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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Missen, -in, Mesene, n. Also: missan, myszen, misond; meson, mesent, -ant; mozan. [ME. and e.m.E. mesan (1413–20), -ayn (1435–6), -eyn (1466), -on (1485), -yn (1497), meisseine (1609), myson (1466–7), mizzen (1579), muson, -yn (1466): cf. F. misaine (MF. mig-, mizenne) foremast, It. mezzana mizzen-sail, Span. mesana id.Cf. also Musall n.]

A mizzen. a. A mizzen-sail. b. A mizzen-mast. c. Attrib. or comb. with -mast, -reye (= yard) and -sail.a. 1549 Compl. 41/17.
Heise the myszen, and change it ouer to leuart a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 98.
Wp went our bonnets, our missens vp behind 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 6 b.
For making of our blend and mesene and keyes to it 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 5 b.
Item, for a nowe mesant 46 gd. Ib. 23.
For a for sell and mesent 96 li.b. 1597 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 16 b.
For small nails to mak ane missin 1699 Smout Sc. Trade 292.
Our mainmast is brok under deck … and my misond is lost altogetherc. 1505 Treas. Acc. III. 86.
For ane mozan mast and ane pege mast 1613 Soc. Ant. X. 223.
The haill furnishing to the bark deburset in Orknay … for missan mast iij li. — 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 53 a.
For one mesene reye xlvi s 8 d — 1672 Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. II. 709.
Ships of good burden with meson sail may come up in it