maine sail . . . vncesse . . . we have fore-sailes and sprit-sailes in the Prow, misnes also hoised vp . . . in the Poupe; . . . and all set vs more forward vpon our death, and to hasten our end.

    . . .

    mizen-mast. Nautical The aftermost mast of a three-masted ship.
    1484
    Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 14: A Mayne Meson mast for the said Ship.
    1505
    In Ld. Treas. Acc. Scotl. (1901) III. 86: Item, . . . for ane mozan mast and ane pege mast.
    1556
    Burrough in Hakluyt Voy. (1599) I. 275: The Pinnesse bare her Myssen mast ouer boord with flagge and all. . . .
    mizen-yard. Naut. The yard on which the mizen-sail is extend.
    1485
    Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 49: Meson yerdes . . . ij.
    1564
    In R.G. Marsden Sel. Pl. Crt. Admir. (Selden) II. 129: Item a bade smalle bote of two toune and a myssyne yerde vi&S's. viij&S'd.

    2. = mizen-mast. Now rare.

    1583
    Hayes Narr. Gilbert's Voy. in Hakluyt (1811) III. 190: The Golden Hind succeeded in the place of Vizadmirall, and removed her flagge from the mizon unto the foretop.
    . . .

    3. attrib. and Comb. in the sense 'pertaining to, connected with, or near the mizenmast or mizensail', as mizen-boom, -brail, -cap, -halyard, -lift, -light, -parrel, -peak, -pole, -rigging, -royal, -sheet, -shroud, -stysail [?], -stay, -staysail, -tack, truck, †-tye. Also mizen-sail (see 1), mizen-mast, mizen top, etc.

    1485
    Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 36: Meson shrowdes.
    Ibid. 49: Meson lyftes . . . Meson halyers . . . Meson perell . . . Meson shetes . . . Meson tyes.
    It is interesting to note that the Construction des vaisseaux du Roy, published in numerous editions between 1688 and 1775, refer to the fore-mast both as le mast de mizeine and le mast d'avant.

    To the above might be added that Henry Bond consistently writes the current word as mizne in his The Art of Apparelling and fiting of any Ship with Masts, Yards, and Cordage published in London 1655.

    The Maritime History Virtual Archives.