in a ship, is a small rope fastened to the mizen-yard-arm, below at the deck, and is always furled up with the mizen-sail, even to the upper end of the yard, and thence it comes down to the poop. Its use is to loosen the mizen-sail without striking down the yard, which is easily done, because the mizen-sail is furled up only with rope-yarns; and therefore when this rope is pulled hard, it breaks all the rope-yarns, and so the sail falls down of itself. The sailor's phrase is, smite the mizen, that is, haul by this rope that the sail may fall down.