Make and mend

Make and mend

Make and mend is the term used in the Navy (notably Commonwealth of Nations navies) for an "afternoon off".

It is derived from the time of sailing ships when sailors would, occasionally but regularly, be allowed time to "make and mend" their uniforms, which were not then supplied by the Royal Navy.

Some sailors were, nevertheless, "on watch" to work (sail) the ship. The designated watch of sailors were still required to "turn to" if the ship's officers had to change the arrangement of the sails or rigging.

This afternoon off was often on Sunday. However, this time off was not a designated "holy day".

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • make and mend — noun Britain : a period (as an afternoon) given the hands on a ship for work on their clothing or as a period of leisure without set duties : half holiday make and mends were granted in celebration of the royal birthday …   Useful english dictionary

  • Make Do and Mend — Origin West Hartford, Connecticut, United States Genres Post Hardcore, Melodic Hardcore Years active 2006 – present Labels Panic Records …   Wikipedia

  • make do and mend — verb A philosophy, during World War II, of repairing clothes etc that would normally be discarded due to shortages and rationing The make do and mend campaign was the Board of Trades central propaganda effort directed at housewives. It gave… …   Wiktionary

  • make do and mend — British, old fashioned to manage with less than you would like, by repairing old things instead of buying new ones. Our family never had any new furniture. We just had to make do and mend …   New idioms dictionary

  • make do and mend —  Make the best use of what one has …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • make up — [v1] create ad lib*, blend, coin, combine, compose, compound, concoct, construct, contrive, cook up*, devise, dream up, fabricate, fake it, fashion, fix, formulate, frame, fuse, hatch, improv*, improvise, invent, join, knock off, make, meld,… …   New thesaurus

  • make — [c]/meɪk / (say mayk) verb (made, making) –verb (t) 1. to bring into existence by shaping material, combining parts, etc.: to make a dress. 2. to produce by any action or causative agency: to make trouble. 3. to cause to be or become; render: to… …  

  • make — make1 W1S1 [meık] v past tense and past participle made [meıd] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(produce)¦ 2¦(do)¦ 3¦(cook)¦ 4¦(cause)¦ 5¦(force)¦ 6¦(mark/hole etc)¦ 7 make it 8 make the meeting/the party/Tuesday etc 9¦(achieve something)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • mend — vb Mend, repair, patch, rebuild are comparable when they mean to put into good or fitting order something that is injured, damaged, or defective. Mend basically implies a freeing from faults or defects {mend your manners} {the wound mended… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • mend — [mend] vt. [ME menden, aphetic < amenden,AMEND] 1. to repair (something broken, torn, or worn); restore to good condition; make whole; fix 2. to make better; improve; reform; set right [to mend one s manners] 3. to atone for; make amends for:… …   English World dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”