M (part 3)

Defn: A thin layer or fold of tissue, usually supported by a fibrous network, serving to cover or line some part or organ, and often secreting or absorbing certain fluids.

Note: The term is also often applied to the thin, expanded parts, of various texture, both in animals and vegetables. Adventitious membrane, a membrane connecting parts not usually connected, or of a different texture from the ordinary connection; as, the membrane of a cicatrix. — Jacob's membrane. See under Retina. — Mucous membranes (Anat.), the membranes lining passages and cavities which communicate with the exterior, as well as ducts and receptacles of secretion, and habitually secreting mucus. — Schneiderian membrane. (Anat.) See Schneiderian. — Serous membranes (Anat.) , the membranes, like the peritoneum and pleura, which line, or lie in, cavities having no obvious outlet, and secrete a serous fluid.

MEMBRANEOUS
Mem*bra"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. membraneus of parchment.]

Defn: See Membranous.

MEMBRANIFEROUS
Mem`bra*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Membrane + -ferous.]

Defn: Having or producing membranes.

MEMBRANIFORM
Mem*bra"ni*form, a. Etym: [Membrane + -form: cf. F. membraniforme.]

Defn: Having the form of a membrane or of parchment.

MEMBRANOLOGY
Mem`bra*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Membrane + -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of membranes.

MEMBRANOUS
Mem"bra*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. membraneux.]

1. Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling, membrane; as, a membranous covering or lining.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Membranaceous. Membranous croup (Med.), true croup. See Croup.

MEMENTO Me*men"to, n.; pl. Mementos. Etym: [L., remember, be mindful, imper. of meminisse to remember. See Mention.]

Defn: A hint, suggestion, token, or memorial, to awaken memory; that which reminds or recalls to memory; a souvenir. Seasonable mementos may be useful. Bacon.

MEMENTO MORI
Me*men"to mo"ri. [L.]

Defn: Lit., remember to die, i.e., that you must die; a warning to be prepared for death; an object, as a death's-head or a personal ornament, usually emblematic, used as a reminder of death.

MEMINNA
Me*min"na, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small deerlet, or chevrotain, of India.

MEMNON
Mem"non, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Antiq.)

Defn: A celebrated Egyptian statue near Thebes, said to have the property of emitting a harplike sound at sunrise.

MEMOIR; MEMOIRS Mem"oir, or pl. Mem"oirs, n. Etym: [F. mémoire, m., memorandum, fr. mémoire, f., memory, L. memoria. See Memory.]

1. A memorial account; a history composed from personal experience and memory; an account of transactions or events (usually written in familiar style) as they are remembered by the writer. See History, 2.

2. A memorial of any individual; a biography; often, a biography written without special regard to method and completeness.

3. An account of something deemed noteworthy; an essay; a record of investigations of any subject; the journals and proceedings of a society.

MEMOIRIST
Mem"oir*ist, n.

Defn: A writer of memoirs.

MEMORABILIA
Mem`o*ra*bil"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [L., fr. memorabilis memorable. See
Memorable.]

Defn: Things remarkable and worthy of remembrance or record; also, the record of them.

MEMORABILITY
Mem`o*ra*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being memorable.

MEMORABLE
Mem"o*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. memorabilis, fr. memorare to bring to
remembrance, fr. memor mindful, remembering. See Memory, and cf.
Memorabilia.]

Defn: Worthy to be remembered; very important or remarkable.
— Mem"o*ra*ble*ness, n.
— Mem"o*ra*bly, adv.
Surviving fame to gain, Buy tombs, by books, by memorable deeds. Sir
J. Davies.

MEMORANDUM Mem`o*ran"dum, n.; pl. E. Memorandums, L. Memoranda. Etym: [L., something to be remembered, neut. of memorandus, fut. pass. p. of memorare. See Memorable.]

1. A record of something which it is desired to remember; a note to help the memory. I . . . entered a memorandum in my pocketbook. Guardian. I wish you would, as opportunity offers, make memorandums of the regulations of the academies. Sir J. Reynolds.

2. (Law)

Defn: A brief or informal note in writing of some transaction, or an outline of an intended instrument; an instrument drawn up in a brief and compendious form. Memorandum check, a check given as an acknowledgment of indebtedness, but with the understanding that it will not be presented at bank unless the maker fails to take it up on the day the debt becomes due. It usually has Mem. written on its face.

MEMORATE
Mem"o*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. memoratus, p. p. of memorare. See
Memorable.]

Defn: To commemorate. [Obs.]

MEMORATIVE
Mem"o*ra*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mémoratif.]

Defn: Commemorative. [Obs.] Hammond.

MEMORIA
Me*mo"ri*a, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Memory. Memoria technica, technical memory; a contrivance for aiding the memory.

MEMORIAL
Me*mo"ri*al, a. Etym: [F. mémorial, L. memorialis, fr. memoria. See
Memory.]

1. Serving to preserve remembrance; commemorative; as, a memorial building. There high in air, memorial of my name, Fix the smooth oar, and bid me live to fame. Pope.

2. Contained in memory; as, a memorial possession.

3. Mnemonic; assisting the memory. This succession of Aspirate, Soft, and Hard, may be expressed by the memorial word ASH. Skeat. Memorial Day. Same as Decoration Day. [U.S.]

MEMORIAL
Me*mo"ri*al, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mémorial.]

1. Anything intended to preserve the memory of a person or event; something which serves to keep something else in remembrance; a monument. Macaulay. Churches have names; some as memorials of peace, some of wisdom, some in memory of the Trinity itself. Hooker.

2. A memorandum; a record. [Obs. or R.] Hayward.

3. A written representation of facts, addressed to the government, or to some branch of it, or to a society, etc., — often accompanied with a petition.

4. Memory; remembrance. [Obs.] Precious is the memorial of the just. Evelyn.

5. (Diplomacy)

Defn: A species of informal state paper, much used in negotiation.

MEMORIAL DAY
Me*mo"ri*al Day.

Defn: A day, May 30, appointed for commemorating, by decorating their
graves with flowers, by patriotic exercises, etc., the dead soldiers
and sailors who served the Civil War (1861-65) in the United States;
Decoration Day. It is a legal holiday in most of the States. In the
Southern States, the Confederate Memorial Day is: May 30 in Virginia;
April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in
North Carolina and South Carolina; the second Friday in May in
Tennessee; June 3 in Louisiana. [U. S.]

MEMORIALIST
Me*mo"ri*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mémorialiste.]

Defn: One who writes or signs a memorial.

MEMORIALIZE
Me*mo"ri*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Memorialized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Memorializing.]

Defn: To address or petition by a memorial; to present a memorial to; as, to memorialize the legislature. T. Hook.

MEMORIALIZER
Me*mo"ri*al*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who petitions by a memorial. T. Hook.

MEMORIAL ROSE
Memorial rose.

Defn: A Japanese evergreen rose (Rosa wichuraiana) with creeping branches, shining leaves, and single white flowers. It is often planted in cemeteries.

MEMORIST
Mem"o*rist, n. Etym: [See Memorize.]

Defn: One who, or that which, causes to be remembered. [Obs.]

MEMORITER
Me*mor"i*ter, adv. Etym: [L., fr. memor mindful. See Memorable.]

Defn: By, or from, memory.

MEMORIZE
Mem"o*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Memorized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Memorizing.] Etym: [See Memory.]

1. To cause to be remembered ; hence, to record. [Obs.] They neglect to memorize their conquest. Spenser. They meant to . . . memorize another Golgotha. Shak.

2. To commit to memory; to learn by heart.

MEMORY
Mem"o*ry, n.; pl. Memories. Etym: [OE. memorie, OF. memoire, memorie,
F. mémoire, L. memoria, fr. memor mindful; cf. mora delay. Cf. Demur,
Martyr, Memoir, Remember.]

1. The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events. Memory is the purveyor of reason. Rambler.

2. The reach and positiveness with which a person can remember; the strength and trustworthiness of one's power to reach and represent or to recall the past; as, his memory was never wrong.

3. The actual and distinct retention and recognition of past ideas in the mind; remembrance; as, in memory of youth; memories of foreign lands.

4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered; as, within the memory of man. And what, before thy memory, was done From the begining. Milton.

5. Something, or an aggregate of things, remembered; hence, character, conduct, etc., as preserved in remembrance, history, or tradition; posthumous fame; as, the war became only a memory. The memory of the just is blessed. Prov. x. 7. That ever-living man of memory, Henry the Fifth. Shak. The Nonconformists . . . have, as a body, always venerated her [Elizabeth's] memory. Macaulay.

6. A memorial. [Obs.] These weeds are memories of those worser hours. Shak.

Syn. — Memory, Remembrance, Recollection, Reminiscence. Memory is the generic term, denoting the power by which we reproduce past impressions. Remembrance is an exercise of that power when things occur spontaneously to our thoughts. In recollection we make a distinct effort to collect again, or call back, what we know has been formerly in the mind. Reminiscence is intermediate between remembrance and recollection, being a conscious process of recalling past occurrences, but without that full and varied reference to particular things which characterizes recollection. "When an idea again recurs without the operation of the like object on the external sensory, it is remembrance; if it be sought after by the mind, and with pain and endeavor found, and brought again into view, it is recollection." Locke. To draw to memory, to put on record; to record. [Obs.] Chaucer. Gower.

MEMPHIAN
Mem"phi*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the ancient city of Memphis in Egypt; hence, Egyptian; as, Memphian darkness.

MEM-SAHIB Mem"-sa`hib, n. [Hind. mem-sahib; mem (fr. E. ma'am) + Ar. çahib master. See Sahib.]

Defn: Lady; mistress; — used by Hindustani-speaking natives in India in addressing European women.

MEN
Men, n.,

Defn: pl. of Man.

MEN Men, pron. Etym: [OE. me, men. "Not the plural of man, but a weakened form of the word man itself." Skeat.]

Defn: A man; one; — used with a verb in the singular, and
corresponding to the present indefinite one or they. [Obs.] Piers
Plowman.
Men moot give silver to the poure triars. Chaucer.
A privy thief, men clepeth death. Chaucer.

MENACCANITE Me*nac"can*ite, n. Etym: [From Menaccan, in Cornwall, where it was first found.] (Min.)

Defn: An iron-black or steel-gray mineral, consisting chiefly of the oxides of iron and titanium. It is commonly massive, but occurs also in rhombohedral crystals. Called also titanic iron ore, and ilmenite.

MENACE Men"ace, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. minaciae threats, menaces, fr. minax, - acis, projecting, threatening, minae projecting points or pinnacles, threats. Cf. Amenable, Demean, Imminent, Minatory.]

Defn: The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or
threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come.
His (the pope's) commands, his rebukes, his menaces. Milman.
The dark menace of the distant war. Dryden.

MENACE
Men"ace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Menaced (ast); p. pr. & vb. n.
Menacing.] Etym: [OF. menacier, F. menacer. See Menace, n.]

1. To express or show an intention to inflict, or to hold out a prospect of inflicting, evil or injury upon; to threaten; — usually followed by with before the harm threatened; as, to menace a country with war. My master . . . did menace me with death. Shak.

2. To threaten, as an evil to be inflicted. By oath he menaced Revenge upon the cardinal. Shak.

MENACE
Men"ace, v. i.

Defn: To act in threatening manner; to wear a threatening aspect.
Who ever knew the heavens menace so Shak.

MENACER
Men"a*cer, n.

Defn: One who menaces.

MENACINGLY
Men"a*cing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a threatening manner.

MENAGE
Mé`nage", n.

Defn: See Manage.

MENAGE
Mé`nage", n. Etym: [See Menagerie.]

Defn: A collection of animals; a menagerie. [Obs.] Addison.

MENAGERIE Men*ag"er*ie, n. Etym: [F. ménagerie, fr. ménager to keep house, ménage household. See Menial, Mansion.]

1. A piace where animals are kept and trained.

2. A collection of wild or exotic animals, kept for exhibition.

MENAGOGUE
Men"a*gogue, n. Etym: [F. ménagogue, fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Emmenagogue.

MENAION
Me*na"ion, n.; pl. Menaia (-yå). Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Eccl.)

Defn: A work of twelve volumes, each containing the offices in the
Greek Church for a month; also, each volume of the same. Shipley.

MENALD; MENILD
Men"ald, Men"ild, a.

Defn: Covered with spots; speckled; variegated. [Obs.]

MEND
Mend, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mended; p. pr. & vb. n. Mending.] Etym:
[Abbrev. fr. amend. See Amend.]

1. To repair, as anything that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or the like; to restore from partial decay, injury, or defacement; to patch up; to put in shape or order again; to re-create; as, to mend a garment or a machine.

2. To alter for the better; to set right; to reform; hence, to quicken; as, to mend one's manners or pace. The best service they could do the state was to mend the lives of the persons who composed it. Sir W. Temple.

3. To help, to advance, to further; to add to. Though in some lands the grass is but short, yet it mends garden herbs and fruit. Mortimer. You mend the jewel by the wearing it. Shak.

Syn.
— To improve; help; better; emend; amend; correct; rectify; reform.

MEND
Mend, v. i.

Defn: To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved. Shak.

MENDABLE
Mend"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being mended.

MENDACIOUS
Men*da"cious, a. Etym: [L. mendax, -acis, lying, cf. mentiri to lie.]

1. Given to deception or falsehood; lying; as, a mendacious person.

2. False; counterfeit; containing falsehood; as, a mendacious
statement.
— Men*da"cious*ly, adv.
— Men*da"cious*ness, n.

MENDACITY
Men*dac"i*ty, n.; pl. Mendacities. Etym: [L. mendacitas.]

1. The quality or state of being mendacious; a habit of lying. Macaulay.

2. A falsehood; a lie. Sir T. Browne.

Syn.
— Lying; deceit; untruth; falsehood.

MENDELIAN
Men*de"li*an, a. [See Mendel's law.] (Biol.)

Defn: Pert. to Mendel, or to Mendel's law. — Men*de"li*an*ism (#),
Men*del"ism (#), n.

MENDELIAN CHARACTER
Mendelian character. (Biol.)

Defn: A character which obeys Mendel's law in regard to its hereditary transmission.

MENDEL'S LAW
Men"del's law.

Defn: A principle governing the inheritance of many characters in animals and plants, discovered by Gregor J. Mendel (Austrian Augustinian abbot, 1822-84) in breeding experiments with peas. He showed that the height, color, and other characters depend on the presence of determinating factors behaving as units. In any given germ cell each of these is either present or absent. The following example (using letters as symbols of the determining factors and hence also of the individuals possessing them) shows the operation of the law: Tallness being due to a factor T, a tall plant, arising by the union in fertilization of two germ cells both bearing this factor, is TT; a dwarf, being without T, is tt. Crossing these, crossbreeds, Tt, result (called generation F1). In the formation of the germ cells of these crossbreeds a process of segregation occurs such that germ cells, whether male or female, are produced of two kinds, T and t, in equal numbers. The T cells bear the factor "tallness," the t cells are devoid of it. The offspring, generation F2, which arise from the chance union of these germ cells in pairs, according to the law of probability, are therefore on an average in the following proportions:

1 TT : 2 Tt : 1 tt;

and thus plants pure in tallness (TT) and dwarfness (tt), as well as crossbreeds (Tt), are formed by the interbreeding of crossbreeds. Frequently, as in this example, owning to what is called the dominance of a factor, the operation of Mendel's law may be complicated by the fact that when a dominant factor (as T) occurs with its allelomorph (as t), called recessive, in the crossbreed Tt, the individual Tt is itself indistinguishable from the pure form TT. Generation F1, containing only the Tt form, consists entirely of dominants (tall plants) and generation F2 consists of three dominants (2 Tt, 1 TT) to one dwarf (tt), which, displaying the feature suppressed in F1, is called recessive. Such qualitative and numerical regularity has been proved to exist in regard to very diverse qualities or characters which compose living things, both wild and domesticated, such as colors of flowers, of hair or eyes, patterns, structure, chemical composition, and power of resisting certain diseases. The diversity of forms produced in crossbreeding by horticulturists and fanciers generally results from a process of analytical variation or recombination of the factors composing the parental types. Purity of type consequently acquires a specific meaning. An individual is pure in respect of a given character when it results from the union of two sexual cells both bearing that character, or both without it.

MENDER
Mend"er, n.

Defn: One who mends or repairs.

MENDIANT
Men"di*ant, n.

Defn: See Mendinant. [Obs.]

MENDICANCY
Men"di*can*cy, n.

Defn: The condition of being mendicant; beggary; begging. Burke.

MENDICANT Men"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. mendicans, -antis, p. pr. of mendicare to beg, fr. mendicus beggar, indigent.]

Defn: Practicing beggary; begging; living on alms; as, mendicant friars. Mendicant orders (R. C. Ch.), certain monastic orders which are forbidden to acquire landed property and are required to be supported by alms, esp. the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Carmelites, and the Augustinians.

MENDICANT
Men"di*cant, n.

Defn: A beggar; esp., one who makes a business of begging; specifically, a begging friar.

MENDICATE Men"di*cate, v. t.& i. Etym: [L. mendicatus, p. p. of mendicare to beg.]

Defn: To beg. [R.] Johnson.

MENDICATION
Men`di*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act or practice of begging; beggary; mendicancy. Sir T.
Browne.

MENDICITY
Men*dic"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. mendicitas: cf. F. mendicité. See
Mendicant.]

Defn: The practice of begging; the life of a beggar; mendicancy. Rom. of R.

MENDINANT
Men"di*nant, n.

Defn: A mendicant or begging friar. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MENDMENT
Mend"ment, n.

Defn: Amendment. [Obs.]

MENDOLE
Men"dole, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mendol, mendole.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The cackerel.

MENDREGAL
Men"dre*gal, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Medregal.

MENDS
Mends, n.

Defn: See Amends. [Obs.] Shak.

MENGE
Menge, v. i. [imp. Mente, Meinte; p. p. Ment, Meint.] Etym: [See
Mingle.]

Defn: To mix. [Obs.] Spenser.

MENHADEN
Men*ha"den, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American marine fish of the Herring familt (Brevoortia tyrannus), chiefly valuable for its oil and as a component of fertilizers; — called also mossbunker, bony fish, chebog, pogy, hardhead, whitefish, etc.

MENHIR
Men"hir, n. Etym: [F. Armor. men stone + hir high.]

Defn: A large stone set upright in olden times as a memorial or monument. Many, of unknown date, are found in Brittany and throughout Northern Europe.

MENIAL
Men"ial, a. Etym: [OE. meneal, fr. meine, maine, household, OF.
maisniée, maisnie, LL. mansionaticum. See Mansion, and cf. Meine, n.,
Meiny.]

1. Belonging to a retinue or train of servants; performing servile office; serving. Two menial dogs before their master pressed. Dryden.

2. Pertaining to servants, esp. domestic servants; servile; low; mean. " Menial offices." Swift.

MENIAL
Men"ial, n.

1. A domestic servant or retainer, esp. one of humble rank; one employed in low or servile offices.

2. A person of a servile character or disposition.

MENIERE'S DISEASE
Mé`nière's" dis*ease". (Med.)

Defn: A disease characterized by deafness and vertigo, resulting in incoördination of movement. It is supposed to depend upon a morbid condition of the semicircular canals of the internal ear. Named after Ménière, a French physician.

MENILITE Men"i*lite, n. Etym: [F. ménilite; — so called because it is found at Ménilmontant, near Paris.] (Min.)

Defn: See Opal.

MENINGEAL
Me*nin"ge*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the meninges.

MENINGES
Me*nin"ges, n. pl.; sing. Meninx (. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord; the pia mater, dura mater, and arachnoid membrane.

MENINGITIS
Men`in*gi"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Meninges, and -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord.
Cerebro-spinal meningitis. See under Cerebro-spinal.

MENISCAL
Me*nis"cal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or having the form of, a meniscus.

MENISCOID
Me*nis"coid, a. Etym: [Meniscus + -oid.]

Defn: Concavo-convex, like a meniscus.

MENISCUS
Me*nis"cus, n.; pl. L. Menisci (-si), E. Meniscuses. Etym: [NL., from
Gr. mh`nh the moon.]

1. A crescent.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: A lens convex on one side and concave on the other.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: An interarticular synovial cartilage or membrane; esp., one of the intervertebral synovial disks in some parts of the vertebral column of birds. Converging meniscus, Diverging meniscus. See Lens.

MENISPERMACEOUS
Men`i*sper*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [Gr. mh`nh the moon + spe`rma seed.]
(Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to a natural order (Menispermaceæ) of climbing plants of which moonseed (Menispermum) is the type.

MENISPERMIC
Men`i*sper"mic (, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or obtained from, moonseed (Menispermum), or other plants of the same family, as the Anamirta Cocculus.

MENISPERMINE
Men`i*sper"mine, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ménispermine.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alkaloid distinct from picrotoxin and obtained from the cocculus indicus (the fruit of Anamirta Cocculus, formerly Menispermum Cocculus) as a white, crystalline, tasteless powder; — called also menispermina.

MENIVER Men"i*ver, n. Etym: [OF. menuver, menuveir, menuvair, a grayish fur; menu small + vair a kind of fur. See Minute, a., and Vair.]

Defn: Same as Miniver.

MENNONIST; MENNONITE
Men"non*ist, Men"non*ite, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a small denomination of Christians, so called from Menno Simons of Friesland, their founder. They believe that the New Testament is the only rule of faith, that there is no original sin, that infants should not be baptized, and that Christians ought not to take oath, hold office, or render military service.

MENOBRANCH; MENOBRANCHUS
Men"o*branch, Men`o*bran"chus, n. Etym: [NL. menobranchus, fr. Gr.
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A large aquatic American salamander of the genus Necturus, having permanent external gills.

MENOLOGIUM; MENOLOGY
Men`o*lo"gi*um, Me*nol"o*gy, n.; pl. L. Menologia, E. Menologies.
Etym: [NL. menologium, fr. Gr. ménologe.]

1. A register of months. Bp. Stillingfleet.

2. (Gr. Church)

Defn: A brief calendar of the lives of the saints for each day in the year, or a simple remembrance of those whose lives are not written.

MENOPAUSE
Men"o*pause, n. Etym: [Gr. Menses.] (Med.)

Defn: The period of natural cessation of menstruation. See Change of life, under Change.

MENOPOMA; MENOPOME
Men`o*po"ma, Men"o*pome, n. Etym: [NL. menopoma, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The hellbender.

MENORRHAGIA Men`or*rha"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.) (a) Profuse menstruation. (b) Any profuse bleeding from the uterus; Metrorrhagia.

MENOSTASIS Me*nos"ta*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. mh`n month + 'istan`nai to stop.] (Med.)

Defn: Stoppage of the mences.

MENOSTATION
Men`os*ta"tion, n. (Med.)

Defn: Same as Menostasis.

MENOW
Men"ow, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A minnow.

MEN-PLEASER
Men"-pleas`er, n.

Defn: One whose motive is to please men or the world, rather than
God. Eph. vi. 6.

MENSAL
Men"sal, a. Etym: [L. mensalis, fr. mensa table.]

Defn: Belonging to the table; transacted at table; as, mensa conversation.

MENSAL
Men"sal, a. Etym: [L. mensis month.]

Defn: Occurring once in a month; monthly.

MENSE
Mense, n. Etym: [OE. menske, AS. mennisc human, man. See Man.]

Defn: Manliness; dignity; comeliness; civility. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
— Mense"ful, a.
— Mense"less, a.

MENSE
Mense, v. t.

Defn: To grace. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

MENSES Men"ses, n. pl. Etym: [L. mensis month, pl. menses months, and the monthly courses of women. Cf. Month.] (Med.)

Defn: The catamenial or menstrual discharge, a periodic flow of blood or bloody fluid from the uterus or female generative organs.

MENSTRUAL
Men"stru*al, a. Etym: [L. menstrualis: cf. F. menstruel. See
Menstruous.]

1. Recurring once a month; monthly; gone through in a month; as, the menstrual revolution of the moon; pertaining to monthly changes; as, the menstrual equation of the sun's place.

2. Of or pertaining to the menses; as, menstrual discharges; the menstrual period.

3. Of or pertaining to a menstruum. Bacon.

MENSTRUANT Men"stru*ant, a. Etym: [L. menstruans, p. pr. of menstruare to have a monthly term, fr. menstruus. See Menstruous.]

Defn: Subject to monthly flowing or menses.

MENSTRUATE
Men"stru*ate, a.

Defn: Menstruous. [Obs.]

MENSTRUATE
Men"stru*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Menstruated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Menstruating.]

Defn: To discharge the menses; to have the catamenial flow.

MENSTRUATION
Men`stru*a"tion, n.

Defn: The discharge of the menses; also, the state or the period of menstruating.

MENSTRUE
Men"strue, n. Etym: [Cf. F. menstrues. See Menstruous.]

Defn: The menstrual flux; menses. [Obs.]

MENSTRUOUS
Men"stru*ous, a. Etym: [L. menstruus, fr. mensis month. Cf.
Menstruum.]

1. Having the monthly flow or discharge; menstruating.

2. Of or pertaining tj the monthly flow; catamenial.

MENSTRUUM
Men"stru*um, n.; pl. E. Menstruums, L. Menstrua. Etym: [L. menstruus.
See Menstruous.]

Defn: Any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent.
The proper menstruum to dissolve metal. Bacon.
All liquors are called menstruums which are used as dissolvents, or
to extract the virtues of ingredients by infusion or decoction.
Quincy.

Note: The use is supposed to have originated in some notion of the old chemists about the influence of the moon in the preparation of dissolvents. Johnson.

MENSURABILITY
Men`su*ra*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mensurabilité.]

Defn: The quality of being mensurable.

MENSURABLE Men"su*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. mensurabilis, fr. mensurare to measure, fr. mensura measure: cf. F. mensurable. See Measurable, Measure.]

Defn: Capable of being measured; measurable.

MENSURABLENESS
Men"su*ra*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being mensurable; measurableness.

MENSURAL
Men"su*ral, a. Etym: [L. mensuralis.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to measure.

MENSURATE
Men"su*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. mensuratus, p. p. of mensurare. See
Measure, v.]

Defn: To measure. [Obs.]

MENSURATION
Men`su*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. mensuratio : cf. F. mensuration.]

1. The act, process, or art, of measuring.

2. That branch of applied geometry which gives rules for finding the length of lines, the areas of surfaces, or the volumes of solids, from certain simple data of lines and angles.

-MENT -ment, Etym: [F. -ment, L. -mentum.]

Defn: A suffix denoting that which does a thing; an act or process; the result of an act or process; state or condition; as, aliment, that which nourishes, ornament, increment; fragment, piece broken, segment; abridgment, act of abridging, imprisonment, movement, adjournment; amazement, state of being amazed, astonishment.

MENT
Ment, p. p.

Defn: of Menge.

MENTAGRA
Men"ta*gra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. mentum chin + Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Sycosis.

MENTAL
Men"tal, a. Etym: [L. mentum the chin.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the chin; genian; as, the mental nerve; the mental region.

MENTAL
Men"tal, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A plate or scale covering the mentum or chin of a fish or reptile.

MENTAL Men"tal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. mentalis, fr. mens, mentis, the mind; akin to E. mind. See Mind.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mind; intellectual; as, mental faculties; mental operations, conditions, or exercise. What a mental power This eye shoots forth! Shak. Mental alienation, insanity. — Mental arithmetic, the art or practice of solving arithmetical problems by mental processes, unassisted by written figures.

MENTALITY
Men*tal"i*ty, n.

Defn: Quality or state of mind. "The same hard mentality." Emerson.

MENTALLY
Men"tal*ly, adv.

Defn: In the mind; in thought or meditation; intellectually; in idea.

MENTHA
Men"tha, n. Etym: [L. See Mint the plant.] (Bot.)

Defn: A widely distributed genus of fragrant herbs, including the peppermint, spearmint, etc. The plants have small flowers, usually arranged in dense axillary clusters.

MENTHENE
Men"thene, n. Etym: [Menthol + terpene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless liquid hydrocarbon resembling oil of turpentine, obtained by dehydrating menthol. It has an agreeable odor and a cooling taste.

MENTHOL
Men"thol, n. Etym: [Mentha + -ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, crystalline, aromatic substance resembling camphor, extracted from oil of peppermint (Mentha); — called also mint camphor or peppermint camphor.

MENTHYL
Men"thyl, n. Etym: [Mentha + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound radical forming the base of menthol.

MENTICULTURAL
Men`ti*cul"tur*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to mental culture; serving to improve or strengthen the mind. [R.]

MENTION Men"tion, n. Etym: [OE. mencioun, F. mention, L. mentio, from the root of meminisse to remember. See Mind.]

Defn: A speaking or notice of anything, — usually in a brief or cursory manner. Used especially in the phrase to make mention of. I will make mention of thy righteousness. Ps. lxxi. 16. And sleep in dull, cold marble, where no mention Of me more must be heard of. Shak.

MENTION
Men"tion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mentioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Mentioning.]
Etym: [Cf. F. mentionner.]

Defn: To make mention of; to speak briefly of; to name.
I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. Is. lxiii. 7.

MENTIONABLE
Men"tion*a*ble, a.

Defn: Fit to be mentioned.

MENTOMECKELIAN
Men`to*meck*e"li*an, a. Etym: [1st mental + Meckelian.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the chin and lower jaw.
— n.

Defn: The bone or cartilage forming the anterior extremity of the lower jaw in some adult animals and the young of others.

MENTOR
Men"tor, n. Etym: [From Mentor, the counselor of Telemachus, Gr.
Monitor.]

Defn: A wise and faithful counselor or monitor.

MENTORIAL
Men*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [From Mentor.]

Defn: Containing advice or admonition.

MENTUM
Men"tum, n. Etym: [L., chin.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The front median plate of the labium in insects. See Labium.

MENU
Me*nu", n. Etym: [F., slender, thin, minute. See 4th Minute.]

Defn: The details of a banquet; a bill of fare.

MENUSE
Me"nuse, v. i.

Defn: See Amenuse. [Obs.]

MEOW
Me*ow", v. i. & n.

Defn: See 6th and 7th Mew.

MEPHISTOPHELIAN
Meph`is*to*phe"li*an ( or ), a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, the devil Mephistopheles, "a crafty, scoffing, relentless fiend;" devilish; crafty.

MEPHITIC; MEPHITICAL Me*phit"ic, Me*phit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mephiticus, fr. mephitis mephitis: cf. F. méphitique.]

1. Tending to destroy life; poisonous; noxious; as, mephitic exhalations; mephitic regions.

2. Offensive to the smell; as, mephitic odors. Mephitic air (Chem.), carbon dioxide; — so called because of its deadly suffocating power. See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic.

MEPHITIS
Me*phi"tis, n. Etym: [L. mephitis : cf. F. méphitis.]

1. Noxious, pestilential, or foul exhalations from decomposing substances, filth, or other source.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of mammals, including the skunks.

MEPHITISM
Meph"i*tism, n.

Defn: Same as Mephitis, 1.

MERACIOUS
Me*ra"cious, a. Etym: [L. meracus, fr. merus pure, inmixed.]

Defn: Being without mixture or adulteration; hence, strong; racy.
[Obs.]

MERCABLE Mer"ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. mercabilis, fr. mercari to trade, traffic, buy. See Merchant.]

Defn: Capable of being bought or sold. [Obs.]

MERCANTILE Mer"can*tile, a. Etym: [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, -antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See Merchant.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of commodities; commercial. The expedition of the Argonauts was partly mercantile, partly military. Arbuthnot. Mercantile agency, an agency for procuring information of the standing and credit of merchants in different parts of the country, for the use of dealers who sell to them. — Mercantile marine, the persons and vessels employed in commerce, taken collectively. — Mercantile paper, the notes or acceptances given by merchants for goods bought, or received on consignment; drafts on merchants for goods sold or consigned. McElrath.

Syn. — Mercantile, Commercial. Commercial is the wider term, being sometimes used to embrace mercantile. In their stricter use, commercial relates to the shipping, freighting, forwarding, and other business connected with the commerce of a country (whether external or internal), that is, the exchange of commodities; while mercantile applies to the sale of merchandise and goods when brought to market. As the two employments are to some extent intermingled, the two words are often interchanged.

MERCAPTAL
Mer*cap"tal, n. Etym: [Mercaptan + aldehyde.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of a series of compounds of mercaptans with aldehydes.

MERCAPTAN Mer*cap"tan, n. Etym: [F., fr. NL. mercurius mercury + L. captans, p. pr. of captare to seize, v. intens. fr. capere.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of series of compounds, hydrosulphides of alcohol radicals, in composition resembling the alcohols, but containing sulphur in place of oxygen, and hence called also the sulphur alcohols. In general, they are colorless liquids having a strong, repulsive, garlic odor. The name is specifically applied to ethyl mercaptan, C2H5SH. So called from its avidity for mercury, and other metals.

MERCAPTIDE
Mer*cap"tide ( or ), n. (Chem.)

Defn: A compound of mercaptan formed by replacing its sulphur hydrogen by a metal; as, potassium mercaptide, C2H5SK.

MERCAT
Mer"cat, n. Etym: [L. mercatus : cf. It. mercato. See Market.]

Defn: Market; trade. [Obs.] Bp. Sprat.

MERCATANTE
Mer`ca*tan"te (; It. ), n. Etym: [It. See Merchant.]

Defn: A foreign trader. [Obs.] Shak.

MERCATOR'S CHART
Mer*ca"tor's chart".

Defn: See under Chart, and see Mercator's projection, under
Projection.

MERCATURE
Mer"ca*ture, n. Etym: [L. mercatura commerce.]

Defn: Commerce; traffic; trade. [Obs.]

MERCE
Merce, v. t. Etym: [See Amerce.]

Defn: To subject to fine or amercement; to mulct; to amerce. [Obs.]

MERCENARIA
Mer`ce*na"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Mercenary.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The quahog.

MERCENARIAN
Mer`ce*na"ri*an (-an), n.

Defn: A mercenary. [Obs.]

MERCENARILY
Mer"ce*na`ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mercenary manner.

MERCENARINESS
Mer"ce*na*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being mercenary; venality. Boyle.

MERCENARY Mer"ce*na*ry, a. Etym: [OE. mercenarie, F. mercenaire, fr. L. mercenarius, fr. merces wages, reward. See Mercy.]

1. Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers.

2. Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. Shak. For God forbid I should my papers blot With mercenary lines, with servile pen. Daniel.

Syn.
— See Venal.

MERCENARY
Mer"ce*na*ry, n.; pl. Mercenaries (.

Defn: One who is hired; a hireling; especially, a soldier hired into foreign service. Milman.

MERCER Mer"cer, n. Etym: [F. mercier, fr. L. merx, mercis, wares, merchandise. See Merchant.]

Defn: Originally, a dealer in any kind of goods or wares; now restricted to a dealer in textile fabrics, as silks or woolens. [Eng.]

MERCERIZE
Mer"cer*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. -ized; p. pr. & vb. n. -izing.]
[From (John) Mercer (1791-1866), an English calico printer who
introduced the process + -ize.]

Defn: To treat (cotton fiber or fabrics) with a solution of caustic alkali. Such treatment causes the fiber to shrink in length and become stronger and more receptive of dyes. If the yarn or cloth is kept under tension during the process, it assumes a silky luster. — Mer`cer*i*za"tion (#), n.

MERCERSHIP
Mer"cer*ship, n.

Defn: The business of a mercer.

MERCERY
Mer"cer*y, n. Etym: [F. mercerie.]

Defn: The trade of mercers; the goods in which a mercer deals.

MERCHAND
Mer"chand, v. i. Etym: [F. marchander. See Merchant.]

Defn: To traffic. [Obs.] Bacon.

MERCHANDISABLE
Mer"chan*di`sa*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be used or transferred as merchandise.

MERCHANDISE
Mer"chan*dise, n. Etym: [F. marchandise, OF. marcheandise.]

1. The objects of commerce; whatever is usually bought or sold in trade, or market, or by merchants; wares; goods; commodities. Spenser.

2. The act or business of trading; trade; traffic.

MERCHANDISE
Mer"chan*dise, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Merchandised; p. pr. & vb. n.
Merchandising.]

Defn: To trade; to carry on commerce. Bacon.

MERCHANDISE
Mer"chan*dise, v. t.

Defn: To make merchandise of; to buy and sell. "Love is merchandised." Shak.

MERCHANDISER
Mer"chan*di`ser, n.

Defn: A trader. Bunyan.

MERCHANDRY
Mer"chand*ry, n. Etym: [See Merchant.]

Defn: Trade; commerce. [Obs.] Bp. Sanderson.

MERCHANT
Mer"chant, n. Etym: [OE. marchant, OF. marcheant, F. marchand, fr.
LL. mercatans, -antis, p. pr. of mercatare to negotiate, L. mercari
to traffic, fr. merx, mercis, wares. See Market, Merit, and cf.
Commerce.]

1. One who traffics on a large scale, especially with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader. Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad. Shak.

2. A trading vessel; a merchantman. [Obs.] Shak.

3. One who keeps a store or shop for the sale of goods; a shopkeeper. [U. S. & Scot.]

MERCHANT
Mer"chant, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service. Merchant bar, Merchant iron or steel, certain common sizes of wrought iron and steel bars. — Merchant service, the mercantile marine of a country. Am. Cyc. — Merchant ship, a ship employed in commerce. — Merchant tailor, a tailor who keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes.

MERCHANT
Mer"chant, v. i.

Defn: To be a merchant; to trade. [Obs.]

MERCHANTABLE
Mer"chant*a*ble, a.

Defn: Fit for market; such as is usually sold in market, or such as will bring the ordinary price; as, merchantable wheat; sometimes, a technical designation for a particular kind or class.

MERCHANTLY
Mer"chant*ly, a.

Defn: Merchantlike; suitable to the character or business of a merchant. [Obs.] Gauden.

MERCHANTMAN
Mer"chant*man, n.; pl. Merchantmen (.

1. A merchant. [Obs.] Matt. xiii. 45.

2. A trading vessel; a ship employed in the transportation of goods, as, distinguished from a man-of-war.

MERCHANTRY
Mer"chant*ry, n.

1. The body of merchants taken collectively; as, the merchantry of a country.

2. The business of a merchant; merchandise. Walpole.

MERCIABLE
Mer"ci*a*ble, a. Etym: [OF.]

Defn: Merciful. [Obs.]

MERCIFUL
Mer"ci*ful, a. Etym: [Mercy + -ful.]

1. Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Ex. xxxiv. 6. Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Shak.

2. Unwilling to give pain; compassionate. A merciful man will be merciful to his beast. Old Proverb.

Syn.
— Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild; clement;
benignant.
— Mer"ci*ful*ly, adv.
— Mer"ci*ful*ness, n.

MERCIFY
Mer"ci*fy, v. t.

Defn: To pity. [Obs.] Spenser.

MERCILESS
Mer"ci*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of mercy; cruel; unsparing; — said of animate
beings, and also, figuratively, of things; as, a merciless tyrant;
merciless waves.
The foe is merciless, and will not pity. Shak.

Syn.
— Cruel; unmerciful; remorseless; ruthless; pitiless; barbarous;
savage.
— Mer"ci*less*ly, adv.
— Mer"ci*less*ness, n.

MERCURAMMONIUM
Mer`cur*am*mo"ni*um, n. Etym: [Mercuric + ammonium.] (Chem.)

Defn: A radical regarded as derived from ammonium by the substitution of mercury for a portion of the hydrogen.

MERCURIAL Mer*cu"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. mercurialis, fr. Mercurius Mercury: cf. F. mercuriel.]

1. Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament. A mercurial man Who fluttered over all things like a fan. Byron.

2. Having the form or image of Mercury; — applied to ancient guideposts. [Obs.] Chillingworth.

3. Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money- making; crafty. The mercurial wand of commerce. J. Q. Adams.

4. Of or pertaining to, or containing, mercury; as, mercurial preparations, barometer. See Mercury, 2.

5. (Med.)

Defn: Caused by the use of mercury; as, mercurial sore mouth.

MERCURIAL
Mer*cu"ri*al, n.

1. A person having mercurial qualities. Bacon.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A preparation containing mercury.

MERCURIALISM
Mer*cu"ri*al*ism, n. [Mercurial + -ism.] (Med.)

Defn: The morbid condition produced by the excessive use of mercury, or by exposure to its fumes, as in mining or smelting.

MERCURIALIST
Mer*cu"ri*al*ist, n.

1. One under the influence of Mercury; one resembling Mercury in character.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A physician who uses much mercury, in any of its forms, in his practice.

MERCURIALIZE
Mer*cu"ri*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurialized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mercurializing.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: To affect with mercury.

2. (Photography)

Defn: To treat with mercury; to expose to the vapor of mercury.

MERCURIALIZE
Mer*cu"ri*al*ize, v. i.

Defn: To be sprightly, fantastic, or capricious. [Obs.]

MERCURIALLY
Mer*cu"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mercurial manner.

MERCURIC
Mer*cu"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; — said of those compounds of mercury into which this element enters in its lowest proportion. Mercuric chloride, corrosive sublimate. See Corrosive.

MERCURIFICATION
Mer*cu`ri*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mercurification. See
Mercurify.]

1. (Metal.)

Defn: The process or operation of obtaining the mercury, in its fluid form, from mercuric minerals.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: The act or process of compounding, or the state of being compounded, with mercury. [R.]

MERCURIFY
Mer*cu"ri*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurified; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mercurifying.] Etym: [Mercury + -fy.]

1. To obtain mercury from, as mercuric minerals, which may be done by any application of intense heat that expels the mercury in fumes, which are afterward condensed. [R.]

2. To combine or mingle mercury with; to impregnate with mercury; to mercurialize. [R.]

MERCURISM
Mer"cu*rism, n.

Defn: A communication of news; an announcement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

MERCUROUS
Mer*cu"rous, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; — said of those compounds of mercury in which it is present in its highest proportion. Mercurous chloride. (Chem.) See Calomel.

MERCURY
Mer"cu*ry, n. Etym: [L. Mercurius; akin to merx wares.]

1. (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: A Latin god of commerce and gain; — treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: A metallic element mostly obtained by reduction from cinnabar, one of its ores. It is a heavy, opaque, glistening liquid (commonly called quicksilver), and is used in barometers, thermometers, ect. Specific gravity 13.6. Symbol Hg (Hydrargyrum). Atomic weight 199.8. Mercury has a molecule which consists of only one atom. It was named by the alchemists after the god Mercury, and designated by his symbol, mercury.

Note: Mercury forms alloys, called amalgams, with many metals, and is thus used in applying tin foil to the backs of mirrors, and in extracting gold and silver from their ores. It is poisonous, and is used in medicine in the free state as in blue pill, and in its compounds as calomel, corrosive sublimate, etc. It is the only metal which is liquid at ordinary temperatures, and it solidifies at about -39º Centigrade to a soft, malleable, ductile metal.

3. (Astron.)

Defn: One of the planets of the solar system, being the one nearest the sun, from which its mean distance is about 36,000,000 miles. Its period is 88 days, and its diameter 3,000 miles.

4. A carrier of tidings; a newsboy; a messenger; hence, also, a newspaper. Sir J. Stephen. "The monthly Mercuries." Macaulay.

5. Sprightly or mercurial quality; spirit; mutability; fickleness. [Obs.] He was so full of mercury that he could not fix long in any friendship, or to any design. Bp. Burnet.

6. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant (Mercurialis annua), of the Spurge family, the leaves of which are sometimes used for spinach, in Europe.

Note: The name is also applied, in the United States, to certain climbing plants, some of which are poisonous to the skin, esp. to the Rhus Toxicodendron, or poison ivy. Dog's mercury (Bot.), Mercurialis perennis, a perennial plant differing from M. annua by having the leaves sessile. — English mercury (Bot.), a kind of goosefoot formerly used as a pot herb; — called Good King Henry. — Horn mercury (Min.), a mineral chloride of mercury, having a semitranslucent, hornlike appearance.

MERCURY
Mer"cu*ry, v. t.

Defn: To wash with a preparation of mercury. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

MERCY
Mer"cy, n.; pl. Mercies. Etym: [OE. merci, F. merci, L. merces,
mercedis, hire, pay, reward, LL., equiv. to misericordia pity, mercy.
L. merces is probmerere to deserve, acquire. See Merit, and cf.
Amerce.]

1. Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency. Examples of justice must be made for terror to some; examples of mercy for comfort to others. Bacon.

2. Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence. Luke x. 37.

3. Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help. In whom mercy lacketh and is not founden. Sir T. Elyot.

4. A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor. The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 2 Cor. i. 3. Mercy seat (Bib.), the golden cover or lid of the Ark of the Covenant. See Ark, 2. — Sisters of Mercy (R. C. Ch.),a religious order founded in Dublin in the year 1827. Communities of the same name have since been established in various American cities. The duties of those belonging to the order are, to attend lying-in hospitals, to superintend the education of girls, and protect decent women out of employment, to visit prisoners and the sick, and to attend persons condemned to death. — To be at the mercy of, to be wholly in the power of.

Syn.
— See Grace.

MERD
Merd, n. Etym: [F. merde, L. merda.]

Defn: Ordure; dung. [Obs.] Burton.

-MERE -mere. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form meaning part, portion; as, blastomere, epimere.

MERE Mere, n. Etym: [Written also mar.] Etym: [OE. mere, AS. mere mere, sea; akin to D. meer lake, OS. meri sea, OHG. meri, mari, G. meer, Icel. marr, Goth. marei, Russ. more, W. mor, Ir. & Gael. muir, L. mare, and perh. to L. mori to die, and meaning originally, that which is dead, a waste. Cf. Mortal, Marine, Marsh, Mermaid, Moor.]

Defn: A pool or lake. Drayton. Tennyson.

MERE Mere, n. Etym: [Written also meer and mear.] Etym: [AS. gemære. sq. root269.]

Defn: A boundary. Bacon.

MERE
Mere, v. t.

Defn: To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.]
Which meared her rule with Africa. Spenser.

MERE
Mere, n.

Defn: A mare. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MERE
Mere, a. [Superl. Merest. The comparative is rarely or never used.]
Etym: [L. merus.]

1. Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute; unqualified. Then entered they the mere, main sea. Chapman. The sorrows of this world would be mere and unmixed. Jer. Taylor.

2. Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more; simple; bare; as,
a mere boy; a mere form.
From mere success nothing can be concluded in favor of any nation.
Atterbury.

MERELY
Mere"ly, adv.

1. Purely; unmixedly; absolutely. Ulysses was to force forth his access, Though merely naked. Chapman.

2. Not otherwise than; simply; barely; only. Prize not your life for other ends Than merely to obige your friends. Swift.

Syn.
— Solely; simply; purely; barely; scarcely.

MERENCHYMA
Me*ren"chy*ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -enchyma, as in parenchyma.]
(Bot.)

Defn: Tissue composed of spheroidal cells.

MERESMAN
Meres"man, n.

Defn: An officer who ascertains meres or boundaries. [Eng.]

MERESTEAD
Mere"stead, n. Etym: [Mere boundary + stead place.]

Defn: The land within the boundaries of a farm; a farmstead or farm.
[Archaic.] Longfellow.

MERESTONE
Mere"stone`, n.

Defn: A stone designating a limit or boundary; a landmark. Bacon.

MERETRICIOUS Mer`e*tri"cious, a. Etym: [L. meretricius, from meretrix, -icis, a prostitute, lit., one who earns money, i. e., by prostitution, fr. merere to earn, gain. See Merit.]

1. Of or pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with harlots; lustful; as, meretricious traffic.

2. Resembling the arts of a harlot; alluring by false show; gaudily and deceitfully ornamental; tawdry; as, meretricious dress or ornaments. — Mer`e*tri"cious*ly, adv. — Mer`e*tri"cious*ness, n.

MERGANSER Mer*gan"ser, n. Etym: [Sp. mergánsar, fr. mergo a diver (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ánsar goose, L. anser.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any bird of the genus Merganser, and allied genera. They are allied to the ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill.

Note: The red-breasted merganser (Merganser serrator) inhabits both
hemispheres. It is called also sawbill, harle, and sheldrake. The
American merganser (M. Americanus.) and the hooded merganser
(Lophodytes cucullatus) are well-known species.
— White merganser, the smew or white nun.

MERGE
Merge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Merged; p. pr. & vb. n. Merging.] Etym:
[L. mergere, mersum. Cf. Emerge, Immerse, Marrow.]

Defn: To cause to be swallowed up; to immerse; to sink; to absorb.
To merge all natural … sentiment in inordinate vanity. Burke.
Whig and Tory were merged and swallowed up in the transcendent duties
of patriots. De Quincey.

MERGE
Merge, v. i.

Defn: To be sunk, swallowed up, or lost.
Native irresolution had merged in stronger motives. I. Taylor.

MERGER
Mer"ger, n.

1. One who, or that which, merges.

2. (Law)

Defn: An absorption of one estate, or one contract, in another, or of a minor offense in a greater.

MERICARP
Mer"i*carp, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: One carpel of an umbelliferous fruit. See Cremocarp.

MERIDE
Mer"ide ( or ), n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A permanent colony of cells or plastids which may remain isolated, like Rotifer, or may multiply by gemmation to form higher aggregates, termed zoides. Perrier.

MERIDIAN Me*rid"i*an, a. Etym: [F. méridien, L. meridianus pertaining to noon, fr. meridies noon, midday, for older medidies; medius mid, middle + dies day. See Mid, and Diurnal.]

1. Being at, or pertaining to, midday; belonging to, or passing through, the highest point attained by the sun in his diurnal course. "Meridian hour." Milton. Tables … to find the altitude meridian. Chaucer.

2. Pertaining to the highest point or culmination; as, meridian splendor.

MERIDIAN
Me*rid"i*an, n. Etym: [F. méridien. See Meridian, a.]

1. Midday; noon.

2. Hence: The highest point, as of success, prosperity, or the like; culmination. I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, And from that full meridian of my glory I haste now to my setting. Shak.

3. (Astron.)

Defn: A great circle of the sphere passing through the poles of the heavens and the zenith of a given place. It is crossed by the sun at midday.

4. (Geog.)

Defn: A great circle on the surface of the earth, passing through the poles and any given place; also, the half of such a circle included between the poles.

Note: The planes of the geographical and astronomical meridians coincide. Meridians, on a map or globe, are lines drawn at certain intervals due north and south, or in the direction of the poles. Calculated for, or fitted to, or adapted to, the meridian of, suited to the local circumstances, capabilities, or special requirements of. All other knowledge merely serves the concerns of this life, and is fitted to the meridian thereof. Sir M. Hale. — First meridian, the meridian from which longitudes are reckoned. The meridian of Greenwich is the one commonly employed in calculations of longitude by geographers, and in actual practice, although in various countries other and different meridians, chiefly those which pass through the capitals of the countries, are occasionally used; as, in France, the meridian of Paris; in the United States, the meridian of Washington, etc. — Guide meridian (Public Land Survey), a line, marked by monuments, running North and South through a section of country between other more carefully established meridians called principal meridians, used for reference in surveying. [U.S.] — Magnetic meridian, a great circle, passing through the zenith and coinciding in direction with the magnetic needle, or a line on the earth's surface having the same direction. — Meridian circle (Astron.), an instrument consisting of a telescope attached to a large graduated circle and so mounted that the telescope revolves like the transit instrument in a meridian plane. By it the right ascension and the declination of a star may be measured in a single observation. — Meridian instrument (Astron.), any astronomical instrument having a telescope that rotates in a meridian plane. — Meridian of a globe, or Brass meridian, a graduated circular ring of brass, in which the artificial globe is suspended and revolves.

MERIDIONAL Me*rid"i*o*nal, a. Etym: [F. méridional, L. meridionalis, fr. meridies midday. See Meridian.]

1. Of or pertaining to the meridian.

2. Having a southern aspect; southern; southerly. Offices that require heat … should be meridional. Sir H. Wotton. Meridional distance, the distance or departure from the meridian; the easting or westing. — Meridional parts, parts of the meridian in Mercator's projection, corresponding to each minute of latitude from the equator up to 70 or 80 degrees; tabulated numbers representing these parts used in projecting charts, and in solving cases in Mercator's sailing.

MERIDIONALITY
Me*rid`i*o*nal"i*ty, n.

1. The state of being in the meridian.

2. Position in the south; aspect toward the south.

MERIDIONALLY
Me*rid"i*o*nal*ly, adv.

Defn: In the direction of the meridian.

MERILS Mer"ils, n. Etym: [F. mérelle, marelle, marelles, LL. marella, marrella. Cf. Morris the game.]

Defn: A boy's play, called also fivepenny morris. See Morris.

MERINGUE
Me`ringue" (F. ; E. ), n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A delicate pastry made of powdered sugar and the whites of eggs whipped up, — with jam or cream added.

MERINO
Me*ri"no, a. Etym: [Sp. merino moving from pasture to pasture, fr.
merino a royal judge and superintendent or inspector of sheep walks,
LL. merinus, fr. majorinus, i. e., major villmajor greater. See
Major. Merino sheep are driven at certain seasons from one part of
Spain to another, in large flocks, for pasturage.]

1. Of or pertaining to a variety of sheep with very fine wool, originally bred in Spain.

2. Made of the wool of the merino sheep.

MERINO
Me*ri"no, n.; pl. Merinos. Etym: [Sp.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A breed of sheep originally from Spain, noted for the fineness of its wool.

2. A fine fabric of merino wool.

MERISMATIC
Mer`is*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Dividing into cells or segments; characterized by separation into two or more parts or sections by the formation of internal partitions; as, merismatic growth, where one cell divides into many.

MERISTEM
Mer"i*stem, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A tissue of growing cells, or cells capable of further division.

MERIT
Mer"it, n. Etym: [F. mérite, L. meritum, fr. merere, mereri, to
deserve, merit; prob. originally, to get a share; akin to Gr. Market,
Merchant, Mercer, Mercy.]

1. The quality or state of deserving well or ill; desert. Here may men see how sin hath his merit. Chaucer. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought For things that others do; and when we fall, We answer other's merits in our name. Shak.

2. Esp. in a good sense: The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence. Reputation is … oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. Shak. To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known, And every author's merit, but his own. Pope.

3. Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation; as, his teacher gave him ten merits. Those laurel groves, the merits of thy youth. Prior.

MERIT
Mer"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Merited; p. pr. & vb. n. Meriting.] Etym:
[F. mériter, L. meritare, v. intens. fr. merere. See Merit, n.]

1. To earn by service or performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense; as, to merit punishment. "This kindness merits thanks." Shak.

2. To reward. [R. & Obs.] Chapman.

MERIT
Mer"it, v. i.

Defn: To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

MERITABLE
Mer"it*a*ble, a.

Defn: Deserving of reward. [R.]

MERITEDLY
Mer"it*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By merit; deservedly.

MERITHAL; MERITHALLUS
Mer"i*thal, Mer`i*thal"lus, n. Etym: [NL. merithallus, fr. Gr. or
(Bot.)

Defn: Same as Internode.

MERITMONGER
Mer"it*mon`ger, n.

Defn: One who depends on merit for salvation. [Obs.] Milner.

MERITORIOUS
Mer`i*to"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. meritorius that brings in money.]

Defn: Possessing merit; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of
recompense; valuable.
And meritorious shall that hand be called, Canonized, and worshiped
as a saint. Shak.
— Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ly, adv.
— Mer`i*to"ri*ous*ness, n.

MERITORY
Mer"i*to*ry, a.

Defn: Meritorious. [Obs.]

MERITOT
Mer"i*tot, n.

Defn: A play of children, in swinging on ropes, or the like, till they are dizzy.

MERK
Merk, n. Etym: [See Marc.]

Defn: An old Scotch silver coin; a mark or marc. [Scot.]

MERK
Merk, n.

Defn: A mark; a sign. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MERKE
Merke, a.

Defn: Murky. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

MERKIN
Mer"kin, n.

Defn: Originally, a wig; afterwards, a mop for cleaning cannon.

MERL; MERLE
Merl, Merle, n. Etym: [F. merle, L. merula, merulus. Cf. Ousel.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: The European blackbird. See Blackbird. Drayton.

MERLIN Mer"lin, n. Etym: [OE. merlion, F. émerillon ; cf. OHG. smirl, G. schmerl ; prob. fr. L. merula blackbird. Cf. Merle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European falcon (Falco lithofalco, or F. æsalon).

MERLING
Mer"ling, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European whiting.

MERLON Mer"lon, n. Etym: [F., perh. fr. L. moerus, for murus a wall, through (assumed) dim. moerulus.] (Fort.)

Defn: One of the solid parts of a battlemented parapet; a battlement.
See Illust. of Battlement.

MERLUCE
Mer"luce, n. Etym: [F. merluche, merlus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European hake; — called also herring hake and sea pike.

MERMAID
Mer"maid, n. Etym: [AS. mere lake, sea. See Mere lake, and maid.]

Defn: A fabled marine creature, typically represented as having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph, sea woman, or woman fish.

Note: Chaucer uses this word as equivalent to the siren of the
ancients. Mermaid fish (Zoöl.) the angel fish (Squatina).
— Mermaid's glove (Zoöl.), a British branched sponge somewhat
resembling a glove.
— Mermaid's head (Zoöl.), a European spatangoid sea urchin
(Echinocardium cordatum) having some resemblance to a skull.
— Mermaid weed (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dentate or pectinate
leaves (Proserpinaca palustris and P. pectinacea).

MERMAN
Mer"man, n.; pl. Mermen (.

Defn: The male corresponding to mermaid; a sea man, or man fish.

MERO; MERO DE LOALTO; MERO CABROLLA
Me"ro, n. [Sp.; cf. Pg. mero.]

Defn: Any of several large groupers of warm seas, esp. the guasa
(Epinephelus guaza), the red grouper (E. morio), the black grouper
(E. nigritas), distinguished as Me"ro de lo al"to, and a species
called also rock hind, distinguished as Me"ro ca*brol"la.

MEROBLAST
Mer"o*blast, n. Etym: [Gr. -blast.] (Biol.)

Defn: An ovum, as that of a mammal, only partially composed of germinal matter, that is, consisting of both a germinal portion and an albuminous or nutritive one; — opposed to holoblast.

MEROBLASTIC
Mer`o*blas"tic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Consisting only in part of germinal matter; characterized by partial segmentation only; as, meroblastic ova, in which a portion of the yolk only undergoes fission; meroblastic segmentation; — opposed to holoblastic.

MEROCELE
Me"ro*cele, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Hernia in the thigh; femoral hernia .

MEROISTIC
Mer`o*is"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Applied to the ovaries of insects when they secrete vitelligenous cells, as well as ova.

MEROPIDAN
Me*rop"i*dan, n. Etym: [L. merops a bee-eating bird, Gr. me`rops.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a family of birds (Meropidæ), including the bee-eaters.

MEROPODITE
Me*rop"o*dite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The fourth joint of a typical appendage of Crustacea.

MERORGANIZATION
Mer*or`gan*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Gr. organization.]

Defn: Organization in part. [R.]

MEROS
Me"ros, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Arch.)

Defn: The plain surface between the channels of a triglyph. [Written also merus.] Weale.

MEROS
Me"ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The proximal segment of the hind limb; the thigh.

MEROSOME
Mer"o*some, n. Etym: [Gr. -some body.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the serial segments, or metameres, of which the bodies of vertebrate and articulate animals are composed.

MEROSTOMATA
Mer`o*stom"a*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A class of Arthropoda, allied to the Crustacea. It includes the trilobites, Eurypteroidea, and Limuloidea. All are extinct except the horseshoe crabs of the last group. See Limulus.

MEROU
Mé`rou", n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Jack, 8 (c).

MEROVINGIAN Mer`o*vin"gi*an, a. Etym: [From Merovaeus, the Latin name of a king of the Franks.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the first Frankish dynasty in Gaul or France. — n.

Defn: One of the kings of this dynasty.

MEROZOITE
Mer`o*zo"ite, n. [Gr. part + Sporozoa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A form of spore, usually elongate or falciform, and somewhat amoboid, produced by segmentation of the schizonts of certain Sporozoa, as the malaria parasite.

MERRILY
Mer"ri*ly, adv. Etym: [From Merry.]

Defn: In a merry manner; with mirth; with gayety and laughter; jovially. See Mirth, and Merry. Merrily sing, and sport, and play. Granville.

MERRIMAKE
Mer"ri*make`, n.

Defn: See Merrymake, n.

MERRIMAKE
Mer"ri*make`, v. i.

Defn: See Merrymake, v. Gay.

MERRIMENT
Mer"ri*ment, n.

Defn: Gayety, with laughter; mirth; frolic. "Follies and light
merriment." Spenser.
Methought it was the sound Of riot and ill-managed merriment. Milton.

MERRINESS
Mer"ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being merry; merriment; mirth; gayety, with laughter.

MERRY Mer"ry, a. [Compar. Merrier; superl. Merriest.] Etym: [OE. merie, mirie, murie, merry, pleasant, AS. merge, myrige, pleasant; cf. murge, adv.; prob. akin to OHG. murg, short, Goth. gamaúrgjan to shorten; cf. L. murcus a coward, who cuts off his thumb to escape military service; the Anglo-Saxon and English meanings coming from the idea of making the time seem short. Cf. Mirth.]

1. Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play ; sportive. They drank, and were merry with him. Gen. xliii. 34. I am never merry when I hear sweet music. Shak.

2. Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy. Is any merry Jas. v. 13.

3. Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight; as, merry jest. "Merry wind and weather." Spenser. Merry dancers. See under Dancer. — Merry men, followers; retainers. [Obs.] His merie men commanded he To make him bothe game and glee. Chaucer. — To make merry, to be jovial; to indulge in hilarity; to feast with mirth. Judg. ix. 27.

Syn. — Cheerful; blithe; lively; sprightly; vivacious; gleeful; joyous; mirthful; jocund; sportive; hilarious.

MERRY
Mer"ry, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of wild red cherry.

MERRY-ANDREW
Mer"ry-an"drew, n.

Defn: One whose business is to make sport for others; a buffoon; a zany; especially, one who attends a mountebank or quack doctor.

Note: This term is said to have originated from one Andrew Borde, an English physician of the 16th century, who gained patients by facetious speeches to the multitude.

MERRY-GO-ROUND
Mer"ry-go`-round", n.

Defn: Any revolving contrivance for affording amusement; esp., a ring of flying hobbyhorses.

MERRYMAKE
Mer"ry*make`, n.

Defn: Mirth; frolic; a meeting for mirth; a festival. [Written also merrimake.]

MERRYMAKE
Mer"ry*make`, v. i.

Defn: To make merry; to be jolly; to feast. [Written also merrimake.]

MERRYMAKER
Mer"ry*mak`er, n.

Defn: One who makes merriment or indulges in conviviality; a jovial comrade.

MERRYMAKING
Mer"ry*mak`ing, a.

Defn: Making or producing mirth; convivial; jolly.

MERRYMAKING
Mer"ry*mak`ing, n.

Defn: The act of making merry; conviviality; merriment; jollity.
Wordsworth.

MERRYMEETING
Mer"ry*meet`ing, n.

Defn: A meeting for mirth.

MERRYTHOUGHT
Mer"ry*thought`, n.

Defn: The forked bone of a fowl's breast; — called also wishbone.
See Furculum.

Note: It is a sportive custom for two persons to break this bone by pulling the ends apart to see who will get the longer piece, the securing of which is regarded as a lucky omen, signifying that the person holding it will obtain the gratification of some secret wish.

MERSION
Mer"sion, n. Etym: [L. mersio. See Merge.]

Defn: Immersion [R.] Barrow.

MERULIDAN
Me*ru"li*dan, n. Etym: [L. merula, merulus, blackbird. See Merle.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird of the Thrush family.

MERUS
Me"rus, n. Etym: [NL.] (Arch.)

Defn: See Meros.

MERVAILLE
Mer"vaille`, n.

Defn: Marvel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MES-
Mes-.

Defn: See Meso-.

MESA
Me"sa, Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A high tableland; a plateau on a hill. [Southwestern U.S.]
Bartlett.

MESACONATE
Mes*ac"o*nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of mesaconic acid.

MESACONIC
Mes`a*con"ic, a. Etym: [Mes- + -aconic, as in citraconic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, one of several isomeric acids obtained from citric acid.

MESAD
Mes"ad, adv.

Defn: Same as Mesiad.

MESAL
Mes"al, a.

Defn: Same as Mesial.

MESALLIANCE
Mé`sal`li`ance", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A marriage with a person of inferior social position; a misalliance.

MESALLY
Mes"al*ly, adv.

Defn: Same as Mesially.

MESAMEBOID; MESAMOEBOID
Mes`a*me"boid, Mes`a*moe"boid, n. Etym: [Mes- + amoeboid.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of a class of independent, isolated cells found in the mesoderm, while the germ layers are undergoing differentiation.

MESARAIC
Mes`a*ra"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Mesenteric.

MESATICEPHALIC
Mes`a*ti*ce*phal"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. midmost + E. cephalic.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having the ratio of the length to the breadth of the cranium a medium one; neither brachycephalic nor dolichocephalic.

MESATICEPHALOUS
Mes`a*ti*ceph"a*lous, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Mesaticephalic.

MESCAL
Mes*cal", n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A distilled liquor prepared in Mexico from a species of agave.
See Agave.

MESDAMES
Mes`dames" (F. , E. ), n.,

Defn: pl. of Madame and Madam.

MESEEMS
Me*seems", v. impers. [imp. Meseemed.]

Defn: It seems to me. [Poetic]

MESEL
Me"sel, n. Etym: [See Measle.]

Defn: A leper. [Obs.]

MESELRY
Me"sel*ry, n.

Defn: Leprosy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MESEMBRYANTHEMUM
Me*sem`bry*an"the*mum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous or suffruticose plants, chiefly natives of South Africa. The leaves are opposite, thick, and f

MESENCEPHALIC
Mes`en*ce*phal"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesencephalon or midbrain.

MESENCEPHALON
Mes`en*ceph"a*lon, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso- and Encephalon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The middle segment of the brain; the midbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to mesen. See Brain.

MESENCHYMA
Mes*en"chy*ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -enchyma, as in E. parenchyma.]
(Biol.)

Defn: The part of the mesoblast which gives rise to the connective tissues and blood.

MESENTERIC
Mes`en*ter"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mésentérique.] (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining to a mesentery; mesaraic.

MESENTERON
Mes*en"te*ron, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Enteron.] (Anat.)

Defn: All that part of the alimentary canal which is developed from the primitive enteron and is lined with hypoblast. It is distinguished from the stomod, a part at the anterior end of the canal, including the cavity of the mouth, and the proctod, a part at the posterior end, which are formed by invagination and are lined with epiblast.

MESENTERY
Mes"en*ter*y, n. Etym: [Gr. mésentère.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The membranes, or one of the membranes (consisting of a fold of the peritoneum and inclosed tissues), which connect the intestines and their appendages with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity. The mesentery proper is connected with the jejunum and ilium, the other mesenteries being called mesoc, mesocolon, mesorectum, etc.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the vertical muscular radiating partitions which divide the body cavity of Anthozoa into chambers.

MESERAIC
Mes`e*ra"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Mesaraic.

MESETHMOID
Mes*eth"moid, a. Etym: [Mes- + ethmoid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the middle of the ethmoid region or ethmoid bone. — n. (Anat.)

Defn: The median vertical plate, or median element, of the ethmoid bone.

MESH Mesh, n. Etym: [AS. masc, max, m; akin to D. maas, masche, OHG. masca, Icel. möskvi; cf. Lith. mazgas a knot, megsti to weave nets, to knot.]

1. The opening or space inclosed by the threads of a net between knot and knot, or the threads inclosing such a space; network; a net. A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men. Shak.

2. (Gearing)

Defn: The engagement of the teeth of wheels, or of a wheel and rack.
Mesh stick, a stick on which the mesh is formed in netting.

MESH
Mesh, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Meshed; p. pr. & vb. n. Meshing.]

Defn: To catch in a mesh. Surrey.

MESH
Mesh, v. i. (Gearing)

Defn: To engage with each other, as the teeth of wheels.

MESHED
Meshed, a.

Defn: Mashed; brewed. [Obs.] Shak.

MESHY
Mesh"y, a.

Defn: Formed with meshes; netted.

MESIAD
Mes"i*ad, adv. Etym: [Gr. ad to.] (Anat.)

Defn: Toward, or on the side toward, the mesial plane; mesially; — opposed to laterad.

MESIAL
Me"sial, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Middle; median; in, or in the region of, the mesial plane; internal; — opposed to lateral. Mesial plane. (Anat.) See Meson.

MESIALLY
Me"sial*ly, adv. (Anat.)

Defn: In, near, or toward, the mesial plane; mesiad.

MESITYL
Mes"i*tyl, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A hypothetical radical formerly supposed to exist in mesityl oxide. Mesityl oxide (Chem.), a volatile liquid having the odor of peppermint, obtained by certain dehydrating agents from acetone; — formerly called also dumasin.

MESITYLENATE
Me*sit"y*le*nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of mesitylenic acid.

MESITYLENE
Me*sit"y*lene, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless, fragrant liquid, C6H3(CH3)3, of the benzene series of hydrocarbons, obtained by distilling acetone with sulphuric acid. — Me*sit`y*len"ic, a.

MESITYLOL
Me*sit"y*lol, n. Etym: [Mesitylene + -ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A crystalline substance obtained from mesitylene.

MESLIN
Mes"lin ( or ), n.

Defn: See Maslin.

MESMEREE
Mes`mer*ee", n.

Defn: A person subjected to mesmeric influence; one who is mesmerized. [R.]

MESMERIC; MESMERICAL
Mes*mer"ic, Mes*mer"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mesmérique.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or induced by, mesmerism; as, mesmeric sleep.

MESMERISM Mes"mer*ism, n. Etym: [From Mesmer, who first brought it into notice at Vienna, about 1775: cf. F. mesmérisme.]

Defn: The art of inducing an extraordinary or abnormal state of the nervous system, in which the actor claims to control the actions, and communicate directly with the mind, of the recipient. See Animal magnetism, under Magnetism.

MESMERIST
Mes"mer*ist, n.

Defn: One who practices, or believes in, mesmerism.

MESMERIZATION
Mes`mer*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of mesmerizing; the state of being mesmerized.

MESMERIZE
Mes"mer*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mesmerized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mesmerizing.]

Defn: To bring into a state of mesmeric sleep.

MESMERIZER
Mes"mer*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who mesmerizes.

MESNE
Mesne, a. Etym: [Cf. Mean intermediate.] (Law)

Defn: Middle; intervening; as, a mesne lord, that is, a lord who holds land of a superior, but grants a part of it to another person, in which case he is a tenant to the superior, but lord or superior to the second grantee, and hence is called the mesne lord. Mesne process, intermediate process; process intervening between the beginning and end of a suit, sometimes understood to be the whole process preceding the execution. Blackstone. Burrill. — Mesne profits, profits of premises during the time the owner has been wrongfully kept out of the possession of his estate. Burrill.

MESO-; MES-
Mes"o-, Mes-. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form denoting in the middle, intermediate; specif. (Chem.), denoting a type of hydrocarbons which are regarded as methenyl derivatives. Also used adjectively.

MESOARIUM
Mes`o*a"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum which suspends the ovary from the dorsal wall of the body cavity.

MESOBLAST Mes"o*blast, n. Etym: [Meso- + -blast.] (Biol.) (a) The mesoderm. (b) The cell nucleus; mesoplast.

MESOBLASTIC
Mes`o*blas"tic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Relating to the mesoblast; as, the mesoblastic layer.

MESOBRANCHIAL
Mes`o*bran"chi*al, a. Etym: [Meso- + branchial.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a region of the carapace of a crab covering the middle branchial region.

MESOBRONCHIUM
Mes`o*bron"chi*um, n.; pl. Mesobronchia. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and
Bronchia.] (Anat.)

Defn: The main bronchus of each lung.

MESOCAECUM
Mes`o*cæ"cum, n. (Anat.) Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Cæcum.]

Defn: The fold of peritoneum attached to the cæcum.
— Mes`o*cæ"cal, a.

MESOCARP
Mes"o*carp, n. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The middle layer of a pericarp which consists of three distinct or dissimilar layers. Gray.

MESOCEPHALIC Mes`o*ce*phal"ic, a. Etym: [Meso- + cephalic.] (Anat.) (a) Of or pertaining to, or in the region of, the middle of the head; as, the mesocephalic flexure. (b) Having the cranial cavity of medium capacity; neither megacephalic nor microcephalic. (c) Having the ratio of the length to the breadth of the cranium a medium one; mesaticephalic.

MESOCEPHALON
Mes`o*ceph"a*lon, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Cephalon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The pons Varolii.

MESOCEPHALOUS
Mes`o*ceph"a*lous, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Mesocephalic.

MESOCOELE; MESOCOELIA Mes`o*coe"le, Mes`o*coe"li*a, n. Etym: [NL. mesocoelia. See Meso-, and Coelia.] (Anat.)

Defn: The cavity of the mesencephalon; the iter.

MESOCOLON
Mes`o*co"lon, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. mésocôlon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum, or mesentery, attached to the colon.
— Mes`o*col"ic, a.

MESOCORACOID
Mes`o*cor"a*coid, n. Etym: [Meso- + coracoid.] (Anat.)

Defn: A process from the middle of the coracoid in some animals.

MESOCUNEIFORM; MESOCUNIFORM Mes`o*cu*ne"i*form, Mes`o*cu"ni*form, n. Etym: [Meso- + cuneiform, cuniform.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the bones of the tarsus. See 2d Cuneiform.

MESODERM Mes"o*derm, n. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Biol.) (a) The layer of the blastoderm, between the ectoderm and endoderm; mesoblast. See Illust. of Blastoderm and Ectoderm. (b) The middle body layer in some invertebrates. (c) The middle layer of tissue in some vegetable structures.

MESODERMAL
Mes`o*der"mal, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, the mesoderm; as, mesodermal tissues.

MESODERMIC
Mes`o*der"mic, a.

Defn: Same as Mesodermal.

MESODONT
Mes"o*dont, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having teeth of moderate size.

MESOGASTER
Mes`o*gas"ter, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum connecting the stomach with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity; the mesogastrium.

MESOGASTRIC
Mes`o*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Meso- + gastric.]

1. (Anat.) (a) Of or pertaining to the middle region of the abdomen, or of the stomach. (b) Of or pertaining to the mesogaster.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the middle gastric lobe of the carapace of a crab.

MESOGASTRIUM Mes`o*gas"tri*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Mesogaster.] (Anat.) (a) The umbilical region. (b) The mesogaster.

MESOGLEA; MESOGLOEA
Mes`o*gloe"a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A thin gelatinous tissue separating the ectoderm and endoderm in certain coelenterates. — Mes`o*gloeal, a.

MESOGNATHOUS
Me*sog"na*thous, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the jaws slightly projecting; between prognathous and orthognathous. See Gnathic index, under Gnathic.

MESOHEPAR
Mes`o*he"par, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Hepar.] (Anat.)

Defn: A fold of the peritoneum connecting the liver with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity.

MESOHIPPUS
Mes`o*hip"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct mammal of the Horse family, but not larger than a sheep, and having three toes on each foot.

MESOLABE
Mes"o*labe, n. Etym: [L. mesolabium, Gr.

Defn: An instrument of the ancients for finding two mean proportionals between two given lines, required in solving the problem of the duplication of the cube. Brande & C.

MESOLE
Mes"ole, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Thomsonite.

MESOLITE
Mes"o*lite, n. Etym: [Meso- + -lite.] (Min.)

Defn: A zeolitic mineral, grayish white or yellowish, occuring in delicate groups of crystals, also fibrous massive. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina, lime, and soda.

MESOLOGARITHM Mes`o*log"a*rithm, n. Etym: [Meso- + logarithm : cf. F. mésologarithme.] (Math.)

Defn: A logarithm of the cosine or cotangent. [Obs.] Kepler. Hutton.

MESOMETRIUM
Mes`o*me"tri*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Metrium.] (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of the peritoneum supporting the oviduct.

MESOMYCETES
Mes`o*my*ce"tes, n. pl. [NL.; meso- + mycetes.] (Bot.)

Defn: One of the three classes into which the fungi are divided in
Brefeld's classification. — Mes`o*my*ce"tous (#), a.

MESOMYODIAN
Mes`o*my*o"di*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird having a mesomyodous larynx.

MESOMYODOUS
Mes`o*my"o*dous, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the intrinsic muscles of the larynx attached to the middle of the semirings.

MESON
Mes"on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The mesial plane dividing the body of an animal into similar right and left halves. The line in which it meets the dorsal surface has been called the dorsimeson, and the corresponding ventral edge the ventrimeson. B. G. Wilder.

MESONASAL
Mes`o*na"sal, a. Etym: [Meso- + nasal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the middle portion of the nasal region.

MESONEPHRIC
Mes`o*neph"ric, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesonephros; as, the mesonephric, or
Wolffian, duct.

MESONEPHROS
Mes`o*neph"ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The middle one of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in most vertebrates; the Wolffian body.

MESONOTUM
Mes`o*no"tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The dorsal portion of the mesothorax of insects.

MESOPHLOEUM
Mes`o*phloe"um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The middle bark of a tree; the green layer of bark, usually soon covered by the outer or corky layer, and obliterated.

MESOPHRYON
Me*soph"ry*on, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: See Glabella.

MESOPHYLLUM
Mes`o*phyl"lum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The parenchyma of a leaf between the skin of the two surfaces.
Gray.

MESOPLAST
Mes"o*plast, n. Etym: [Meso- + -plast.] (Biol.)

Defn: The nucleus of a cell; mesoblast. Agassix.

MESOPODIAL
Mes`o*po"di*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesopodialia or to the parts of the limbs to which they belong.

MESOPODIALE
Mes`o*po`di*a"le, n.; pl. Mesopodialia. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the bones of either the carpus or tarsus.

MESOPODIUM
Mes`o*po"di*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Mesopodiale.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The middle portion of the foot in the Gastropoda and Pteropoda.

MESOPTERYGIUM
Me*sop`te*ryg"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The middle one of the three principal basal cartilages in the
fins of fishes.
— Me*sop`ter*yg"i*al, a.

MESORCHIUM
Me*sor"chi*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum which attaches the testis to the dorsal wall of the body cavity or scrotal sac.

MESORECTUM
Mes`o*rec"tum, n. Etym: [Meso- + rectum.] (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum, or mesentery, attached to the rectum.
— Mes`o*rec"tal, a.

MESORHINE
Mes"o*rhine, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the nose of medium width; between leptorhine and platyrhine.

MESOSAURIA
Mes`o*sau"ri*a, n.

Defn: Same as Mosasauria.

MESOSCAPULA
Mes`o*scap"u*la, n. Etym: [Meso- + scapula.] (Anat.)

Defn: A process from the middle of the scapula in some animals; the spine of the scapula.

MESOSCAPULAR
Mes`o*scap"u*lar, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesoscapula.

MESOSCUTUM
Mes`o*scu"tum, n. Etym: [Meso- + scutum.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The scutum or dorsal plate of the middle thoracic segment of an insect. See Illust. of Butterfly.

MESOSEME
Mes"o*seme, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. mésosème.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having a medium orbital index; having orbits neither broad nor narrow; between megaseme and microseme.

MESOSIDERITE
Mes`o*sid"er*ite, n. Etym: [Meso- + siderite.] (Min.)

Defn: See the Note under Meteorite.

MESOSPERM
Mes"o*sperm, n. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. mésosperme.] (Bot.)

Defn: A membrane of a seed. See Secundine.

MESOSTATE
Mes"o*state, n. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: A product of metabolic action.

Note: Every mesostate is either an anastate or katastate, according as it is formed by an anabolic or katabolic process. See Metabolism.

MESOSTERNAL
Mes`o*ster"nal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesosternum.

MESOSTERNUM
Mes`o*ster"num, n. Etym: [Meso- + sternum.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The middle portion, or body, of the sternum.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ventral piece of the middle segment of the thorax in insects.

MESOTARTARIC
Mes`o*tar*tar"ic, a. Etym: [Meso- + tartaric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid called also inactive tartaric acid.

MESOTHECA
Mes`o*the"ca, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The middle layer of the gonophore in the Hydrozoa.

MESOTHELIUM
Mes`o*the"li*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. thelium.] (Biol.)

Defn: Epithelial mesoderm; a layer of cuboidal epithelium cells, formed from a portion of the mesoderm during the differetiation of the germ layers. It constitutes the boundary of the coelum.

MESOTHORACIC
Mes`o*tho*rac"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesothorax.

MESOTHORAX
Mes`o*tho"rax, n. Etym: [Meso- + thorax: cf. F. mésothorax.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The middle segment of the thorax in insects. See Illust. of
Coleoptera.

MESOTHORIUM
Mes`o*tho"ri*um, n. [NL.; meso-+ thorium.] (Chem.)

Defn: A radioactive product intermediate between thorium and radiothorium, with a period of 5.5 years.

MESOTROCHAL
Mes"o*tro`chal, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the middle of the body surrounded by bands of cilia; — said of the larvæ of certain marine annelids.

MESOTYPE
Mes"o*type, n. Etym: [Meso- + -type: cf. F. mésotype.] (Min.)

Defn: An old term covering natrolite or soda mesolite, scolecite or lime mesotype, and mesolite or lime-soda mesotype.

MESOVARIUM
Mes`o*va"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Meso-, and Ovary.] (Anat.)

Defn: The fold of peritoneum connecting the ovary with the wall of the abdominal cavity.

MESOXALATE
Mes*ox"a*late, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of mesoxalic acid.

MESOXALIC
Mes`ox*al"ic, a. Etym: [Mes- + oxalic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid, CH2O2(CO2H)2, obtained from amido malonic acid.

MESOZOA
Mes`o*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Mesozoic.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of very lowly organized, wormlike parasites, including the Dicyemata. They are found in cephalopods. See Dicyemata.

MESOZOIC
Mes`o*zo"ic, a. Etym: [Meso- + Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Belonging, or relating, to the secondary or reptilian age, or the era between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic. See Chart of Geology.

MESOZOIC
Mes`o*zo"ic, n.

Defn: The Mesozoic age or formation.

MESPRISE
Mes*prise", n. Etym: [OF. mespris, F. mépris. See Misprize.]

1. Contempt; scorn. [Obs.]

2. Etym: [Perh. for F. méprise mistake. Cf. Misprision.]

Defn: Misadventure; ill-success. [Obs.] Spenser.

MESQUITE; MESQUIT
Mes*qui"te, Mes*quit", n. Etym: [Sp. mezquite; said to be a Mexican
Indian word.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name for two trees of the southwestern part of North America, the honey mesquite, and screw-pod mesquite. Honey mesquite. See Algaroba (b). — Screw-pod mesquite, a smaller tree (Prosopis pubescens), having spiral pods used as fodder and sometimes as food by the Indians. — Mesquite grass, a rich native grass in Western Texas (Bouteloua oligostachya, and other species); — so called from its growing in company with the mesquite tree; — called also muskit grass, grama grass.

MESQUITE BEAN
Mes*qui"te bean.

Defn: The pod or seed of the mesquite.

MESS
Mess, n.

Defn: Mass; church service. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MESS Mess, n. Etym: [OE. mes, OF. mets, LL. missum, p. p. of mittere to put, place (e. g., on the table), L. mittere to send. See Mission, and cf. Mass religious service.]

1. A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time. At their savory dinner set Of herbs and other country messes. Milton.

2. A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess. Shak.

3. A set of four; — from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner. [Obs.] Latimer.

4. The milk given by a cow at one milking. [U.S.]

5. Etym: [Perh. corrupt. fr. OE. mesh for mash: cf. muss.]

Defn: A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it. [Colloq.]

MESS
Mess, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Messed; p. pr. & vb. n. Messing.]

Defn: To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers. Marryat.

MESS
Mess, v. t.

Defn: To supply with a mess.

MESSAGE Mes"sage (; 48), n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. missaticum, fr. L. mittere, missum, to send. See Mission, and cf. Messenger.]

1. Any notice, word, or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another. Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. Judg. iii. 20.

2. Hence, specifically, an official communication, not made in person, but delivered by a messenger; as, the President's message. Message shell. See Shell.

MESSAGE
Mes"sage, v. t.

Defn: To bear as a message. [Obs.]

MESSAGE
Mes"sage, n. Etym: [OE., fr. OF. message, fr. LL. missaticus. See 1st
Message.]

Defn: A messenger. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MESSAGER
Mes"sa*ger, n. Etym: [OE.]

Defn: A messenger. [Obs.]

MESSAGE STICK
Mes"sage stick.

Defn: A stick, carved with lines and dots, used, esp. by Australian aborigines, to convey information.

MESS BEEF
Mess beef.

Defn: Barreled salt beef, packed with about 80 pounds chuck and rump, two flanks, and the rest plates.

MESSENGER
Mes"sen*ger, n. Etym: [OE. messager, OF. messagier, F. messager. See
Message.]

1. One who bears a message; the bearer of a verbal or written communication, notice, or invitation, from one person to another, or to a public body; specifically, an office servant who bears messages.

2. One who, or that which, foreshows, or foretells. Yon gray lines That fret the clouds are messengers of day. Shak.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: A hawser passed round the capstan, and having its two ends lashed together to form an endless rope or chain; — formerly used for heaving in the cable.

4. (Law)

Defn: A person appointed to perform certain ministerial duties under bankrupt and insolvent laws, such as to take charge og the estate of the bankrupt or insolvent. Bouvier. Tomlins.

Syn. — Carrier; intelligencer; courier; harbinger; forerunner; precursor; herald. Messenger bird, the secretary bird, from its swiftness.

MESSET
Mes"set, n.

Defn: A dog. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

MESSIAD
Mes*si"ad, n.

Defn: A German epic poem on the Messiah, by Klopstock.

MESSIAH
Mes*si"ah, n. Etym: [Heb. mashiakh anointed, fr. mashakh to anoint.
Cf. Messias.]

Defn: The expected king and deliverer of the Hebrews; the Savior;
Christ.
And told them the Messiah now was born. Milton.

MESSIAHSHIP
Mes*si"ah*ship, n.

Defn: The state or office of the Messiah.

MESSIANIC
Mes`si*an"ic, a.

Defn: Of or relating to the Messiah; as, the Messianic office or character.

MESSIAS
Mes*si"as, n. Etym: [LL., fr. Gr. Messiah.]

Defn: The Messiah.
I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. John iv. 25.

MESSIDOR
Mes`si`dor" (F. ; E. ), n. Etym: [F., fr. L. messis harvest.]

Defn: The tenth month of the French republican calendar dating from
September 22, 1792. It began June 19, and ended July 18. See
VendÉmiaire.

MESSIEURS
Mes"sieurs (; F. ; 277), n. pl. Etym: [F.; pl. of monsieur.]

Defn: Sirs; gentlemen; — abbreviated to Messrs., which is used as the plural of Mr.

MESSINESE
Mes`si*nese" ( or ), a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Messina, or its inhabitans.

MESSMATE
Mess"mate`, n.

Defn: An associate in a mess.

MESSUAGE Mes"suage (; 48), n. Etym: [Cf. OF. mesuage, masnage, LL. messuagium, mansionaticum, fr. L. mansio, -onis, a staying, remaining, dwelling, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, remain, E. mansion, manse.] (Law)

Defn: A dwelling house, with the adjacent buildings and curtilage, and the adjoining lands appropriated to the use of the household. Cowell. Bouvier. They wedded her to sixty thousand pounds, To lands in Kent, and messuages in York. Tennyson.

MEST
Mest, a.

Defn: Most. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MESTEE
Mes*tee", n. Etym: [See Mestizo.]

Defn: The offspring of a white person and a quadroon; — so called in the West Indies. [Written also mustee.]

MESTER
Mes"ter, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Mister, a trade.

MESTINO
Mes*ti"no, n.; pl. Mestinos (.

Defn: See Mestizo.

MESTIZO
Mes*ti"zo, n.; pl. Mestizos. Etym: [Sp. mestizo; akin to OF. mestis,
F. métis; all fr. (assumed) LL. mixtitius, fr. L. mixtus mixed, p. p.
of miscere to mix. See Mix, and cf. Mestee, MÉtif, MÉtis, Mustee.]

Defn: The offspring of an Indian or a negro and a European or person of European stock. [Spanish America] Mestizo wool, wool imported from South America, and produced by mixed breeds of sheep.

MESTLING
Mest"ling, n.

Defn: A kind of brass. See Maslin. [Obs.]

MESYMNICUM
Me*sym"ni*cum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Hymn.] (Anc. Poetry)

Defn: A repetition at the end of a stanza.

MET
Met, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Meet.

MET
Met, obs. imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Mete, to measure. Chapman.

MET
Met, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Mete, to dream. Chaucer.

META-; MET- Met"a-, Met-. Etym: [Gr. mid with, G. mit, Goth. miÞ, E. mid, in midwife.]

1. A prefix meaning between, with, after, behind, over, about, reversely; as, metachronism, the error of placing after the correct time; metaphor, lit., a carrying over; metathesis, a placing reversely.

2. (Chem.) A prefix denoting: (a) Other; duplicate, corresponding to; resembling; hence, metameric; as, meta-arabinic, metaldehyde. (b) (Organic Chem.) That two replacing radicals, in the benzene nucleus, occupy the relative positions of 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 3 and 5, 4 and 6, 5 and 1, or 6 and 2; as, metacresol, etc. See Ortho-, and Para-. (c) (Inorganic Chem.) Having less than the highest number of hydroxyl groups; — said of acids; as, metaphosphoric acid. Also used adjectively. at a level above, as metaphysics, metalanguage.

METABASIS
Me*tab"a*sis, n.; pl. Metabases. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. (Rhet.)

Defn: A transition from one subject to another.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Same as Metabola.

METABOLA; METABOLE
Me*tab"o*la, Me*tab"o*le, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A change or mutation; a change of disease, symptoms, or treatment.

METABOLA; METABOLIA
Me*tab"o*la, Met`a*bo"li*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See 1st Metabola.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A comprehensive group of insects, including those that undegro a metamorphosis.

METABOLIAN
Met`a*bo"li*an, n. Etym: [See Metabola.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An insect which undergoes a metamorphosis.

METABOLIC
Met`a*bol"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Metabola.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to metamorphosis; pertaining to, or involving, change.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to metabolism; as, metabolic activity; metabolic force.

METABOLISIS
Met`a*bol"i*sis, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: Metabolism. [R.]

METABOLISM
Me*tab"o*lism, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The act or process, by which living tissues or cells take up and convert into their own proper substance the nutritive material brought to them by the blood, or by which they transform their cell protoplasm into simpler substances, which are fitted either for excretion or for some special purpose, as in the manufacture of the digestive ferments. Hence, metabolism may be either constructive (anabolism), or destructive (katabolism).

METABOLITE
Me*tab"o*lite, n. (Physiol Chem.)

Defn: A product of metabolism; a substance produced by metabolic action, as urea.

METABOLIZE
Me*tab"o*lize, v. t. & i. (Physiol.)

Defn: To change by a metabolic process. See Metabolism.

METABRANCHIAL
Met`a*bran"chi*al, a. Etym: [Meta- + branchial.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the lobe of the carapace of crabs covering the posterior branchiæ.

METACARPAL
Met`a*car"pal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metacarpus.
— n.

Defn: A metacarpal bone.

METACARPUS
Met`a*car"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: That part of the skeleton of the hand or forefoot between the carpus and phalanges. In man it consists of five bones. See Illust. of Artiodactyla.

METACENTER; METACENTRE
Met`a*cen"ter or; Metacentre, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + center.]
(Hydrostatics)

Defn: The point of intersection of a vertical line through the center of gravity of the fluid displaced by a floating body which is tipped through a small angle from its position of equilibrium, and the inclined line which was vertical through the center of gravity of the body when in equilibrium.

Note: When the metacenter is above the center of gravity, the position of the body is stable; when below it, unstable.

METACETONE
Me*tac"e*tone, n. Etym: [Pref. met- + acetone.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless liquid of an agreeable odor, C6H10O, obtained by distilling a mixture of sugar and lime; — so called because formerly regarded as a polymeric modification of acetone.

METACHLORAL
Met`a*chlo"ral, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + chloral.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white, amorphous, insoluble substance regarded as a polymeric variety of chloral.

METACHRONISM
Me*tach"ro*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. métachronisme.]

Defn: An error committed in chronology by placing an event after its real time.

METACHROSIS
Met`a*chro"sis, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The power og changing color at will by the expansion of special pigment cells, under nerve influence, as seen in many reptiles, fishes, etc. Cope.

METACINNABARITE
Met`a*cin"na*bar*ite, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + cinnabar.] (Min.)

Defn: Sulphide of mercury in isometric form and black in color.

METACISM
Met"a*cism, n. Etym: [L. metacismus, Gr.

Defn: A defect in pronouncing the letter m, or a too frequent use of it.

METACROLEIN
Met`a*cro"le*in, n. Etym: [Pref. met- + acrolein.] (Chem.)

Defn: A polymeric modification of acrolein obtained by heating it with caustic potash. It is a crystalline substance having an aromatic odor.

METACROMION
Met`a*cro"mi*on, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: A process projecting backward and downward from the acromion of the scapula of some mammals.

METADISCOIDAL
Met`a*dis*coid"al, a. Etym: [Meta- + discoidal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Discoidal by derivation; — applied especially to the placenta of man and apes, because it is supposed to have been derived from a diffused placenta.

METAGASTRIC
Met`a*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + gastric.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the two posterior gastric lobes of the carapace of crabs.

METAGE
Met"age (; 48), n. Etym: [From Mete, v.]

1. Measurement, especially of coal. De Foe.

2. Charge for, or price of, measuring. Simmonds.

METAGENESIS
Met`a*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + genesis.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: The change of form which one animal species undergoes in a series of successively produced individuals, extending from the one developed from the ovum to the final perfected individual. Hence, metagenesis involves the production of sexual individuals by nonsexual means, either directly or through intervening sexless generations. Opposed to monogenesis. See Alternate generation, under Generation.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Alternation of sexual and asexual or gemmiparous generations; - - in distinction from heterogamy.

METAGENETIC
Met`a*ge*net"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to metagenesis.

METAGENIC
Met`a*gen"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Metagenetic.

METAGNATHOUS
Me*tag"na*thous, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Cross-billed; — said of certain birds, as the crossbill.

METAGRAMMATISM
Met`a*gram"ma*tism, n.

Defn: Anagrammatism.

METAGRAPHIC
Met`a*graph"ic, a.

Defn: By or pertaining to metagraphy.

METAGRAPHY
Me*tag"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + -graphy.]

Defn: The art or act of rendering the letters of the alphabet of one language into the possible equivalents of another; transliteration. Stormonth.

METAL
Met"al ( or ; 277), n. Etym: [F. métal, L. metallum metal, mine, Gr.
Mettle, Medal.]

1. (Chem.)

Defn: An elementary substance, as sodium, calcium, or copper, whose oxide or hydroxide has basic rather than acid properties, as contrasted with the nonmetals, or metalloids. No sharp line can be drawn between the metals and nonmetals, and certain elements partake of both acid and basic qualities, as chromium, manganese, bismuth, etc.

Note: Popularly, the name is applied to certain hard, fusible metals, as gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead, zinc, nickel, etc., and also to the mixed metals, or metallic alloys, as brass, bronze, steel, bell metal, etc.

2. Ore from which a metal is derived; — so called by miners. Raymond.

3. A mine from which ores are taken. [Obs.] Slaves . . . and persons condemned to metals. Jer. Taylor.

4. The substance of which anything is made; material; hence, constitutional disposition; character; temper. Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Shak.

5. Courage; spirit; mettle. See Mettle. Shak.

Note: The allusion is to the temper of the metal of a sword blade.
Skeat.

6. The broken stone used in macadamizing roads and ballasting railroads.

7. The effective power or caliber of guns carried by a vessel of war.

8. Glass in a state of fusion. Knight.

9. pl.

Defn: The rails of a railroad. [Eng.] Base metal (Chem.), any one of the metals, as iron, lead, etc., which are readily tarnished or oxidized, in contrast with the noble metals. In general, a metal of small value, as compared with gold or silver. — Fusible metal (Metal.), a very fusible alloy, usually consisting of bismuth with lead, tin, or cadmium. — Heavy metals (Chem.), the metallic elements not included in the groups of the alkalies, alkaline earths, or the earths; specifically, the heavy metals, as gold, mercury, platinum, lead, silver, etc. — Light metals (Chem.), the metallic elements of the alkali and alkaline earth groups, as sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, etc.; also, sometimes, the metals of the earths, as aluminium. — Muntz metal, an alloy for sheathing and other purposes, consisting of about sixty per cent of copper, and forty of zinc. Sometimes a little lead is added. It is named from the inventor. — Prince's metal (Old Chem.), an alloy resembling brass, consisting of three parts of copper to one of zinc; — also called Prince Rupert's metal.

METAL Met"al, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metaled ( or ) or Metalled; p. pr. & vb. n. Metaling or Metalling.]

Defn: To cover with metal; as, to metal a ship's bottom; to metal a road.

METALAMMONIUM
Met`al*am*mo"ni*um, n. Etym: [Metal + ammonium.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hypothetical radical derived from ammonium by the substitution of metallic atoms in place of hydrogen.

METALBUMIN
Met`al*bu"min, n. Etym: [Pref. met- + albumin.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A form of albumin found in ascitic and certain serous fluids.
It is sometimes regarded as a mixture of albumin and mucin.

METALDEHYDE
Me*tal"de*hyde, n. Etym: [Pref. met- + aldehyde.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline substance isomeric with, and obtained from, acetic aldehyde by polymerization, and reconvertible into the same.

METALEPSIS
Met`a*lep"sis, n.; pl. Metalepses. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: The continuation of a trope in one word through a succession of significations, or the union of two or more tropes of a different kind in one word.

METALEPSY
Met"a*lep`sy, n. (Chem.)

Defn: Exchange; replacement; substitution; metathesis. [R.]

METALEPTIC
Met`a*lep"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Of or pertaining to a metalepsis.

2. Transverse; as, the metaleptic motion of a muscle.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, concerned in, or occurring by, metalepsy.

METALEPTICAL
Met`a*lep"tic*al, a.

Defn: Metaleptic.
— Met`a*lep"tic*al*ly, adv.

METALLIC
Me*tal"lic, a. Etym: [L. metallicus, fr. metallum: cf. F. métallique.
See Metal.]

1. Of or pertaining to a metal; of the nature of metal; resembling metal; as, a metallic appearance; a metallic alloy.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characterized by, the essential and implied properties of a metal, as contrasted with a nonmetal or metalloid; basic; antacid; positive. Metallic iron, iron in the state of the metal, as distinquished from its ores, as magnetic iron. — Metallic paper, paper covered with a thin solution of lime, whiting, and size. When written upon with a pewter or brass pencil, the lines can hardly be effaced. — Metallic tinking (Med.), a sound heard in the chest, when a cavity communicating with the air passages contains both air and liquid.

METALLICAL
Me*tal"lic*al, a.

Defn: See Metallic. [Obs.]

METALLICLY
Me*tal"lic*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metallic manner; by metallic means.

METALLIFACTURE Me*tal`li*fac"ture, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + facere, factum, to make.]

Defn: The production and working or manufacture of metals. [R.] R.
Park.

METALLIFEROUS Met`al*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. metallifer; metallum metal + ferre to bear: cf. F. métallifère.]

Defn: Producing metals; yielding metals.

METALLIFORM Me*tal"li*form, a. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -form: cf. F. métalliforme.]

Defn: Having the form or structure of a metal.

METALLINE Met"al*line, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métallin.] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or resembling, a metal; metallic; as, metalline properties. (b) Impregnated with metallic salts; chalybeate; as, metalline water. [R.]

METALLINE
Met"al*line ( or ), n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance of variable composition, but resembling a soft, dark-colored metal, used in the bearings of machines for obviating friction, and as a substitute for lubricants.

METALLIST
Met"al*list, n.

Defn: A worker in metals, or one skilled in metals.

METALLIZATION
Met`al*li*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métallisation.]

Defn: The act or process of metallizing. [R.]

METALLIZE
Met"al*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metallized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Metallizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. métalliser.]

Defn: To impart metallic properties to; to impregnate with a metal.
[R.]

METALLOCHROME
Me*tal"lo*chrome, n. Etym: [See Metallochromy.]

Defn: A coloring produced by the deposition of some metallic compound; specifically, the prismatic tints produced by depositing a film of peroxide of lead on polished steel by electricity.

METALLOCHROMY
Me*tal"lo*chro`my, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + Gr.

Defn: The art or process of coloring metals.

METALLOGRAPH
Me*tal"lo*graph, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -graph.]

Defn: A print made by metallography.

METALLOGRAPHIC
Me*tal`lo*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or by means of, metallography.

METALLOGRAPHIST
Met`al*log"ra*phist, n.

Defn: One who writes on the subject of metals.

METALLOGRAPHY Met`al*log"ra*phy, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -graphy: cf. F. métallographie.]

1. The science or art of metals and metal working; also, a treatise on metals.

2. A method of transferring impressions of the grain of wood to metallic surfaces by chemical action. Knight.

3. A substitute for lithography, in which metallic plates are used instead of stone. Knight.

METALLOID Met"al*loid, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -oid: cf. F. métalloïde.] (a) Formerly, the metallic base of a fixed alkali, or alkaline earth; — applied by Sir H. Davy to sodium, potassium, and some other metallic substances whose metallic character was supposed to be not well defined. (b) Now, one of several elementary substances which in the free state are unlike metals, and whose compounds possess or produce acid, rather than basic, properties; a nonmetal; as, boron, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, chlorine, bromine, etc., are metalloids.

METALLOID
Met"al*loid, a.

1. Having the appearance of a metal.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the properties of a nonmetal; nonmetallic; acid; negative.

METALLOIDAL
Met`al*loid"al, a.

Defn: Metalloid.

METALLOPHONE Me*tal"lo*phone, n. [L. metallum metal + Gr. sound.] (Music) (a) An instrument like a pianoforte, but having metal bars instead of strings. (b) An instrument like the xylophone, but having metallic instead of wooden bars.

METALLORGANIC
Met`al*lor*gan"ic, a.

Defn: Metalorganic.

METALLOTHERAPY
Me*tal`lo*ther"a*py, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + E. therapy.]
(Med.)

Defn: Treatment of disease by applying metallic plates to the surface of the body.

METALLURGIC; METALLURGICAL
Met`al*lur"gic, Met`al*lur"gic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métallurgique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metallurgy.

METALLURGIST
Met"al*lur`gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métallurgiste.]

Defn: One who works in metals, or prepares them for use; one who is skilled in metallurgy.

METALLURGY
Met"al*lur`gy, n. Etym: [F. métallurgie, fr. L. metallum metal, Gr.
Metal, and Work.]

Defn: The art of working metals, comprehending the whole process of separating them from other matters in the ore, smelting, refining, and parting them; sometimes, in a narrower sense, only the process of extracting metals from their ores.

METALMAN
Met"al*man, n.; pl. Metalmen (.

Defn: A worker in metals.

METALOGICAL
Met`a*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Beyond the scope or province of logic.

METALORGANIC
Met`al*or*gan"ic, a. Etym: [Metal, L. metallum + E. organic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a series of compounds of certain metallic elements with organic radicals; as, zinc methyl, sodium ethyl, etc. [Written also metallorganic.]

METAMER
Met"a*mer, n. Etym: [See Metamere.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of several metameric forms of the same substance, or of different substances having the same composition; as, xylene has three metamers, viz., orthoxylene, metaxylene, and paraxylene.

METAMERE
Met"a*mere, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + -mere.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of successive or homodynamous parts in animals and plants; one of a series of similar parts that follow one another in a vertebrate or articulate animal, as in an earthworm; a segment; a somite. See Illust. of Loeven's larva.

METAMERIC
Met`a*mer"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + Gr.

1. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the same elements united in the same proportion by weight, and with the same molecular weight, but possessing a different structure and different properties; as, methyl ether and ethyl alcohol are metameric compounds. See Isomeric.

Note: The existence of metameric compounds is due to the different arrangement of the same constituents in the molecule.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a metamere or its formation; as, metameric segmentation.

METAMERICALLY
Met`a*mer"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metameric manner.

METAMERISM
Me*tam"er*ism, n.

1. (Biol.)

Defn: The symmetry of a metameric structure; serial symmetry; the state of being made up of metameres.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: The state or quality of being metameric; also, the relation or condition of metameric compounds.

METAMORPHIC
Met`a*mor"phic, a. Etym: [See Metamorphosis.]

1. Subject to change; changeable; variable.

2. Causing a change of structure.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, produced by, or exhibiting, certain changes which minerals or rocks may have undergone since their original deposition; — especially applied to the recrystallization which sedimentary rocks have undergone through the influence of heat and pressure, after which they are called metamorphic rocks.

METAMORPHISM
Met`a*mor"phism, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The state or quality of being metamorphic; the process by which the material of rock masses has been more or less recrystallized by heat, pressure, etc., as in the change of sedimentary limestone to marble. Murchison.

METAMORPHIST
Met`a*mor"phist, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: One who believes that the body of Christ was merged into the
Deity when he ascended.

METAMORPHIZE
Met`a*mor"phize, v. t.

Defn: To metamorphose.

METAMORPHOSE
Met`a*mor"phose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metamorphosed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Metamorphosing.] Etym: [Cf. F. métamorphoser.]

Defn: To change into a different form; to transform; to transmute.
And earth was metamorphosed into man. Dryden.

METAMORPHOSE
Met`a*mor"phose, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métamorphose. See Metamorphosis.]

Defn: Same as Metamorphosis.

METAMORPHOSER
Met`a*mor"pho*ser, n.

Defn: One who metamorphoses. [R.] Gascoigne.

METAMORPHOSIC
Met`a*mor"pho*sic, a.

Defn: Changing the form; transforming. [R.] Pownall.

METAMORPHOSIS
Met`a*mor"pho*sis, n.; pl. Metamorphoses. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. Change of form, or structure; transformation.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: A change in the form or function of a living organism, by a natural process of growth or development; as, the metamorphosis of the yolk into the embryo, of a tadpole into a frog, or of a bud into a blossom. Especially, that form of sexual reproduction in which an embryo undergoes a series of marked changes of external form, as the chrysalis stage, pupa stage, etc., in insects. In these intermediate stages sexual reproduction is usually impossible, but they ultimately pass into final and sexually developed forms, from the union of which organisms are produced which pass through the same cycle of changes. See Transformation.

3. (Physiol.)

Defn: The change of material of one kind into another through the agency of the living organism; metabolism. Vegetable metamorphosis (Bot.), the doctrine that flowers are homologous with leaf buds, and that the floral organs are transformed leaves.

METANAUPLIUS
Met`a*nau"pli*us, n. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and Nauplius.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A larval crustacean in a stage following the nauplius, and having about seven pairs of appendages.

METANEPHRITIC
Met`a*ne*phrit"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metanephros.

METANEPHROS
Met`a*neph"ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The most posterior of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in many vertebrates.

METANOTUM
Met`a*no"tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The dorsal portion of the metaphorax of insects.

METANTIMONATE
Met`an*ti*mo"nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metantimonic acid.

METANTIMONIC Met`an*ti*mon"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. met- + antimonic.] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid (formerly called antimonic acid) analogous to metaphosphoric acid, and obtained as a white amorphous insoluble substance, (HSbO3). (b) Formerly, designating an acid, which is now properly called pyroantimonic acid, and analogous to pyrophosphoric acid.

METAPECTIC
Met`a*pec"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + pectic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a supposed acid obtained from pectin.

METAPECTIN
Met`a*pec"tin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance obtained from, and resembling, pectin, and occurring in overripe fruits.

METAPEPTONE
Met`a*pep"tone, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + peptone.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: An intermediate product formed in the gastric digestion of albuminous matter.

METAPHOR Met"a*phor, n. Etym: [F. métaphore, L. metaphora, fr. Gr. meta` beyond, over + fe`rein to bring, bear.] (Rhet.)

Defn: The transference of the relation between one set of objects to another set for the purpose of brief explanation; a compressed simile; e. g., the ship plows the sea. Abbott & Seeley. "All the world's a stage." Shak.

Note: The statement, "that man is a fox," is a metaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a simile, similitude, or comparison.

METAPHORIC; METAPHORICAL
Met`a*phor"ic, Met`a*phor"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. métaphorique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metaphor; comprising a metaphor; not
literal; figurative; tropical; as, a metaphorical expression; a
metaphorical sense.
— Met`a*phor"ic*al*ly, adv.
— Met`a*phor"ic*al*ness, n.

METAPHORIST
Met"a*phor*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes metaphors.

METAPHOSPHATE
Met`a*phos"phate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metaphosphoric acid.

METAPHOSPHORIC
Met`a*phos*phor"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + phosphoric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a monobasic acid, HPO3, analogous to nitric acid, and, by heating phosphoric acid, obtained as a crystalline substance, commonly called glacial phosphoric acid.

METAPHRASE Met"a*phrase, n. Etym: [Gr. meta`frasis, from metafrazein to paraphrase; meta` beyond, over + fra`zein to speak: cf. F. métaphrase.]

1. A verbal translation; a version or translation from one language into another, word for word; — opposed to paraphrase. Dryden.

2. An answering phrase; repartee. Mrs. Browning.

METAPHRASED
Met"a*phrased, a.

Defn: Translated literally.

METAPHRASIS
Me*taph"ra*sis, n. Etym: [NL. See Metaphrase.]

Defn: Metaphrase.

METAPHRAST
Met"a*phrast, n. Etym: [Gr. métaphraste.]

Defn: A literal translator.

METAPHRASTIC; METAPHRASTICAL
Met`a*phras"tic, Met`a*phras"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Close, or literal.

METAPHYSIC
Met`a*phys"ic, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysique.]

Defn: See Metaphysics.

METAPHYSIC
Met`a*phys"ic, a.

Defn: Metaphysical.

METAPHYSICAL
Met`a*phys"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysique. See Metaphysics.]

1. Of or pertaining to metaphysics.

2. According to rules or principles of metaphysics; as, metaphysical reasoning.

3. Preternatural or supernatural. [Obs.] The golden round *Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. Shak.

METAPHYSICALLY
Met`a*phys"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of metaphysical science, or of a metaphysician.
South.

METAPHYSICIAN
Met`a*phy*si"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysicien.]

Defn: One who is versed in metaphysics.

METAPHYSICS Met`a*phys"ics, n. Etym: [Gr. métaphysique. See Physics. The term was first used by the followers of Aristotle as a name for that part of his writings which came after, or followed, the part which treated of physics.]

1. The science of real as distinguished from phenomenal being; ontology; also, the science of being, with reference to its abstract and universal conditions, as distinguished from the science of determined or concrete being; the science of the conceptions and relations which are necessarily implied as true of every kind of being; phylosophy in general; first principles, or the science of first principles.

Note: Metaphysics is distinguished as general and special. General metaphysics is the science of all being as being. Special metaphysics is the science of one kind of being; as, the metaphysics of chemistry, of morals, or of politics. According to Kant, a systematic exposition of those notions and truths, the knowledge of which is altogether independent of experience, would constitute the science of metaphysics. Commonly, in the schools, called metaphysics, as being part of the philosophy of Aristotle, which hath that for title; but it is in another sense: for there it signifieth as much as "books written or placed after his natural philosophy." But the schools take them for "books of supernatural philosophy;" for the word metaphysic will bear both these senses. Hobbes. Now the science conversant about all such inferences of unknown being from its known manifestations, is called ontology, or metaphysics proper. Sir W. Hamilton. Metaphysics are [is] the science which determines what can and what can not be known of being, and the laws of being, a priori. Coleridge.

2. Hence: The scientific knowledge of mental phenomena; mental philosophy; psychology. Metaphysics, in whatever latitude the term be taken, is a science or complement of sciences exclusively occupied with mind. Sir W. Hamilton. Whether, after all, A larger metaphysics might not help Our physics. Mrs. Browning.

METAPHYSIS
Me*taph"y*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Change of form; transformation.

METAPLASM
Met"a*plasm, n. Etym: [L. metaplasmus, Gr. métaplasme.] (Gram.)

Defn: A change in the letters or syllables of a word.

METAPLAST
Met"a*plast, n. Etym: [See Metaplasm.] (Gram.)

Defn: A word having more than one form of the root.

METAPODE
Met"a*pode, n. Etym: [NL. metapodium, from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The posterior division of the foot in the Gastropoda and
Pteropoda.

METAPODIAL
Met`a*po"di*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metapodialia, or to the parts of the limbs to which they belong.

METAPODIALE
Met`a*po`di*a"le, n.; pl. Metapodialia. Etym: [NL. See Metapode.]
(Anat.)

Defn: One of the bones of either the metacarpus or metatarsus.

METAPODIUM
Met`a*po"di*um, n.; pl. Metapodia. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Metapode.

METAPOPHYSIS
Met`a*poph"y*sis, n.; pl. Metapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and
Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: A tubercle projecting from the anterior articular processes of some vertebræ; a mammillary process.

METAPTERYGIUM
Me*tap`te*ryg"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The posterior of the three principal basal cartilages in the
fins of fishes.
— Me*tap`ter*yg"i*al, a.

METASILICATE
Met`a*sil"i*cate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metasilicic acid.

METASILICIC
Met`a*si*lic"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + silicic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Designating an acid derived from silicic acid by the removal of water; of or pertaining to such an acid.

Note: The salts of metasilicic acid are often called bisilicates, in mineralogy, as Wollastonite (CaSiO3). Metasilicic acid (Chem.), a gelatinous substance, or white amorphous powder, analogous to carbonic acid, and forming many stable salts.

METASOMATISM
Met`a*so"ma*tism, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: An alteration in a mineral or rock mass when involving a chemical change of the substance, as of chrysolite to serpentine; — opposed to ordinary metamorphism, as implying simply a recrystallization. — Met`a*so*mat"ic, a.

METASOME
Met"a*some, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + -some body.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the component segments of the body of an animal.

METASTANNATE
Met`a*stan"nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metastannic acid.

METASTANNIC
Met`a*stan"nic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a compound of tin (metastannic acid), obtained, as an isomeric modification of stannic acid, in the form of a white amorphous substance.

METASTASIS
Me*tas"ta*sis, n.; pl. Metastases. Etym: [L., transition, fr. Gr.

1. (Theol.)

Defn: A spiritual change, as during baptism.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A change in the location of a disease, as from one part to another. Dunglison.

3. (Physiol.)

Defn: The act or process by which matter is taken up by cells or tissues and is transformed into other matter; in plants, the act or process by which are produced all of those chemical changes in the constituents of the plant which are not accompanied by a production of organic matter; metabolism.

METASTATIC
Met`a*stat"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or caused by, metastasis; as, a metastatic abscess; the metastatic processes of growth.

METASTERNAL
Met`a*ster"nal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metasternum.

METASTERNUM
Met`a*ster"num, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + sternum.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The most posterior element of the sternum; the ensiform process; xiphisternum.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ventral plate of the third or last segment of the thorax of insects.

METASTOMA; METASTOME Me*tas"to*ma, Met"a*stome, n. Etym: [NL. metastoma, from Gr. meta` behind + sto`ma mouth.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A median elevation behind the mouth in the arthropods.

METATARSAL
Met`a*tar"sal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metatarsus.
— n.

Defn: A metatarsal bone.

METATARSE
Met"a*tarse, n. (Anat.)

Defn: Metatarsus.

METATARSUS
Met`a*tar"sus, n.; pl. Metatarsi. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and Tarsus.]
(Anat.)

Defn: That part of the skeleton of the hind or lower limb between the tarsus and phalanges; metatarse. It consists, in the human foot, of five bones. See Illustration in Appendix.

METATE
Me*ta"te, n. [Sp., fr. Mex. metlatl.]

Defn: A flat or somewhat hollowed stone upon which grain or other food is ground, by means of a smaller stone or pestle. [Southwestern U. S. & Sp. Amer.]

METATHESIS Me*tath"e*sis, n.; pl. Metatheses (. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for meager.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt.

METATHETIC; METATHETICAL
Met`a*thet"ic, Met`a*thet"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to metathesis.

METATHORACIC
Met`a*tho*rac"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metathorax.

METATHORAX
Met`a*tho"rax, n. Etym: [NL.: cf. F. métathorax. See Meta-, and
Thorax.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The last or posterior segment of the thorax in insects. See
Illust. of Coleoptera.

METATITANIC
Met`a*ti*tan"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + titanic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid of titanium analogous to metasilicic acid.

METATUNGSTATE
Met`a*tung"state, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metatungstic acid.

METATUNGSTIC
Met`a*tung"stic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + tungstic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid known only in its salts (the metatungstates) and properly called polytungstic, or pyrotungstic, acid.

METAVANADATE
Met`a*van"a*date, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metavanadic acid.

METAVANADIC
Met`a*va*nad"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + vanadic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a vanadic acid analogous to metaphosphoric acid.

METAXYLENE
Met`a*xy"lene, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + xylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: That variety of xylene, or dimethyl benzene, in which the two methyl groups occupy the meta position with reference to each other. It is a colorless inf

METAYAGE
Mé`ta`yage", n. Etym: [F. See Métayer.]

Defn: A system of farming on halves. [France & Italy]

METAYER Mé`ta`yer" (F. ; E. ), n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. medietarius, fr. L. medius middle, half. See Mid, a.]

Defn: One who cultivates land for a share (usually one half) of its yield, receiving stock, tools, and seed from the landlord. [France & Italy] Milman.

METAZOA
Met`a*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Those animals in which the protoplasmic mass, constituting the egg, is converted into a multitude of cells, which are metamorphosed into the tissues of the body. A central cavity is commonly developed, and the cells around it are at first arranged in two layers, — the ectoderm and endoderm. The group comprises nearly all animals except the Protozoa.

METAZOAN
Met`a*zo"an, n.; pl. Metazoans (. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Metazoa.

METAZOIC
Met`a*zo"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Metazoa.

METAZOON; METAZOOEN
Met`a*zo"ön, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Metazoa.

METE
Mete, n.

Defn: Meat. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METE
Mete, v. t. & i.

Defn: To meet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METE
Mete, v. i. & t. [imp. Mette; p. p. Met.] Etym: [AS. m.]

Defn: To dream; also impersonally; as, me mette, I dreamed. [Obs.] "I mette of him all night." Chaucer.

METE Mete, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Meted; p. pr. & vb. n. Meting.] Etym: [AS. metan; akin to D. meten, G. messen, OHG. mezzan, Icel. meta, Sw. mäta, Goth. mitan, L. modus measure, moderation, modius a corn measure, Gr. measure, L. metiri to measure; cf. Skr. ma to measure. sq. root99. Cf. Measure, Meet, a., Mode.]

Defn: To find the quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by any rule or standard; to measure.

METE
Mete, v. i.

Defn: To measure. [Obs.] Mark iv. 24.

METE
Mete, n. Etym: [AS. met. See Mete to measure.]

Defn: Measure; limit; boundary; — used chiefly in the plural, and in the phrase metes and bounds.

METECORN
Mete"corn`, n.

Defn: A quantity of corn formerly given by the lord to his customary tenants, as an encouragement to, or reward for, labor and faithful service.

METELY
Mete"ly, a.

Defn: According to measure or proportion; proportionable; proportionate. [Obs.]

METEMPIRIC; METEMPIRICAL Met`em*pir"ic, Met`em*pir"ic*al, a. Etym: [Pref. met- + empiric, - ical.] (Metaph.)

Defn: Related, or belonging, to the objects of knowledge within the province of metempirics. If then the empirical designates the province we include within the range of science, the province we exclude may be fitly styled the metempirical. G. H. Lewes.

METEMPIRICISM
Met*em*pir"i*cism, n.

Defn: The science that is concerned with metempirics.

METEMPIRICS
Met`em*pir"ics, n.

Defn: The concepts and relations which are conceived as beyond, and yet as related to, the knowledge gained by experience.

METEMPSYCHOSE
Me*temp"sy*chose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metempsychosed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Metempsychosing.] Etym: [See Metempsychosis.]

Defn: To translate or transfer, as the soul, from one body to another. [R.] Peacham.

METEMPSYCHOSIS
Me*temp`sy*cho"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Psychology.]

Defn: The passage of the soul, as an immortal essence, at the death of the animal body it had inhabited, into another living body, whether of a brute or a human being; transmigration of souls. Sir T. Browne.

METEMPTOSIS
Met`emp*to"sis, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Chron.)

Defn: The suppression of a day in the calendar to prevent the date of the new moon being set a day too late, or the suppression of the bissextile day once in 134 years. The opposite to this is the proemptosis, or the addition of a day every 330 years, and another every 2,400 years.

METENCEPHALON
Met`en*ceph"a*lon, n. Etym: [Met- + encephalon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The posterior part of the brain, including the medulla; the afterbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to meten.

METENSOMATOSIS Met`en*so`ma*to"sis, n. Etym: [L., a change of body (by the soul), fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The assimilation by one body or organism of the elements of another.

METEOR
Me"te*or, n. Etym: [F. météore, Gr.

1. Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc. Hail, an ordinary meteor. Bp. Hall.

2. Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region. The vaulty top of heaven Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak.

Note: The term is especially applied to fireballs, and the masses of stone or other substances which sometimes fall to the earth; also to shooting stars and to ignes fatui. Meteors are often classed as: aerial meteors, winds, tornadoes, etc.; aqueous meteors, rain, hail, snow, dew, etc.; luminous meteors, rainbows, halos, etc.; and igneous meteors, lightning, shooting stars, and the like.

METEORIC
Me`te*or"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. météorique.]

1. Of or pertaining to a meteor, or to meteors; atmospheric, as, meteoric phenomena; meteoric stones.

2. Influenced by the weather; as, meteoric conditions.

3. Flashing; brilliant; transient; like a meteor; as, meteoric fame. "Meteoric politician." Craik. Meteoric iron, Meteoric stone. (Min.) See Meteorite. — Meteoric paper, a substance of confervoid origin found floating in the air, and resembling bits of coarse paper; — so called because formerly supposed to fall from meteors. — Meteoric showers, periodical exhibitions of shooting stars, occuring about the 9th or 10th of August and 13th of November, more rarely in April and December, and also at some other periods.

METEORICAL
Me`te*or"ic*al, a.

Defn: Meteoric.

METEORISM
Me"te*or*ism, n. (Med.)

Defn: Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites.

METEORITE
Me"te*or*ite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. météorite.] (Min.)

Defn: A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an aërolite.

Note: Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanstätten figures. 2. Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron (meteoric stone, sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron (asiderite).

METEORIZE
Me"te*or*ize, v. i. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor. Evelyn.

METEOROGRAPH
Me`te*or"o*graph, n. Etym: [Meteor + -graph.]

Defn: An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions.

METEOROGRAPHIC
Me`te*or`o*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to meteorography.

METEOROGRAPHY
Me`te*or*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Meteor + -graphy.]

Defn: The registration of meteorological phenomena.

METEOROID
Me"te*or*oid, n. Etym: [Meteor + -oid.] (Astron.)

Defn: A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor. These bodies [small, solid bodies] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids. H. A. Newton.

METEOROIDAL
Me`te*or*oid"al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids.

METEOROLITE
Me`te*or"o*lite, n. Etym: [Meteor + -lite : cf. F. météorolithe.]

Defn: A meteoric stone; an aërolite; a meteorite.

METEOROLOGIC; METEOROLOGICAL Me`te*or`o*log"ic, Me`te*or`o*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. météorologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology. Meteorological table, Meteorological register, a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc.

METEOROLOGIST
Me`te*or*ol"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. météorologiste.]

Defn: A person skilled in meteorology.

METEOROLOGY
Me`te*or*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. météorologie. See Meteor.]

Defn: The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc.

METEOROMANCY
Me`te*or"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Meteor + -mancy : cf. F. météoromancie.]

Defn: A species of divination by meteors, chiefly by thunder and lightning, which was held in high estimation by the Romans.

METEOROMETER
Me`te*or*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Meteor + -meter.]

Defn: An apparatus which transmits automatically to a central station atmospheric changes as marked by the anemometer, barometer, thermometer, etc.

METEOROSCOPE Me`te*or"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. météoroscope. See Meteor.] (Astron.) (a) An astrolabe; a planisphere. [Obs.] (b) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction, of the apparent path of a shooting star.

METEOROUS
Me*te"o*rous ( or ), a. Etym: [See Meteor.]

Defn: Of the nature or appearance of a meteor.

-METER -me"ter. Etym: [L. metrum measure, or the allied Gr. Meter rhythm.]

Defn: A suffix denoting that by which anything is measured; as, barometer, chronometer, dynamometer.

METER
Me"ter, n. Etym: [From Mete to measure.]

1. One who, or that which, metes or measures. See Coal-meter.

2. An instrument for measuring, and usually for recording automatically, the quantity measured. Dry meter, a gas meter having measuring chambers, with flexible walls, which expand and contract like bellows and measure the gas by filling and emptying. — W, a gas meter in which the revolution of a chambered drum in water measures the gas passing through it.

METER
Me"ter, n.

Defn: A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.

METER; METRE Me"ter, Me"tre, n. Etym: [OE. metre, F. mètre, L. metrum, fr. Gr. ma to measure. See Mete to measure.]

1. Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements; as, the Horatian meters; a dactylic meter. The only strict antithesis to prose is meter. Wordsworth.

2. A poem. [Obs.] Robynson (More's Utopia).

3. A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See Metric system, under Metric. Common meter (Hymnol.), four iambic verses, or lines, making a stanza, the first and third having each four feet, and the second and fourth each three feet; — usually indicated by the initials C.M. — Long meter (Hymnol.), iambic verses or lines of four feet each, four verses usually making a stanza; — commonly indicated by the initials L.M. — Short meter (Hymnol.), iambic verses or lines, the first, second, and fourth having each three feet, and the third four feet. The stanza usually consists of four lines, but is sometimes doubled. Short meter is indicated by the initials S.M.

METERAGE
Me"ter*age, n. Etym: [See 1st Meter.]

Defn: The act of measuring, or the cost of measuring.

METERGRAM
Me"ter*gram`, n. (Mech.)

Defn: A measure of energy or work done; the power exerted in raising one gram through the distance of one meter against gravitation.

METEWAND
Mete"wand`, n. Etym: [Mete to measure + wand.]

Defn: A measuring rod. Ascham.

METEYARD Mete"yard`, n. Etym: [AS. metgeard. See Mete to measure, and Yard stick.]

Defn: A yard, staff, or rod, used as a measure. [Obs.] Shak.

METH
Meth, n.

Defn: See Meathe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METHAEMOGLOBIN
Met`hæm*o*glo"bin ( or ), n. Etym: [Pref. met- + h.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A stable crystalline compound obtained by the decomposition of hemoglobin. It is found in old blood stains.

METHAL
Meth"al, n. Etym: [Myristic + ether + alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white waxy substance, found in small quantities in spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

METHANE
Meth"ane, n. Etym: [See Methal.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH4; marsh gas. See Marsh gas, under Gas. Methane series (Chem.), a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series. The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.

METHANOMETER
Meth`a*nom"e*ter, n. [Methane + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument, resembling a eudiometer, to detect the presence and amount of methane, as in coal mines.

METHEGLIN
Me*theg"lin, n. Etym: [W. meddyglyn; medd mead + llyn liquor, juice.
See Mead a drink.]

Defn: A fermented beverage made of honey and water; mead. Gay.

METHENE
Meth"ene, n. Etym: [Methyl + ethylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: See Methylene.

METHENYL
Meth"e*nyl, n. Etym: [Methene + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical hydrocarbon radical CH, regarded as an essential residue of certain organic compounds.

METHIDE
Meth"ide ( or ), n. Etym: [See Methyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A binary compound of methyl with some element; as, aluminium methide, Al2(CH3)6.

METHINKS Me*thinks", v. impers. [imp. Methought.] Etym: [AS. þyncan to seem, me þynceedh, me þuhte, OE. me thinketh, me thoughte; akin to G. dünken to seem, denken to think, and E. think. See Me, and Think.]

Defn: It seems to me; I think. See Me. [R., except in poetry.] In all ages poets have been had in special reputation, and, methinks, not without great cause. Spenser.

METHIONATE
Me*thi"on*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of methionic acid.

METHIONIC
Meth`i*on"ic, a. Etym: [Methyl + thionic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic (thionic) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH2.(SO3H)2, which forms well defined salts.

METHOD Meth"od, n. Etym: [F. méthode, L. methodus, fr. Gr. meqodos method, investigation following after; meta` after + "odo`s way.]

1. An orderly procedure or process; regular manner of doing anything; hence, manner; way; mode; as, a method of teaching languages; a method of improving the mind. Addison.

2. Orderly arrangement, elucidation, development, or classification; clear and lucid exhibition; systematic arrangement peculiar to an individual. Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. Shak. All method is a rational progress, a progress toward an end. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Classification; a mode or system of classifying natural objects according to certain common characteristics; as, the method of Theophrastus; the method of Ray; the Linnæan method.

Syn. — Order; system; rule; regularity; way; manner; mode; course; process; means. — Method, Mode, Manner. Method implies arrangement; mode, mere action or existence. Method is a way of reaching a given end by a series of acts which tend to secmode relates to a single action, or to the form which a series of acts, viewed as a whole, exhibits. Manner is literally the handling of a thing, and has a wider sense, embracing both method and mode. An instructor may adopt a good method of teaching to write; the scholar may acquire a bad mode of holding his pen; the manner in which he is corrected will greatly affect his success or failure.

METHODIC; METHODICAL
Me*thod"ic, Me*thod"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. methodicus, Gr. méthodique.]

1. Arranged with regard to method; disposed in a suitable manner, or in a manner to illustrate a subject, or to facilitate practical observation; as, the methodical arrangement of arguments; a methodical treatise. "Methodical regularity." Addison.

2. Proceeding with regard to method; systematic. "Aristotle, strict, methodic, and orderly." Harris.

3. Of or pertaining to the ancient school of physicians called
methodists. Johnson.
— Me*thod"ic*al*ly, adv.
— Me*thod"ic*al*ness, n.

METHODIOS
Me*thod"ios, n.

Defn: The art and principles of method.

METHODISM
Meth"o*dism, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: The system of doctrines, polity, and worship, of the sect called Methodists. Bp. Warburton.

METHODIST
Meth"o*dist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. méthodiste. See Method.]

1. One who observes method. [Obs.]

2. One of an ancient school of physicians who rejected observation and founded their practice on reasoning and theory. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Theol.)

Defn: One of a sect of Christians, the outgrowth of a small association called the "Holy Club," formed at Oxford University, A.D. 1729, of which the most conspicuous members were John Wesley and his brother Charles; — originally so called from the methodical strictness of members of the club in all religious duties.

4. A person of strict piety; one who lives in the exact observance of religious duties; — sometimes so called in contempt or ridicule.

METHODIST
Meth"o*dist, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sect of Methodists; as, Methodist hymns; a Methodist elder.

METHODISTIC; METHODISTICAL
Meth`o*dis"tic, Meth`o*dis"tic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to methodists, or to the Methodists.
— Meth`o*dis"tic*al*ly, adv.

METHODIZATION
Meth`od*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of methodizing, or the state of being methodized.

METHODIZE
Meth"od*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Methodized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Methodizing.]

Defn: To reduce to method; to dispose in due order; to arrange in a convenient manner; as, to methodize one's work or thoughts. Spectator.

METHODIZER
Meth"od*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who methodizes.

METHODOLOGICAL
Meth`od*o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to methodology.

METHODOLOGY
Meth`od*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The science of method or arrangement; a treatise on method.
Coleridge.

METHOL
Meth"ol, n. Etym: [Gr. -ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: The technical name of methyl alcohol or wood spirit; also, by extension, the class name of any of the series of alcohols of the methane series of which methol proper is the type. See Methyl alcohol, under Methyl.

METHOUGHT
Me*thought", imp.

Defn: of Methinks.

METHOXYL
Meth*ox"yl, n. Etym: [Methyl + hydroxyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hypothetical radical, CH3O, analogous to hydroxyl.

METHYL
Meth"yl, n. Etym: [See Methylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon radical, CH3, not existing alone but regarded as an essential residue of methane, and appearing as a component part of many derivatives; as, methyl alcohol, methyl ether, methyl amine, etc. [Formerly written also methule, methyle, etc.] Methyl alcohol (Chem.), a light, volatile, inflammable liquid, CH3.OH, obtained by the distillation of wood, and hence called wood spirit; — called also methol, carbinol, etc. — Methyl amine (Chem.), a colorless, inflammable, alkaline gas, CH3.NH2, having an ammoniacal, fishy odor. It is produced artificially, and also occurs naturally in herring brine and other fishy products. It is regarded as ammonia in which a third of its hydrogen is replaced by methyl, and is a type of the class of substituted ammonias. — Methyl ether (Chem.), a light, volatile ether CH3.O.CH3, obtained by the etherification of methyl alcohol; — called also methyl oxide. — Methyl green. (Chem.) See under Green, n. — Methyl orange. (Chem.) See Helianthin. — Methyl violet (Chem.), an artificial dye, consisting of certain methyl halogen derivatives of rosaniline.

METHYLAL
Meth"yl*al, n. Etym: [Methylene + alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light, volatile liquid, H2C(OCH3)2, regarded as a complex ether, and having a pleasant ethereal odor. It is obtained by the partial oxidation of methyl alcohol. Called also formal.

METHYLAMINE
Meth`yl*am"ine ( or ), n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Methyl amine, under Methyl.

METHYLATE
Meth"yl*ate, n. Etym: [Methyl + alcoholate.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alcoholate of methyl alcohol in which the hydroxyl hydrogen is replaced by a metal, after the analogy of a hydrate; as, sodium methylate, CH3ONa.

METHYLATE
Meth"yl*ate, v. t.

Defn: To impregnate or mix with methyl or methyl alcohol.

METHYLATED
Meth"yl*a`ted, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Impregnated with, or containing, methyl alcohol or wood spirit; as, methylated spirits.

METHYLENE
Meth"yl*ene, n. Etym: [F. méthylène, from Gr. wood spirit.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon radical, CH2, not known in the free state, but regarded as an essential residue and component of certain derivatives of methane; as, methylene bromide, CH2Br2; — formerly called also methene. Methylene blue (Chem.), an artificial dyestuff consisting of a complex sulphur derivative of diphenyl amine; — called also pure blue.

METHYLIC
Me*thyl"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, methyl; specifically, designating methyl alcohol. See under Methyl.

METHYSTICIN
Me*thys"ti*cin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white, silky, crystalline substance extracted from the thick rootstock of a species of pepper (Piper methysticum) of the South Sea Islands; — called also kanakin.

METIC
Met"ic ( or ; 277), n. Etym: [Gr. metoecus, F. métèque.] (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A sojourner; an immigrant; an alien resident in a Grecian city, but not a citizen. Mitford. The whole force of Athens, metics as well as citizens, and all the strangers who were then in the city. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

METICULOUS Me*tic"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. meticulosus, fr. metus fear: cf. F. méticuleux.]

Defn: Timid; fearful.
— Me*tic"u*lous*ly, adv.

METIER
Mé`tier", n. [F.]

Defn: Calling; vocation; business; trade.

Not only is it the business of no one to preach the truth but it is the métier of many to conceal it. A. R. Colquhoun.

METIF; METIVE
Mé`tif", n. m. Mé`tive", n. f.Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Métis.

METIS; METISSE
Mé`tis", n. m. Mé`tisse", n. f.Etym: [F.; akin to Sp. mestizo. See
Mestizo.]

1. The offspring of a white person and an American Indian.

2. The offspring of a white person and a quadroon; an octoroon. [Local, U. S.] Bartlett.

METOCHE Met"o*che, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Arch.) (a) The space between two dentils. (b) The space between two triglyphs.

METOL
Me"tol, n. [G.; trade name, fr. meta- + kresol cresol.]

Defn: A whitish soluble powder used as a developer in photography.
Chemically, it is the sulphate of methyl-p-amino-m-cresol.

METONIC
Me*ton"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métonique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or discovered by, Meton, the Athenian. Metonic cycle or year. (Astron.) See under Cycle.

METONYMIC; METONYMICAL
Met`o*nym"ic, Met`o*nym"ic*al, a. Etym: [See Metonymy.]

Defn: Used by way of metonymy.
— Met`o*nym"ic*al*ly, adv.

METONYMY
Me*ton"y*my, n. Etym: [L. metonymia, Gr. métonymie. See Name.]
(Rhet.)

Defn: A trope in which one word is put for another that suggests it; as, we say, a man keeps a good table instead of good provisions; we read Virgil, that is, his poems; a man has a warm heart, that is, warm affections.

METOPE
Met"o*pe, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. (Arch.)

Defn: The space between two triglyphs of the Doric frieze, which, among the ancients, was often adorned with carved work. See Illust. of Entablature.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The face of a crab.

Note: In the Parthenon, groups of centaurs and heroes in high relief occupy the metopes.

METOPIC
Me*top"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the forehead or frontal bones; frontal; as, the metopic suture.

METOPOMANCY
Met"o*po*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]

Defn: Fortune telling by physiognomy. [R.] Urquhart.

METOPOSCOPIC; METOPOSCOPICAL
Met`o*po*scop"ic, Met`o*po*scop"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to metoposcopy.

METOPOSCOPIST
Met`o*pos"co*pist, n.

Defn: One versed in metoposcopy.

METOPOSCOPY
Met`o*pos"co*py, n. Etym: [Gr. métoposcopie.]

Defn: The study of physiognomy; the art of discovering the character of persons by their features, or the lines of the face.

METOSTEON
Me*tos"te*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The postero-lateral ossification in the sternum of birds; also, the part resulting from such ossification.

METRE
Me"tre, n.

Defn: See Meter.

METRIC
Met"ric, a. Etym: [L. metricus, Gr. métrique. See Meter rhythm.]

1. Relating to measurement; involving, or proceeding by, measurement.

2. Of or pertaining to the meter as a standard of measurement; of or pertaining to the decimal system of measurement of which a meter is the unit; as, the metric system; a metric measurement. Metric analysis (Chem.), analysis by volume; volumetric analysis. — Metric system, a system of weights and measures originating in France, the use of which is required by law in many countries, and permitted in many others, including the United States and England. The principal unit is the meter (see Meter). From this are formed the are, the liter, the stere, the gram, etc. These units, and others derived from them, are divided decimally, and larger units are formed from multiples by 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000. The successive multiplies are designated by the prefixes, deca-, hecto-, kilo-, and myria-; successive parts by deci-, centi-, and milli-. The prefixes mega- and micro- are sometimes used to denote a multiple by one million, and the millionth part, respectively. See the words formed with these prefixes in the Vocabulary. For metric tables, see p. 1682.

METRICAL
Met"ric*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to the meter; arranged in meter; consisting of verses; as, metrical compositions.

2. Of or pertaining to measurement; as, the inch, foot, yard, etc., are metrical terms; esp., of or pertaining to the metric system.

METRICALLY
Met"ric*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metrical manner.

METRICIAN
Me*tri"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métricien. See Meter rhythm.]

Defn: A composer of verses. [Obs.]

METRIC SYSTEM
Met"ric sys"tem.

Defn: See Metric, a.

METRIC TON
Met"ric ton.

Defn: A weight of 1,000 kilograms, or 2,204.6 pounds avoirdupois.

METRIFICATION
Met`ri*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: Composition in metrical form; versification. [R.] Tennyson.

METRIFY
Met"ri*fy, v. i. Etym: [L. metrum meter + -fy: cf. F. métrifier.]

Defn: To make verse. [R.] Skelton.

METRIST
Me"trist, n.

Defn: A maker of verses. Bale.
Spenser was no mere metrist, but a great composer. Lowell.

METRITIS
Me*tri"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -tis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the womb.

METROCHROME
Met"ro*chrome, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An instrument for measuring colors.

METROGRAPH
Met"ro*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.]

Defn: An instrument attached to a locomotive for recording its speed and the number and duration of its stops.

METROLOGICAL
Met`ro*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métrologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metrology.

METROLOGY
Me*trol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -métrologie.]

Defn: The science of, or a system of, weights and measures; also, a treatise on the subject.

METROMANIA
Met`ro*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [Gr. mania.]

Defn: A mania for writing verses.

METROMANIAC
Met`ro*ma"ni*ac, n.

Defn: One who has metromania.

METROMETER
Me*trom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Med.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the size of the womb. Knight.

METRONOME
Met"ro*nome, n. Etym: [Gr. métronome, It. metronomo.]

Defn: An instrument consisting of a short pendulum with a sliding weight. It is set in motion by clockwork, and serves to measure time in music.

METRONOMY
Me*tron"o*my, n. Etym: [See Metronome.]

Defn: Measurement of time by an instrument.

METRONYMIC
Met`ro*nym"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Derived from the name of one's mother, or other female ancestor; as, a metronymic name or appellation. — A metronymic appellation.

METROPOLE
Met"ro*pole, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métropole. See Metropolis.]

Defn: A metropolis. [Obs.] Holinshed.

METROPOLIS
Me*trop"o*lis, n. Etym: [L. metropolis, Gr. Mother, and Police.]

1. The mother city; the chief city of a kingdom, state, or country. [Edinburgh] gray metropolis of the North. Tennyson.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: The seat, or see, of the metropolitan, or highest church
dignitary.
The great metropolis and see of Rome. Shak.

METROPOLITAN
Met`ro*pol"i*tan, a. Etym: [L. metropolitanus: cf. F. métropolitain.]

1. Of or pertaining to the capital or principal city of a country; as, metropolitan luxury.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a metropolitan or the presiding bishop of a country or province, his office, or his dignity; as, metropolitan authority. "Bishops metropolitan." Sir T. More.

METROPOLITAN
Met`ro*pol"i*tan, n. Etym: [LL. metropolitanus.]

1. The superior or presiding bishop of a country or province.

2. (Lat. Church.)

Defn: An archbishop.

3. (Gr. Church)

Defn: A bishop whose see is civil metropolis. His rank is intermediate between that of an archbishop and a patriarch. Hook.

METROPOLITANATE
Met`ro*pol"i*tan*ate, n.

Defn: The see of a metropolitan bishop. Milman.

METROPOLITE
Me*trop"o*lite, n. Etym: [L. metropolita, Gr.

Defn: A metropolitan. Barrow.

METROPOLITICAL
Met`ro*po*lit"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a metropolis; being a metropolis; metropolitan; as, the metropolitical chair. Bp. Hall.

METRORRHAGIA
Met`ror*rha"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Profuse bleeding from the womb, esp. such as does not occur at the menstrual period.

METROSCOPE
Met"ro*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope.]

Defn: A modification of the stethoscope, for directly auscultating the uterus from the vagina.

METROSIDEROS
Met`ro*si*de"ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A myrtaceous genus of trees or shrubs, found in Australia and the South Sea Islands, and having very hard wood. Metrosideros vera is the true ironwood.

METROTOME
Met"ro*tome, n. Etym: [See Metrotomy.] (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for cutting or scarifying the uterus or the neck of the uterus.

METROTOMY
Me*trot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. métrotomie.] (Surg.)

Defn: The operation of cutting into the uterus; hysterotomy; the
Cæsarean section.

-METRY -me*try. Etym: [See -meter.]

Defn: A suffix denoting the art, process, or science, of measuring; as, acidmetry, chlorometry, chronometry.

METTE
Mette, obs. imp.

Defn: of Mete, to dream. Chaucer.

METTLE Met"tle, n. Etym: [E. metal, used in a tropical sense in allusion to the temper of the metal of a sword blade. See Metal.]

Defn: Substance or quality of temperament; spirit, esp. as regards honor, courage, fortitude, ardor, etc.; disposition; — usually in a good sense. A certain critical hour which shall… try what mettle his heart is made of. South. Gentlemen of brave mettle. Shak. The winged courser, like a generous horse, Shows most true mettle when you check his course. Pope. To put one one's mettle, to cause or incite one to use one's best efforts.

METTLED
Met"tled, a.

Defn: Having mettle; high-spirited; ardent; full of fire. Addison.

METTLESOME
Met"tle*some, a.

Defn: Full of spirit; possessing constitutional ardor; fiery; as, a
mettlesome horse.
— Met"tle*some*ly, adv.
— Met"tle*some*ness, n.

MEUM
Me"um, n. [L., neut. of meus mine.]

Defn: Lit., mine; that which is mine; — used in the phrase meum et tuum, or meum and tuum; as, to confound meum and tuum, to fail to distinguish one's own property from that of others; to be dishonest.

Ancestors . . . generally esteemed more renowned for ancient family and high courage than for accurately regarding the trifling distinction of meum and tuum. Sir W. Scott.

MEUTE
Meute, n.

Defn: A cage for hawks; a mew. See 4th Mew, 1. Milman.

MEVE
Meve, v. t. & i.

Defn: To move. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MEW
Mew, n. Etym: [AS. m, akin to D. meeuw, G. möwe, OHG. m, Icel. mar.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A gull, esp. the common British species (Larus canus); called also sea mew, maa, mar, mow, and cobb.

MEW Mew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mewing.] Etym: [OE. muen, F. muer, fr. L. mutare to change, fr. movere to move. See Move, and cf. Mew a cage, Molt.]

Defn: To shed or cast; to change; to molt; as, the hawk mewed his
feathers.
Nine times the moon had mewed her horns. Dryden.

MEW
Mew, v. i.

Defn: To cast the feathers; to molt; hence, to change; to put on a
new appearance.
Now everything doth mew, And shifts his rustic winter robe.
Turbervile.

MEW Mew, n. Etym: [OE. mue, F. mue change of feathers, scales, skin, the time or place when the change occurs, fr. muer to molt, mew, L. mutare to change. See 2d Mew.]

1. A cage for hawks while mewing; a coop for fattening fowls; hence, any inclosure; a place of confinement or shelter; — in the latter sense usually in the plural. Full many a fat partrich had he in mewe. Chaucer. Forthcoming from her darksome mew. Spenser. Violets in their secret mews. Wordsworth.

2. A stable or range of stables for horses; — compound used in the plural, and so called from the royal stables in London, built on the site of the king's mews for hawks.

MEW
Mew, v. t. Etym: [From Mew a cage.]

Defn: To shut up; to inclose; to confine, as in a cage or other
inclosure.
More pity that the eagle should be mewed. Shak.
Close mewed in their sedans, for fear of air. Dryden.

MEW
Mew, v. i. Etym: [Of imitative origin; cf. G. miauen.]

Defn: To cry as a cat. [Written also meaw, meow.] Shak.

MEW
Mew, n.

Defn: The common cry of a cat. Shak.

MEWL
Mewl, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mewled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mewling.] Etym:
[Cf. F. miauler to mew, E. mew to cry as a cat. Cf. Miaul.]

Defn: To cry, as a young child; to squall. [Written also meawl.]
Shak.

MEWLER
Mewl"er, n.

Defn: One that mewls.

MEWS
Mews, n. sing. & pl. Etym: [Prop. pl. of mew. See Mew a cage.]

Defn: An alley where there are stables; a narrow passage; a confined
place. [Eng.]
Mr. Turveydrop's great room… was built out into a mews at the back.
Dickens.

MEXAL; MEXICAL
Mex*al", Mex"i*cal, n. Etym: [Sp. mexcal.]

Defn: See Mescal.

MEXICAN
Mex"i*can, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Mexico or its people.
— n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Mexico. Mexican poppy (Bot.), a tropical American herb of the Poppy family (Argemone Mexicana) with much the look of a thistle, but having large yellow or white blossoms. — Mexican tea (Bot.), an aromatic kind of pigweed from tropical America (Chenopodium ambrosioides).

MEXICANIZE
Mex"i*can*ize, v. t.

Defn: To cause to be like the Mexicans, or their country, esp. in respect of frequent revolutions of government.

MEXICANIZE
Mex"i*can*ize, v. i.

Defn: To become like the Mexicans, or their country or government.

MEYNE
Meyn"e, n. [Obs.]

Defn: Same as Meine.

MEZCAL
Mez*cal", n.

Defn: Same as Mescal.

MEZEREON
Me*ze"re*on, n. Etym: [F. mézéréon, Per. mazriyun.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small European shrub (Daphne Mezereum), whose acrid bark is used in medicine.

MEZQUITA
Mez*qui"ta, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A mosque.

MEZUZOTH
Mez"u*zoth, n. Etym: [Heb. mêzuzoth, pl. of mêzuzah doorpost.]

Defn: A piece of parchment bearing the Decalogue and attached to the doorpost; — in use among orthodox Hebrews.

MEZZA MAJOLICA
Mez"za ma*jol"i*ca. [It. See Mezzo; Majolica.] (Ceramics)

Defn: Italian pottery of the epoch and general character of majolica, but less brilliantly decorated, esp. such pottery without tin enamel, but painted and glazed.

MEZZANINE Mez"za*nine, n. Etym: [F. mezzanine, It. mezzanino, fr. mezzano middle, fr. mezzo middle, half. See Mezzo.] (Arch.) (a) Same as Entresol. (b) A partial story which is not on the same level with the story of the main part of the edifice, as of a back building, where the floors are on a level with landings of the staircase of the main house.

MEZZA VOCE Mez"za vo"ce. Etym: [It., fr. mezzo, fem. mezza middle, half + voce voice, L. vox.] (Mus.)

Defn: With a medium fullness of sound.

MEZZO
Mez"zo, a. Etym: [It., from L. medius middle, half. See Mid, a.]
(Mus.)

Defn: Mean; not extreme.

MEZZO-RELIEVO
Mez"zo-re*lie"vo, n.

Defn: Mezzo-rilievo.

MEZZO-RILIEVO Mez"zo-ri*lie"vo, n. Etym: [It.] (a) A middle degree of relief in figures, between high and low relief. (b) Sculpture in this kind of relief. See under Alto-rilievo.

MEZZO-SOPRANO
Mez"zo-so*pra"no, a. (Mus.)

Defn: Having a medium compass between the soprano and contralto; — said of the voice of a female singer. — n. (a) A mezzo-soprano voice. (b) A person having such a voice.

MEZZOTINT
Mez"zo*tint, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mezzo-tinto.]

Defn: A manner of engraving on copper or steel by drawing upon a surface previously roughened, and then removing the roughness in places by scraping, burnishing, etc., so as to produce the requisite light and shade. Also, an engraving so produced.

MEZZOTINT
Mez"zo*tint, v. t.

Defn: To engrave in mezzotint.

MEZZOTINTER
Mez"zo*tint`er, n.

Defn: One who engraves in mezzotint.

MEZZOTINTO Mez`zo*tin"to, n. Etym: [It. mezzo half + tinto tinted, p. p. of tingere to dye, color, tinge, L. tingere. See Mezzo.]

Defn: Mezzotint.

MEZZOTINTO
Mez`zo*tin"to, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mezzotintoed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mezzotintoing.]

Defn: To engrave in mezzotint; to represent by mezzotint.

MHO
Mho, n. [Anagram of ohm.] (Elec.)

Defn: A unit of conductivity, being the reciprocal of the ohm.

MHOMETER
Mhom"e*ter, n. [Mho + -meter.] (Elec.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring conductivity.

MHORR
Mhorr, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mohr.

MI
Mi, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: A syllable applied to the third tone of the scale of C, i. e., to E, in European solmization, but to the third tone of any scale in the American system.

MIAMIS
Mi*a"mis, n. pl.; sing. Miami (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians that formerly occupied the country between the Wabash and Maumee rivers.

MIARGYRITE
Mi*ar"gy*rite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of an iron-black color, and very sectile, consisting principally of sulphur, antimony, and silver.

MIAS
Mi"as, n. Etym: [Malayan.]

Defn: The orang-outang.

MIASCITE
Mi*asc"ite, n. Etym: [Named from Miask, in the Ural Mountains.]
(Min.)

Defn: A granitoid rock containing feldspar, biotite, elæolite, and sodalite.

MIASM
Mi"asm, n. Etym: [Cf. F. miasme.]

Defn: Miasma.

MIASMA
Mi*as"ma, n.; pl. Miasmata. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Infectious particles or germs floating in the air; air made noxious by the presence of such particles or germs; noxious effluvia; malaria.

MIASMAL
Mi*as"mal, a.

Defn: Containing miasma; miasmatic.

MIASMATIC; MIASMATICAL
Mi`as*mat"ic, Mi`as*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. miasmatique.]

Defn: Containing, or relating to, miasma; caused by miasma; as, miasmatic diseases.

MIASMATIST
Mi*as"ma*tist, n.

Defn: One who has made a special study of miasma.

MIASMOLOGY
Mi`as*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Miasma + -logy.]

Defn: That department of medical science which treats of miasma.

MIAUL
Mi*aul", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Miauled; p. pr. & vb. n. Miauling.]
Etym: [Cf. F. miauler, of imitative origin, and E. mew. Cf. Mewl.]

Defn: To cry as a cat; to mew; to caterwaul. Sir W. Scott.

MIAUL
Mi*aul", n.

Defn: The crying of a cat.

MICA
Mi"ca, n. Etym: [L. mica crumb, grain, particle; cf. F. mica.] (Min.)

Defn: The name of a group of minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic. They differ widely in composition, and vary in color from pale brown or yellow to green or black. The transparent forms are used in lanterns, the doors of stoves, etc., being popularly called isinglass. Formerly called also cat-silver, and glimmer.

Note: The important species of the mica group are: muscovite, common or potash mica, pale brown or green, often silvery, including damourite (also called hydromica); biotite, iron-magnesia mica, dark brown, green, or black; lepidomelane, iron, mica, black; phlogopite, magnesia mica, colorless, yellow, brown; lepidolite, lithia mica, rose-red, lilac. Mica (usually muscovite, also biotite) is an essential constituent of granite, gneiss, and mica slate; biotite is common in many eruptive rocks; phlogopite in crystalline limestone and serpentine. Mica diorite (Min.), an eruptive rock allied to diorite but containing mica (biotite) instead of hornblende. — Mica powder, a kind of dynamite containing fine scales of mica. — Mica schist, Mica slate (Geol.), a schistose rock, consisting of mica and quartz with, usually, some feldspar.

MICACEO-CALCAREOUS
Mi*ca`ce*o-cal*ca"re*ous, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Partaking of the nature of, or consisting of, mica and lime; — applied to a mica schist containing carbonate of lime.

MICACEOUS
Mi*ca"ceous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. micacé.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, mica; splitting into laminæ or leaves like mica.

MICE
Mice, n.,

Defn: pl of Mouse.

MICELLA Mi*cel"la, n.; pl. Micellæ. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. mica a morsel, grain.] (Biol.)

Defn: A theoretical aggregation of molecules constituting a structural particle of protoplasm, capable of increase or diminution without change in chemical nature.

MICH; MICHE
Mich, Miche, v. i. Etym: [OE. michen; cf. OE. muchier, mucier, to
conceal, F. musser, and OHG. muhhen to waylay. Cf. Micher,
Curmudgeon, Muset.]

Defn: To lie hid; to skulk; to act, or carry one's self, sneakingly.
[Obs. or Colloq.] [Written also meach and meech.] Spenser.

MICHAELMAS
Mich"ael*mas, n. Etym: [Michael + mass religious service; OE.
Mighelmesse.]

Defn: The feat of the archangel Michael, a church festival, celebrated on the 29th of September. Hence, colloquially, autumn. Michaelmas daisy. (Bot.) See under Daisy.

MICHER
Mich"er, n. Etym: [OE. michare, muchare. See Mich.]

Defn: One who skulks, or keeps out of sight; hence, a truant; an idler; a thief, etc. [Obs.] Shak.

MICHERY
Mich"er*y, n.

Defn: Theft; cheating. [Obs.] Gower.

MICHING
Mich"ing, a.

Defn: Hiding; skulking; cowardly. [Colloq.] [Written also meaching and meeching.]

MICKLE
Mic"kle, a. Etym: [OE. mikel, muchel, mochel, mukel, AS. micel,
mycel; akin to OS. mikil, OHG. mihil, mihhil, Icel. mikill, mykill,
Goth. mikils, L. magnus, Gr. mahat. sq. root103. Cf. Much, Muckle,
Magnitude.]

Defn: Much; great. [Written also muckle and mockle.] [Old Eng. &
Scot.] "A man of mickle might." Spenser.

MICMACS
Mic"macs, n. pl.; sing. Micmac (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians inhabiting Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
[Written also Mikmaks.]

MICO
Mi"co, n. Etym: [Sp. or Pg. mico.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small South American monkey (Mico melanurus), allied to the marmoset. The name was originally applied to an albino variety.

MICRACOUSTIC
Mi`cra*cous"tic, a.

Defn: Same as Microustic.

MICRASTER
Mi*cras"ter, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of sea urchins, similar to Spatangus, abounding in the chalk formation; — from the starlike disposal of the ambulacral furrows.

MICRENCEPHALOUS
Mi`cren*ceph"a*lous, Etym: [Micr- + Gr.

Defn: Having a small brain.

MICRO-; MICR-
Mi"cro-, Mi"cr-. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form signifying: (a) Small, little, trivial, slight; as, microcosm, microscope. (b) (Metric System, Elec., Mech., etc.) A millionth part of; as, microfarad, microohm, micrometer.

MICROAMPERE
Mi`cro*am`père", n. Etym: [Micr- + ampère.] (Elec.)

Defn: One of the smaller measures of electrical currents; the millionth part of one ampère.

MICROANALYSIS
Mi`cro*a*nal"y*sis, n. [Micro-+ analysis.]

Defn: Analysis of the structure of materials from careful observation of photomicrographs.

MICROBACTERIA
Mi`cro*bac*te"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Micro-, and Bacterium.]
(Biol.)

Defn: In the classification of Cohn, one of the four tribes of
Bacteria.

Note: In this classification bacteria are divided into four tribes: 1. Spherobacteria, or spherical bacteria, as the genus Micrococcus. 2. Microbacteria, or bacteria in the form of short rods, including the genus Bacterium. 3. Desmobacteria, or bacteria in straight filaments, of which the genus Bacillus is a type. 4. Spirobacteria, or bacteria in spiral filaments, as the genus Vibrio.

MICROBAROGRAPH
Mi`cro*bar"o*graph, n. [Micro-+ barograph.]

Defn: An instrument for recording minor fluctuations of atmospheric pressure, as opposed to general barometric surges.

MICROBE; MICROBION
Mi"crobe, Mi*cro"bi*on, n. Etym: [NL. microbion, fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A microscopic organism; — particularly applied to bacteria and especially to pathogenic forms; as, the microbe of fowl cholera.

MICROBIAN
Mi*cro"bi*an, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or caused by, microbes; as, the microbian theory; a microbian disease.

MICROBIC
Mi*crob"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a microbe.

MICROBICIDE
Mi*crob"i*cide, n. Etym: [Microbe + L. caedere to kill.] (Biol.)

Defn: Any agent detrimental to, or destructive of, the life of microbes or bacterial organisms.

MICROBIOLOGY
Mi`cro*bi*ol"o*gy, n. [See Microbe; -logy.]

Defn: The study of minute organisms, or microbes, as the bacteria. —
Mi`cro*bi`o*log"ic*al (#), a. — Mi`cro*bi*ol"o*gist (#), n.

MICROCEPHALIC; MICROCEPHALOUS Mi`cro*ce*phal"ic, Mi`cro*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Micro- + cephalic, cephalous.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having a small head; having the cranial cavity small; — opposed to Ant: megacephalic.

MICRO-CHEMICAL
Mi`cro-chem"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to micro-chemistry; as, a micro-chemical test.

MICRO-CHEMISTRY
Mi`cro-chem"is*try, n. Etym: [Micro- + chemistry.]

Defn: The application of chemical tests to minute objects or portions of matter, magnified by the use of the microscopy; — distinguished from macro-chemistry.

MICROCHRONOMETER
Mi`cro*chro*nom"e*ter, n.

Defn: A chronoscope.

MICROCLINE
Mi"cro*cline, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral of the feldspar group, like orthoclase or common feldspar in composition, but triclinic in form.

MICROCOCCAL
Mi`cro*coc"cal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to micrococci; caused by micrococci. Nature.

MICROCOCCUS
Mi`cro*coc"cus, n.; pl. Micrococci. Etym: [NL. See Micro-, and
Coccus.] (Biol.)

Defn: A genus of Spherobacteria, in the form of very small globular or oval cells, forming, by transverse division, filaments, or chains of cells, or in some cases single organisms shaped like dumb-bells (Diplococcus), all without the power of motion. See Illust. of Ascoccus.

Note: Physiologically, micrococci are divided into three groups; chromogenic, characterized by their power of forming pigment; zymogenic, including those associated with definite chemical processes; and pathogenic, those connected with disease.

MICROCOSM
Mi"cro*cosm, n. Etym: [F. microcosme, L. microcosmus, fr. Gr.

Defn: A little world; a miniature universe. Hence (so called by Paracelsus), a man, as a supposed epitome of the exterior universe or great world. Opposed to macrocosm. Shak.

MICROCOSMIC; MICROCOSMICAL
Mi`cro*cos"mic, Mi`cro*cos"mic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. microcosmique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the microcosm. Microcosmic salt (Chem.), a white crystalline substance obtained by mixing solutions of sodium phosphate and ammonium phosphate, and also called hydric-sodic- ammonic-phosphate. It is a powerful flux, and is used as a substitute for borax as a blowpipe reagent in testing for the metallic oxides. Originally obtained by the alchemists from human urine, and called sal microcosmicum.

MICROCOSMOGRAPHY
Mi`cro*cos*mog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Microcosm + -graphy.]

Defn: Description of man as a microcosm.

MICROCOULOMB
Mi`cro*cou`lomb", n. Etym: [Micro- + coulomb.] (Elec.)

Defn: A measure of electrical quantity; the millionth part of one coulomb.

MICROCOUSTIC Mi`cro*cous"tic, a. Etym: [Micro- + acoustic: cf. F. microcoustique, micracoustique.]

Defn: Pertaining, or suited, to the audition of small sounds; fitted to assist hearing.

MICROCOUSTIC
Mi`cro*cous"tic, n.

Defn: An instrument for making faint sounds audible, as to a partially deaf person.

MICROCRITH
Mi`cro*crith", n. Etym: [Micro- + crith.] (Chem.)

Defn: The weight of the half hydrogen molecule, or of the hydrogen atom, taken as the standard in comparing the atomic weights of the elements; thus, an atom of oxygen weighs sixteen microcriths. See Crith. J. P. Cooke.

MICROCRYSTALLINE
Mi`cro*crys"tal*line, a. Etym: [Micro- + crystalline.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: Crystalline on a fine, or microscopic, scale; consisting of fine crystals; as, the ground mass of certain porphyrics is microcrystalline.

MICROCYTE
Mi"cro*cyte, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: One of the elementary granules found in blood. They are much smaller than an ordinary corpuscle, and are particularly noticeable in disease, as in anæmia.

MICRODONT
Mic"ro*dont, a. Etym: [Micr- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having small teeth.

MICROFARAD
Mi`cro*far"ad, n. Etym: [Micro- + farad.] (Elec.)

Defn: The millionth part of a farad.

MICROFORM
Mi"cro*form, n. Etym: [Micro- + form, n.] (Biol.)

Defn: A microscopic form of life; an animal or vegetable organism microscopic size.

MICRO-GEOLOGICAL
Mi`cro-ge`o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to micro-geology.

MICRO-GEOLOGY
Mi`cro-ge*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Micro- + geology.]

Defn: The part of geology relating to structure and organisms which require to be studied with a microscope.

MICROGRAPH
Mi"cro*graph, n. Etym: [See Micrography.]

Defn: An instrument for executing minute writing or engraving.

MICROGRAPHIC
Mi`cro*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to micrography.

MICROGRAPHY
Mi*crog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Micro- + -graphy: cf. F. micrographie.]

Defn: The description of microscopic objects.

MICROHM
Mi*crohm", n. Etym: [Micr- + ohm.] (Elec.)

Defn: The millionth part of an ohm.

MICROLEPIDOPTERA
Mi`cro*lep`i*dop"te*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Micro-, and
Lepidoptera.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tribe of Lepidoptera, including a vast number of minute species, as the plume moth, clothes moth, etc.

MICROLESTES
Mi`cro*les"tes, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of small Triassic mammals, the oldest yet found in European strata.

MICROLITE
Mi"cro*lite, n. Etym: [Micro- + -lite.] (Min.)

1. A rare mineral of resinous luster and high specific gravity. It is a tantalate of calcium, and occurs in octahedral crystals usually very minute.

2. (Min.)

Defn: A minute inclosed crystal, often observed when minerals or rocks are examined in thin sections under the microscope.

MICROLITH
Mi"cro*lith, n. Etym: [Micro- + lith.] (Min.)

Defn: Same as Microlite, 2.

MICROLITHIC
Mi`cro*lith"ic, a.

Defn: Formed of small stones.

MICROLOGIC; MICROLOGICAL
Mi`cro*log"ic, Mi`cro*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to micrology; very minute; as, micrologic
examination.
— Mi`cro*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

MICROLOGY
Mi*crol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Micro- + -logy.]

1. That part of science which treats of microscopic objects, or depends on microscopic observation.

2. Attention to petty items or differences. W. Taylor.

MICROMERE
Mi"cro*mere, n. Etym: [Micro- + -mere.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of the smaller cells, or blastomeres, resulting from the complete segmentation of a telolecithal ovum.

MICROMETER
Mi*crom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Micro- + -meter: cf. F. micromètre.]

Defn: An instrument, used with a telescope or microscope, for measuring minute distances, or the apparent diameters of objects which subtend minute angles. The measurement given directly is that of the image of the object formed at the focus of the object glass. Circular, or Ring, micrometer, a metallic ring fixed in the focus of the object glass of a telescope, and used to determine differences of right ascension and declination between stars by observations of the times at which the stars cross the inner or outer periphery of the ring. — Double image micrometer, a micrometer in which two images of an object are formed in the field, usually by the two halves of a bisected lens which are movable along their line of section by a screw, and distances are determined by the number of screw revolutions necessary to bring the points to be measured into optical coincidence. When the two images are formed by a bisected objects glass, it is called a divided-object-glass micrometer, and when the instrument is large and equatorially mounted, it is known as a heliometer. — Double refraction micrometer, a species of double image micrometer, in which the two images are formed by the double refraction of rock crystal. — Filar, or Bifilar, micrometer. See under Bifilar. — Micrometer caliper or gauge (Mech.), a caliper or gauge with a micrometer screw, for measuring dimensions with great accuracy. — Micrometer head, the head of a micrometer screw. — Micrometer microscope, a compound microscope combined with a filar micrometer, used chiefly for reading and subdividing the divisions of large astronomical and geodetical instruments. — Micrometer screw, a screw with a graduated head used in some forms of micrometers. — Position micrometer. See under Position. — Scale, or Linear, micrometer, a minute and very delicately graduated scale of equal parts used in the field of a telescope or microscope, for measuring distances by direct comparison.

MICROMETRIC; MICROMETRICAL
Mi`cro*met"ric, Mi`cro*met"ric*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. micrométrique.]

Defn: Belonging to micrometry; made by the micrometer.
— Mi`cro*met"ric*al*ly, adv.

MICROMETRY
Mi*crom"e*try, n.

Defn: The art of measuring with a micrometer.

MICROMILLIMETER
Mi`cro*mil"li*me`ter, n. Etym: [Micro- + millimeter.]

Defn: The millionth part of a meter.

MICRON
Mic"ron, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Physics)

Defn: A measure of length; the thousandth part of one millimeter; the millionth part of a meter.

MICRONESIAN
Mi"cro*ne"sian, a. Etym: [From Micronesia, fr. Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Micronesia, a collective designation of the islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, embracing the Marshall and Gilbert groups, the Ladrones, the Carolines, etc.

MICRONESIANS
Mi`cro*ne"sians, n. pl.; sing. Micronesian. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A dark race inhabiting the Micronesian Islands. They are supposed to be a mixed race, derived from Polynesians and Papuans.

MICRONOMETER
Mi`cro*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Micro- + chronometer.]

Defn: An instrument for noting minute portions of time.

MICROORGANISM; MICRO-ORGANISM
Mi`cro*ör"gan*ism, n. Etym: [Micro- + organism.] (Biol.)

Defn: Any microscopic form of life; — particularly applied to bacteria and similar organisms, esp. such are supposed to cause infectious diseases.

MICROPANTOGRAPH
Mi`cro*pan"to*graph, n. Etym: [Micro- + pantograph.]

Defn: A kind of pantograph which produces copies microscopically minute.

MICROPARASITE
Mi`cro*par"a*site, n.

Defn: A parasitic microörganism. — Mi`cro*par`a*sit"ic (#), a.

MICROPEGMATITE
Mi`cro*peg"ma*tite, n. Etym: [Micro- + pegmatite.] (Min.)

Defn: A rock showing under the microscope the structure of a graphic
granite (pegmatite).
— Mi`cro*peg`ma*tit"ic, a.

MICROPHONE
Mi"cro*phone, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. microphone.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for intensifying and making audible very feeble sounds. It produces its effects by the changes of intensity in an electric current, occasioned by the variations in the contact resistance of conducting bodies, especially of imperfect conductors, under the action of acoustic vibrations.

MICROPHONIC
Mi`cro*phon"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pert. to a microphone; serving to intensify weak sounds.

MICROPHONICS
Mi`cro*phon"ics, n. Etym: [See Microphone.]

Defn: The science which treats of the means of increasing the intensity of low or weak sounds, or of the microphone.

MICROPHONOUS
Mi*croph"o*nous, a.

Defn: Serving to augment the intensity of weak sounds; microcoustic.

MICROPHOTOGRAPH
Mi`cro*pho"to*graph, n. Etym: [Micro- + photograph.]

1. A microscopically small photograph of a picture, writing, printed page, etc.

2. An enlarged representation of a microscopic object, produced by throwing upon a sensitive plate the magnified image of an object formed by a microscope or other suitable combination of lenses.

Note: A picture of this kind is preferably called a photomicrograph.

MICROPHOTOGRAPHY
Mi`cro*pho*tog"ra*phy, n.

Defn: The art of making microphotographs.

MICROPHTHALMIA; MICROPHTHALMY
Mi`croph*thal"mi*a, Mi`croph*thal"my, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr.

Defn: An unnatural smallness of the eyes, occurring as the result of disease or of imperfect development.

MICROPHYLLOUS
Mi*croph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Small-leaved.

MICROPHYTAL
Mi*croph"y*tal, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, microphytes.

MICROPHYTE
Mi"cro*phyte, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. microphyte.] (Bot.)

Defn: A very minute plant, one of certain unicellular algæ, such as the germs of various infectious diseases are believed to be.

MICROPYLE Mi"cro*pyle, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. micropyle.] (Biol.) (a) An opening in the membranes surrounding the ovum, by which nutrition is assisted and the entrance of the spermatozoa permitted. (b) An opening in the outer coat of a seed, through which the fecundating pollen enters the ovule. — Mi*crop"y*lar, a.

MICROSCOPAL
Mi*cros"co*pal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to microscopy, or to the use of the microscope.
Huxley.

MICROSCOPE
Mi"cro*scope, n. Etym: [Micro- + -scope.]

Defn: An optical instrument, consisting of a lens, or combination of lenses, for making an enlarged image of an object which is too minute to be viewed by the naked eye. Compound microscope, an instrument consisting of a combination of lenses such that the image formed by the lens or set of lenses nearest the object (called the objective) is magnified by another lens called the ocular or eyepiece. — Oxyhydrogen microscope, and Solar microscope. See under Oxyhydrogen, and Solar. — Simple, or Single, microscope, a single convex lens used to magnify objects placed in its focus.

MICROSCOPIAL
Mi`cro*sco"pi*al, a.

Defn: Microscopic. [R.] Berkeley.

MICROSCOPIC; MICROSCOPICAL
Mi`cro*scop"ic, Mi`cro*scop"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. microscopique.]

1. Of or pertaining to the microscope or to microscopy; made with a microscope; as, microscopic observation.

2. Able to see extremely minute objects. Why has not man a microscopic eye Pope.

3. Very small; visible only by the aid of a microscope; as, a microscopic insect.

MICROSCOPICALLY
Mi`cro*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: By the microscope; with minute inspection; in a microscopic manner.

MICROSCOPIST
Mi*cros"co*pist, n.

Defn: One skilled in, or given to, microscopy.

MICROSCOPY
Mi*cros"co*py, n.

Defn: The use of the microscope; investigation with the microscope.

MICROSEISM
Mi"cro*seism, n. [Micro- + Gr. an earthquake, fr. to shake.]

Defn: A feeble earth tremor not directly perceptible, but detected only by means of specially constructed apparatus. — Mi`cro*seis"mic (#), *seis"mic*al (#), a.

MICROSEISMOGRAPH
Mi`cro*seis"mo*graph, n. [Microseiem + -graph.]

Defn: A microseismometer; specif., a microseismometer producing a graphic record.

MICROSEISMOLOGY
Mi`cro*seis*mol"o*gy, n. [Microseiem + -logy.]

Defn: Science or study of microseisms.

MICROSEISMOMETER
Mi`cro*seis*mom"e*ter, n. [Microseism + -meter.]

Defn: A seismometer for measuring amplitudes or periods, or both, of microseisms. —Mi`cro*seis*mom"e*try (#), n.

MICROSEME
Mi"cro*seme, a. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. microsème.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having the orbital index relatively small; having the orbits broad transversely; — opposed to Ant: megaseme.

MICROSPECTROSCOPE
Mi`cro*spec"tro*scope, n. Etym: [Micro- + spectroscope.] (Physics)

Defn: A spectroscope arranged for attachment to a microscope, for observation of the spectrum of light from minute portions of any substance.

MICROSPORANGIUM
Mi`cro*spo*ran"gi*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Micro-, and Sporangium.]
(Bot.)

Defn: A sporangium or conceptacle containing only very minute spores.
Cf. Macrosporangium.

MICROSPORE
Mi"cro*spore, n. Etym: [Micro- + spore.] (Bot.)

Defn: One of the exceedingly minute spores found in certain flowerless plants, as Selaginella and Isoetes, which bear two kinds of spores, one very much smaller than the other. Cf. Macrospore.

MICROSPORIC
Mi`cro*spor"ic, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to microspores.

MICROSTHENE
Mi"cro*sthene, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a group of mammals having a small size as a typical characteristic. It includes the lower orders, as the Insectivora, Cheiroptera, Rodentia, and Edentata.

MICROSTHENIC
Mi`cro*sthen"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a typically small size; of or pertaining to the microsthenes.

MICROTASIMETER
Mi`cro*ta*sim"e*ter, n. Etym: [Micro- + ta.] (Physics)

Defn: A tasimeter, especially when arranged for measuring very small extensions. See Tasimeter.

MICROTOME
Mi"cro*tome, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr.

Defn: An instrument for making very thin sections for microscopical examination.

MICROTOMIC; MICROTOMICAL
Mi`cro*tom"ic, Mi`cro*tom"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pert. to the microtome or microtomy; cutting thin slices.

MICROTOMIST
Mi*crot"o*mist, n.

Defn: One who is skilled in or practices microtomy.

MICROTOMY
Mi*crot"o*my, n.

Defn: The art of using the microtome; investigation carried on with the microtome.

MICROVOLT
Mi`cro*volt", n. Etym: [Micro- + volt.] (Elec.)

Defn: A measure of electro-motive force; the millionth part of one volt.

MICROWEBER
Mi`cro*we"ber, n. Etym: [Micro- + weber.] (Elec.)

Defn: The millionth part of one weber.

MICROZOA
Mi`cro*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Infusoria.

MICROZOOSPORE; MICROZOOESPORE
Mi`cro*zo"ö*spore, n. Etym: [Micro- + zoöspore.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small motile spore furnished with two vibratile cilia, found in certain green algæ.

MICROZYME
Mi"cro*zyme, n. Etym: [Micro- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A microörganism which is supposed to act like a ferment in causing or propagating certain infectious or contagious diseases; a pathogenic bacterial organism.

MICTURITION Mic`tu*ri"tion, n. Etym: [L. micturire to desire to make water, v. desid. fr. mingere, mictum, to make water.]

Defn: The act of voiding urine; also, a morbidly frequent passing of the urine, in consequence of disease.

MID
Mid, a. [Compar. wanting; superl. Midmost.] Etym: [AS. midd; akin to
OS. middi, D. mid (in comp.), OHG. mitti, Icel. mi, Goth. midjis, L.
medius, Gr. madhya. Amid, Middle, Midst, Mean, Mediate, Meridian,
Mizzen, Moiety.]

1. Denoting the middle part; as, in mid ocean. No more the mounting larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid air suspend their wings. Pope.

2. Occupying a middle position; middle; as, the mid finger; the mid hour of night.

3. (Phon.)

Defn: Made with a somewhat elevated position of some certain part of the tongue, in relation to the palate; midway between the high and the low; — said of certain vowel sounds; as, a (ale), ê (êll), o (old). See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 10, 11.

Note: Mid is much used as a prefix, or combining form, denoting the middle or middle part of a thing; as, mid-air, mid-channel, mid-age, midday, midland, etc. Also, specifically, in geometry, to denote a circle inscribed in a triangle (a midcircle), or relation to such a circle; as, mid-center, midradius.

MID
Mid, n.

Defn: Middle. [Obs.]
About the mid of night come to my tent. Shak.

MID
Mid, prep.

Defn: See Amid.

MIDA
Mi"da, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The larva of the bean fly.

MIDAS Mi"das, n. Etym: [So called from L. Midas, a man fabled to have had ass's ears.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of longeared South American monkeys, including numerous species of marmosets. See Marmoset.

MIDAS'S EAR
Mi"das's ear". Etym: [See Midas.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A pulmonate mollusk (Auricula, or Ellobium, aurismidæ); — so called from resemblance to a human ear.

MIDBRAIN
Mid"brain`, n. Etym: [Mid, a. + brain.] (Anat.)

Defn: The middle segment of the brain; the mesencephalon. See Brain.

MIDDAY
Mid"day`, n. Etym: [AS. middæg. See Mid, a., and Day.]

Defn: The middle part of the day; noon.

MIDDAY
Mid"day`, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to noon; meridional; as, the midday sun.

MIDDEN Mid"den, n. [Also midding.] Etym: [Cf. Dan. mögdynge, E. muck, and dung.]

1. A dunghill. [Prov. Eng.]

2. An accumulation of refuse about a dwelling place; especially, an accumulation of shells or of cinders, bones, and other refuse on the supposed site of the dwelling places of prehistoric tribes, — as on the shores of the Baltic Sea and in many other places. See Kitchen middens.

MIDDEN CROW
Mid"den crow". (Zoöl.)

Defn: The common European crow. [Prov. Eng.]

MIDDEST
Mid"dest, a.; superl. of Mid. Etym: [See Midst.]

Defn: Situated most nearly in the middle; middlemost; midmost. [Obs.]
" 'Mongst the middest crowd." Spenser.

MIDDEST
Mid"dest, n.

Defn: Midst; middle. [Obs.] Fuller.

MIDDING
Mid"ding, n.

Defn: Same as Midden.

MIDDLE Mid"dle, a. Etym: [OE. middel, AS. middel; akin to D. middel, OHG. muttil, G. mittel. Mid, a.]

1. Equally distant from the extreme either of a number of things or of one thing; mean; medial; as, the middle house in a row; a middle rank or station in life; flowers of middle summer; men of middle age.

2. Intermediate; intervening. Will, seeking good, finds many middle ends. Sir J. Davies.

Note: Middle is sometimes used in the formation of selfexplaining compounds; as, middle-sized, middle-witted. Middle Ages, the period of time intervening between the decline of the Roman Empire and the revival of letters. Hallam regards it as beginning with the sixth and ending with the fifteenth century. — Middle class, in England, people who have an intermediate position between the aristocracy and the artisan class. It includes professional men, bankers, merchants, and small landed proprietors The middle-class electorate of Great Britain. M. Arnold. — Middle distance. (Paint.) See Middle-ground. — Middle English. See English, n., 2. — Middle Kingdom, China. — Middle oil (Chem.), that part of the distillate obtained from coal tar which passes over between 170º and 230º Centigrade; — distinguished from the light, and the heavy or dead, oil. — Middle passage, in the slave trade, that part of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and the West Indies. — Middle post. (Arch.) Same as King-post. — Middle States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; which, at the time of the formation of the Union, occupied a middle position between the Eastern States (or New England) and the Southern States. [U.S.] — Middle term (Logic), that term of a syllogism with which the two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. Brande. — Middle tint (Paint.), a subdued or neutral tint. Fairholt. — Middle voice. (Gram.) See under Voice. — Middle watch, the period from midnight to four A. M.; also, the men on watch during that time. Ham. Nav. Encyc. — Middle weight, a pugilist, boxer, or wrestler classed as of medium weight, i. e., over 140 and not over 160 lbs., in distinction from those classed as light weights, heavy weights, etc.

MIDDLE
Mid"dle, n. Etym: [AS. middel. See Middle, a.]

Defn: The point or part equally distant from the extremities or exterior limits, as of a line, a surface, or a solid; an intervening point or part in space, time, or order of series; the midst; central portion; specif., the waist. Chaucer. "The middle of the land." Judg. ix. 37. In this, as in most questions of state, there is a middle. Burke.

Syn.
— See Midst.

MIDDLE-AGE
Mid"dle-age`, Etym: [Middle + age. Cf. Mediæval.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Middle Ages; mediæval.

MIDDLE-AGED
Mid"dle-aged`, a.

Defn: Being about the middle of the ordinary age of man; between 30 and 50 years old.

MIDDLE-EARTH
Mid"dle-earth`, n.

Defn: The world, considered as lying between heaven and hell. [Obs.]
Shak.

MIDDLE-GROUND
Mid"dle-ground`, n. (Paint.)

Defn: That part of a picture between the foreground and the background.

MIDDLEMAN
Mid"dle*man, n.; pl. Middlemen (.

1. An agent between two parties; a broker; a go-between; any dealer between the producer and the consumer; in Ireland, one who takes land of the proprietors in large tracts, and then rents it out in small portions to the peasantry.

2. A person of intermediate rank; a commoner.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: The man who occupies a central position in a file of soldiers.

MIDDLEMOST
Mid"dle*most`, a. Etym: [Cf. Midmost.]

Defn: Being in the middle, or nearest the middle; midmost.

MIDDLER
Mid"dler, n.

Defn: One of a middle or intermediate class in some schools and seminaries.

MIDDLING
Mid"dling, a.

Defn: Of middle rank, state, size, or quality; about equally distant from the extremes; medium; moderate; mediocre; ordinary. "A town of but middling size." Hallam. Plainly furnished, as beseemed the middling circumstances of its inhabitants. Hawthorne. — Mid"dling*ly, adv. — Mid"dling*ness, n.

MIDDLINGS
Mid"dlings, n. pl.

1. A combination of the coarser parts of ground wheat the finest bran, separated from the fine flour and coarse bran in bolting; — formerly regarded as valuable only for feed; but now, after separation of the bran, used for making the best quality of flour. Middlings contain a large proportion of gluten.

2. In the southern and western parts of the United States, the portion of the hog between the ham and the shoulder; bacon; — called also middles. Bartlett.

MIDDY
Mid"dy, n.; pl. Middies (.

Defn: A colloquial abbreviation of midshipman.

MIDFEATHER
Mid"feath`er, n.

1. (Steam Boilers)

Defn: A vertical water space in a fire box or combustion chamber.

2. (Mining)

Defn: A support for the center of a tunnel.

MIDGARD
Mid"gard`, n. Etym: [Icel. miedhgaredhr.] (Scand. Myth.)

Defn: The middle space or region between heaven and hell; the abode of human beings; the earth.

MIDGARD; MIDGARTH; MITHGARTHR Mid"gard (mid"gärd), n. Also Mid"garth (-gärth), Mith"garthr (Icel. meth"gärthr'). [Icel. miðgarðr.] (Teut. Myth.)

Defn: The middle space or region between heaven and hell, the abode of human beings; the earth.

MIDGE Midge, n. Etym: [OE. migge, AS. mycge; akin to OS. muggia, D. mug, G. mücke, OHG. mucca, Icel. m, Sw. mygga, mygg, Dan. myg; perh. named from its buzzing; cf. Gr. (Zoöl.)

1. Any one of many small, delicate, long-legged flies of the Chironomus, and allied genera, which do not bite. Their larvæ are usually aquatic.

2. A very small fly, abundant in many parts of the United States and Canada, noted for the irritating quality of its bite.

Note: The name is also applied to various other small flies. See
Wheat midge, under Wheat.

MIDGET
Midg"et, n. Etym: [Dim. of midge.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A minute bloodsucking fly. [Local, U. S.]

2. A very diminutive person.

MIDGUT
Mid"gut`, n. Etym: [Mid, a. + gut.] (Anat.)

Defn: The middle part of the alimentary canal from the stomach, or entrance of the bile duct, to, or including, the large intestine.

MIDHEAVEN
Mid"heav`en, n.

1. The midst or middle of heaven or the sky.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: The meridian, or middle line of the heavens; the point of the ecliptic on the meridian.

MIDLAND
Mid"land, a.

1. Being in the interior country; distant from the coast or seashore; as, midland towns or inhabitants. Howell.

2. Surrounded by the land; mediterranean. And on the midland sea the French had awed. Dryden.

MIDLAND
Mid"land, n.

Defn: The interior or central region of a country; — usually in the plural. Drayton.

MIDMAIN
Mid"main`, n.

Defn: The middle part of the main or sea. [Poetic] Chapman.

MIDMOST
Mid"most`, a. Etym: [OE. middemiste. Cf. Foremost.]

Defn: Middle; middlemost.
Ere night's midmost, stillest hour was past. Byron.

MIDNIGHT
Mid"night`, n. Etym: [AS. midniht.]

Defn: The middle of the night; twelve o'clock at night.
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. Shak.

MIDNIGHT
Mid"night`, a.

Defn: Being in, or characteristic of, the middle of the night; as, midnight studies; midnight gloom. "Midnight shout and revelry." Milton.

MIDNIGHT SUN
Mid"night` sun.

Defn: The sun shining at midnight in the arctic or antarctic summer.

MIDRASH
Mid*rash", n.; pl. Midrashim, Midrashoth. Etym: [Heb., explanation.]

Defn: A talmudic exposition of the Hebrew law, or of some part of it.

MIDRIB
Mid"rib`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A continuation of the petiole, extending from the base to the apex of the lamina of a leaf.

MIDRIFF Mid"riff, n. Etym: [AS. midhrif; midd mid, middle + hrif bowels, womb; akin to OFries. midref midriff, rif, ref, belly, OHG. href body, and to L. corpus body. See Corpse.] (Anat.)

Defn: See Diaphragm, n., 2.
Smote him into the midriff with a stone. Milton.

MID SEA; MID-SEA
Mid" sea", or; Mid"-sea".

Defn: The middle part of the sea or ocean. Milton. The Mid-sea, the
Mediterranean Sea. [Obs.]

MIDSHIP
Mid"ship`, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or being in, the middle of a ship. Midship
beam (Naut.), the beam or timber upon which the broadest part of a
vessel is formed.
— Midship bend, the broadest frame in a vessel. Weale.

MIDSHIPMAN
Mid"ship`man, n.; pl. Midshipmen (.

1. (a) Formerly, a kind of naval cadet, in a ship of war, whose business was to carry orders, messages, reports, etc., between the officers of the quarter-deck and those of the forecastle, and render other services as required. (b) In the English naval service, the second rank attained by a combatant officer after a term of service as naval cadet. Having served three and a half years in this rank, and passed an examination, he is eligible to promotion to the rank of lieutenant. (c) In the United States navy, the lowest grade of officers in line of promotion, being graduates of the Naval Academy awaiting promotion to the rank of ensign.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An American marine fish of the genus Porichthys, allied to the toadfish. Cadet midshipman, formerly a title distinguishing a cadet line officer from a cadet engineer at the U. S. Naval Academy. See under Cadet. — Cadet midshipman, formerly, a naval cadet who had served his time, passed his examinations, and was awaiting promotion; — now called, in the United States, midshipman; in England, sublieutenant.

MIDSHIPS
Mid"ships`, adv. Etym: [For amidships.] (Naut.)

Defn: In the middle of a ship; — properly amidships.

MIDSHIPS
Mid"ships`, n. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: The timbers at the broadest part of the vessel. R. H. Dana, Jr.

MIDST Midst, n. Etym: [From middest, in the middest, for older in middes, where -s is adverbial (orig. forming a genitive), or still older a midde, a midden, on midden. See Mid, and cf. Amidst.]

1. The interior or central part or place; the middle; — used chiefly in the objective case after in; as, in the midst of the forest. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him. Luke iv. 35. There is nothing… in the midst [of the play] which might not have been placed in the beginning. Dryden.

2. Hence, figuratively, the condition of being surrounded or beset; the press; the burden; as, in the midst of official duties; in the midst of secular affairs.

Note: The expressions in our midst, in their midst, etc., are avoided by some good writers, the forms in the midst of us, in the midst of them, etc., being preferred.

Syn. — Midst, Middle. Midst in present usage commonly denotes a part or place surrounded on enveloped by or among other parts or objects (see Amidst); while middle is used of the center of length, or surface, or of a solid, etc. We say in the midst of a thicket; in the middle of a line, or the middle of a room; in the midst of darkness; in the middle of the night.

MIDST
Midst, prep.

Defn: In the midst of; amidst. Shak.

MIDST
Midst, adv.

Defn: In the middle. [R.] Milton.

MIDSUMMER
Mid"sum`mer, n. Etym: [AS. midsumor.]

Defn: The middle of summer. Shak. Midsummer daisy (Bot.), the oxeye daisy.

MIDWARD
Mid"ward, a.

Defn: Situated in the middle.

MIDWARD
Mid"ward, adv.

Defn: In or toward the midst.

MIDWAY
Mid"way`, n.

Defn: The middle of the way or distance; a middle way or course.
Shak.
Paths indirect, or in the midway faint. Milton.

MIDWAY
Mid"way`, a.

Defn: Being in the middle of the way or distance; as, the midway air.
Shak.

MIDWAY
Mid"way`, adv.

Defn: In the middle of the way or distance; half way. "She met his glance midway." Dryden.

MIDWEEK
Mid"week`, n.

Defn: The middle of the week. Also used adjectively.

MIDWIFE Mid"wife`, n.; pl. Midwives. Etym: [OE. midwif, fr. AS. mid with (akin to Gr. Meta-, and Wife.]

Defn: A woman who assists other women in childbirth; a female practitioner of the obstetric art.

MIDWIFE
Mid"wife`, v. t.

Defn: To assist in childbirth.

MIDWIFE
Mid"wife`, v. i.

Defn: To perform the office of midwife.

MIDWIFERY
Mid"wife`ry, n.

1. The art or practice of assisting women in childbirth; obstetrics.

2. Assistance at childbirth; help or coöperation in production.

MIDWINTER
Mid"win`ter, n. Etym: [AS. midwinter.]

Defn: The middle of winter. Dryden.

MIDWIVE
Mid"wive`, v. t.

Defn: To midwife. [Obs.]

MIEN
Mien, n. Etym: [F. mine; perh. from sane source as mener to lead; cf.
E. demean, menace, mine, n.]

Defn: Aspect; air; manner; demeanor; carriage; bearing. Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen. Pope.

MIFF Miff, n. Etym: [Cf. Prov. G. muff sullenness, sulkiness, muffen to be silky, muffïg sullen, pouting.]

Defn: A petty falling out; a tiff; a quarrel; offense. Fielding.

MIFF
Miff, v. t.

Defn: To offend slightly. [Colloq.]

MIGHT
Might,

Defn: imp. of May. Etym: [AS. meahte, mihte.]

MIGHT
Might, n. Etym: [AS. meaht, miht, from the root of magan to be able,
E. may; akin to D. magt, OS. maht, G. macht, Icel. mattr, Goth.
mahts. May, v.]

Defn: Force or power of any kind, whether of body or mind; energy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action; means or resources to effect an object; strength; force; power; ability; capacity. What so strong, But wanting rest, will also want of might Spenser. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deut. vi. 5. With might and main. See under 2d Main.

MIGHTFUL
Might"ful, a.

Defn: Mighty. [Obs.] Shak.

MIGHTILY
Might"i*ly, adv. Etym: [From Mighty.]

1. In a mighty manner; with might; with great earnestness; vigorously; powerfully. Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Col. i. 29.

2. To a great degree; very much. Practical jokes amused us mightily. Hawthorne.

MIGHTINESS
Might"i*ness, n.

1. The quality of being mighty; possession of might; power; greatness; high dignity. How soon this mightiness meets misery. Shak.

2. Highness; excellency; — with a possessive pronoun, a title of dignity; as, their high mightinesses.

MIGHTLESS
Might"less, a.

Defn: Without; weak. [Obs.]

MIGHTY Might"y, a. [Compar. Mightier; superl. Mightiest.] Etym: [AS. meahtig, mihtig; akin to G. mächtig, Goth. mahteigs. See Might, n.]

1. Possessing might; having great power or authority. Wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Job ix. 4.

2. Accomplished by might; hence, extraordinary; wonderful. "His mighty works." Matt. xi. 20.

3. Denoting and extraordinary degree or quality in respect of size, character, importance, consequences, etc. "A mighty famine." Luke xv. 14. "Giants of mighty bone." Milton. Mighty was their fuss about little matters. Hawthorne.

MIGHTY
Might"y, n.; pl. Mighties.

Defn: A warrior of great force and courage. [R. & Obs.] 1 Chron. xi. 12.

MIGHTY
Might"y, adv.

Defn: In a great degree; very. [Colloq.] "He was mighty methodical."
Jeffrey.
We have a mighty pleasant garden. Doddridge.

MIGNIARD
Mign"iard, a. Etym: [F. mignard, akin to mignon. See Minion.]

Defn: Soft; dainty. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

MIGNIARDISE
Mign"iard*ise, n. Etym: [F. mignardise.]

Defn: Delicate fondling. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

MIGNON
Mi"gnon, a. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See 3d Minion.

MIGNON
Mi"gnon, v. t.

Defn: To flatter. [R. & Obs.] Danie

MIGNONETTE Mi`gnon*ette", n. Etym: [F. mignonnette, dim. of mignon darling. See 2d Minion.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant (Reseda odorata) having greenish flowers with orange- colored stamens, and exhaling a delicious fragrance. In Africa it is a low shrub, but further north it is usually an annual herb. Mignonette pepper, coarse pepper.

MIGRAINE
Mi*graine", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Same as Megrim.
— Mi*grain"ous, a.

MIGRANT
Mi"grant, a. Etym: [L. migrans, p. pr. of migrare. See Migrate.]

Defn: Migratory. Sir T. Browne.
— n.

Defn: A migratory bird or other animal.

MIGRATE
Mi"grate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Migrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Migrating.]
Etym: [L. migratus, p. p. of migrare to migrate, transfer.]

1. To remove from one country or region to another, with a view to residence; to change one's place of residence; to remove; as, the Moors who migrated from Africa into Spain; to migrate to the West.

2. To pass periodically from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding; — said of certain birds, fishes, and quadrupeds.

MIGRATION
Mi*gra"tion, n. Etym: [L. migratio: cf. F. migration.]

Defn: The act of migrating.

MIGRATORY
Mi"gra*to*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. migratoire.]

1. Removing regularly or occasionally from one region or climate to another; as, migratory birds.

2. Hence, roving; wandering; nomad; as, migratory habits; a migratory life. Migratory locust (Zoöl.) See Locust. — Migratory thrush (Zoöl.), the American robin. See Robin.

MIKADO
Mi*ka"do, n. Etym: [Jap.]

Defn: The popular designation of the hereditary sovereign of Japan.

MIKMAKS
Mik"maks, n.

Defn: Same as Micmacs.

MILADY
Mi*la"dy, n. [F., fr. English.]

Defn: Lit., my lady; hence (as used on the Continent), an English noblewoman or gentlewoman.

MILAGE
Mil"age (; 48), n.

Defn: Same as Mileage.

MILANESE
Mil`an*ese", a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Milan in Italy, or to its inhabitants.
— n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Milan; people of Milan.

MILCH
Milch, a. Etym: [OE. milche; akin to G. melk, Icel. milkr, mj, and to
E. milk. See Milk.]

1. Giving milk; — now applied only to beasts. "Milch camels." Gen. xxxii. "Milch kine." Shak.

2. Tender; pitiful; weeping. [Obs.] Shak.

MILD
Mild, a. [Compar. Milder; superl. Mildest.] Etym: [AS. milde; akin to
OS. mildi, D. & G. mild, OHG. milti, Icel. mildr, Sw. & Dan. mild,
Goth. milds; cf. Lith. melas dear, Gr.

Defn: Gentle; pleasant; kind; soft; bland; clement; hence, moderate in degree or quality; — the opposite of harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable, etc.; — applied to persons and things; as, a mild disposition; a mild eye; a mild air; a mild medicine; a mild insanity. The rosy morn resigns her light And milder glory to the noon. Waller. Adore him as a mild and merciful Being. Rogers. Mild, or Low, steel, steel that has but little carbon in it and is not readily hardened.

Syn. — Soft; gentle; bland; calm; tranquil; soothing; pleasant; placid; meek; kind; tender; indulgent; clement; mollifying; lenitive; assuasive. See Gentle.

MILDEN
Mild"en, v. t.

Defn: To make mild, or milder. Lowell.

MILDEW
Mil"dew, n. Etym: [AS. meledeáw; akin to OHG. militou, G. mehlthau,
mehltau; prob. orig. meaning, honeydew; cf. Goth. milip honey. See
Mellifluous, and Dew.] (Bot.)

Defn: A growth of minute powdery or webby fungi, whitish or of different colors, found on various diseased or decaying substances.

MILDEW
Mil"dew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mildewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mildewing.]

Defn: To taint with mildew.
He… mildews the white wheat. Shak.

MILDEW
Mil"dew, v. i.

Defn: To become tainted with mildew.

MILDLY
Mild"ly, adv.

Defn: In a mild manner.

MILDNESS
Mild"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being mild; as, mildness of temper; the mildness of the winter.

MILE Mile, n. Etym: [AS. mil, fr. L. millia, milia; pl. of mille a thousand, i. e., milia passuum a thousand paces. Cf. Mill the tenth of a cent, Million.]

Defn: A certain measure of distance, being equivalent in England and the United States to 320 poles or rods, or 5,280 feet.

Note: The distance called a mile varies greatly in different countries. Its length in yards is, in Norway, 12,182; in Brunswick, 11,816; in Sweden, 11,660; in Hungary, 9,139; in Switzerland, 8,548; in Austria, 8,297; in Prussia, 8,238; in Poland, 8,100; in Italy, 2,025; in England and the United States, 1,760; in Spain, 1,552; in the Netherlands, 1,094. Geographical, or Nautical mile, one sixtieth of a degree of a great circle of the earth, or 6080.27 feet. — Mile run. Same as Train mile. See under Train. — Roman mile, a thousand paces, equal to 1,614 yards English measure. — Statute mile, a mile conforming to statute, that is, in England and the United States, a mile of 5,280 feet, as distinguished from any other mile.

MILEAGE
Mile"age (; 48), n.

1. An allowance for traveling expenses at a certain rate per mile.

2. Aggregate length or distance in miles; esp., the sum of lengths of tracks or wires of a railroad company, telegraph company, etc. [Written also milage.] Constructive mileage, a mileage allowed for journeys supposed to be made, but not actually made. Bartlett.

MILEPOST
Mile"post`, n.

Defn: A post, or one of a series of posts, set up to indicate spaces of a mile each or the distance in miles from a given place.

MILESIAN
Mi*le"sian, a. Etym: [L. Milesius, Gr.

1. (Anc. Geog.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to Miletus, a city of Asia Minor, or to its inhabitants.

2. (Irish Legendary Hist.)

Defn: Descended from King Milesius of Spain, whose two sons are said to have conquered Ireland about 1300 b. c.; or pertaining to the descendants of King Milesius; hence, Irish.

MILESIAN
Mi*le"sian, n.

1. A native or inhabitant of Miletus.

2. A native or inhabitant of Ireland.

MILESTONE
Mile"stone`, n.

Defn: A stone serving the same purpose as a milepost.

MILFOIL Mil"foil, n. Etym: [F. mille-feuille, L. millefolium; mille thousand + folium leaf. See Foil a leaf.] (Bot.)

Defn: A common composite herb (Achillea Millefolium) with white flowers and finely dissected leaves; yarrow. Water milfoil (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dissected leaves (Myriophyllum).

MILIARIA
Mil`i*a"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Miliary.] (Med.)

Defn: A fever accompanied by an eruption of small, isolated, red pimples, resembling a millet seed in form or size; miliary fever.

MILIARY Mil"ia*ry, a. Etym: [L. miliarius, fr. milium millet: cf. F. miliaire.]

1. Like millet seeds; as, a miliary eruption.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Accompanied with an eruption like millet seeds; as, a miliary fever.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Small and numerous; as, the miliary tubercles of Echini.

MILIARY
Mil"ia*ry, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the small tubercles of Echini.

MILICE
Mi`lice", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Militia. [Obs.]

MILIEU
Mi`lieu", n. [F., fr. mi middle (L. medius) + lieu place. See Demi-,
Lieu.]

Defn: Environment.

The intellectual and moral milieu created by multitudes of self- centered, cultivated personalities. J. A. Symonds.

It is one of the great outstanding facts of his progressive relation to the elements of his social milieu. J. M. Baldwin.

MILIOLA Mil"i*o`la, n. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. milium millet. So named from its resemblance to millet seed.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Foraminifera, having a porcelanous shell with several longitudinal chambers.

MILIOLITE
Mil"i*o*lite, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil shell of, or similar to, the genus Miliola.

MILIOLITE
Mil"i*o*lite, a.

Defn: The same Milliolitic. Miliolite limestone (Geol.), a building stone, one of the group of the Paris basin, almost entirely made up of many-chambered microscopic shells.

MILIOLITIC
Mil`i*o*lit"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the genus Miliola; containing miliolites.

MILITANCY
Mil"i*tan*cy, n. Etym: [See Militant.]

1. The state of being militant; warfare.

2. A military spirit or system; militarism. H. Spencer.

MILITANT Mil"i*tant, a. Etym: [L. militans, -antis, p. pr. of militare to be soldier: cf. F. militant. See Militate.]

Defn: Engaged in warfare; fighting; combating; serving as a soldier. — Mil"i*tant*ly, adv. At which command the powers militant… Moved on in silence. Milton. Church militant, the Christian church on earth, which is supposed to be engaged in a constant warfare against its enemies, and is thus distinguished from the church triumphant, in heaven.

MILITAR
Mil"i*tar, a.

Defn: Military. [Obs.] Bacon.

MILITARILY
Mil"i*ta*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a military manner.

MILITARISM
Mil"i*ta*rism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. militarisme.]

1. A military state or condition; reliance on military force in administering government; a military system.

2. The spirit and traditions of military life. H. Spencer.

MILITARIST
Mil"i*ta*rist, n.

Defn: A military man. [Obs.] Shak.

MILITARY Mil"i*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. militaris, militarius, from miles, militis, soldier: cf. F. militaire.]

1. Of or pertaining to soldiers, to arms, or to war; belonging to, engaged in, or appropriate to, the affairs of war; as, a military parade; military discipline; military bravery; military conduct; military renown. Nor do I, as an enemy to peace, Troop in the throngs of military men. Shak.

2. Performed or made by soldiers; as, a military election; a military expedition. Bacon. Military law. See Martial law, under Martial. — Military order. (a) A command proceeding from a military superior. (b) An association of military persons under a bond of certain peculiar rules; especially, such an association of knights in the Middle Ages, or a body in modern times taking a similar form, membership of which confers some distinction. — Military tenure, tenure of land, on condition of performing military service.

MILITARY
Mil"i*ta*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. F. militaire.]

Defn: The whole body of soldiers; soldiery; militia; troops; the army.

MILITATE
Mil"i*tate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Militated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Militating.] Etym: [L. militare, militatum, to be a soldier, fr.
miles, militis, soldier.]

Defn: To make war; to fight; to contend; — usually followed by
against and with.
These are great questions, where great names militate against each
other. Burke.
The invisible powers of heaven seemed to militate on the side of the
pious emperor. Gibbon.

MILITIA Mi*li"tia, n. Etym: [L., military service, soldiery, fr. miles, militis, soldier: cf. F. milice.]

1. In the widest sense, the whole military force of a nation, including both those engaged in military service as a business, and those competent and available for such service; specifically, the body of citizens enrolled for military instruction and discipline, but not subject to be called into actual service except in emergencies. The king's captains and soldiers fight his battles, and yet… the power of the militia is he. Jer. Taylor.

2. Military service; warfare. [Obs.] Baxter.

MILITIAMAN
Mi*li"tia*man, n.; pl. Militiamen (.

Defn: One who belongs to the militia.

MILITIATE
Mi*li"ti*ate, v. i.

Defn: To carry on, or prepare for, war. [Obs.] Walpole.

MILK Milk, n. Etym: [AS. meoluc, meoloc, meolc, milc; akin to OFries. meloc, D. melk, G. milch, OHG. miluh, Icel. mj, Sw. mjölk, Dan. melk, Goth. miluks, G. melken to milk, OHG. melchan, Lith. milszti, L. mulgere, Gr. Milch, Emulsion, Milt soft roe of fishes.]

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: A white fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the nourishment of their young, consisting of minute globules of fat suspended in a solution of casein, albumin, milk sugar, and inorganic salts. "White as morne milk." Chaucer.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of juice or sap, usually white in color, found in certain plants; latex. See Latex.

3. An emulsion made by bruising seeds; as, the milk of almonds, produced by pounding almonds with sugar and water.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ripe, undischarged spat of an oyster. Condensed milk. See under Condense, v. t. — Milk crust (Med.), vesicular eczema occurring on the face and scalp of nursing infants. See Eczema. — Milk fever. (a) (Med.) A fever which accompanies or precedes the first lactation. It is usually transitory. (b) (Vet. Surg.) A form puerperal peritonitis in cattle; also, a variety of meningitis occurring in cows after calving. — Milk glass, glass having a milky appearance. — Milk knot (Med.), a hard lump forming in the breast of a nursing woman, due to obstruction to the flow of milk and congestion of the mammary glands. — Milk leg (Med.), a swollen condition of the leg, usually in puerperal women, caused by an inflammation of veins, and characterized by a white appearance occasioned by an accumulation of serum and sometimes of pus in the cellular tissue. — Milk meats, food made from milk, as butter and cheese. [Obs.] Bailey. — Milk mirror. Same as Escutcheon, 2. — Milk molar (Anat.), one of the deciduous molar teeth which are shed and replaced by the premolars. — Milk of lime (Chem.), a watery emulsion of calcium hydrate, produced by macerating quicklime in water. — Milk parsley (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant (Peucedanum palustre) of Europe and Asia, having a milky juice. — Milk pea (Bot.), a genus (Galactia) of leguminous and, usually, twining plants. — Milk sickness (Med.), a peculiar malignant disease, occurring in some parts of the Western United States, and affecting certain kinds of farm stock (esp. cows), and persons who make use of the meat or dairy products of infected cattle. Its chief symptoms in man are uncontrollable vomiting, obstinate constipation, pain, and muscular tremors. Its origin in cattle has been variously ascribed to the presence of certain plants in their food, and to polluted drinking water. — Milk snake (Zoöl.), a harmless American snake (Ophibolus triangulus, or O. eximius). It is variously marked with white, gray, and red. Called also milk adder, chicken snake, house snake, etc. — Milk sugar. (Physiol. Chem.) See Lactose, and Sugar of milk (below). — Milk thistle (Bot.), an esculent European thistle (Silybum marianum), having the veins of its leaves of a milky whiteness. — Milk thrush. (Med.) See Thrush. — Milk tooth (Anat.), one of the temporary first set of teeth in young mammals; in man there are twenty. — Milk tree (Bot.), a tree yielding a milky juice, as the cow tree of South America (Brosimum Galactodendron), and the Euphorbia balsamifera of the Canaries, the milk of both of which is wholesome food. — Milk vessel (Bot.), a special cell in the inner bark of a plant, or a series of cells, in which the milky juice is contained. See Latex. — Rock milk. See Agaric mineral, under Agaric. — Sugar of milk. The sugar characteristic of milk; a hard white crystalline slightly sweet substance obtained by evaporation of the whey of milk. It is used in pellets and powder as a vehicle for homeopathic medicines, and as an article of diet. See Lactose.

MILK
Milk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Milked; p. pr. & vb. n. Milking.]

1. To draw or press milk from the breasts or udder of, by the hand or mouth; to withdraw the milk of. "Milking the kine." Gay. I have given suck, and know How tender 't is to love the babe that milks me. Shak.

2. To draw from the breasts or udder; to extract, as milk; as, to milk wholesome milk from healthy cows.

3. To draw anything from, as if by milking; to compel to yield profit or advantage; to plunder. Tyndale. They [the lawyers] milk an unfortunate estate as regularly as a dairyman does his stock. London Spectator. To milk the street, to squeeze the smaller operators in stocks and extract a profit from them, by alternately raising and depressing prices within a short range; — said of the large dealers. [Cant] — To milk a telegram, to use for one's own advantage the contents of a telegram belonging to another person. [Cant]

MILK
Milk, v. i.

Defn: To draw or to yield milk.

MILKEN
Milk"en, a.

Defn: Consisting of milk. [Obs.]

MILKER
Milk"er, n.

1. One who milks; also, a mechanical apparatus for milking cows.

2. A cow or other animal that gives milk.

MILKFUL
Milk"ful, a.

Defn: Full of milk; abounding with food. [R.] "Milkful vales."
Sylvester.

MILKILY
Milk"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a milky manner.

MILKINESS
Milk"i*ness, n.

Defn: State or quality of being milky.

MILK-LIVERED
Milk"-liv`ered, a.

Defn: White-livered; cowardly; timorous.

MILKMAID
Milk"maid`, n.

Defn: A woman who milks cows or is employed in the dairy.

MILKMAN
Milk"man, n.; pl. Milkmen (.

Defn: A man who sells milk or delivers is to customers.

MILK SICKNESS
Milk sickness. (Veter.)

Defn: A peculiar malignant disease, occurring in parts of the western United States, and affecting certain kinds of farm stock (esp. cows), and persons using the meat or dairy products of infected cattle. Its chief symptoms in man are uncontrollable vomiting, obstinate constipation, pain, and muscular tremors. Its origin in cattle has been variously ascribed to the presence of certain plants in their food, and to polluted water.

MILKSOP
Milk"sop`, n.

Defn: A piece of bread sopped in milk; figuratively, an effeminate or weak-minded person. Shak. To wed a milksop or a coward ape. Chaucer.

MILK VETCH
Milk" vetch`. (Bot.)

Defn: A leguminous herb (Astragalus glycyphyllos) of Europe and Asia, supposed to increase the secretion of milk in goats.

Note: The name is sometimes taken for the whole genus Astragalus, of which there are about two hundred species in North America, and even more elsewhere.

MILKWEED
Milk"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genera Asclepias and Acerates, abounding in a milky juice, and having its seed attached to a long silky down; silkweed. The name is also applied to several other plants with a milky juice, as to several kinds of spurge.

MILKWORT
Milk"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants (Polygala) of many species. The common European P. vulgaris was supposed to have the power of producing a flow of milk in nurses.

Note: The species of Campanula, or bellflower, are sometimes called milkwort, from their juice.

MILKY
Milk"y, a.

1. Consisting of, or containing, milk. Pails high foaming with a milky flood. Pope.

2. Like, or somewhat like, milk; whitish and turbid; as, the water is milky. "Milky juice." Arbuthnot.

3. Yielding milk. "Milky mothers." Roscommon.

4. Mild; tame; spiritless. Has friendship such a faint and milky heart Shak. Milky Way. (Astron.) See Galaxy, 1.

MILL
Mill, n. Etym: [L. mille a thousand. Cf. Mile.]

Defn: A money of account of the United States, having the value of the tenth of a cent, or the thousandth of a dollar.

MILL Mill, n. Etym: [OE. mille, melle, mulle, milne, AS. myln, mylen; akin to D. molen, G. mühle, OHG. muli, mulin, Icel. mylna; all prob. from L. molina, fr. mola millstone; prop., that which grinds, akin to molere to grind, Goth. malan, G. mahlen, and to E. meal. Meal flour, and cf. Moline.]

1. A machine for grinding or commuting any substance, as grain, by rubbing and crushing it between two hard, rough, or intented surfaces; as, a gristmill, a coffee mill; a bone mill.

2. A machine used for expelling the juice, sap, etc., from vegetable tissues by pressure, or by pressure in combination with a grinding, or cutting process; as, a cider mill; a cane mill.

3. A machine for grinding and polishing; as, a lapidary mill.

4. A common name for various machines which produce a manufactured product, or change the form of a raw material by the continuous repetition of some simple action; as, a sawmill; a stamping mill, etc.

5. A building or collection of buildings with machinery by which the processes of manufacturing are carried on; as, a cotton mill; a powder mill; a rolling mill.

6. (Die Sinking)

Defn: A hardened steel roller having a design in relief, used for imprinting a reversed copy of the design in a softer metal, as copper.

7. (Mining) (a) An excavation in rock, transverse to the workings, from which material for filling is obtained. (b) A passage underground through which ore is shot.

8. A milling cutter. See Illust. under Milling.

9. A pugilistic. [Cant] R. D. Blackmore. Edge mill, Flint mill, etc.
See under Edge, Flint, etc.
— Mill bar (Iron Works), a rough bar rolled or drawn directly from
a bloom or puddle bar for conversion into merchant iron in the mill.
— Mill cinder, slag from a puddling furnace.
— Mill head, the head of water employed to turn the wheel of a
mill.
— Mill pick, a pick for dressing millstones.
— Mill pond, a pond that supplies the water for a mill.
— Mill race, the canal in which water is conveyed to a mill wheel,
or the current of water which drives the wheel.
— Mill tail, the water which flows from a mill wheel after turning
it, or the channel in which the water flows.
— Mill tooth, a grinder or molar tooth.
— Mill wheel, the water wheel that drives the machinery of a mill.
— Roller mill, a mill in which flour or meal is made by crushing
grain between rollers.
— Stamp mill (Mining), a mill in which ore is crushed by stamps.
— To go through the mill, to experience the suffering or discipline
necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or
to a certain mental state.

MILL
Mill, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Milled; p. pr. & vb. n. Milling.] Etym:
[See Mill, n., and cf. Muller.]

1. To reduce to fine particles, or to small pieces, in a mill; to grind; to comminute.

2. To shape, finish, or transform by passing through a machine; specifically, to shape or dress, as metal, by means of a rotary cutter.

3. To make a raised border around the edges of, or to cut fine grooves or indentations across the edges of, as of a coin, or a screw head; also, to stamp in a coining press; to coin.

4. To pass through a fulling mill; to full, as cloth.

5. To beat with the fists. [Cant] Thackeray.

6. To roll into bars, as steel. To mill chocolate, to make it frothy, as by churning.

MILL
Mill, v. i. (Zoöl.)

Defn: To swim under water; — said of air-breathing creatures.

MILLBOARD
Mill"board`, n.

Defn: A kind of stout pasteboard.

MILL-CAKE
Mill"-cake`, n.

Defn: The incorporated materials for gunpowder, in the form of a dense mass or cake, ready to be subjected to the process of granulation.

MILLDAM
Mill"dam`, n.

Defn: A dam or mound to obstruct a water course, and raise the water to a height sufficient to turn a mill wheel.

MILLED
Milled, a.

Defn: Having been subjected to some process of milling. Milled cloth, cloth that has been beaten in a fulling mill. — Milled lead, lead rolled into sheets.

MILLEFIORE GLASS
Mil`le*fi*o"re glass`. Etym: [It. mille thousand + flore flower.]

Defn: Slender rods or tubes of colored glass fused together and embedded in clear glass; — used for paperweights and other small articles.

MILLENARIAN
Mil`le*na"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Millenary.]

Defn: Consisting of a thousand years; of or pertaining to the millennium, or to the Millenarians.

MILLENARIAN
Mil`le*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who believes that Christ will personally reign on earth a thousand years; a Chiliast.

MILLENARIANISM; MILLENARISM
Mil`le*na"ri*an*ism, Mil"le*na*rism, n.

Defn: The doctrine of Millenarians.

MILLENARY Mil"le*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. millenarius, fr. milleni a thousand each, fr. mille a thousand: cf. F. millénaire. See Mile.]

Defn: Consisting of a thousand; millennial.

MILLENARY
Mil"le*na*ry, n.

Defn: The space of a thousand years; a millennium; also, a
Millenarian."During that millenary." Hare.

MILLENNIAL
Mil*len"ni*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the millennium, or to a thousand years; as, a millennial period; millennial happiness.

MILLENNIALISM; MILLENNIARISM
Mil*len"ni*al*ism, Mil*len"ni*a*rism, n.

Defn: Belief in, or expectation of, the millennium; millenarianism.

MILLENNIALIST
Mil*len"ni*al*ist, n.

Defn: One who believes that Christ will reign personally on earth a thousand years; a Chiliast; also, a believer in the universal prevalence of Christianity for a long period.

MILLENNIST
Mil"len*nist, n.

Defn: One who believes in the millennium. [Obs.] Johnson.

MILLENNIUM
Mil*len"ni*um, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. mille a thousand + annus a year.
See Mile, and Annual.]

Defn: A thousand years; especially, thousand years mentioned in the twentieth chapter in the twentieth chapter of Revelation, during which holiness is to be triumphant throughout the world. Some believe that, during this period, Christ will reign on earth in person with his saints.

MILLEPED Mil"le*ped, n. Etym: [L. millepeda; mille a thousand + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. mille-pieds.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A myriapod with many legs, esp. a chilognath, as the galleyworm. [Written also millipede and milliped.]

MILLEPORA
Mil*le*po"ra, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Hydrocorallia, which includes the millipores.

MILLEPORE Mil"le*pore, n. Etym: [L. mille thousand + porus pore: cf. F. millépore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any coral of the genus Millepora, having the surface nearly smooth, and perforated with very minute unequal pores, or cells. The animals are hydroids, not Anthozoa. See Hydrocorallia.

MILLEPORITE
Mil"le*po*rite, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil millepore.

MILLER
Mill"er, n.

1. One who keeps or attends a flour mill or gristmill.

2. A milling machine.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) A moth or lepidopterous insect; — so called because the wings appear as if covered with white dust or powder, like a miller's clothes. Called also moth miller. (b) The eagle ray. (c) The hen harrier. [Prov. Eng.] Miller's thumb. (Zoöl.) (a) A small fresh-water fish of the genus Uranidea (formerly Cottus), as the European species (U. gobio), and the American (U. gracilis); — called also bullhead. (b) A small bird, as the gold-crest, chiff- chaff, and long-tailed tit. [Prov. Eng.]

MILLERITE
Mil"ler*ite, n.

Defn: A believer in the doctrine of William Miller (d. 1849), who taught that the end of the world and the second coming of Christ were at hand.

MILLERITE
Mil"ler*ite, n. Etym: [From W. H. Miller, of Cambridge, Eng.] (Min.)

Defn: A sulphide of nickel, commonly occurring in delicate capillary crystals, also in incrustations of a bronze yellow; — sometimes called hair pyrites.

MILLESIMAL
Mil*les"i*mal, a. Etym: [L. millesimus, fr. mille a thousand.]

Defn: Thousandth; consisting of thousandth parts; as, millesimal fractions.

MILLET
Mil"let, n. Etym: [F., dim. of mil, L. milium; akin to Gr. mil.]
(Bot.)

Defn: The name of several cereal and forage grasses which bear an abundance of small roundish grains. The common millets of Germany and Southern Europe are Panicum miliaceum, and Setaria Italica.

Note: Arabian millet is Sorghum Halepense. — Egyptian or East Indian, millet is Penicillaria spicata. — Indian millet is Sorghum vulgare. (See under Indian.) — Italian millet is Setaria Italica, a coarse, rank-growing annual grass, valuable for fodder when cut young, and bearing nutritive seeds; — called also Hungarian grass. — Texas millet is Panicum Texanum. — Wild millet, or Millet grass, is Milium effusum, a tail grass growing in woods.

MILLI-
Mil"li-. Etym: [From L. mille a thousand.] (Metric System, Elec.,
Mech., etc.)

Defn: A prefix denoting a thousandth part of; as, millimeter, milligram, milliampère.

MILLIAMPERE
Mil`li*am`père", n. Etym: [Milli- + ampère.] (Elec.)

Defn: The thousandth part of one ampère.

MILLIARD
Mil`liard", n. Etym: [F., from mille, mil, thousand, L. mille.]

Defn: A thousand millions; — called also billion. See Billion.

MILLIARY Mil"li*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. milliarius containing a thousand, fr. mille thousand: cf. F. milliaire milliary. See Mile.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a mile, or to distance by miles; denoting a
mile or miles.
A milliary column, from which they used to compute the distance of
all the cities and places of note. Evelyn.

MILLIARY Mil"li*a*ry, n.; pl. Milliaries. Etym: [L. milliarium. See Milliary, a.]

Defn: A milestone.

MILLIER
Mil`lier", n. Etym: [F., fr. mille thousand.]

Defn: A weight of the metric system, being one million grams; a metric ton.

MILLIFOLD
Mil"li*fold`, a. Etym: [L. mille thousand + E. fold times.]

Defn: Thousandfold. [R.] Davies (Holy Roode).

MILLIGRAM; MILLIGRAMME Mil"li*gram, Mil"li*gramme, n. Etym: [F. milligramme; milli- milli- + gramme. See 3d Gram.]

Defn: A measure of weight, in the metric system, being the thousandth part of a gram, equal to the weight of a cubic millimeter of water, or .01543 of a grain avoirdupois.

MILLILITER; MILLILITRE Mil"li*li`ter, Mil"li*li`tre, n. Etym: [F. millilitre; milli- milli- + litre. See Liter.]

Defn: A measure of capacity in the metric system, containing the thousandth part of a liter. It is a cubic centimeter, and is equal to .061 of an English cubic inch, or to .0338 of an American fluid ounce.

MILLIMETER; MILLIMETRE Mil"li*me`ter, Mil"li*me`tre, n. Etym: [F. millimètre; milli- milli- + mètre. See 3d Meter.]

Defn: A lineal measure in the metric system, containing the thousandth part of a meter; equal to .03937 of an inch. See 3d Meter.

MILLIMICRON
Mil"li*mi`cron, n. [Milli- + micron.]

Defn: The thousandish part of a micron or the millionth part of a millimeter; — a unit of length used in measuring light waves, etc.

MILLINER Mil"li*ner, n. Etym: [From Milaner an inhabitant of Milan, in Italy; hence, a man from Milan who imported women's finery.]

1. Formerly, a man who imported and dealt in small articles of a miscellaneous kind, especially such as please the fancy of women. [Obs.] No milliner can so fit his customers with gloves. Shak.

2. A person, usually a woman, who makes, trims, or deals in hats, bonnets, headdresses, etc., for women. Man milliner, a man who makes or deals in millinery; hence, contemptuously, a man who is busied with trifling occupations or embellishments.

MILLINERY
Mil"li*ner*y, n.

1. The articles made or sold by milliners, as headdresses, hats or bonnets, laces, ribbons, and the like.

2. The business of work of a milliner.

MILLINET
Mil`li*net", n.

Defn: A stiff cotton fabric used by milliners for lining bonnets.

MILLING
Mill"ing, n.

Defn: The act or employment of grinding or passing through a mill; the process of fulling; the process of making a raised or intented edge upon coin, etc.; the process of dressing surfaces of various shapes with rotary cutters. See Mill. High milling, milling in which grain is reduced to flour by a succession of crackings, or of slight and partial crushings, alternately with sifting and sorting the product. — Low milling, milling in which the reduction is effected in a single crushing or grinding. — Milling cutter, a fluted, sharp-edged rotary cutter for dressing surfaces, as of metal, of various shapes. — Milling machine, a machine tool for dressing surfaces by rotary cutters. — Milling tool, a roller with indented edge or surface, for producing like indentations in metal by rolling pressure, as in turning; a knurling tool; a milling cutter.

MILLION
Mil"lion, n. Etym: [F., from LL. millio, fr. L. mille a thousand. See
Mile.]

1. The number of ten hundred thousand, or a thousand thousand, — written 1,000, 000. See the Note under Hundred

2. A very great number; an indefinitely large number. Millions of truths that a man is not concerned to know. Locke.

3. The mass of common people; — with the article the. For the play, I remember, pleased not the million. Shak.

MILLIONAIRE
Mil`lion*aire", n. Etym: [F. millionnaire.]

Defn: One whose wealth is counted by millions of francs, dollars, or pounds; a very rich person; a person worth a million or more. [Written also millionnaire.]

MILLIONAIRESS
Mil`lion*air"ess, n.

Defn: A woman who is a millionaire, or the wife of a millionaire.
[Humorous] Holmes.

MILLIONARY
Mil"lion*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to millions; consisting of millions; as, the millionary chronology of the pundits. Pinker

MILLIONED
Mil"lioned, a.

Defn: Multiplied by millions; innumerable. [Obs.] Shak.

MILLIONNAIRE
Mil`lion`naire", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Millionaire.

MILLIONTH
Mil"lionth, a.

Defn: Being the last one of a million of units or objects counted in regular order from the first of a series or succession; being one of a million.

MILLIONTH
Mil"lionth, n.

Defn: The quotient of a unit divided by one million; one of a million equal parts.

MILLIPED
Mil"li*ped, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The same Milleped.

MILLISTERE
Mil"li*stere, n. Etym: [F. millistère, from milli- milli- + stère.]

Defn: A liter, or cubic decimeter.

MILLIWEBER
Mil`li*we"ber, n. Etym: [Milli- + weber.] (Physics)

Defn: The thousandth part of one weber.

MILLREA; MILLREE; MILLREIS
Mill"rea`, Mill"ree`, Mill"reis`, n.

Defn: See Milreis.

MILLRIND; MILLRYND
Mill"rind`, Mill"rynd`, n. Etym: [Mill + rynd.] (Her.)

Defn: A figure supposed to represent the iron which holds a millstone by being set into its center.

MILL-SIXPENCE
Mill"-sixpence, n.

Defn: A milled sixpence; — the sixpence being one of the first
English coins milled (1561).

MILLSTONE
Mill"stone`, n.

Defn: One of two circular stones used for grinding grain or other
substance.
No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge. Deut.
xxiv. 6.

Note: The cellular siliceous rock called buhrstone is usually employed for millstones; also, some kinds of lava, as that Niedermendig, or other firm rock with rough texture. The surface of a millstone has usually a series of radial grooves in which the powdered material collects. Millstone girt (Geol.), a hard and coarse, gritty sandstone, dividing the Carboniferous from the Subcarboniferous strata. See Farewell rock, under Farewell, a., and Chart of Geology. — To see into, or through, a millstone, to see into or through a difficult matter. (Colloq.)

MILLWORK
Mill"work`, n.

1. The shafting, gearing, and other driving machinery of mils.

2. The business of setting up or of operating mill machinery.

MILLWRIGHT
Mill"wright`, n.

Defn: A mechanic whose occupation is to build mills, or to set up their machinery.

MILORD
Mi*lord", n. [F. (also It., Sp., Russ.), fr. E. my lord.]

Defn: Lit., my lord; hence (as used on the Continent), an English nobleman or gentleman.

MILREIS Mil"reis`, n. Etym: [Pg. mil reis, i. e., one thousand reis; mil a thousand + reis, pl. of real a rei.]

Defn: A Portuguese money of account rated in the treasury department of the United States at one dollar and eight cents; also, a Brazilian money of account rated at fifty-four cents and six mills.

MILT
Milt, n. Etym: [AS. milte; akin to D. milt, G. milz, OHG. milzi,
Icel. milti, Dan. milt, Sw. mjälte, and prob. to E. malt, melt. sq.
root108. See Malt the grain.] (Anat.)

Defn: The spleen.

MILT Milt, n. Etym: [Akin to Dan. melk, Sw. mjölke, G. milch, and E. milk. See Milk.] (Zoöl.) (a) The spermatic fluid of fishes. (b) The testes, or spermaries, of fishes when filled with spermatozoa.

MILT
Milt, v. t.

Defn: To impregnate (the roe of a fish) with milt.

MILTER
Milt"er, n. Etym: [Cf. D. milter, G. milcher, milchner. See 2d Milt.]
(Zoöl.)

Defn: A male fish.

MILTONIAN
Mil*to"ni*an, a.

Defn: Miltonic. Lowell.

MILTONIC
Mil*ton"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, Milton, or his writings; as,
Miltonic prose.

MILTWASTE
Milt"waste`, Etym: [1st milt + waste.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small European fern (Asplenium Ceterach) formerly used in medicine.

MILVINE
Mil"vine, a. Etym: [L. milvus kite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or resembling birds of the kite kind.

MILVINE
Mil"vine, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird related to the kite.

MILVUS
Mil"vus, n. Etym: [L., a kite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of raptorial birds, including the European kite.

MIME
Mime, n. Etym: [L. mimus, Gr. mime. Cf. Mimosa.]

1. A kind of drama in which real persons and events were generally represented in a ridiculous manner.

2. An actor in such representations.

MIME
Mime, v. i.

Defn: To mimic. [Obs.] — Mim"er, n.

MIMEOGRAPH
Mim"e*o*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.]

Defn: An autographic stencil copying device invented by Edison.

MIMESIS
Mi*me"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet. & Biol.)

Defn: Imitation; mimicry.

MIMETENE
Mim"e*tene, n. (Min.)

Defn: See Mimetite.

MIMETIC; MIMETICAL
Mi*met"ic, Mi*met"ic*al,Etym: [Gr.

1. Apt to imitate; given to mimicry; imitative.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Characterized by mimicry; — applied to animals and plants; as, mimetic species; mimetic organisms. See Mimicry.

MIMETISM
Mim"e*tism, n. Etym: [From Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Same as Mimicry.

MIMETITE
Mim"e*tite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in pale yellow or brownish hexagonal crystals. It is an arseniate of lead.

MIMIC; MIMICAL
Mim"ic, Mim"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mimicus, Gr. mimique. See Mime.]

1. Imitative; mimetic. Oft, in her absence, mimic fancy wakes To imitate her. Milton. Man is, of all creatures, the most mimical. W. Wotton.

2. Consisting of, or formed by, imitation; imitated; as, mimic gestures. "Mimic hootings." Wordsworth.

3. (Min.)

Defn: Imitative; characterized by resemblance to other forms; — applied to crystals which by twinning resemble simple forms of a higher grade of symmetry.

Note: Mimic often implies something droll or ludicrous, and is less dignified than imitative. Mimic beetle (Zoöl.), a beetle that feigns death when disturbed, esp. the species of Hister and allied genera.

MIMIC
Mim"ic, n.

Defn: One who imitates or mimics, especially one who does so for sport; a copyist; a buffoon. Burke.

MIMIC
Mim"ic, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mimicked; p. pr. & vb. n. Mimicking.]

1. To imitate or ape for sport; to ridicule by imitation. The walk, the words, the gesture, could supply, The habit mimic, and the mien belie. Dryden.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: To assume a resemblance to (some other organism of a totally different nature, or some surrounding object), as a means of protection or advantage.

Syn.
— To ape; imitate; counterfeit; mock.

MIMICALLY
Mim"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an imitative manner.

MIMICKER
Mim"ick*er, n.

1. One who mimics; a mimic.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal which imitates something else, in form or habits.

MIMICRY
Mim"ic*ry, n.

1. The act or practice of one who mimics; ludicrous imitation for sport or ridicule.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Protective resemblance; the resemblance which certain animals and plants exhibit to other animals and plants or to the natural objects among which they live, — a characteristic which serves as their chief means of protection against enemies; imitation; mimesis; mimetism.

MIMOGRAPHER
Mi*mog"ra*pher, n. Etym: [L. mimographus, Gr. mimographe.]

Defn: A writer of mimes. Sir T. Herbert.

MIMOSA
Mi*mo"sa, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Mime.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of leguminous plants, containing many species, and including the sensitive plants (Mimosa sensitiva, and M. pudica).

Note: The term mimosa is also applied in commerce to several kinds bark imported from Australia, and used in tanning; — called also wattle bark. Tomlinson.

MIMOTANNIC
Mi`mo*tan"nic, a. Etym: [Mimosa + tannic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a variety of tannin or tannic acid found in Acacia, Mimosa, etc.

MINA
Mi"na, n.; pl. L. Minæ, E. Minas. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value.
The Attic mina was valued at a hundred drachmas.

MINA
Mi"na, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Myna.

MINABLE
Min"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be mined; as, minable earth. Sir T. North.

MINACIOUS
Mi*na"cious, a. Etym: [L. minax, -acis. See Menace.]

Defn: Threatening; menacing. [R.]

MINACITY
Mi*nac"i*ty, n.

Defn: Disposition to threaten. [R.]

MINARET Min"a*ret, n. Etym: [Sp. minarete, Ar. manarat lamp, lantern, lighthouse, turret, fr. nar to shine.] (Arch.)

Defn: A slender, lofty tower attached to a mosque and surrounded by one or more projecting balconies, from which the summon to prayer is cried by the muezzin.

MINARGENT Min*ar"gent, n. Etym: [Prob. contr. from aluminium + L. argentum silver.]

Defn: An alloy consisting of copper, nickel, tungsten, and aluminium; — used by jewelers.

MINATORIALLY; MINATORILY
Min`a*to"ri*al*ly, Min"a*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a minatory manner; with threats.

MINATORY
Min"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. minatorius, fr. minari to threaten. See
Menace.]

Defn: Threatening; menacing. Bacon.

MINAUL
Mi*naul", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Manul.

MINCE
Mince, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minced; p. pr. & vb. n. Minging.] Etym:
[AS. minsian to grow less, dwindle, fr. min small; akin to G. minder
less, Goth. minniza less, mins less, adv., L. minor, adj. (cf.
Minor); or more likely fr. F. mincer to mince, prob. from (assumed)
LL. minutiare. Minish.]

1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat. Bacon.

2. To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half and keep back half of. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say — "I love you." Shak. Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with a phrase. Dryden. If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. Dryden.

3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] Shak.

MINCE
Mince, v. i.

1. To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner. The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes,… mincing as they go. Is. iii. 16. I 'll… turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride. Shak.

2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.

MINCE
Mince, n.

Defn: A short, precise step; an affected manner.

MINCE-MEAT
Mince"-meat`, n.

Defn: Minced meat; meat chopped very fine; a mixture of boiled meat, suet, apples, etc., chopped very fine, to which spices and raisins are added; — used in making mince pie.

MINCE PIE
Mince" pie`.

Defn: A pie made of mince-meat.

MINCER
Min"cer, n.

Defn: One who minces.

MINCING
Min"cing, a.

Defn: That minces; characterized by primness or affected nicety.

MINCINGLY
Min"cing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mincing manner; not fully; with affected nicety.

MIND Mind, n. Etym: [AS. mynd, gemynd; akin to OHG. minna memory, love, G. minne love, Dan. minde mind, memory, remembrance, consent, vote, Sw. minne memory, Icel. minni, Goth. gamunds, L. mens, mentis, mind, Gr. manas mind, man to think. Comment, Man, Mean, v., 3d Mental, Mignonette, Minion, Mnemonic, Money.]

1. The intellectual or rational faculty in man; the understanding; the intellect; the power that conceives, judges, or reasons; also, the entire spiritual nature; the soul; — often in distinction from the body. By the mind of man we understand that in him which thinks, remembers, reasons, wills. Reid. What we mean by mind is simply that which perceives, thinks, feels, wills, and desires. Sir W. Hamilton. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Rom. xiv. 5. The mind shall banquet, though the body pine. Shak.

2. The state, at any given time, of the faculties of thinking, willing, choosing, and the like; psychical activity or state; as: (a) Opinion; judgment; belief. A fool uttereth all his mind. Prov. xxix. 11. Being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Shak.

(b) Choice; inclination; liking; intent; will. If it be your minds, then let none go forth. 2 Kings ix. 15.

(c) Courage; spirit. Chapman.

3. Memory; remembrance; recollection; as, to have or keep in mind, to call to mind, to put in mind, etc. To have a mind or great mind, to be inclined or strongly inclined in purpose; — used with an infinitive. "Sir Roger de Coverly… told me that he had a great mind to see the new tragedy with me." Addison. — To lose one's mind, to become insane, or imbecile. — To make up one's mind, to come to an opinion or decision; to determine. — To put in mind, to remind. "Regard us simply as putting you in mind of what you already know to be good policy." Jowett (Thucyd. ).

MIND
Mind, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minded; p. pr. & vb. n. Minding.] Etym:
[AS. myndian, gemyndian to remember. See Mind, n.]

1. To fix the mind or thoughts on; to regard with attention; to treat as of consequence; to consider; to heed; to mark; to note. "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." Rom. xii. 16. My lord, you nod: you do not mind the play. Shak.

2. To occupy one's self with; to employ one's self about; to attend to; as, to mind one's business. Bidding him be a good child, and mind his book. Addison.

3. To obey; as, to mind parents; the dog minds his master.

4. To have in mind; to purpose. Beaconsfield. I mind to tell him plainly what I think. Shak.

5. To put in mind; to remind. [Archaic] M. Arnold.
He minded them of the mutability of all earthly things. Fuller.
I do thee wrong to mind thee of it. Shak.
Never mind, do not regard it; it is of no consequence; no matter.

Syn.
— To notice; mark; regard; obey. See Attend.

MIND
Mind, v. i.

Defn: To give attention or heed; to obey; as, the dog minds well.

MINDED
Mind"ed, a.

Defn: Disposed; inclined; having a mind.
Joseph… was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19.
If men were minded to live virtuously. Tillotson.

Note: Minded is much used in composition; as, high-minded, feeble- minded, sober-minded, double-minded.

MINDER
Mind"er, n.

1. One who minds, tends, or watches something, as a child, a machine, or cattle; as, a minder of a loom.

2. One to be attended; specif., a pauper child intrusted to the care of a private person. [Eng.] Dickens.

MINDFUL
Mind"ful, a.

Defn: Bearing in mind; regardful; attentive; heedful; observant.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him Ps. viii. 4.
I promise you to be mindful of your admonitions. Hammond.
— Mind"ful*ly, adv.
— Mind"ful*ness, n.

MINDING
Mind"ing, n.

Defn: Regard; mindfulness.

MINDLESS
Mind"less, a.

1. Not indued with mind or intellectual powers; stupid; unthinking.

2. Unmindful; inattentive; heedless; careless. Cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth. Shak.

MINE
Mine, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Mien. [Obs.]

MINE
Mine, pron. & a. Etym: [OE. min, fr. AS. min; akin to D. mijn, OS.,
OFries., & OHG. min, G. mein, Sw. & Dan. min, Icel. minn, Goth. meins
my, mine, meina of me, and E. me. Me, and cf. My.]

Defn: Belonging to me; my. Used as a pronominal to me; my. Used as a pronominal adjective in the predicate; as, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." Rom. xii. 19. Also, in the old style, used attributively, instead of my, before a noun beginning with a vowel. I kept myself from mine iniquity. Ps. xviii. 23.

Note: Mine is often used absolutely, the thing possessed being understood; as, his son is in the army, mine in the navy. When a man deceives me once, says the Italian proverb, it is his fault; when twice, it is mine. Bp. Horne. This title honors me and mine. Shak. She shall have me and mine. Shak.

MINE Mine, v. i. Etym: [F. miner, L. minare to drive animals, in LL. also, to lead, conduct, dig a mine (cf. E. lode, and lead to conduct), akin to L. minari to threaten; cf. Sp. mina mine, conduit, subterraneous canal, a spring or source of water, It. mina. See Menace, and cf. Mien.]

1. To dig a mine or pit in the earth; to get ore, metals, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; to dig in the earth for minerals; to dig a passage or cavity under anything in order to overthrow it by explosives or otherwise.

2. To form subterraneous tunnel or hole; to form a burrow or lodge in the earth; as, the mining cony.

MINE
Mine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mined; p. pr. & vb. n. Mining.]

1. To dig away, or otherwise remove, the substratum or foundation of; to lay a mine under; to sap; to undermine; hence, to ruin or destroy by slow degrees or secret means. They mined the walls. Hayward. Too lazy to cut down these immense trees, the spoilers… had mined them, and placed a quantity of gunpowder in the cavity. Sir W. Scott.

2. To dig into, for ore or metal. Lead veins have been traced… but they have not been mined. Ure.

3. To get, as metals, out of the earth by digging. The principal ore mined there is the bituminous cinnabar. Ure.

MINE
Mine, n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. mina. See Mine, v. i.]

1. A subterranean cavity or passage; especially: (a) A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic ores, precious stones, coal, or other mineral substances are taken by digging; — distinguished from the pits from which stones for architectural purposes are taken, and which are called quarries. (b) (Mil.) A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the superstructure with some explosive agent.

2. Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine.gold mine

3. Fig.: A rich source of wealth or other good. Shak. Mine dial, a form of magnetic compass used by miners. — Mine pig, pig iron made wholly from ore; in distinction from cinder pig, which is made from ore mixed with forge or mill cinder. Raymond.

MINER
Min"er, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mineur.]

1. One who mines; a digger for metals, etc.; one engaged in the business of getting ore, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; one who digs military mines; as, armies have sappers and miners.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies. (b) The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula). Miner's elbow (Med.), a swelling on the black of the elbow due to inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon; — so called because of frequent occurrence in miners. — Miner's inch, in hydraulic mining, the amount of water flowing under a given pressure in a given time through a hole one inch in diameter. It is a unit for measuring the quantity of water supplied.

MINERAL
Min"er*al, n. Etym: [F. minéral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. See
Mine, v. i.]

1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals.

2. A mine. [Obs.] Shak.

3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).

MINERAL
Min"er*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.

2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. Mineral acids
(Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric,
hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids.
— Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when reduced to
an impalpable powder for coloring purposes.
— Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine.
— Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of
bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. See
Caoutchouc, and Elaterite.
— Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon.
— Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal.
— Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below).
— Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite.
— Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand
divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as
distinguished from plants or animals.
— Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum.
— Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral
substance, as red or yellow iron ocher.
— Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt.
— Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land.
— Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid.
— Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty
or spermaceti-like appearance.
— Mineral water. See under Water.
— Mineral wax. See Ozocerite.
— Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a
powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor
conductor of heat.

MINERALIST
Min"er*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliste.]

Defn: One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [R.]

MINERALIZATION
Min`er*al*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralisation.]

1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant.

2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature.

MINERALIZE
Min"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mineralized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mineralizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliser.]

1. To transform into a mineral. In these caverns the bones are not mineralized. Buckland.

2. To impregnate with a mineral; as, mineralized water.

MINERALIZE
Min"er*al*ize, v. i.

Defn: To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize.

MINERALIZER
Min"er*al*i`zer, n.

Defn: An element which is combined with a metal, thus forming an ore. Thus, in galena, or lead ore, sulphur is a mineralizer; in hematite, oxygen is a mineralizer.

MINERALOGICAL
Min`er*al*og"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogique. See Mineralogy.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to mineralogy; as, a mineralogical table.

MINERALOGICALLY
Min`er*al*og"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: According to the principles of, or with reference to, mineralogy.

MINERALOGIST
Min`er*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogiste.]

1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carrier shell (Phorus).

MINERALOGIZE
Min`er*al"o*gize, v. i.

Defn: To study mineralogy by collecting and examining minerals. Miss
Edgeworth.

MINERALOGY Min`er*al"o*gy, n.; pl. Mineralogies. Etym: [Mineral + -logy: cf. F. minéralogie.]

1. The science which treats of minerals, and teaches how to describe, distinguish, and classify them.

2. A treatise or book on this science.

MINERVA
Mi*ner"va, n. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of wisdom, of war, of the arts and sciences, of poetry, and of spinning and weaving; — identified with the Grecian Pallas Athene.

MINETTE
Mi*nette", n.

Defn: The smallest of regular sizes of portrait photographs.

MINEVER
Min"e*ver, n.

Defn: Same as Miniver.

MINGE
Minge, v. t. Etym: [AS. myngian; akin to E. mind.]

Defn: To mingle; to mix. [Obs.]

MINGE
Minge, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. midge.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small biting fly; a midge. [Local, U. S.]

MINGLE
Min"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mingled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mingling.]
Etym: [From OE. mengen, AS. mengan; akin to D. & G. mengen, Icel.
menga, also to E. among, and possibly to mix. Cf. Among, Mongrel.]

1. To mix; intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product; to confuse; to confound. There was… fire mingled with the hail. Ex. ix. 24.

2. To associate or unite in society or by ties of relationship; to cause or allow to intermarry; to intermarry. The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. Ezra ix. 2.

3. To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate. A mingled, imperfect virtue. Rogers.

4. To put together; to join. [Obs.] Shak.

5. To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of. [He] proceeded to mingle another draught. Hawthorne.

MINGLE
Min"gle, v. i.

Defn: To become mixed or blended.

MINGLE
Min"gle, n.

Defn: A mixture. [Obs.] Dryden.

MINGLEABLE
Min"gle*a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be mingled. Boyle.

MINGLEDLY
Min"gled*ly, adv.

Defn: Confusedly.

MINGLE-MANGLE
Min"gle-man`gle, v. t. Etym: [Reduplicated fr. mingle.]

Defn: To mix in a disorderly way; to make a mess of. [Obs.] Udall.

MINGLE-MANGLE
Min"gle-man`gle, n.

Defn: A hotchpotch. [Obs.] Latimer.

MINGLEMENT
Min"gle*ment, n.

Defn: The act of mingling, or the state of being mixed.

MINGLER
Min"gler, n.

Defn: One who mingles.

MINGLINGLY
Min"gling*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mingling manner.

MINIACEOUS; MINACEOUS
Min`i*a"ceous, a.

Defn: Of the color of minium or red lead; miniate.

MINIARD
Min"iard, a.

Defn: Migniard. [Obs.]

MINIARDIZE
Min"iard*ize, v. t.

Defn: To render delicate or dainty. [Obs.] Howell.

MINIATE
Min"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Miniated; p. pr. & vb. n. Miniating.]
Etym: [L. miniatus, p. p. of miniare. See Minium.]

Defn: To paint or tinge with red lead or vermilion; also, to decorate with letters, or the like, painted red, as the page of a manuscript. T. Wharton.

MINIATE
Min"i*ate, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the color of red lead or vermilion; painted with vermilion.

MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, n. Etym: [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.]

1. Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.

2. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.

3. Lettering in red; rubric distinction. [Obs.]

4. A particular feature or trait. [Obs.] Massinger.

MINIATURE
Min"i*a*ture, a.

Defn: Being on a small; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.

MINIATURE
Min"i*a*ture, v. t.

Defn: To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.

MINIATURIST
Min"i*a*tur`ist, n.

Defn: A painter of miniatures.

MINIBUS
Min"i*bus, n. Etym: [L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus.]

Defn: A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying four persons.

MINIE BALL
Min"ie ball`. Etym: [From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.]

Defn: A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.

MINIE RIFLE
Min"ie ri"fle.

Defn: A rifle adapted to minie balls.

MINIFY
Min"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minified; p. pr. & vb. n. Minifying.]
Etym: [L. minor less + -fly.]

1. To make small, or smaller; to diminish the apparent dimensions of; to lessen.

2. To degrade by speech or action.

MINIKIN Min"i*kin, n. Etym: [OD. minneken a darling, dim. of minne love; akin to G. minne, and to E. mind.]

1. A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.

2. A little pin. [Obs.]

MINIKIN
Min"i*kin, a.

Defn: Small; diminutive. Shak.

MINIM
Min"im, n. Etym: [F. minime, L. minimus the least, smallest, a
superl. of minor: cf. It. minima a note in music. See Minor, and cf.
Minimum.]

1. Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; — applied to animalcula; and the like.

2. The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.]

4. A little man or being; a dwarf. [Obs.] Milton.

5. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of an austere order of mendicant hermits of friars founded in the 15th century by St. Francis of Paola.

6. (Mus.)

Defn: A time note, formerly the shortest in use; a half note, equal to half a semibreve, or two quarter notes or crotchets.

7. A short poetical encomium. [Obs.] Spenser.

MINIM
Min"im, a.

Defn: Minute. "Minim forms." J. R. Drake.

MINIMAL
Min"i*mal, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or having a character of, a minim or minimum; least; smallest; as, a minimal amount or value.

MINIMENT
Min"i*ment, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. of moniment.]

Defn: A trifle; a trinket; a token. [Obs.] Spenser.

MINIMIZATION
Min`i*mi*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of minimizing. Bentham.

MINIMIZE
Min"i*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minimized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Minimizimg.]

Defn: To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum. Bentham.

MINIMUM
Min"i*mum, n.; pl. Minima. Etym: [L., fr. minimus. See Minim.]

Defn: The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; — opposed to Ant: maximum.

MINIMUM THERMOMETER
Minimum thermometer

Defn: , a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment.

MINIMUS
Min"i*mus, n.; pl. Minimi. Etym: [L. See Minim.]

1. A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The little finger; the fifth digit, or that corresponding to it, in either the manus or pes.

MINING
Min"ing, n. Etym: [See Mine, v. i.]

Defn: The act or business of making mines or of working them.

MINING
Min"ing, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to mines; as, mining engineer; mining machinery; a mining region. Mining engineering. See the Note under Engineering.

MINION
Min"ion, n.

Defn: Minimum. [Obs.] Burton.

MINION
Min"ion, n. Etym: [F. mignon, fr. OHG. minni love, G. minne; akin to
E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Mignonette.]

1. A loved one; one highly esteemed and favored; — in a good sense.
[Obs.]
God's disciple and his dearest minion. Sylvester.
Is this the Athenian minion whom the world Voiced so regardfully
Shak.

2. An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.

3. (Print.)

Defn: A small kind of type, in size between brevier and nonpareil.
This line is printed in minion type.

4. An ancient form of ordnance, the caliber of which was about three inches. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

MINION
Min"ion, a. Etym: [See 2d Minion.]

Defn: Fine; trim; dainty. [Obs.] "Their… minion dancing." Fryth.

MINIONETTE
Min`ion*ette", a.

Defn: Small; delicate. [Obs.] "His minionette face." Walpole.

MINIONETTE
Min"ion*ette, n. (Print.)

Defn: A size of type between nonpareil and minion; — used in ornamental borders, etc.

MINIONING
Min"ion*ing, n.

Defn: Kind treatment. [Obs.]

MINIONIZE
Min"ion*ize, v. t.

Defn: To flavor. [Obs.]

MINIONLIKE; MINIONLY
Min"ion*like`, Min"ion*ly, a. & adv.

Defn: Like a minion; daintily. Camden.

MINIONSHIP
Min"ion*ship, n.

Defn: State of being a minion. [R.]

MINIOUS
Min"ious, a. Etym: [L. minium red lead.]

Defn: Of the color of red or vermilion. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

MINISH Min"ish, v. t. Etym: [OE. menusen, F. menuiser to make small, cut small, fr. (assumed) LL. minutiare, for minutare, fr. L. minutus small. See Minute, a., and cf. Diminish, Minge.]

Defn: To diminish; to lessen.
The living of poor men thereby minished. Latimer.

MINISHMENT
Min"ish*ment, n.

Defn: The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [Obs.]

MINISTER Min"is*ter, n. Etym: [OE. ministre, F. ministre, fr. L. minister, orig. a double comparative from the root of minor less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st Minor, and cf. Master, Minstrel.]

1. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument. Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. I chose Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes. Shak.

2. An officer of justice. [Obs.] I cry out the on the ministres, quod he, That shoulde keep and rule this cité. Chaucer.

3. One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs. Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon.

4. A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business.

Note: Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. "The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, — ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident." Abbott.

5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Addison.

Syn.
— Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest.

MINISTER
Min"is*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ministered; p. pr. & vb. n.
Ministering.] Etym: [OE. ministren, OF. ministrer, fr. L. ministrare.
See Minister, n.]

Defn: To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer.
He that ministereth seed to the sower. 2 Cor. ix. 10.
We minister to God reason to suspect us. Jer. Taylor.

MINISTER
Min"is*ter, v. i.

1. To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Matt. xx. 28.

2. To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies. Matt. xxv. 44. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased Shak.

MINISTERIAL
Min`is*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. ministerialis: cf. F. ministériel. See
Minister, and cf. Minstrel.]

1. Of or pertaining to ministry or service; serving; attendant. Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames. Prior.

2. Of or pertaining to the office of a minister or to the ministry as a body, whether civil or sacerdotal. "Ministerial offices." Bacon. "A ministerial measure." Junius. "Ministerial garments." Hooker.

3. Tending to advance or promote; contributive. "Ministerial to intellectual culture." De Quincey. The ministerial benches, the benches in the House of Commons occupied by members of the cabinet and their supporters; — also, the persons occupying them. "Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches." Burke.

Syn.
— Official; priestly; sacerdotal; ecclesiastical.

MINISTERIALIST
Min`is*te"ri*al*ist, n.

Defn: A supporter of the ministers, or the party in power.

MINISTERIALLY
Min`is*te"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a ministerial manner; in the character or capacity of a minister.

MINISTERY
Min"is*ter*y, n.

Defn: See Ministry. Milton.

MINISTRACY
Min"is*tra*cy, n.

Defn: Ministration. [Obs.]

MINISTRAL
Min"is*tral, a.

Defn: Ministerial. [Obs.] Johnson.

MINISTRANT Min"is*trant, a. Etym: [L. ministrans, -antis, of ministrare to minister.]

Defn: Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command; subordinate. "Princedoms and dominations ministrant." Milton. — n.

Defn: One who ministers.

MINISTRATION
Min`is*tra"tion, n. Etym: [L. ministratio, fr. ministrare.]

Defn: The act of ministering; service; ministry. "The days of his ministration." Luke i. 23.

MINISTRATIVE
Min"is*tra*tive, a.

Defn: Serving to aid; ministering.

MINISTRESS
Min"is*tress, n. Etym: [Cf. L. ministrix.]

Defn: A woman who ministers. Akenside.

MINISTRY Min"is*try, n.; pl. Ministries. Etym: [L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade.]

1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. "With tender ministry." Thomson.

2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality. The ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. The wicked ministry of arms. Dryden.

3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession.

4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body.

5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt.

MINISTRYSHIP
Min"is*try*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a minister. Swift.

MINIUM Min"i*um, n. Etym: [L. minium, an Iberian word, the Romans getting all their cinnabar from Spain; cf. Basque armineá.] (Chem.)

Defn: A heavy, brilliant red pigment, consisting of an oxide of lead, Pb3O4, obtained by exposing lead or massicot to a gentle and continued heat in the air. It is used as a cement, as a paint, and in the manufacture of flint glass. Called also red lead.

MINIVER
Min"i*ver, n. Etym: [See Meniver.]

Defn: A fur esteemed in the Middle Ages as a part of costume. It is uncertain whether it was the fur of one animal only or of different animals.

MINIVET
Min"i*vet, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A singing bird of India of the family Campephagidæ.

MINK
Mink, n. Etym: [Cf. 2d Minx.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carnivorous mammal of the genus Putorius, allied to the weasel. The European mink is Putorius lutreola. The common American mink (P. vison) varies from yellowish brown to black. Its fur is highly valued. Called also minx, nurik, and vison.

MINNESINGER
Min"ne*sing`er, n. Etym: [G., fr. minne love + singen to sing.]

Defn: A love-singer; specifically, one of a class of German poets and musicians who flourished from about the middle of the twelfth to the middle of the fourteenth century. They were chiefly of noble birth, and made love and beauty the subjects of their verses.

MINNOW Min"now, n. Etym: [OE. menow, cf. AS. myne; also OE. menuse, OF. menuise small fish; akin to E. minish, minute.] [Written also minow.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Phoxinus lævis, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; — called also minim and minny. The name is also applied to several allied American species, of the genera Phoxinus, Notropis, or Minnilus, and Rhinichthys.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any of numerous small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and related genera. They live both in fresh and in salt water. Called also killifish, minny, and mummichog.mummichog

MINNY
Min"ny, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A minnow.

MINO BIRD
Mi"no bird". Etym: [Hind. maina.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An Asiatic bird (Gracula musica), allied to the starlings. It is black, with a white spot on the wings, and a pair of flat yellow wattles on the head. It is often tamed and taught to pronounce words.

MINOR Mi"nor, a. Etym: [L., a comparative with no positive; akin to AS. min small, G. minder less, OHG. minniro, a., min, adv., Icel. minni, a., minnr, adv., Goth. minniza, a., mins, adv., Ir. & Gael. min small, tender, L. minuere to lessen, Gr. mi to damage. Cf. Minish, Minister, Minus, Minute.]

1. Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third. Asia Minor (Geog.), the Lesser Asia; that part of Asia which lies between the Euxine, or Black Sea, on the north, and the Mediterranean on the south. — Minor mode (Mus.), that mode, or scale, in which the third and sixth are minor, — much used for mournful and solemn subjects. — Minor orders (Eccl.), the rank of persons employed in ecclesiastical offices who are not in holy orders, as doorkeepers, acolytes, etc. — Minor scale (Mus.) The form of the minor scale is various. The strictly correct form has the third and sixth minor, with a semitone between the seventh and eighth, which involves an augmented second interval, or three semitones, between the sixth and seventh, as, 6/F, 7/G#, 8/A. But, for melodic purposes, both the sixth and the seventh are sometimes made major in the ascending, and minor in the descending, scale, thus: —See Major. — Minor term of syllogism (Logic), the subject of the conclusion.

MINOR
Mi"nor, n.

1. A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age.

Note: In hereditary monarchies, the minority of a sovereign ends at an earlier age than of a subject. The minority of a sovereign of Great Britain ends upon the completion of the eighteenth year of his age.

2. (Logic)

Defn: The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.

3. A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.

MINORAT
Mi`no*rat", n. [G. Cf. Minor, a.] (Law)

Defn: A custom or right, analogous to borough-English in England, formerly existing in various parts of Europe, and surviving in parts of Germany and Austria, by which certain entailed estates, as a homestead and adjacent land, descend to the youngest male heir.

MINORATE Mi"nor*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. minoratus; p. p. of minorare to diminish, fr. minor, a. See 1st Minor.]

Defn: To diminish. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

MINORATION
Mi`nor*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. minoratio: cf. F. minoration.]

Defn: A diminution. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

MINORESS
Mi"nor*ess, n.

Defn: See Franciscan Nuns, under Franciscan, a.

MINORITE
Mi"nor*ite, n. Etym: [L. minor less. Cf. 2d Minor, 3.]

Defn: A Franciscan friar.

MINORITY Mi*nor"i*ty, n.; pl. Minorities. Etym: [Cf. F. minorité. See Minor, a. & n.]

1. The state of being a minor, or under age.

2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. The smaller number; — opposed to Ant: majority; as, the minority must be ruled by the majority.

MINOS
Mi"nos, n. Etym: [Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa. After death he was made a judge in the Lower Regions.

MINOTAUR
Min"o*taur, n. Etym: [L. Minotaurus, Gr. Mi`nos, the husband of
Pasiphaë + tay^ros a bull, the Minotaur being the offspring of
Pasiphaë and a bull: cf. F. minotaure.] (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A fabled monster, half man and half bull, confined in the labyrinth constructed by Dædalus in Crete.

MINOW
Min"ow, n.

Defn: See Minnow.

MINSTER
Min"ster, n. Etym: [AS. mynster, fr. L. monasterium. See Monastery.]
(Arch.)

Defn: A church of a monastery. The name is often retained and applied to the church after the monastery has ceased to exist (as Beverly Minster, Southwell Minster, etc.), and is also improperly used for any large church. Minster house, the official house in which the canons of a cathedral live in common or in rotation. Shipley.

MINSTREL Min"strel, n. Etym: [OE. minstrel, menestral, OF. menestrel, fr. LL. ministerialis servant, workman (cf. ministrellus harpist), fr. L. ministerium service. See Ministry, and cf. Ministerial.]

Defn: In the Middle Ages, one of an order of men who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music, and sang verses to the accompaniment of a harp or other instrument; in modern times, a poet; a bard; a singer and harper; a musician. Chaucer.

MINSTRELSY
Min"strel*sy, n.

1. The arts and occupation of minstrels; the singing and playing of a minstrel.

2. Musical instruments. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. A collective body of minstrels, or musicians; also, a collective body of minstrels' songs. Chaucer. "The minstrelsy of heaven." Milton.

MINT
Mint, n. Etym: [AS. minte, fr. L. mentha, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The name of several aromatic labiate plants, mostly of the genus Mentha, yielding odoriferous essential oils by distillation. See Mentha.

Note: Corn mint is Mentha arvensis.
— Horsemint is M. sylvestris, and in the United States Monarda
punctata, which differs from the true mints in several respects.
— Mountain mint is any species of the related genus Pycnanthemum,
common in North America.
— Peppermint is M. piperita.
— Spearmint is M. viridis.
— Water mint is M. aquatica. Mint camphor. (Chem.) See Menthol.
— Mint julep. See Julep.
— Mint sauce, a sauce flavored with spearmint, for meats.