M M (em). (continued 12)

2. Of or pertaining to disease or diseased parts; as, morbid anatomy.

Syn. — Diseased; sickly; sick. — Morbid, Diseased. Morbid is sometimes used interchangeably with diseased, but is commonly applied, in a somewhat technical sense, to cases of a prolonged nature; as, a morbid condition of the nervous system; a morbid sensibility, etc.

MORBIDEZZA Mor`bi*dez"za, n. Etym: [It., softness, delicacy. See Morbid.]

1. (Fine Arts)

Defn: Delicacy or softness in the representation of flesh.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A term used as a direction in execution, signifying, with extreme delicacy. Ludden.

MORBIDITY Mor*bid"i*ty, n.

1. The quality or state of being morbid.

2. Morbid quality; disease; sickness. C. Kingsley.

3. Amount of disease; sick rate.

MORBIDLY Mor"bid*ly, adv.

Defn: In a morbid manner.

MORBIDNESS Mor"bid*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being morbid; morbidity.

MORBIFIC; MORBIFICAL Mor*bif"ic, Mor*bif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. morbus disease + -ficare (in comp.) to make: cf. F. morbifique. See -fy.]

Defn: Causing disease; generating a sickly state; as, a morbific matter.

MORBILLOUS Mor*bil"lous, a. Etym: [LL. morbilli measles, dim. of L. morbus disease: cf. F. morbilleux.]

Defn: Pertaining to the measles; partaking of the nature of measels, or resembling the eruptions of that disease; measly.

MORBOSE Mor*bose", a. Etym: [L. morbosus, fr. morbus disease.]

Defn: Proceeding from disease; morbid; unhealthy. Morbose tumors and excrescences of plants. Ray.

MORBOSITY Mor*bos"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. morbositas.]

Defn: A diseased state; unhealthiness. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

MORCEAU Mor`ceau", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A bit; a morsel.

MORDACIOUS Mor*da"cious, a. Etym: [L. mordax, -acis, fr. mordere, morsum, to bite. See Morsel.]

Defn: Biting; given to biting; hence, figuratively, sarcastic; severe; scathing. — Mor*da"cious*ly, adv.

MORDACITY Mor*dac"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. mordacitas: cf. F. mordacité. See Mordacious.]

Defn: The quality of being mordacious; biting severity, or sarcastic quality. Bacon.

MORDANT Mor"dant, a. Etym: [F., p.pr. of mordere to bite; L. mordere. See Morsel.]

1. Biting; caustic; sarcastic; keen; severe.

2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing)

Defn: Serving to fix colors.

MORDANT Mor"dant, n. Etym: [F., originally, biting.]

1. Any corroding substance used in etching.

2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing)

Defn: Any substance, as alum or copperas, which, having a twofold attraction for organic fibers and coloring matter, serves as a bond of union, and thus gives fixity to, or bites in, the dyes.

3. (Gilding)

Defn: Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made to adhere.

MORDANT Mor"dant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mordanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Mordanting.]

Defn: To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as, to mordant goods for dyeing.

MORDANTLY Mor"dant*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a mordant.

MORDENTE Mor*den"te, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: An embellishment resembling a trill.

MORDICANCY Mor"di*can*cy, n.

Defn: A biting quality; corrosiveness. [R.] Evelyn.

MORDICANT Mor"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. mordicans, p.pr. of mordicare to bite, fr. mordere: cf. F. mordicant.]

Defn: Biting; acrid; as, the mordicant quality of a body. [R.] Boyle.

MORDICATION Mor`di*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. mordicatio.]

Defn: The act of biting or corroding; corrosion. [R.] Bacon.

MORDICATIVE Mor"di*ca*tive, a. Etym: [L. mordicativus.]

Defn: Biting; corrosive. [R.] Holland.

MORE More, n. Etym: [AS. mor. See Moor a waste.]

Defn: A hill. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

MORE More, n. Etym: [AS. more, moru; akin to G. möhre carrot, OHG. moraha, morha.]

Defn: A root. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MORE More, a., compar. [Positive wanting; superl. Most (.] Etym: [OE. more, mare, and (orig. neut. and adv.) mo, ma, AS. mara, and (as neut. and adv.) ma; akin to D. meer, OS. mer, G. mehr, OHG. mero, mer, Icel. meiri, meirr, Dan. meere, meer, Sw. mera, mer, Goth. maiza, a., mais, adv., and perh. to L. major greater, compar. of magnus great, and magis, adv., more. sq. root103. Cf. Most, uch, Major.]

1. Greater; superior; increased; as: (a) Greater in quality, amount, degree, quality, and the like; with the singular. He gat more money. Chaucer. If we procure not to ourselves more woe. Milton.

Note: More, in this sense, was formerly used in connection with some other qualifying word, — a, the, this, their, etc., — which now requires the substitution of greater, further, or the like, for more. Whilst sisters nine, which dwell on Parnasse height, Do make them music for their more delight. Spenser. The more part knew not wherefore they were come together. Acts xix. 32. Wrong not that wrong with a more contempt. Shak.

(b) Greater in number; exceeding in numbers; — with the plural. The people of the children of Israel are more and mighter than we. Ex. i. 9.

2. Additional; other; as, he wept because there were no more words to conquer. With open arms received one poet more. Pope.

MORE More, n.

1. A greater quantity, amount, or number; that which exceeds or surpasses in any way what it is compared with. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. Ex. xvi. 17.

2. That which is in addition; something other and further; an additional or greater amount. They that would have more and more can never have enough. L'Estrange. O! That pang where more than madness lies. Byron. Any more. (a) Anything or something additional or further; as, I do not need any more. (b) Adverbially: Further; beyond a certain time; as, do not think any more about it. — No more, not anything more; nothing in addition. — The more and less, the high and low. [Obs.] Shak. "All cried, both less and more." Chaucer.

MORE More, adv.

1. In a greater quantity; in or to a greater extent or degree. (a) With a verb or participle. Admiring more The riches of Heaven's pavement. Milton.

(b) With an adjective or adverb (instead of the suffix -er) to form the comparative degree; as, more durable; more active; more sweetly. Happy here, and more happy hereafter. Bacon.

Note: Double comparatives were common among writers of the Elizabeth period, and for some time later; as, more brighter; more dearer. The duke of Milan And his more braver daughter. Shak.

2. In addition; further; besides; again. Yet once more, Oye laurels, and once more, Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere, I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. Milton. More and more, with continual increase. "Amon trespassed more and more." 2 Chron. xxxiii. 23. — The more, to a greater degree; by an added quantity; for a reason already specified. — The more — the more, by how much more — by so much more. "The more he praised in himself, the more he seems to suspect that in very deed it was not in him." Milton. — To be no more, to have ceased to be; as, Cassius is no more; Troy is no more. Those oracles which set the world in flames, Nor ceased to burn till kingdoms were no more. Byron.

MORE More, v. t.

Defn: To make more; to increase. [Obs.] Gower.

MOREEN Mo*reen", n. Etym: [Cf. Mohair.]

Defn: A thick woolen fabric, watered or with embossed figures; — used in upholstery, for curtains, etc.

MOREL Mor"el, n. Etym: [See Moril.] (Bot.)

Defn: An edible fungus (Morchella esculenta), the upper part of which is covered with a reticulated and pitted hymenium. It is used as food, and for flavoring sauces. [Written also moril.]

MOREL Mor"el, n. Etym: [See Morelle.] (Bot.)

1. Nightshade; — so called from its blackish purple berries. [Written also morelle.]

2. A kind of cherry. See Morello. Great morel, the deadly nightshade. — Petty morel, the black nightshade. See Nightshade.

MORELAND More"land, n.

Defn: Moorland.

MORELLE Mo*relle", n. Etym: [F., orig. fem. of moreau black, OF. morel, fr. LL. morellus. Cf. Morello, Murrey.] (Bot.)

Defn: Nightshade. See 2d Morel.

MORELLO Mo*rel"lo, n. Etym: [Cf. It. morello blackish, OF. morel. Cf. Morelle.] (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of nearly black cherry with dark red flesh and juice, — used chiefly for preserving.

MORENDO Mo*ren"do, a. & n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Dying; a gradual decrescendo at the end of a strain or cadence.

MORENESS More"ness, n.

Defn: Greatness. [Obs.] Wyclif.

MOREOVER More*o"ver, adv. Etym: [More + over.]

Defn: Beyond what has been said; further; besides; in addition; furthermore; also; likewise. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks. Shak.

Syn. — Besides, Moreover. Of the two words, moreover is the stronger and is properly used in solemn discourse, or when what is added is important to be considered. See Besides.

MOREPORK More"pork`, n. Etym: [So named from its cry.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Australian crested goatsucker (Ægotheles Novæ-Hollandiæ). Also applied to other allied birds, as Podargus Cuveiri.

MORES Mo"res (mo"rez), n. pl.; sing. Mos (mos). [L.]

Defn: Customs; habits; esp., customs conformity to which is more or less obligatory; customary law.

MORESK Mo*resk", a. & n.

Defn: Moresque. [Obs.]

MORESQUE Mo*resque", a. Etym: [F., fr. It. moresco, or Sp. morisco. See Morris.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or in the manner or style of, the Moors; Moorish. — n.

Defn: The Moresque style of architecture or decoration. See Moorish architecture, under Moorish. [Written also mauresque.]

MORGAN Mor"gan, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a celebrated breed of American trotting horses; — so called from the name of the stud from which the breed originated in Vermont.

MORGANATIC Mor`ga*nat"ic, a. Etym: [LL. matrimonium ad morganaticam, fr. morganatica a morning gift, a kind of dowry paid on the morning before or after the marriage, fr. OHG. morgan morning, in morgangeba morning gift, G. morgengabe. See Morn.]

Defn: Pertaining to, in the manner of, or designating, a kind of marriage, called also left-handed marriage, between a man of superior rank and a woman of inferior, in which it is stipulated that neither the latter nor her children shall enjoy the rank or inherit the possessions of her husband. Brande & C. — Mor`ga*nat"ic*al*ly, adv.

MORGAY Mor"gay, n. Etym: [W. morgi dogfish, shark; mor sea + ci dog.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European small-spotted dogfish, or houndfish. See the Note under Houndfish.

MORGLAY Mor"glay, n. Etym: [Cf. Claymore.]

Defn: A sword. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

MORGUE Morgue, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A place where the bodies of persons found dead are exposed, that they may be identified, or claimed by their friends; a deadhouse.

MORIA Mo"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Idiocy; imbecility; fatuity; foolishness.

MORIAN Mo"ri*an, n. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A Moor. [Obs.] In vain the Turks and Morians armed be. Fairfax.

MORIBUND Mor"i*bund, a. Etym: [L. moribundus, from moriri to die. See Mortal.]

Defn: In a dying state; dying; at the point of death. The patient was comatose and moribund. Copland.

MORIBUND Mor"i*bund, n.

Defn: A dying person. [R.]

MORIC Mo"ric, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, fustic (see Morin); as, moric acid.

MORICE Mor"ice, n.

Defn: See Morisco.

MORIGERATE Mo*rig"er*ate, a. Etym: [L. morigeratus, p.p. of morigerari to comply with. See Morigerous.]

Defn: Obedient. [Obs.]

MORIGERATION Mo*rig`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. morigeratio.]

Defn: Obsequiousness; obedience. [Obs.] Evelyn.

MORIGEROUS Mo*rig"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. morigerus; oss, moris, custom, manner + gerere to bear, conduct.]

Defn: Obedient; obsequious. [Obs.] Brathwait.

MORIL Mor"il, n. Etym: [F. morille; cf. OHG. morhila, G. morchel, OHG. morha carrot. See More a root.] (Bot.)

Defn: An edible fungus. Same as 1st Morel.

MORIN Mo"rin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow crystalline substance of acid properties extracted from fustic (Maclura tinctoria, formerly called Morus tinctoria); — called also moric acid.

MORINDA Mo*rin"da, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of rubiaceous trees and shrubs, mostly East Indian, many species of which yield valuable red and yellow dyes. The wood is hard and beautiful, and used for gunstocks.

MORINDIN Mo*rin"din, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A yellow dyestuff extracted from the root bark of an East Indian plant (Morinda citrifolia).

MORINEL Mor"i*nel`, n. Etym: [Cf. F. morinelle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The dotterel.

MORINGA Mo*rin"ga, n. Etym: [Malayam murunggi.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of trees of Southern India and Northern Africa. One species (Moringa pterygosperma) is the horse-radish tree, and its seeds, as well as those of M. aptera, are known in commerce as ben or ben nuts, and yield the oil called oil of ben.

MORINGIC Mo*rin"gic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Designating an organic acid obtained from oil of ben. See Moringa.

MORINTANNIC Mo`rin*tan"nic, a. Etym: [NL. Morus fustic + E. tannic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a variety of tannic acid extracted from fustic (Maclura, formerly Morus, tinctoria) as a yellow crystalline substance; — called also maclurin.

MORION Mo"ri*on, n. Etym: [F. morion, Sp. morrion; cf. Sp. morra the upper part of the head, morro anything that is round.]

Defn: A kind of open helmet, without visor or beaver, and somewhat resembling a hat. A battered morion on his brow. Sir W. Scott.

MORION Mo"ri*on, n. Etym: [G.] (Min.)

Defn: A dark variety of smoky quartz.

MORIOPLASTY Mo"ri*o*plas`ty, n. Etym: [Gr. -plasty.] (Surg.)

Defn: The restoration of lost parts of the body.

MORISCO Mo*ris"co, a. Etym: [Sp. See Morris the dance.]

Defn: Moresque.

MORISCO Mo*ris"co, n. Etym: [Sp. morisco Moorish.]

Defn: A thing of Moorish origin; as: (a) The Moorish language. (b) A Moorish dance, now called morris dance. Marston. (c) One who dances the Moorish dance. Shak. (d) Moresque decoration or architecture.

MORISK Mo"risk, n.

Defn: Same as Morisco.

MORKIN Mor"kin, n. Etym: [Akin to Sw. murken putrefied, Icel. morkinn putrid.]

Defn: A beast that has died of disease or by mischance. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

MORLAND Mor"land, n.

Defn: Moorland. [Obs.]

MORLING Mor"ling, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mort dead, L. mortuus, fr. moriri to die.]

Defn: Mortling. [Eng.] Ainsworth.

MORMAL Mor"mal, n. Etym: [F. mort-mai a deadly evil. Nares.]

Defn: A bad sore; a gangrene; a cancer. [Obs.] [Written also morrimal and mortmal.] Chaucer.

MORMO Mor"mo, n. Etym: [Gr. mormw` a hideous she-monster, a bugbear.]

Defn: A bugbear; false terror. [Obs.] Jonhson.

MORMON Mor"mon, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) A genus of sea birds, having a large, thick bill; the puffin. (b) The mandrill.

MORMON Mor"mon, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: One of a sect in the United States, followers of Joseph Smith, who professed to have found an addition to the Bible, engraved on golden plates, called the Book of Mormon, first published in 1830. The Mormons believe in polygamy, and their hierarchy of apostles, etc., has control of civil and religious matters.

Note: The Mormons call their religious organization The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its head claims to receive revelations of God's will, and to have certain supernatural powers.

MORMON Mor"mon, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Mormons; as, the Mormon religion; Mormon practices.

MORMONDOM Mor"mon*dom, n.

Defn: The country inhabited by the Mormons; the Mormon people.

MORMONISM Mor"mon*ism, n.

Defn: The doctrine, system, and practices of the Mormons.

MORMONITE Mor"mon*ite, n.

Defn: A Mormon. — a.

Defn: Mormon. "Mormonite religion." F. W. Newman.

MORN Morn, n. Etym: [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]

Defn: The first part of the day; the morning; — used chiefly in poetry. From morn To noun he fell, from noon to dewy eve. Milton.

MORNE Mor"ne, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the morn; morning. [Obs.] "White as morne milk." Chaucer.

MORNE Morne, n. Etym: [F., fr. morne sad, sorrowful. See Mourn.]

Defn: A ring fitted upon the head of a lance to prevent wounding an adversary in titling.

MORNE Mor`né", a. Etym: [F., fr. morne a morne.] (Her.)

Defn: Without teeth, tongue, or claws; — said of a lion represented heraldically.

MORNE Morne, n. Etym: [OE. morning, morwening. See Morn.]

1. The first or early part of the day, variously understood as the earliest hours of light, the time near sunrise; the time from midnight to noon, from rising to noon, etc.

2. The first or early part; as, the morning of life.

3. The goddess Aurora. [Poetic] Shak.

MORNING Morn"ing, a.

Defn: Pertaining to the first part or early part of the day; being in the early part of the day; as, morning dew; morning light; morning service. She looks as clear As morning roses newly washed with dew. Shak. Morning gown, a gown worn in the morning before one is dressed for the day. — Morning gun, a gun fired at the first stroke of reveille at military posts. — Morning sickness (Med.), nausea and vomiting, usually occurring in the morning; — a common sign of pregnancy. — Morning star. (a) Any one of the planets (Venus, Jupiter, Mars, or Saturn) when it precedes the sun in rising, esp. Venus. Cf. Evening star, Evening. (b) Satan. See Lucifer. Since he miscalled the morning star, Nor man nor fiend hath fallen so far. Byron. (c) A weapon consisting of a heavy ball set with spikes, either attached to a staff or suspended from one by a chain. — Morning watch (Naut.), the watch between four A. M. and eight A. M..

MORNING-GLORY Morn"ing-glo`ry, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A climbing plant (Ipomoea purpurea) having handsome, funnel- shaped flowers, usually red, pink, purple, white, or variegated, sometimes pale blue. See Dextrorsal.

MORNINGTIDE Morn"ing*tide`, n.

Defn: Morning time. [Poetic]

MORNWARD Morn"ward, adv.

Defn: Towards the morn. [Poetic] And mornward now the starry hands move on. Lowell.

MORO Mo"ro, n. Etym: [Cf. It. mora mulberry, L. morum.] (Med.)

Defn: A small abscess or tumor having a resemblance to a mulberry. Dunglison.

MOROCCAN Mo*roc"can, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Morocco, or its inhabitants.

MOROCCO Mo*roc"co, n. Etym: [Named from Morocco, the country. Cf. Morris the dance.]

Defn: A fine kind of leather, prepared commonly from goatskin (though an inferior kind is made of sheepskin), and tanned with sumac and dyed of various colors; — said to have been first made by the Moors.

MOROLOGY Mo*rol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Foolish talk; nonsense; folly. [Obs.]

MORON Mo"ron, n. (Pedagogy)

Defn: A person whose intellectual development proceeds normally up to about the eighth year of age and is then arrested so that there is little or no further development.

MORON Mo*ron", n.; Sp. pl. Morones (#). [Sp.]

Defn: An inferior olive size having a woody pulp and a large clingstone pit, growing in the mountainous and high-valley districts around the city of Moron, in Spain.

MORONE Mo*rone", n.

Defn: Maroon; the color of an unripe black mulberry.

MOROS Mo"ros, n. pl.; sing. Moro. [Sp., pl. of Moro Moor.] (Ethnol.)

Defn: The Mohammedan tribes of the southern Philippine Islands, said to have formerly migrated from Borneo. Some of them are warlike and addicted to piracy.

MOROSAURUS Mo`ro*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of large herbivorous dinosaurs, found in Jurassic strata in America.

MOROSE Mo*rose", a. Etym: [L. morosus, prop., excessively addicted to any particular way or habit, fr. mos, moris, manner, habit, way of life: cf. F. morose.]

1. Of a sour temper; sullen and austere; ill-humored; severe. "A morose and affected taciturnity." I. Watts.

2. Lascivious; brooding over evil thoughts. [Obs.]

Syn. — Sullen; gruff; severe; austere; gloomy; crabbed; crusty; churlish; surly; ill-humored.

MOROSELY Mo*rose"ly, adv.

Defn: Sourly; with sullen austerity.

MOROSENESS Mo*rose"ness, n.

Defn: Sourness of temper; sulenness. Learn good humor, never to oppose without just reason; abate some degrees of pride and moroseness. I. Watts.

Note: Moroseness is not precisely peevishness or fretfulness, though often accompained with it. It denotes more of silence and severity, or ill-humor, than the irritability or irritation which characterizes peevishness.

MOROSIS Mo*ro"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Idiocy; fatuity; stupidity.

MOROSITY Mo*ros"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. morositas: cf. F. morosité.]

Defn: Moroseness. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

MOROSOPH Mo"ro*soph, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A philosophical or learned fool. [Obs.]

MOROSOUS Mo*ro"sous, a.

Defn: Morose. [Obs.] Sheldon.

MOROXITE Mo*rox"ite, n. Etym: [Cf. Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of apatite of a greenish blue color.

MOROXYLATE Mo*rox"y*late, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A morate.

MOROXYLIC Mor`ox*yl"ic, a. Etym: [L. morus a mulberry tree + Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the mulberry; moric.

MORPHEAN Mor"phe*an, a.

Defn: Of or relating to Morpheus, to dreams, or to sleep. Keats.

MORPHEUS Mor"pheus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The god of dreams.

MORPHEW Mor"phew, n. Etym: [F. morpheé, LL. morphea; cf. It. morfea.]

Defn: A scurfy eruption. [Obs.] Drayton.

MORPHEW Mor"phew, v. t.

Defn: To cover with a morphew. [Obs.]

MORPHIA Mor"phi*a, n. Etym: [NL.] (Chem.)

Defn: Morphine.

MORPHINE Mor"phine, n. Etym: [From Morpheus: cf. F. morphine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A bitter white crystalline alkaloid found in opium, possessing strong narcotic properties, and much used as an anodyne; — called also morphia, and morphina.

MORPHINISM Mor"phin*ism, n. (Med.)

Defn: A morbid condition produced by the excessive or prolonged use of morphine.

MORPHO Mor"pho, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of large, handsome, tropical American butterflies, of the genus Morpho. They are noted for the very brilliant metallic luster and bright colors (often blue) of the upper surface of the wings. The lower surface is usually brown or gray, with eyelike spots.

MORPHOGENY Mor*phog"e*ny, n. Etym: [form + root of (Biol.)

Defn: History of the evolution of forms; that part of ontogeny that deals with the germ history of forms; — distinguished from physiogeny. Haeckel.

MORPHOLOGIC; MORPHOLOGICAL Mor`pho*log"ic, Mor`pho*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. morphologique.] (Biol.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or according to, the principles of morphology. — Mor`pho*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

MORPHOLOGIST Mor*phol"o*gist, n. (Biol.)

Defn: One who is versed in the science of morphology.

MORPHOLOGY Mor*phol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy: cf. F. morphologie.] (Biol.)

Defn: That branch of biology which deals with the structure of animals and plants, treating of the forms of organs and describing their varieties, homologies, and metamorphoses. See Tectology, and Promorphology.

MORPHON Mor"phon, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A morphological individual, characterized by definiteness of form bion, a physiological individual. See Tectology. Haeckel.

Note: Of morphons there are six orders or categories: 1. Plastids or elementary organisms. 2. Organs, homoplastic or heteroplastic. 3. Antimeres (opposite or symmetrical or homotypic parts). 4. Metameres (successive or homodynamous parts). 5. Personæ (shoots or buds of plants, individuals in the narrowest sense among the higher animals). 6. Corms (stocks or colonies). For orders 2, 3, and 4 the term idorgan has been recently substituted. See Idorgan.

MORPHONOMY Mor*phon"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The laws of organic formation.

MORPHOPHYLY Mor"pho*phy`ly, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The tribal history of forms; that part of phylogeny which treats of the tribal history of forms, in distinction from the tribal history of functions. Haeckel.

MORPHOSIS Mor*pho"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The order or mode of development of an organ or part.

MORPHOTIC Mor*phot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Connected with, or becoming an integral part of, a living unit or of the morphological framework; as, morphotic, or tissue, proteids. Foster.

-MORPHOUS -mor"phous. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form denoting form, shape; as, isomorphous.

MORPION Mor"pi*on, n. Etym: [F., fr. mordre to bite + L. pedis louse.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A louse. Hudibras.

MORRICE Mor"rice, n.

Defn: Same as 1st Morris.

MORRICE Mor"rice, a.

Defn: Dancing the morrice; dancing. In shoals and bands, a morrice train. Wordsworth.

MORRICER Mor"ri*cer, n.

Defn: A morris dancer. [Obs.]

MORRIMAL Mor"ri*mal, n. & a.

Defn: See Mormal.

MORRIS Mor"ris, n. Etym: [Sp. morisco Moorish, fr. Moro a Moor: cf. F. moresque, It. moresca.]

1. A Moorish dance, usually performed by a single dancer, who accompanies the dance with castanets.

2. A dance formerly common in England, often performed in pagenats, processions, and May games. The dancers, grotesquely dressed and ornamented, took the parts of Robin Hood, Maidmarian, and other fictious characters.

3. An old game played with counters, or men, which are placed angles of a figure drawn on a board or on the ground; also, the board or ground on which the game is played. The nine-men's morris is filled up with mud. Shak.

Note: The figure consists of three concentric squares, with lines from the angles of the outer one to those of the inner, and from the middle of each side of the outer square to that of the inner. The game is played by two persons with nine or twelve pieces each (hence called nine-men's morris or twelve-men's morris). The pieces are placed alternately, and each player endeavors to prevent his opponent from making a straight row of three. Should either succeed in making a row, he may take up one of his opponent's pieces, and he who takes off all of his opponent's pieces wins the game.

MORRIS Mor"ris, n. Etym: [So called from its discoverer.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A marine fish having a very slender, flat, transparent body. It is now generally believed to be the young of the conger eel or some allied fish.

MORRIS-CHAIR Mor"ris-chair`, n. [Prob. fr. the proper name Morris.]

Defn: A kind of easy-chair with a back which may be lowered or raised.

MORRIS-PIKE Mor"ris-pike`, n.

Defn: A Moorish pike. [Obs.]

MORRO Mor"ro, n. [Sp., any spherical object.]

Defn: A round hill or point of land; hence, Morro castle, a castle on a hill.

MORROT Mor"rot, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Marrot.

MORROW Mor"row, n. Etym: [OE. morwe, morwen, AS. morgen. See Morn.]

1. Morning. [Obs.] "White as morrow's milk." Bp. Hall. We loved he by the morwe a sop in wine. Chaucer.

2. The next following day; the day subsequent to any day specified or understood. Lev. vii. 16. Till this stormy night is gone, And the eternal morrow dawn. Crashaw.

3. The day following the present; to-morrow. Good morrow, good morning; — a form of salutation. — To morrow. See To-morrow in the Vocabulary.

MORSE Morse, n. Etym: [F. morse, Russ. morj'; perh. akin to E. mere lake; cf. Russ. more sea.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The walrus. See Walrus.

MORSE Morse, n. Etym: [L. morsus a biting, a clasp, fr. mordere to bite.]

Defn: A clasp for fastening garments in front. Fairholt.

MORSE ALPHABET Morse" al"pha*bet.

Defn: A telegraphic alphabet in very general use, inventing by Samuel F.B.Morse, the inventor of Morse's telegraph. The letters are represented by dots and dashes impressed or printed on paper, as, .- (A), -… (B), -.. (D), . (E), .. (O), … (R), — (T), etc., or by sounds, flashes of light, etc., with greater or less intervals between them.

MORSE CODE Morse" code". (Teleg.)

Defn: The telegraphic code, consisting of dots, dashes, and spaces, invented by Samuel B. Morse. The Alphabetic code which is in use in North America is given below. In length, or duration, one dash is theoretically equal to three dots; the space between the elements of a letter is equal to one dot; the interval in spaced letters, as O . ., is equal to three dots. There are no spaces in any letter composed wholly or in part of dashes.

Alphabet

A .- H …. O . . V …-

B - . . . I .. P ….. W .—

C .. . J -.-. Q ..-. X .-..

D -.. K -.- R . .. Y .. ..

E . L —- S … Z … .

F .-. M — T — & . …

G —. N -. U ..-

Numerals

1 .—. 4 . . . .- 7 —..

2 ..-.. 5 —- 8 - . . . .

3 . . . -. 6 . . . . . . 9 -..-

0 —— Period ..—.. Comma .-.-

The International (Morse) code used elsewhere is the same as the above with the following exceptions.

C -.-. L .-.. Q —.- Y -.—

F ..-. O —- R .-. Z —..

J .—- P .—. X -..- The Morse code is used chiefly with the electric telegraph, but is also employed in signalling with flags, lights, etc.

MORSEL Mor"sel, n. Etym: [OF. morsel, F. morceau, LL. morsellus, a dim. fr. L. morsus a biting, bite, fr. mordere to bite; prob. akin to E. smart. See Smart, and cf. Morceau, Mordant, Muse, v., Muzzle, n.]

1. A little bite or bit of food. Chaucer. Every morsel to a satisfied hunger is only a new labor to a tired digestion. South.

2. A small quantity; a little piece; a fragment.

MORSING HORN Mor"sing horn`.

Defn: A horn or flask for holding powder, as for priming. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

MORSITATION Mor`si*ta"tion, n.

Defn: The act of biting or gnawing. [Obs.]

MORSURE Mor"sure, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. mordere, morsum, to bite.]

Defn: The act of biting. Swift.

MORT Mort, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. margt, neut. of margr many.]

Defn: A great quantity or number. [Prov. Eng.] There was a mort of merrymaking. Dickens.

MORT Mort, n. Etym: [Etym. uncert.]

Defn: A woman; a female. [Cant] Male gypsies all, not a mort among them. B. Jonson.

MORT Mort, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A salmon in its third year. [Prov. Eng.]

MORT Mort, n. Etym: [F., death, fr. L. mors, mortis.]

1. Death; esp., the death of game in the chase.

2. A note or series of notes sounded on a horn at the death of game. The sportsman then sounded a treble mort. Sir W. Scott.

3. The skin of a sheep or lamb that has died of disease. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Mort cloth, the pall spread over a coffin; black cloth indicative or mourning; funeral hangings. Carlyle. — Mort stone, a large stone by the wayside on which the bearers rest a coffin. [Eng.] H. Taylor.

MORTAL Mor"tal, a. Etym: [F. mortel, L. mortalis, from mors, mortis, death, fr. moriri 8die; akin to E. murder. See Murder, and cf. Filemot, Mere a lake, Mortgage.]

1. Subject to death; destined to die; as, man is mortal.

2. Destructive to life; causing or occasioning death; terminating life; exposing to or deserving death; deadly; as, a mortal wound; a mortal sin.

3. Fatally vulnerable; vital. Last of all, against himself he turns his sword, but missing the mortal place, with his poniard finishes the work. Milton.

4. Of or pertaining to the time of death. Safe in the hand of one disposing Power, Or in the natal or the mortal hour. Pope.

5. Affecting as if with power to kill; deathly. The nymph grew pale, and in a mortal fright. Dryden.

6. Human; belonging to man, who is mortal; as, mortal wit or knowledge; mortal power. The voice of God To mortal ear is dreadful. Milton.

7. Very painful or tedious; wearisome; as, a sermon lasting two mortal hours. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott. Mortal foe, Mortal enemy, an inveterate, desperate, or implacable enemy; a foe bent on one's destruction.

MORTAL Mor"tal, n.

Defn: A being subject to death; a human being; man. "Warn poor mortals left behind." Tickell.

MORTALITY Mor*tal"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. mortalitas: cf. F. mortalité.]

1. The condition or quality of being mortal; subjection to death or to the necessity of dying. When I saw her die, I then did think on your mortality. Carew.

2. Human life; the life of a mortal being. From this instant There 's nothing serious in mortality. Shak.

3. Those who are, or that which is, mortal; the human cace; humanity; human nature. Take these tears, mortality's relief. Pope.

4. Death; destruction. Shak.

5. The whole sum or number of deaths in a given time or a given community; also, the proportion of deaths to population, or to a specific number of the population; death rate; as, a time of great, or low, mortality; the mortality among the settlers was alarming. Bill of mortality. See under Bill. — Law of mortality, a mathematical relation between the numbers living at different ages, so that from a given large number of persons alive at one age, it can be computed what number are likely to survive a given number of years. — Table of mortality, a table exhibiting the average relative number of persons who survive, or who have died, at the end of each year of life, out of a given number supposed to have been born at the same time.

MORTALIZE Mor"tal*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mortalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortalizing.]

Defn: To make mortal. [R.]

MORTALLY Mor"tal*ly, adv.

1. In a mortal manner; so as to cause death; as, mortally wounded.

2. In the manner of a mortal or of mortal beings. I was mortally brought forth. Shak.

3. In an extreme degree; to the point of dying or causing death; desperately; as, mortally jealous. Adrian mortally envied poets, painters, and artificers, in works wherein he had a vein to excel. Bacon.

MORTALNESS Mor"tal*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being mortal; mortality.

MORTAR Mor"tar, n. Etym: [OE. morter, AS. mortere, L. mortarium: cf. F. mortier mortar. Cf. sense 2 (below), also 2d Mortar, Martel, Morter.]

1. A strong vessel, commonly in form of an inverted bell, in which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle.

2. Etym: [F. mortier, fr. L. mortarium mortar (for trituarating).] (Mil.)

Defn: A short piece of ordnance, used for throwing bombs, carcasses, shells, etc., at high angles of elevation, as 45º, and even higher; - - so named from its resemblance in shape to the utensil above described. Mortar bed (Mil.), a framework of wood and iron, suitably hollowed out to receive the breech and trunnions of a mortar. — Mortar boat or vessel (Naut.), a boat strongly built and adapted to carrying a mortar or mortars for bombarding; a bomb ketch. — Mortar piece, a mortar. [Obs.] Shak.

MORTAR Mor"tar, n. Etym: [OE. mortier, F. mortier, L. mortarium mortar, a large basin or trough in which mortar is made, a mortar (in sense 1, above). See 1st Mortar.] (Arch.)

Defn: A building material made by mixing lime, cement, or plaster of Paris, with sand, water, and sometimes other materials; — used in masonry for joining stones, bricks, etc., also for plastering, and in other ways. Mortar bed, a shallow box or receptacle in which mortar is mixed. — Mortar board. (a) A small square board with a handle beneath, for holding mortar; a hawk. (b) A cap with a broad, projecting, square top; — worn by students in some colleges. [Slang]

MORTAR Mor"tar, v. t.

Defn: To plaster or make fast with mortar.

MORTAR Mor"tar, n. Etym: [F. mortier. See Mortar a vessel.]

Defn: A chamber lamp or light. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MORTGAGE Mort"gage, n. Etym: [F. mort-gage; mort dead (L. mortuus) + gage pledge. See Mortal, and Gage.]

1. (Law)

Defn: A conveyance of property, upon condition, as security for the payment of a debt or the preformance of a duty, and to become void upon payment or performance according to the stipulated terms; also, the written instrument by which the conveyance is made.

Note: It was called a mortgage (or dead pledge) because, whatever profit it might yield, it did not thereby redeem itself, but became lost or dead to the mortgager upon breach of the condition. But in equity a right of redemption is an inseparable incident of a mortgage until the mortgager is debarred by his own laches, or by judicial decree. Cowell. Kent.

2. State of being pledged; as, lands given in mortgage. Chattel mortgage. See under Chattel. — To foreclose a mortgage. See under Foreclose. — Mortgage deed (Law), a deed given by way of mortgage.

MORTGAGE Mort"gage, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mortgaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortgaging.]

1. (Law)

Defn: To grant or convey, as property, for the security of a debt, or other engagement, upon a condition that if the debt or engagement shall be discharged according to the contract, the conveyance shall be void, otherwise to become absolute, subject, however, to the right of redemption.

2. Hence: To pledge, either literally or figuratively; to make subject to a claim or obligation. Mortgaging their lives to covetise. Spenser. I myself an mortgaged to thy will. Shak.

MORTGAGEE Mort`ga*gee", n. (Law)

Defn: The person to whom property is mortgaged, or to whom a mortgage is made or given.

MORTGAGEOR; MORTGAGOR Mort"gage*or, Mort"ga*gor, n. (Law)

Defn: One who gives a mortgage.

Note: The letter e is required analogically after the second g in order to soften it; but the spelling mortgagor is in fact the prevailing form. When the word is contradistinguished from mortgagee it is accented on the last syllable (

MORTGAGER Mort"ga*ger, n. (Law)

Defn: gives a mortgage.

MORTIFEROUS Mor"tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. mortifier; mors, mortis, death + ferre to bring: cf. F. mortifère.]

Defn: Bringing or producing death; deadly; destructive; as, a mortiferous herb. Gov. of Tongue.

MORTIFICATION Mor`ti*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. mortificatio a killing. See Mortify.]

1. The act of mortifying, or the condition of being mortified; especially: (a) (Med.) The death of one part of an animal body, while the rest continues to live; loss of vitality in some part of a living animal; gangrene. Dunglison. (b) (Alchem. & Old Chem.) Destruction of active qualities; neutralization. [Obs.] Bacon. (c) Subjection of the passions and appetites, by penance, absistence, or painful severities inflicted on the body. The mortification of our lusts has something in it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is unreasonable. Tillotson.

(d) Hence: Deprivation or depression of self-approval; abatement or pride; humiliation; chagrin; vexation. We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg, and Ratisbon. Addison.

2. That which mortifies; the cause of humiliation, chagrin, or vexation. It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts discovered by a tedious visit. L'Estrange.

3. (Scots Law)

Defn: A gift to some charitable or religious institution; — nearly synonymous with mortmain.

Syn. — Chagrin; vexation; shame. See Chagrin.

MORTIFIED Mor"ti*fied, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Mortify.

MORTIFIEDNESS Mor"ti*fied*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being mortified; humiliation; subjection of the passions. [R.]

MORTIFIER Mor"ti*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, mortifies.

MORTIFY Mor"ti*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mortified; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortifying.] Etym: [OE. mortifien, F. mortifier, fr. L. mortificare; L. mors, mortis, death + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Mortal, and -fy.]

1. To destroy the organic texture and vital functions of; to produce gangrene in.

2. To destroy the active powers or essential qualities of; to change by chemical action. [Obs.] Chaucer. Quicksilver is mortified with turpentine. Bacon. He mortified pearls in vinegar. Hakewill.

3. To deaden by religious or other discipline, as the carnal affections, bodily appetites, or worldly desires; to bring into subjection; to abase; to humble. With fasting mortified, worn out with tears. Harte. Mortify thy learned lust. Prior. Mortify, rherefore, your members which are upon the earth. Col. iii. 5.

4. To affect with vexation, chagrin, or humiliation; to humble; to depress. The news of the fatal battle of Worcester, which exceedingly mortified our expectations. Evelyn. How often is the ambitious man mortified with the very praises he receives, if they do not rise so high as he thinks they ought! Addison.

MORTIFY Mor"ti*fy, v. i.

1. To lose vitality and organic structure, as flesh of a living body; to gangrene.

2. To practice penance from religious motives; to deaden desires by religious discipline. This makes him … give alms of all that he hath, watch, fast, and mortify. Law.

3. To be subdued; to decay, as appetites, desires, etc.

MORTIFYING Mor"ti*fy`ing, a.

1. Tending to mortify; affected by, or having symptoms of, mortification; as, a mortifying wound; mortifying flesh.

2. Subduing the appetites, desires, etc.; as, mortifying penances.

3. Tending to humble or abase; humiliating; as, a mortifying repulse.

MORTIFYINGLY Mor"ti*fy`ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mortifying manner.

MORTISE Mor"tise, n. Etym: [F. mortaise; cf. Sp. mortaja, Ar. murtazz fixed, or W. mortais, Ir. mortis, moirtis, Gael. moirteis.]

Defn: A cavity cut into a piece of timber, or other material, to receive something (as the end of another piece) made to fit it, and called a tenon. Mortise and tenon (Carp.), made with a mortise and tenon; joined or united by means of a mortise and tenon; — used adjectively. — Mortise joint, a joint made by a mortise and tenon. — Mortise lock. See under Lock. — Mortise wheel, a cast-iron wheel, with wooden clogs inserted in mortises on its face or edge; — also called mortise gear, and core gear.

MORTISE Mor"tise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mortised; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortising.]

1. To cut or make a mortisein.

2. To join or fasten by a tenon and mortise; as, to mortise a beam into a post, or a joist into a girder.

MORTLING Mort"ling, n. Etym: [See Morling.]

1. An animal, as a sheep, dead of disease or privation; a mortling. [Eng.]

2. Wool plucked from a dead sheep; morling.

MORTMAIN Mort"main`, n. Etym: [F. mort, morte, dead + main hand; F. main- morte. See Mortal, and Manual.] (Law)

Defn: Possession of lands or tenements in, or conveyance to, dead hands, or hands that cannot alienate.

Note: The term was originally applied to conveyance of land made to ecclesiastical bodies; afterward to conveyance made to any corporate body. Burrill.

MORTMAL Mort"mal, n.

Defn: See Mormal. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

MORTPAY Mort"pay`, n. Etym: [F. mort dead + E. pay.]

Defn: Dead pay; the crime of taking pay for the service of dead soldiers, or for services not actually rendered by soldiers. [Obs.] Bacon.

MORTRESS; MORTREW Mor"tress, Mor"trew, n. Etym: [See Mortar.]

Defn: A dish of meats and other ingredients, cooked together; an ollapodrida. Chaucer. Bacon.

MORTUARY Mor"tu*a*ry, n.; pl. Mortuaries. Etym: [LL. mortuarium. See Mortuary, a.]

1. A sort of ecclesiastical heriot, a customary gift claimed by, and due to, the minister of a parish on the death of a parishioner. It seems to have been originally a voluntary bequest or donation, intended to make amends for any failure in the payment of tithes of which the deceased had been guilty.

2. A burial place; a place for the dead.

3. A place for the reception of the dead before burial; a deadhouse; a morgue.

MORTUARY Mor"tu*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. mortuarius, fr. mortuus dead: cf. F. mortuaire. See Mortal.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the dead; as, mortuary monuments. Mortuary urn, an urn for holding the ashes of the dead.

MORULA Mor"u*la, n.; pl. Morulæ. Etym: [NL., dim. of L. morum a mulberry.] (Biol.)

Defn: The sphere or globular mass of cells (blastomeres), formed by the clevage of the ovum or egg in the first stages of its development; — called also mulberry mass, segmentation sphere, and blastosphere. See Segmentation.

MORULATION Mor`u*la"tion, n. (Biol.)

Defn: The process of cleavage, or segmentation, of the ovum, by which a morula is formed.

MORUS Mo"rus, n. Etym: [L., mulberry tree. See Mulberry.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of trees, some species of which produce edible fruit; the mulberry. See Mulberry.

Note: Morus alba is the white mulberry, a native of India or China, the leaves of which are extensively used for feeding silkworms, for which it furnishes the chief food. — Morus multicaulis, the many-stemmed or Chinese mulberry, is only a form of white mulberry, preferred on account of its more abundant leaves. — Morus nigra, the black mulberry, produces a dark-colored fruit, of an agreeable flavor.

MORWE Mor"we, n.

Defn: See Morrow. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MORWENING Mor"wen*ing, n.

Defn: Morning. [Obs.]

MOS Mos, n.,

Defn: sing. of Mores.

MOSAIC Mo*sa"ic, n. Etym: [F. mosaïque; cf. Pr. mozaic, musec, Sp. & Pg. mosaico, It. mosaico, musaico, LGr. musivum; all fr. Gr. Muse the goddess.]

1. (Fine Arts)

Defn: A surface decoration made by inlaying in patterns small pieces of variously colored glass, stone, or other material; — called also mosaic work.

2. A picture or design made in mosaic; an article decorated in mosaic.

MOSAIC Mo*sa"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the style of work called mosaic; formed by uniting pieces of different colors; variegated; tessellated; also, composed of various materials or ingredients. A very beautiful mosaic pavement. Addison. Florentine mosaic. See under Florentine. — Mosaic gold. (a) See Ormolu. — (b) Stannic sulphide, SnS2, obtained as a yellow scaly crystalline powder, and used as a pigment in bronzing and gilding wood and metal work. It was called by the alchemists aurum musivum, or aurum mosaicum. Called also bronze powder. — Mosaic work. See Mosaic, n.

MOSAIC Mo*sa"ic, a. Etym: [From Moses.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Moses, the leader of the Israelites, or established through his agency; as, the Mosaic law, rites, or institutions.

MOSAICAL Mo*sa"ic*al, a.

Defn: Mosaic (in either sense). "A mosaical floor." Sir P. Sidney.

MOSAICALLY Mo*sa"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a mosaic.

MOSAISM Mo"sa*ism, n.

Defn: Attachment to the system or doctrines of Moses; that which is peculiar to the Mosaic system or doctrines.

MOSASAUR; MOSASAURIAN Mos"a*saur, Mos`a*sau"ri*an, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of an extinct order of reptiles, including Mosasaurus and allied genera. See Mosasauria.

MOSASAURIA Mos`a*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Mosasaurus.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An order of large, extinct, marine reptiles, found in the Cretaceous rocks, especially in America. They were serpentlike in form and in having loosely articulated and dilatable jaws, with large recurved tteth, but they had paddlelike feet. Some of them were over fifty feet long. They are, essentially, fossil sea serpents with paddles. Called also Pythonomarpha, and Mosasauria.

MOSASAURUS Mos`a*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. Mosa the River Meuse (on which Meastricht is situated) + Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of extinct marine reptiles allied to the lizards, but having the body much elongated, and the limbs in the form of paddles. The first known species, nearly fifty feet in length, was discovered in Cretaceous beds near Maestricht, in the Netherlands. [Written also Mososaurus.]

MOSCHATEL Mos"cha*tel`, n. Etym: [Gr. moscatelline. See Muscadel, Musk.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Adoxa (A. moschatellina), the flowers of which are pale green, and have a faint musky smell. It is found in woods in all parts of Europe, and is called also hollow root and musk crowfoot. Loudon.

MOSCHINE Mos"chine, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Moschus, a genus including the musk deer.

MOSEL Mos"el, n. & v.

Defn: See Muzzle. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MOSELLE Mo*selle", n.

Defn: A light wine, usually white, produced in the vicinity of the river Moselle.

MOSES Mo"ses, n.

Defn: A large flatboat, used in the West Indies for taking freight from shore to ship.

MOSEY Mo"sey, v. i. [Perh. fr. Vamose.]

Defn: To go, or move (in a certain manner); — usually with out, off, along, etc. [Colloq.] E. N. Wescott.

MOSK Mosk, n.

Defn: See Mosque.

MOSLEM Mos"lem, n.; pl. Moslems, or collectively Moslem. Etym: [Ar. muslim a true believer in the Mohammedan faith, fr. salama to submit to God, to resign one's self to the divine will. Cf. Islam, Mussulman.]

Defn: A Mussulman; an orthodox Mohammedan. [Written also muslim.] "Heaps of slaughtered Moslem." Macaulay. They piled the ground with Moslem slain. Halleck.

MOSLEM Mos"lem, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Mohammedans; Mohammedan; as, Moslem lands; the Moslem faith.

MOSLINGS Mos"lings, n. pl.

Defn: Thin shreds of leather shaved off in dressing skins. Simmonds.

MOSOSAURUS Mos`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Same as Mosasaurus.

MOSQUE Mosque, n. Etym: [F. mosquée, Sp. mezquita, Ar. masjid, from sajada to bend, adore.]

Defn: A Mohammedan church or place of religious worship. [Written also mosk.]

MOSQUITO Mos*qui"to, n.; pl. Mosquitoes. Etym: [Sp. mosquito, fr. moscafly, L. musca. Cf. Musket.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of various species of gnats of the genus Culex and allied genera. The females have a proboscis containing, within the sheathlike labium, six fine, sharp, needlelike organs with which they puncture the skin of man and animals to suck the blood. These bites, when numerous, cause, in many persons, considerable irritation and swelling, with some pain. The larvæ and pupæ, called wigglers, are aquatic. [Written also musquito.] Mosquito bar, Mosquito net, a net or curtain for excluding mosquitoes, — used for beds and windows. — Mosquito fleet, a fleet of small vessels. — Mosquito hawk (Zoöl.), a dragon fly; — so called because it captures and feeds upon mosquitoes. — Mosquito netting, a loosely-woven gauzelike fabric for making mosquito bars.

MOSS Moss, n. Etym: [OE. mos; akin to AS. meós, D. mos, G. moos, OHG. mos, mios, Icel. mosi, Dan. mos, Sw. mossa, Russ. mokh', L. muscus. Cf. Muscoid.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so discharging the spores. There are many species, collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks, and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water.

Note: The term moss is also popularly applied to many other small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens, species of which are called tree moss, rock moss, coral moss, etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus Lycopodium. See Club moss, under Club, and Lycopodium.

2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border.

Note: Moss is used with participles in the composition of words which need no special explanation; as, moss-capped, moss-clad, moss- covered, moss-grown, etc. Black moss. See under Black, and Tillandsia. — Bog moss. See Sphagnum. — Feather moss, any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp. several species of the genus Hypnum. — Florida moss, Long moss, or Spanish moss. See Tillandsia. — Iceland moss, a lichen. See Iceland Moss. — Irish moss, a seaweed. See Carrageen. — Moss agate (Min.), a variety of agate, containing brown, black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in part to oxide of manganese. Called also Mocha stone. — Moss animal (Zoöl.), a bryozoan. — Moss berry (Bot.), the small cranberry (Vaccinium Oxycoccus). — Moss campion (Bot.), a kind of mosslike catchfly (Silene acaulis), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the Arctic circle. — Moss land, land produced accumulation of aquatic plants, forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the water is grained off or retained in its pores. — Moss pink (Bot.), a plant of the genus Phlox (P. subulata), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the Middle United States, and often cultivated for its handsome flowers. Gray. — Moss rose (Bot.), a variety of rose having a mosslike growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived from the Provence rose. — Moss rush (Bot.), a rush of the genus Juncus (J. squarrosus). — Scale moss. See Hepatica.

MOSS Moss, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mossed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mossing.]

Defn: To cover or overgrow with moss. An oak whose boughs were mossed with age. Shak.

MOSSBACK Moss"back`, n.

Defn: A veteran partisan; one who is so conservative in opinion that he may be likened to a stone or old tree covered with moss. [Political Slang, U.S.]

MOSSBANKER; MOSSBUNKER Moss"bank`er, Moss"bunk`er, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The menhaded.

MOSS-GROWN Moss"-grown`, a.

Defn: Overgrown with moss.

MOSSINESS Moss"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being mossy.

MOSSTROOPER Moss"troop`er, n. Etym: [Moss + trooper.]

Defn: One of a class of marauders or bandits that formerly infested the border country between England and Scotland; — so called in allusion to the mossy or boggy character of much of the border country.

MOSSY Moss"y, a. [Compar. Mossier; superl. Mossiest.]

1. Overgrown with moss; abounding with or edged with moss; as, mossy trees; mossy streams. Old trees are more mossy far than young. Bacon.

2. Resembling moss; as, mossy green.

MOST Most, a., superl. of More. Etym: [OE. most, mast, mest, AS. m; akin to D. meest, OS. mest, G. meist, Icel. mestr, Goth. maists; a superl. corresponding to E. more. *103. See More, a.]

1. Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all. "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness." Prov. xx. 6. The cities wherein most of his mighty works were done. Matt. xi. 20.

2. Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it. "In the moste pride." Chaucer.

3. Highest in rank; greatest. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Note: Most is used as a noun, the words part, portion, quantity, etc., being omitted, and has the following meanings: 1. The greatest value, number, or part; preponderating portion; highest or chief part. 2. The utmost; greatest possible amount, degree, or result; especially in the phrases to make the most of, at the most, at most. A quarter of a year or some months at the most. Bacon. A covetous man makes the most of what he has. L'Estrange. For the most part, in reference to the larger part of a thing, or to the majority of the persons, instances, or things referred to; as, human beings, for the most part, are superstitious; the view, for the most part, was pleasing. — Most an end, generally. See An end, under End, n. [Obs.] "She sleeps most an end." Massinger.

MOST Most, adv. Etym: [AS. mæst. See Most, a.]

Defn: In the greatest or highest degree. Those nearest to this king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates. Milton.

Note: Placed before an adjective or adverb, most is used to form the superlative degree, being equivalent to the termination -est; as, most vile, most wicked; most illustrious; most rapidly. Formerly, and until after the Elizabethan period of our literature, the use of the double superlative was common. See More, adv. The most unkindest cut of all. Shak. The most straitest sect of our religion. Acts xxvi. 5.

MOSTAHIBA Mos`ta*hi"ba, n.

Defn: See Mustaiba.

MOSTE Mos"te, obs.imp.

Defn: of Mote. Chaucer.

MOSTIC; MOSTICK Mos"tic, Mos"tick, n. Etym: [See Maul-stick.]

Defn: A painter's maul-stick.

MOSTLY Most"ly, adv.

Defn: For the greatest part; for the most part; chiefly; in the main.

MOSTRA Mos"tra, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: See Direct, n.

MOSTWHAT Most"what`, adv.

Defn: For the most part. [Obs.] "All the rest do mostwhat far amiss." Spenser.

MOT Mot, v. [Sing. pres. ind. Mot, Mote, Moot (, pl. Mot, Mote, Moote, pres. subj. Mote; imp. Moste.] Etym: [See Must, v.] [Obs.]

Defn: May; must; might. He moot as well say one word as another Chaucer. The wordes mote be cousin to the deed. Chaucer. Men moot [i.e., one only] give silver to the poore freres. Chaucer. So mote it be, so be it; amen; — a phrase in some rituals, as that of the Freemasons.

MOT Mot, n. Etym: [F. See Motto.]

1. A word; hence, a motto; a device. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar. Shak.

2. A pithy or witty saying; a witticism. [A Gallicism] Here and there turns up a … savage mot. N. Brit. Rev.

3. A note or brief strain on a bugle. Sir W. Scott.

MOTACIL Mot"a*cil, n. Etym: [Cf. F. motacille.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any singing bird of the genus Motacilla; a wagtail.

MOTATION Mo*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. motare, motatum, to keep moving.]

Defn: The act of moving; motion. [Obs.]

MOTE Mote, v.

Defn: See 1st Mot. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MOTE Mote, n. Etym: [See Moot, a meeting.] [Obs., except in a few combinations or phrases.]

1. A meeting of persons for discussion; as, a wardmote in the city of London.

2. A body of persons who meet for discussion, esp. about the management of affairs; as, a folkmote.

3. A place of meeting for discussion. Mote bell, the bell rung to summon to a mote. [Obs.]

MOTE Mote, n.

Defn: The flourish sounded on a horn by a huntsman. See Mot, n., 3, and Mort. Chaucer.

MOTE Mote, n. Etym: [OE. mot, AS. mot.]

Defn: A small particle, as of floating dust; anything proverbially small; a speck. The little motes in the sun do ever stir, though there be no wind. Bacon. We are motes in the midst of generations. Landor.

MOTED Mot"ed, a.

Defn: Filled with motes, or fine floating dust; as, the air. "Moted sunbeams." Tennyson.

MOTET Mo*tet", n. Etym: [F., a dim. of mot word; cf. It. mottetto, dim. of motto word, device. See Mot, Motto.] (Mus.)

Defn: A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.

MOTH Moth (môth), n.

Defn: A mote. [Obs.] Shak.

MOTH Moth, n.; pl. Moths (môthz). Etym: [OE. mothe, AS. moedhedhe; akin to D. mot, G. motte, Icel. motti, and prob. to E. mad an earthworm. Cf. Mad, n., Mawk.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth. See these terms under Clothes, Grain, etc.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvæ of several species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larvæ of Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet, Dermestes, Anthrenus.

4. Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing. Moth blight (Zoöl.), any plant louse of the genus Aleurodes, and related genera. They are injurious to various plants. — Moth gnat (Zoöl.), a dipterous insect of the genus Bychoda, having fringed wings. — Moth hunter (Zoöl.), the goatsucker. — Moth miller (Zoöl.), a clothes moth. See Miller, 3, (a). — Moth mullein (Bot.), a common herb of the genus Verbascum (V. Blattaria), having large wheel-shaped yellow or whitish flowers.

MOTH-EAT Moth"-eat`, v. t.

Defn: To eat or prey upon, as a moth eats a garment. [Rarely used except in the form moth-eaten, p.p. or a.] Ruin and neglect have so moth-eaten her. Sir T. Herbert.

MOTHEN Moth"en, a.

Defn: Full of moths. [Obs.] Fulke.

MOTHER Moth"er, n. Etym: [OE. moder, AS. modor; akin to D. moeder, OS. modar, G. mutter, OHG. muotar, Icel. moedhir, Dan. & Sw. moder, OSlav. mati, Russ. mate, Ir. & Gael. mathair, L. mater, Gr. mh`thr, Skr. matrs; cf. Skr. ma to measure. *268. Cf. Material, Matrix, Metropolis, Father.]

1. A female parent; especially, one of the human race; a woman who has borne a child.

2. That which has produced or nurtured anything; source of birth or origin; generatrix. Alas! poor country! … it can not Be called our mother, but our grave. Shak. I behold … the solitary majesty of Crete, mother of a religion, it is said, that lived two thousand years. Landor.

3. An old woman or matron. [Familiar]

4. The female superior or head of a religious house, as an abbess, etc.

5. Hysterical passion; hysteria. [Obs.] Shak. Mother Carey's chicken (Zoöl.), any one of several species of small petrels, as the stormy petrel (Procellaria pelagica), and Leach's petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), both of the Atlantic, and O. furcata of the North Pacific. — Mother Carey's goose (Zoöl.), the giant fulmar of the Pacific. See Fulmar. — Mother's mark (Med.), a congenital mark upon the body; a nævus.

MOTHER Moth"er, a.

Defn: Received by birth or from ancestors; native, natural; as, mother language; also acting the part, or having the place of a mother; producing others; originating. It is the mother falsehood from which all idolatry is derived. T. Arnold. Mother cell (Biol.), a cell which, by endogenous divisions, gives rise to other cells (daughter cells); a parent cell. — Mother church, the original church; a church from which other churches have sprung; as, the mother church of a diocese. — Mother country, the country of one's parents or ancestors; the country from which the people of a colony derive their origin. — Mother liquor (Chem.), the impure or complex residual solution which remains after the salts readily or regularly crystallizing have been removed. — Mother queen, the mother of a reigning sovereign; a queen mother. — Mother tongue. (a) A language from which another language has had its origin. (b) The language of one's native land; native tongue. — Mother water. See Mother liquor (above). — Mother wit, natural or native wit or intelligence.

MOTHER Moth"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mothered; p. pr. & vb. n. Mothering.]

Defn: To adopt as a son or daughter; to perform the duties of a mother to. The queen, to have put lady Elizabeth besides the crown, would have mothered another body's child. Howell.

MOTHER Moth"er, n. Etym: [Akin to D. modder mud, G. moder mold, mud, Dan. mudder mud, and to E. mud. See Mud.]

Defn: A film or membrane which is developed on the surface of fermented alcoholic liquids, such as vinegar, wine, etc., and acts as a means of conveying the oxygen of the air to the alcohol and other combustible principles of the liquid, thus leading to their oxidation.

Note: The film is composed of a mass of rapidly developing microörganisms of the genus Mycoderma, and in the mother of vinegar the microörganisms (Mycoderma aceti) composing the film are the active agents in the Conversion of the alcohol into vinegar. When thickened by growth, the film may settle to the bottom of the fluid. See Acetous fermentation, under Fermentation.

MOTHER Moth"er, v. i.

Defn: To become like, or full of, mother, or thick matter, as vinegar.

MOTHERED Moth"ered, a.

Defn: Thick, like mother; viscid. They oint their naked limbs with mothered oil. Dryden.

MOTHERHOOD Moth"er*hood, n.

Defn: The state of being a mother; the character or office of a mother.

MOTHERING Moth"er*ing, n.

Defn: A rural custom in England, of visiting one's parents on Midlent Sunday, — supposed to have been originally visiting the mother church to make offerings at the high altar.

MOTHER-IN-LAW Moth"er-in-law`, n.

Defn: The mother of one's husband or wife.

MOTHERLAND Moth"er*land`, n.

Defn: The country of one's ancestors; — same as fatherland.

MOTHERLESS Moth"er*less, a. Etym: [AS. modorleás.]

Defn: Destitute of a mother; having lost a mother; as, motherless children.

MOTHERLINESS Moth"er*li*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being motherly.

MOTHERLY Moth"er*ly, a. Etym: [AS. modorlic.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a mother; like, or suitable for, a mother; tender; maternal; as, motherly authority, love, or care. Hooker.

Syn. — Maternal; paternal. — Motherly, Maternal. Motherly, being Anglo-Saxon, is the most familiar word of the two when both have the same meaning. Besides this, maternal is confined to the feelings of a mother toward her own children, whereas motherly has a secondary sense, denoting a care like that of a mother for her offspring. There is, perhaps, a growing tendency thus to separate the two, confining motherly to the latter signification. "They termed her the great mother, for her motherly care in cherishing her brethren whilst young." Sir W. Raleigh.

MOTHERLY Moth"er*ly, adv.

Defn: In a manner of a mother.

MOTHER-NAKED Moth"er-na`ked, a.

Defn: Naked as when born.

MOTHER-OF-PEARL Moth"er-of-pearl`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The hard pearly internal layer of several kinds of shells, esp. of pearl oysters, river mussels, and the abalone shells; nacre. See Pearl.

MOTHER-OF-THYME Moth"er-of-thyme`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: An aromatic plant (Thymus Serphyllum); — called also wild thyme.

MOTHER'S DAY Moth"er's Day.

Defn: A day appointed for the honor and uplift of motherhood by the loving remembrance of each person of his mother through the performance of some act of kindness, visit, tribute, or letter. The founder of the day is Anna Jarvis, of Philadelphia, who designated the second Sunday in May, or for schools the second Friday, as the time, and a white carnation as the badge.

MOTHERWORT Moth"er*wort`, n. (Bot.) (a) A labiate herb (Leonurus Cardiaca), of a bitter taste, used popularly in medicine; lion's tail. (b) The mugwort. See Mugwort.

MOTHERY Moth"er*y, a.

Defn: Consisting of, containing, or resembling, mother (in vinegar).

MOTHY Moth"y, a.

Defn: Infested with moths; moth-eaten. "An old mothy saddle." Shak.

MOTIF Mo"tif, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Motive.

MOTIFIC Mo*tif"ic, a. Etym: [L. motus motion (fr. movere to move) + facere to make.]

Defn: Producing motion. [R.]

MOTILE Mo"tile, a. Etym: [See Motive.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Having powers of self-motion, though unconscious; as, the motile spores of certain seaweeds.

2. Producing motion; as, motile powers.

MOTILITY Mo*til"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. motilité.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Capability of motion; contractility.

MOTION Mo"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. motio, fr. movere, motum, to move. See Move.]

1. The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; — opposed to rest. Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms. Milton.

2. Power of, or capacity for, motion. Devoid of sense and motion. Milton.

3. Direction of movement; course; tendency; as, the motion of the planets is from west to east. In our proper motion we ascend. Milton.

4. Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts. This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion. Dr. H. More.

5. Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity. Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God. South.

6. A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as, a motion to adjourn. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion. Shak.

7. (Law)

Defn: An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant. Mozley & W.

8. (Mus.)

Defn: Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint. Grove.

Note: Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is that when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when parts move in the same direction.

9. A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.] What motion's this the model of Nineveh Beau. & Fl.

Note: Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound. Simple motions are: (a) straight translation, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. (b) Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called oscillating. (c) Helical, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. Compound motion consists of combinations of any of the simple motions. Center of motion, Harmonic motion, etc. See under Center, Harmonic, etc. — Motion block (Steam Engine), a crosshead. — Perpetual motion (Mech.), an incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without.

Syn. — See Movement.

MOTION Mo"tion, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Motioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Motioning.]

1. To make a significant movement or gesture, as with the hand; as, to motion to one to take a seat.

2. To make proposal; to offer plans. [Obs.] Shak.

MOTION Mo"tion, v. t.

1. To direct or invite by a motion, as of the hand or head; as, to motion one to a seat.

2. To propose; to move. [Obs.] I want friends to motion such a matter. Burton.

MOTIONER Mo"tion*er, n.

Defn: One who makes a motion; a mover. Udall.

MOTIONIST Mo"tion*ist, n.

Defn: A mover. [Obs.]

MOTIONLESS Mo"tion*less, a.

Defn: Without motion; being at rest.

MOTION PICTURE Mo"tion pic"ture.

Defn: A moving picture.

MOTIVATE Mo"ti*vate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. -vated; p. pr. & vb. n. -vating.] [From Motive, n.]

Defn: To provide with a motive; to move; impel; induce; incite. — Mo`ti*va"tion (#), n. William James.

MOTIVE Mo"tive, n. Etym: [F. motif, LL. motivum, from motivus moving, fr. L. movere, motum, to move. See Move.]

1. That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] Shak.

2. That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object. By motive, I mean the whole of that which moves, excites, or invites the mind to volition, whether that be one thing singly, or many things conjunctively. J. Edwards.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a comor a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is develpoed. See also Leading motive, under Leading. [Written also motivo.]

4. (Fine Arts)

Defn: That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one.

Syn. — Incentive; incitement; inducement; reason; spur; stimulus; cause. — Motive, Inducement, Reason. Motive is the word originally used in speaking of that which determines the choice. We call it an inducement when it is attractive in its nature. We call it a reason when it is more immediately addressed to the intellect in the form of argument.

MOTIVE Mo"tive, a.

Defn: Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. "Motive faculty." Bp. Wilkins. Motive power (Mach.), a natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover.

MOTIVE Mo"tive, v. t.

Defn: To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.

MOTIVELESS Mo"tive*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of a motive; not incited by a motive. — Mo"tive*less*ness, n. G. Eliot.

MOTIVITY Mo*tiv"i*ty, n. Etym: [See Motive, n.]

1. The power of moving or producing motion.

2. The quality of being influenced by motives. [R.]

MOTIVO Mo*ti"vo, n. Etym: [It. See Motive, n.]

Defn: See Motive, n., 3, 4.

MOTLEY Mot"ley, a. Etym: [OE. mottelee, motle; cf. OF. mattelé clotted, curdled, OF, ciel mattonné a mottled sky, mate, maton, curdled milk, Prov. G. matte curd. Cf. Mottle.]

1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.

2. Wearing motley or party-colored clothing. See Motley, n., 1. "A motley fool." Shak.

3. Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, motley style. Byron.

MOTLEY Mot"ley, n.

1. A combination of distinct colors; esp., the party-colored cloth, or clothing, worn by the professional fool. Chaucer. "Motley 's the only wear." Shak.

2. Hence, a jester, a fool. [Obs.] Shak. Man of motley, a fool. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

MOTLEY-MINDED Mot"ley-mind`ed, a.

Defn: Having a mind of a jester; foolish. Shak.

MOTMOT Mot"mot, n. Etym: [Cf. Momot.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of long-tailed, passerine birds of the genus Momotus, having a strong serrated beak. In most of the species the two long middle tail feathers are racket-shaped at the tip, when mature. The bird itself is said by some writers to trim them into this shape. They feed on insects, reptiles, and fruit, and are found from Mexico to Brazil. The name is derived from its note. [Written also momot.]

MOTO Mo"to, n. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Movement; manner of movement; particularly, movement with increased rapidity; — used especially in the phrase con moto, directing to a somewhat quicker movement; as, andante con moto, a little more rapidly than andante, etc.

MOTOGRAPH Mo"to*graph, n. [L. movere, motum, to move + -graph.] (Elec.)

Defn: A device utilized in the making of a loud-speaking telephone, depending on the fact that the friction between a metallic point and a moving cylinder of moistened chalk, or a moving slip of paper, on which it rests is diminished by the passage of a current between the point and the moving surface. — Mo`to*graph"ic (#), a.

MOTON Mo"ton, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Anc. Armor)

Defn: A small plate covering the armpit in armor of the 14th century and later.

MOTOR Mo"tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. movere, motum, to move.]

1. One who, or that which, imparts motion; a source of mechanical power.

2. (Mach.)

Defn: A prime mover; a machine by means of which a source of power, as steam, moving water, electricity, etc., is made available for doing mechanical work.

MOTOR; MOTORY; MOTORIAL Mo"tor, Mo"to*ry, Mo*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. motorius that has motion. See Motor, n.]

Defn: Causing or setting up motion; pertaining to organs of motion; - - applied especially in physiology to those nerves or nerve fibers which only convey impressions from a nerve center to muscles, thereby causing motion.

MOTOR CAR; MOTORCAR Motor car, or Mo"tor*car`, n.

1. An automobile, locomobile, or locomotive designed to run and be steered on a street or roadway; esp., an automobile specially designed for passengers.

2. (Elec. Railroads) Any car containing motors for propulsion. [U. S.]

MOTOR CYCLE; MOTORCYCLE Motor cycle, or Mo"tor*cy`cle, n.

Defn: A bicycle having a motor attached so as to be self-propelled. In Great Britain the term motor cycle is treated by statute (3 Ed VII. c. 36) as limited to motor cars (self-propelled vehicles) designed to travel on not more than three wheels, and weighing unladen (that is, without water, fuel, or accumulators necessary for propulsion) not more than three hundred weight (336 lbs.).

MOTOR-DRIVEN Mo`tor-driv`en, a. (Mach.)

Defn: Driven or actuated by a motor, esp. by an individual electric motor. An electric motor forms an integral part of many machine tools in numerous modern machine shops.

MOTOR GENERATOR Motor generator.

Defn: The combination consisting of a generator and a driving motor mechanically connected, usually on a common bedplate and with the two shafts directly coupled or combined into a single shaft.

MOTORING Mo"tor*ing, n.

Defn: Act or recreation of riding in or driving a motor car or automobile.

MOTORING Mo"tor*ing, a.

Defn: Pertaining to motor cars or automobiles, or to the technology of such; addicted to riding in or driving automobiles; as, motoring parlance; my motoring friend.

MOTORIZE Mo"tor*ize (mo"ter*iz), v. t. [Motor + -ize.]

Defn: To substitute motor-driven vehicles, or automobiles, for the horses and horse-drawn vehicles of (a fire department, city, etc.). - -Mo`tor*i*za"tion (#), n.

MOTORMAN Mo"tor*man, n.

Defn: A man who controls a motor.

MOTORPATHIC Mo`tor*path"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to motorpathy.

MOTORPATHY Mo*tor"pa*thy, n. Etym: [L. motor a mover + Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Kinesiatrics.

MOTTE Motte, n. Etym: [Cf. F. motte a clod, clump, or hillock.]

Defn: A clump of trees in a prairie. [Local, U.S.]

MOTTLE Mot"tle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mottled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mottling.] Etym: [From Mottled.]

Defn: To mark with spots of different color, or shades of color, as if stained; to spot; to maculate.

MOTTLE Mot"tle, n.

Defn: A mottled appearance.

MOTTLED Mot"tled, a. Etym: [From Motley.]

Defn: Marked with spots of different colors; variegated; spotted; as, mottled wood. "The mottled meadows." Drayton.

MOTTO Mot"to, n.; pl. Mottoes. Etym: [It. motto a word, a saying, L. muttum a mutter, a grunt, cf. muttire, mutire, to mutter, mumble; prob. of imitative origin. Cf. Mot a word.]

1. (Her.)

Defn: A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievment.

2. A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim. It was the motto of a bishop eminent for his piety and good works, … "Serve God, and be cheerful." Addison.

MOTTOED Mot"toed, a.

Defn: Bearing or having a motto; as, a mottoed coat or device.

MOTTY Mot"ty, a.

Defn: Full of, or consisting of, motes. [Written also mottie.] [Scot.] The motty dust reek raised by the workmen. H. Miller.

MOUCHOIR Mou`choir", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A handkerchief.

MOUEZZIN Mou*ez"zin, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Muezzin.

MOUFLON Mouf"lon, n. Etym: [F. mouflon.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A wild sheep (Ovis musimon), inhabiting the mountains of Sardinia, Corsica, etc. Its horns are very large, with a triangular base and rounded angles. It is supposed by some to be the original of the domestic sheep. Called also musimon or musmon. [Written also moufflon.]

MOUGHT Mought, obs.imp.

Defn: of May. Might.

MOUILLATION Mouil*la"tion, n. Etym: [See Mouillé.] (Phon.)

Defn: The act of uttering the sound of a mouillé letter.

MOUILLE Mouil`lé", a. Etym: [F., lit., wet.] (Phon.)

Defn: Applied to certain consonants having a "liquid" or softened sound; e.g., in French, l or ll and gn (like the lli in million and ni in minion); in Italian, gl and gn; in Spanish, ll and ñ; in Portuguese, lh and nh.

MOULD; MOULDER; MOULDY Mould, Mould"er, Mould"y, etc.

Defn: See Mold, Molder, Moldy, etc.

MOULE Moule, v. i. Etym: [OE. moulen. See Mold.]

Defn: To contract mold; to grow moldy; to mold. [Obs.] Let us not moulen thus in idleness. Chaucer.

MOULINE; MOULINET Mou*line", Mou"li*net, n. Etym: [F. moulinet, orig., a little mill, dim. of moulin mill. See Mill.]

1. The drum upon which the rope is wound in a capstan, crane, or the like.

2. A machine formerly used for bending a crossbow by winding it up.

3. In sword and saber exercises, a circular swing of the weawon.

MOULT Moult, v. & n.

Defn: See Molt.

MOULTEN Moult"en, a.

Defn: Having molted. [Obs.] "A moulten raven." Shak.

MOUN Moun, v.,

Defn: pl. of Mow, may. [Obs.] Wyclif.

MOUNCH Mounch, v. t.

Defn: To munch. [Obs.]

MOUND Mound, n. Etym: [F. monde the world, L. mundus. See Mundane.]

Defn: A ball or globe forming part of the regalia of an emperor or other sovereign. It is encircled with bands, enriched with precious stones, and surmounted with a cross; — called also globe.

MOUND Mound, n. Etym: [OE. mound, mund, protection, AS. mund protection, hand; akin to OHG. munt, Icel. mund hand, and prob. to L. manus. See Manual.]

Defn: An artificial hill or elevation of earth; a raised bank; an embarkment thrown up for defense; a bulwark; a rampart; also, a natural elevation appearing as if thrown up artificially; a regular and isolated hill, hillock, or knoll. To thrid the thickets or to leap the mounds. Dryden. Mound bird. (Zoöl.) Same as Mound maker (below). — Mound builders (Ethnol.), the tribe, or tribes, of North American aborigines who built, in former times, extensive mounds of earth, esp. in the valleys of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Formerly they were supposed to have preceded the Indians, but later investigations go to show that they were, in general, identical with the tribes that occupied the country when discovered by Europeans. — Mound maker (Zoöl.), any one of the megapodes. — Shell mound, a mound of refuse shells, collected by aborigines who subsisted largely on shellfish. See Midden, and Kitchen middens.

MOUND Mound, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Mounding.]

Defn: To fortify or inclose with a mound.

MOUNT Mount, n. Etym: [OE. munt, mont, mount, AS. munt, fr. L. mons, montis; cf. L. minae protections, E. eminent, menace: cf. F. mont. Cf. Mount, v., Mountain, Mont, Monte, Montem.]

1. A mass of earth, or earth and rock, rising considerably above the common surface of the surrounding land; a mountain; a high hill; — used always instead of mountain, when put before a proper name; as, Mount Washington; otherwise, chiefly in poetry.

2. A bulwark for offense or defense; a mound. [Obs.] Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem. Jer. vi. 6.

3. Etym: [See Mont de piété.]

Defn: A bank; a fund. Mount of piety. See Mont de piété.

MOUNT Mount, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mounted; p. pr. & vb. n. Mounting.] Etym: [OE. mounten, monten, F. monter, fr. L. mons, montis, mountain. See Mount, n. (above).]

1. To rise on high; to go up; to be upraised or uplifted; to tower aloft; to ascend; — often with up. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven. Jer. li. 53. The fire of trees and houses mounts on high. Cowley.

2. To get up on anything, as a platform or scaffold; especially, to seat one's self on a horse for riding.

3. To attain in value; to amount. Bring then these blessings to a strict account, Make fair deductions, see to what they mount. Pope.

MOUNT Mount, v. t.

1. To get upon; to ascend; to climb. Shall we mount again the rural throne Dryden.

2. To place one's self on, as a horse or other animal, or anything that one sits upon; to bestride.

3. To cause to mount; to put on horseback; to furnish with animals for riding; to furnish with horses. "To mount the Trojan troop." Dryden.

4. Hence: To put upon anything that sustains and fits for use, as a gun on a carriage, a map or picture on cloth or paper; to prepare for being worn or otherwise used, as a diamond by setting, or a sword blade by adding the hilt, scabbard, etc.

5. To raise aloft; to lift on high. What power is it which mounts my love so high Shak.

Note: A fort or ship is said to mount cannon, when it has them arranged for use in or about it. To mount guard (Mil.), to go on guard; to march on guard; to do duty as a guard. — To mount a play, to prepare and arrange the scenery, furniture, etc., used in the play.

MOUNT Mount, n. Etym: [From Mount, v.]

Defn: That upon which a person or thing is mounted, as: (a) A horse. She had so good a seat and hand, she might be trusted with any mount. G. Eliot.

(b) The cardboard or cloth on which a drawing, photograph, or the like is mounted; a mounting.

MOUNTABLE Mount"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be mounted.

MOUNTAIN Moun"tain, n. Etym: [OE. mountaine, montaine, F. montagne, LL. montanea, montania, fr. L. mons, montis, a mountain; cf. montanus belonging to a mountain. See 1st Mount.]

1. A large mass of earth and rock, rising above the common level of the earth or adjacent land; earth and rock forming an isolated peak or a ridge; an eminence higher than a hill; a mount.

2. pl.

Defn: A range, chain, or group of such elevations; as, the White Mountains.

3. A mountainlike mass; something of great bulk. I should have been a mountain of mummy. Shak. The Mountain (La montagne) (French Hist.), a popular name given in 1793 to a party of extreme Jacobins in the National Convention, who occupied the highest rows of seats.

MOUNTAIN Moun"tain, a.

1. Of or pertaining to a mountain or mountains; growing or living on a mountain; found on or peculiar to mountains; among mountains; as, a mountain torrent; mountain pines; mountain goats; mountain air; mountain howitzer.

2. Like a mountain; mountainous; vast; very great. The high, the mountain majesty of worth. Byron. Mountain anthelope (Zoöl.), the goral. — Mountain ash (Bot.), an ornamental tree, the Pyrus (Sorbus) Americana, producing beautiful bunches of red berries. Its leaves are pinnate, and its flowers white, growing in fragrant clusters. The European species is the P. aucuparia, or rowan tree. — Mountain barometer, a portable barometer, adapted for safe transportation, used in measuring the heights of mountains. — Mountain beaver (Zoöl.), the sewellel. — Mountain blue (Min.), blue carbonate of copper; azurite. — Mountain cat (Zoöl.), the catamount. See Catamount. — Mountain chain, a series of contiguous mountain ranges, generally in parallel or consecutive lines or curves. — Mountain cock (Zoöl.), capercailzie. See Capercailzie. — Mountain cork (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling cork in its texture. — Mountain crystal. See under Crystal. — Mountain damson (Bot.), a large tree of the genus Simaruba (S. amarga) growing in the West Indies, which affords a bitter tonic and astringent, sometimes used in medicine. — Mountain dew, Scotch whisky, so called because often illicitly distilled among the mountains. [Humorous] — Mountain ebony (Bot.), a small leguminous tree (Bauhinia variegata) of the East and West Indies; — so called because of its dark wood. The bark is used medicinally and in tanning. — Mountain flax (Min.), a variety of asbestus, having very fine fibers; amianthus. See Amianthus. — Mountain fringe (Bot.), climbing fumitory. See under Fumitory. — Mountain goat. (Zoöl.) See Mazama. — Mountain green. (Min.) (a) Green malachite, or carbonate of copper. (b) See Green earth, under Green, a. — Mountain holly (Bot.), a branching shrub (Nemopanthes Canadensis), having smooth oblong leaves and red berries. It is found in the Northern United States. — Mountain laurel (Bot.), an American shrub (Kalmia latifolia) with glossy evergreen leaves and showy clusters of rose-colored or white flowers. The foliage is poisonous. Called also American laurel, ivy bush, and calico bush. See Kalmia. — Mountain leather (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling leather in its texture. — Mountain licorice (Bot.), a plant of the genus Trifolium (T. Alpinum). — Mountain limestone (Geol.), a series of marine limestone strata below the coal measures, and above the old red standstone of Great Britain. See Chart of Geology. — Mountain linnet (Zoöl.), the twite. — Mountain magpie. (Zoöl.) (a) The yaffle, or green woodpecker. (b) The European gray shrike. — Mountain mahogany (Bot.) See under Mahogany. — Mountain meal (Min.), a light powdery variety of calcite, occurring as an efflorescence. — Mountain milk (Min.), a soft spongy variety of carbonate of lime. — Mountain mint. (Bot.) See Mint. — Mountain ousel (Zoöl.), the ring ousel; — called also mountain thrush and mountain colley. See Ousel. — Mountain pride, or Mountain green (Bot.), a tree of Jamaica (Spathelia simplex), which has an unbranched palmlike stem, and a terminal cluster of large, pinnate leaves. — Mountain quail (Zoöl.), the plumed partridge (Oreortyx pictus) of California. It has two long, slender, plumelike feathers on the head. The throat and sides are chestnut; the belly is brown with transverse bars of black and white; the neck and breast are dark gray. — Mountain range, a series of mountains closely related in position and direction. — Mountain rice. (Bot.) (a) An upland variety of rice, grown without irrigation, in some parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States. (b) An American genus of grasses (Oryzopsis). — Mountain rose (Bot.), a species of rose with solitary flowers, growing in the mountains of Europe (Rosa alpina). — Mountain soap (Min.), a soft earthy mineral, of a brownish color, used in crayon painting; saxonite. — Mountain sorrel (Bot.), a low perennial plant (Oxyria digyna with rounded kidney-form leaves, and small greenish flowers, found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in high northern latitudes. Gray. — Mountain sparrow (Zoöl.), the European tree sparrow. — Mountain spinach. (Bot.) See Orach. — Mountain tobacco (Bot.), a composite plant (Arnica montana) of Europe; called also leopard's bane. — Mountain witch (Zoöl.), a ground pigeon of Jamaica, of the genus Geotrygon.

MOUNTAINEER Moun`tain*eer", n. Etym: [OF. montanier, LL. montanarius. See Mountain.]

1. An inhabitant of a mountain; one who lives among mountains.

2. A rude, fierce person. [Obs.] No savage fierce, bandit, or mountaineer. Milton.

MOUNTAINEER Moun`tain*eer", v. i.

Defn: To lie or act as a mountaineer; to climb mountains. You can't go mountaineering in a flat country. H. James.

MOUNTAINER Moun"tain*er, n.

Defn: A mountaineer. [Obs.]

MOUNTAINET Moun"tain*et, n.

Defn: A small mountain. [R.]

MOUNTAINOUS Moun"tain*ous, a. Etym: [F. montagneux, L. montaniosus.]

1. Full of, or containing, mountains; as, the mountainous country of the Swiss.

2. Inhabiting mountains. [Obs.] Bacon.

3. Large as, or resembling, a mountain; huge; of great bulk; as, a mountainous heap. Prior.

MOUNTAINOUSNESS Moun"tain*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being mountainous.

MOUNTAIN SPECTER Moun"tain spec"ter.

Defn: An optical phenomenon sometimes seen on the summit of mountains (as on the Brocken) when the observer is between the sun and a mass of cloud. The figures of the observer and surrounding objects are seen projected on the cloud, greatly enlarged and often encircled by rainbow colors.

MOUNTAIN STATE Moun"tain State.

Defn: Montana; — a nickname.

MOUNTANCE Mount"ance, n. Etym: [OF. montance.]

Defn: Amount; sum; quantity; extent. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MOUNTANT Mount"ant, a. Etym: [F. montant, p.pr. of monter. See Mount, and cf. Montant.]

Defn: Raised; high. [Obs.]

MOUNTEBANK Mount"e*bank, n. Etym: [It. montimbanco, montambanco; montare to mount + in in, upon + banco bench. See Mount, and 4th Bank.]

1. One who mounts a bench or stage in the market or other public place, boasts of his skill in curing diseases, and vends medicines which he pretends are infalliable remedies; a quack doctor. Such is the weakness and easy credulity of men, that a mountebank … is preferred before an able physician. Whitlock.

2. Any boastful or false pretender; a charlatan; a quack. Nothing so impossible in nature but mountebanks will undertake. Arbuthnot.

MOUNTEBANK Mount"e*bank, v. t.

Defn: To cheat by boasting and false pretenses; to gull. [R.] Shak.

MOUNTEBANK Mount"e*bank, v. i.

Defn: To play the mountebank.

MOUNTEBANKERY Mount"e*bank`er*y, n.

Defn: The practices of a mountebank; quackery; boastful and vain pretenses.

MOUNTEBANKISH Mount"e*bank`ish, a.

Defn: Like a mountebank or his quackery. Howell.

MOUNTEBANKISM Mount"e*bank*ism, n.

Defn: The practices of a mountebank; mountebankery.

MOUNTED Mount"ed, a.

1. Seated or serving on horseback or similarly; as, mounted police; mounted infantry.

2. Placed on a suitable support, or fixed in a setting; as, a mounted gun; a mounted map; a mounted gem.

MOUNTENAUNCE Mount"e*naunce, n.

Defn: Mountance. [Obs.]

MOUNTER Mount"er, n.

1. One who mounts.

2. An animal mounted; a monture. [Obs.]

MOUNTING Mount"ing, n.

1. The act of one that mounts.

2. That by which anything is prepared for use, or set off to advantage; equipment; embellishment; setting; as, the mounting of a sword or diamond.

MOUNTINGLY Mount"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In an ascending manner.

MOUNTLET Mount"let, n.

Defn: A small or low mountain. [R.]

MOUNTY Mount"y, n. Etym: [F. montée, fr. monter. See Mount, v.]

Defn: The rise of a hawk after prey. Sir P. Sidney.

MOURN Mourn, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mourned; p. pr. & vb. n. Mourning.] Etym: [AS. murnan; akin to OS. mornian, OHG. mornen, Goth. maúrnan.]

1. To express or to feel grief or sorrow; to grieve; to be sorrowful; to lament; to be in a state of grief or sadness. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Gen. xxiii. 2.

2. To wear the customary garb of a mourner. We mourn in black; why mourn we not in blood Shak. Grieve for an hour, perhaps, then mourn a year. Pope.

MOURN Mourn, v. t.

1. To grieve for; to lament; to deplore; to bemoan; to bewail. As if he mourned his rival's ill success. Addison. And looking over the hills, I mourn The darling who shall not return. Emerson.

2. To utter in a mournful manner or voice. The lovelorn nightingale Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well. Milton.

Syn. — See Deplore.

MOURNE Mourne, n. Etym: [See 2d Morne.]

Defn: The armed or feruled end of a staff; in a sheephook, the end of the staff to which the hook is attached. Sir P. Sidney.

MOURNER Mourn"er, n.

1. One who mourns or is grieved at any misfortune, as the death of a friend. His mourners were two hosts, his friends and foes. Byron.

2. One who attends a funeral as a hired mourner. Mourners were provided to attend the funeral. L'Estrange.

MOURNFUL Mourn"ful, a.

Defn: Full of sorrow; expressing, or intended to express, sorrow; mourning; grieving; sad; also, causing sorrow; saddening; grievous; as, a mournful person; mournful looks, tones, loss. — Mourn"ful*ly, adv. — Mourn"ful*ness, n.

Syn. — Sorrowful; lugubrious; sad; doleful; heavy; afflictive; grievous; calamitous.

MOURNING Mourn"ing, n. Etym: [AS. murnung.]

1. The act of sorrowing or expressing grief; lamentation; sorrow.

2. Garb, drapery, or emblems indicative of grief, esp. clothing or a badge of somber black. The houses to their tops with black were spread, And ev'n the pavements were with mourning hid. Dryden. Deep mourning. See under Deep.

MOURNING Mourn"ing, a.

1. Grieving; sorrowing; lamenting.

2. Employed to express sorrow or grief; worn or used as appropriate to the condition of one bereaved or sorrowing; as, mourning garments; a mourning ring; a mourning pin, and the like. Mourning bride (Bot.), a garden flower (Scabiosa atropurpurea) with dark purple or crimson flowers in flattened heads. — Mourning dove (Zoöl.), a wild dove (Zenaidura macroura) found throughout the United States; — so named from its plaintive note. Called also Carolina dove. See Illust. under Dove. — Mourning warbler (Zoöl.), an American ground warbler (Geothlypis Philadelphia). The male has the head, neck, and chest, deep ash-gray, mixed with black on the throat and chest; other lower parts are pure yellow.

MOURNINGLY Mourn"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mourning manner.

MOURNIVAL Mour"ni*val, n.

Defn: See Murnival.

MOUSE Mouse (mous), n.; pl. Mice (mis). Etym: [OE. mous, mus, AS. mus, pl. mys; akin to D. muis, G. maus, OHG. & Icel. mus, Dan. muus, Sw. mus, Russ. muishe, L. mus, Gr. my^s, Skr. mush mouse, mush to steal. *277. Cf. Muscle, Musk.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridæ. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed, or deer, mouse (Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest.

2. (Naut.) (a) A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping. (b) Same as 2d Mousing, 2.

3. A familiar term of endearment. Shak.

4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]

5. A match used in firing guns or blasting. Field mouse, Flying mouse, etc. See under Field, Flying, etc. — Mouse bird (Zoöl.), a coly. — Mouse deer (Zoöl.), a chevrotain, as the kanchil. — Mouse galago (Zoöl.), a very small West American galago (Galago murinus). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel. — Mouse hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A hawk that devours mice. (b) The hawk owl; — called also mouse owl. — Mouse lemur (Zoöl.), any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus, found in Madagascar. — Mouse piece (Cookery), the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; — called also mouse buttock.

MOUSE Mouse, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Moused; p. pr. & vb. n. Mousing.]

1. To watch for and catch mice.

2. To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.

MOUSE Mouse, v. t.

1. To tear, as a cat devours a mouse. [Obs.] "[Death] mousing the flesh of men." Shak.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See Mouse, n., 2.

MOUSE-EAR Mouse"-ear`, n. (Bot.) (a) The forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris) and other species of the same genus. (b) A European species of hawkweed (Hieracium Pilosella). Mouse-ear chickweed, a name of two common species of chickweed (Cerastium vulgarium, and C. viscosum). — Mouse-ear cress, a low cruciferous herb (Sisymbrium Thaliana). All these are low herbs with soft, oval, or obovate leaves, whence the name.

MOUSEFISH Mouse"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Frogfish.

MOUSEHOLE Mouse"hole`, n.

Defn: A hole made by a mouse, for passage or abode, as in a wall; hence, a very small hole like that gnawed by a mouse.

MOUSEKIN Mouse"kin, n.

Defn: A little mouse. Thackeray.

MOUSER Mous"er, n.

1. A cat that catches mice.

2. One who pries about on the lookout for something.

MOUSETAIL Mouse"tail`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of ranunculaceous plants (Myosurus), in which the prolonged receptacle is covered with imbricating achenes, and so resembles the tail of a mouse.

MOUSIE Mous"ie, n.

Defn: Diminutive for Mouse. Burns.

MOUSING Mous"ing, a.

Defn: Impertinently inquisitive; prying; meddlesome. "Mousing saints." L'Estrange.

MOUSING Mous"ing, n.

1. The act of hunting mice.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straighening out.

3. A ratchet movement in a loom. Mousing hook, a hook with an attachment which prevents its unhooking.

MOUSLE Mou"sle, v. t.