Mark is one of those words that take up whole columns in dictionaries.
The basic meaning here is "boundary". In the Shorter Oxford, we come
down to meaning III 16:

A particular brand, make, or design of an article, esp ... a
manufactured product (as a car or aeroplane, etc.) as represented at a
particular stage in its design and development."

Middle 17th century!

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 22:04:49 GMT, "David" wrote:

What is the history and meaning behind the work "MARK" to designate military
equipment ? The web site www.designation-systems.net says the Navy uses
the Mark - Mod nomenclature but doesn't say what the significance or meaning
of the word "Mark" is. Does anybody know ?


all the best -- Dan Ford
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