MATERIEL. A French word that has been naturalized in speaking of naval or military stores.
MATHEMATICS. The science which treats of every kind of quantity that can be numbered or measured.
MATIES, or Mateys. Dockyard artificers, shipwrights, carpenters, &c.
MATO. A shell formerly of some commercial value on the west coast of Africa.
MATRASS. The square head of an arrow called quarril. In chemistry it is the Florence oil flask used for evaporation. From its thinness it will stand great gradual heat.
MATROSS. Formerly an assistant gunner in the artillery.
MATTHEW WALKER. A knot, so termed from the originator. It is formed by a half hitch on each strand in the direction of the lay, so that the rope can be continued after the knot is formed, which shows as a transverse collar of three strands. It is the knot used on the end of the laniards of rigging, where dead-eyes are employed.
MAUD. A salmon-net fixed in a square form by four stakes.
MAUL. A heavy iron hammer, used for driving tree-nails or bolts; it has one end faced, and the opposite pointed, whence it is often called a pin-maul.—Top-maul is distinguished by having an iron handle, with an eye at the end, by which it is tied fast to the mast-head. It is kept aloft for driving the iron fid in or out of the top-mast.
MAUND. An Indian weight, which varies in amount depending on the part of the country. Also, a basket used by fishermen; a measure of small fish.