[Origin unknown.
App. either a corruption of some earlier name, or a jocular appellation invented by sailors. For the suggestion that it may have been short for injury-mast, no supporting evidence has been found.]
1. Naut. A temporary mast put up in place of one that has been broken or carried away.
1616. Capt. Smith, Descr. New Eng., 50. We had reaccommodated her a Iury mast, and the rest, to returne for Plimouth. Ibid. (1627), Seaman’s Gram., iv. 18. A Iury Mast, that is, when a Mast is borne by the boord, with Yards, Roofes, Trees, or what they can, spliced or fished together they make a Iury-mast.
1750. Blanckley, Nav. Expos., 84. Jury Mast. Whatever is set up in the Room of a Mast lost in a Fight, or by a Storm, and fastened into the Partners, and fitted with a lesser Yard, Sails, and Ropes, is called a Jury Mast, &c.
1782. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), I. 55. We have been employed since in getting jury-masts yards and bowsprit, and stopping the holes in our sides.
1847. Ld. G. Bentinck, in Croker Papers (1884), III. xxv. 144. To keep the dismantled ship floating and fighting under jury-masts.
b. So jury foremast, jury mainmast, etc.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. ii. Having no sails … but a main course, and a kind of square sail upon a jury fore-mast.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. i. 297. We saw her main-top mast, which had hitherto served as a jury main-mast, share the same fate.
1836. Marryat, Midsh. Easy (1863), 190. Before the day was over, a jury-foremast had been got up.
c. transf. An apparatus employed in the treatment of Pott’s disease, to keep the spinal column straight, and prevent lateral curvature.
1883. T. Holmes & Hulke, Syst. Surgery (ed. 3), II. 413. In Professor Sayre’s Plaster of Paris Corset and Jury-mast … we have a much better appliance.
1894. Lancet, 3 Nov., 1029.
2. Hence jury- is used in comb. to designate other parts of a ship put together or contrived for temporary use, as jury-rig, jury-rigging (whence jury-rig v., jury-rigged ppl. a.), jury-rudder, jury-tiller; and humorously of other things, as jury-buttocks; jury-leg, a wooden leg, or any contrivance to supply the place of a disabled leg (whence jury-legged a.); jury meal.
1666. Denham, Direct. Painter, II. (1667), 25. Guard thy Posterior least all be gone; Though Jury-Masts, tho’hast Jury-buttocks none.
1751. Smollett, Per. Pic., I. vi. You jury-legged dog.
1788. Newte, Tour Eng. & Scot., 116. The ships to be jury rigged: that is, to have smaller masts, yards, and rigging, than would be required for actual service.
1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, xxiii. Having jury rigged her aft, we steered our course.
1844. Macaulay, Misc., Barère (1860), II. 127. She may come safe into port under jury rigging.
1850. Tait’s Mag., XVII. 422/2. To rig him out with a sort of jury-leg, manufactured for the nonce from a young tree.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Jury-rudder, a contrivance … for supplying a vessel with the means of steering when an accident has befallen the rudder.
1883. J. J. Wait, in Century Mag., Oct., 944/1. The steward … had a jury-meal rigged up in presentable shape.
b. Hence Jury is also taken independently as an adj. = temporary, makeshift.
1821. Byron, Lett. to Rogers, 21 Oct. I have … some jury chairs and tables.
1833. Marryat, P. Simple, xlvi. Rig something jury forward, and follow me.
1835. Sir J. Ross, Narr. 2nd Voy., iii. 36. We … set up the new topmast in place of the jury one.
