M M (em). (continued 6)
Reading edition
MEDITATION Med`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [OE. meditacioun, F. méditation, fr. L. meditatio.]
1. The act of meditating; close or continued thought; the turning or revolving of a subject in the mind; serious contemplation; reflection; musing. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Ps. xix. 14.
2. Thought; — without regard to kind. [Obs.] With wings as swift As meditation or the thoughts of love. Shak.
MEDITATIST Med"i*ta`tist, n.
Defn: One who is given to meditation.
MEDITATIVE Med"i*ta*tive, a. Etym: [L. meditativus: cf. F. méditatif.]
Defn: Disposed to meditate, or to meditation; as, a meditative man; a meditative mood. — Med"i*ta*tive*ly, adv. — Med"i*ta*tive*ness, n.
MEDITERRANEAN Med`i*ter*ra"ne*an, a. Etym: [L. mediterraneus; medius middle + terra land. See Mid, and Terrace.]
1. Inclosed, or nearly inclosed, with land; as, the Mediterranean Sea, between Europe and Africa.
2. Inland; remote from the ocean. [Obs.] Cities, as well mediterranean as maritime. Holland.
3. Of or pertaining to the Mediterranean Sea; as, Mediterranean trade; a Mediterranean voyage.
MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY Mediterranean fruit fly.
Defn: A two-winged fly (Ceratitis capitata) with black and white markings, native of the Mediterranean countries, but now widely distributed. Its larva lives in ripening oranges, peaches, and other fruits, causing them to decay and fall.
MEDITERRANEOUS Med`i*ter*ra"ne*ous, a.
Defn: Inland. Sir T. Browne.
MEDIUM Me"di*um, n.; pl. L. Media, E. Mediums. Etym: [L. medium the middle, fr. medius middle. See Mid, and cf. Medius.]
1. That which lies in the middle, or between other things; intervening body or quantity. Hence, specifically: (a) Middle place or degree; mean. The just medium . . . lies between pride and abjection. L'Estrange. (b) (Math.)
Defn: See Mean. (c) (Logic) The mean or middle term of a syllogism; that by which the extremes are brought into connection.
2. A substance through which an effect is transmitted from one thing to another; as, air is the common medium of sound. Hence: The condition upon which any event or action occurs; necessary means of motion or action; that through or by which anything is accomplished, conveyed, or carried on; specifically, in animal magnetism, spiritualism, etc., a person through whom the action of another being is said to be manifested and transmitted. Whether any other liquors, being made mediums, cause a diversity of sound from water, it may be tried. Bacon. I must bring together All these extremes; and must remove all mediums. Denham.
3. An average. [R.] A medium of six years of war, and six years of peace. Burke.
4. A trade name for printing and writing paper of certain sizes. See Paper.
5. (Paint.)
Defn: The liquid vehicle with which dry colors are ground and prepared for application. Circulating medium, a current medium of exchange, whether coin, bank notes, or government notes. — Ethereal medium (Physics), the ether. — Medium of exchange, that which is used for effecting an exchange of commodities — money or current representatives of money.
MEDIUM Me"di*um, a.
Defn: Having a middle position or degree; mean; intermediate; medial; as, a horse of medium size; a decoction of medium strength.
MEDIUM-SIZED Me"di*um-sized`, a.
Defn: Having a medium size; as, a medium-sized man.
MEDIUS Me"di*us, n.; pl. Medii. Etym: [NL., fr. L. medius middle. See Medium.] (Anat.)
Defn: The third or middle finger; the third digit, or that which corresponds to it.
MEDJIDIE; MEDJIDIEH Me*dji"di*e, Me*dji"di*eh, n. [Turk. majidieh (prop. fem. a., fr. Ar. mejid glorious); — so called after the sultan Abdul Mejid, lit., "servant of the Glorious One," i.e., of God.]
1. (a) A silver coin of Turkey formerly rated at twenty, but since 1880 at nineteen, piasters (about 83 cents). (b) A gold coin of Turkey equal to one hundred piastres ($4.396 or 18s. ¾d.); a lira, or Turkish pound.
2. A Turkish honorary order established in 1851 by Abdul-Mejid, having as its badge a medallion surrounded by seven silver rays and crescents. It is often conferred on foreigners.
MEDLAR Med"lar, n. Etym: [OE. medler medlar tree, OF. meslier, F. néflier, L. mespilum, mespilus, Gr. Naseberry.]
Defn: A tree of the genus Mespilus (M. Germanica); also, the fruit of the tree. The fruit is something like a small apple, but has a bony endocarp. When first gathered the flesh is hard and austere, and it is not eaten until it has begun to decay. Japan medlar (Bot.), the loquat. See Loquat. — Neapolitan medlar (Bot.), a kind of thorn tree (Cratægus Azarolus); also, its fruit.
MEDLE Med"le, v. t. Etym: [See Meddle.]
Defn: To mix; to mingle; to meddle. [Written also medly.] [Obs.] Chaucer.
MEDLEY Med"ley, n.; pl. Medleys. Etym: [OE. medlee, OF. meslée, medlée, mellée, F. mêlée. See Meddle, and cf. MelÉe, Mellay.]
1. A mixture; a mingled and confused mass of ingredients, usually inharmonious; a jumble; a hodgepodge; — often used contemptuously. This medley of philosophy and war. Addison. Love is a medley of endearments, jars, Suspicions, reconcilements, wars. W. Walsh.
2. The confusion of a hand to hand battle; a brisk, hand to hand engagement; a mêlée. [Obs.] Holland.
3. (Mus.)
Defn: A composition of passages detached from several different compositions; a potpourri.
Note: Medley is usually applied to vocal, potpourri to instrumental, compositions.
4. A cloth of mixed colors. Fuller.
MEDLEY Med"ley, a.
1. Mixed; of mixed material or color. [Obs.] "A medlè coat." Chaucer.
2. Mingled; confused. Dryden.
MEDLY Med"ly, v. t.
Defn: See Medle. Johnson.
MEDOC Mé`doc", n. Etym: [Cf. Mayduke.]
Defn: A class of claret wines, including several varieties, from the district of Médoc in the department of Gironde.
MEDREGAL Med"re*gal, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Bonito, 3.
MEDRICK Med"rick, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A species of gull or tern. [Prov.] Lowell.
MEDULLA Me*dul"la, n. Etym: [L.]
1. Marrow; pith; hence, essence. [Obs.] Milton.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: The marrow of bones; the deep or inner portion of an organ or part; as, the medulla, or medullary substance, of the kidney; specifically, the medula oblongata.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: A soft tissue, occupying the center of the stem or branch of a plant; pith. Medulla oblongata. Etym: [L., oblong medulla] (Anat.), the posterior part of the brain connected with the spinal cord. It includes all the hindbrain except the cerebellum and pons, and from it a large part of the cranial nerves arise. It controls very largely respiration, circulation, swallowing, and other functions, and is the most vital part of the brain; — called also bulb of the spinal cord. See Brain.
MEDULLAR Me*dul"lar, a.
Defn: See Medullary.
MEDULLARY Med"ul*la*ry, a. Etym: [L. medullaris, fr. medulla marrow: cf. F. médullaire.]
1. (Anat.) (a) Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling, marrow or medulla. (b) Pertaining to the medula oblongata.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Filled with spongy pith; pithy. Medullary groove (Anat.), a groove, in the epiblast of the vertebrate blastoderm, the edges of which unite, making a tube (the medullary canal) from which the brain and spinal cord are developed. — Medullary rays (Bot.), the rays of cellular tissue seen in a transverse section of exogenous wood, which pass from the pith to the bark. — Medullary sheath (Anat.), the layer of white semifluid substance (myelin), between the primitive sheath and axis cylinder of a medullated nerve fiber.
MEDULLATED Me*dul"la*ted, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Furnished with a medulla or marrow, or with a medullary sheath; as, a medullated nerve fiber.
MEDULLIN Me*dul"lin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. médulline.] (Bot. Chem.)
Defn: A variety of lignin or cellulose found in the medulla, or pith, of certain plants. Cf. Lignin, and Cellulose.
MEDUSA Me*du"sa, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.
1. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: The Gorgon; or one of the Gorgons whose hair was changed into serpents, after which all who looked upon her were turned into stone.
2. [pl. Medusae (.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any free swimming acaleph; a jellyfish.
Note: The larger medusæ belong to the Discophora, and are sometimes called covered-eyed medusæ; others, known as naked-eyed medusæ, belong to the Hydroidea, and are usually developed by budding from hidroids. See Discophora, Hydroidea, and Hydromedusa. Medusa bud (Zoöl.), one of the buds of a hydroid, destined to develop into a gonophore or medusa. See Athecata, and Gonotheca. — Medusa's head. (a) (Zoöl.) An astrophyton. (b) (Astron.) A cluster of stars in the constellation Perseus. It contains the bright star Algol.
MEDUSIAN Me*du"si*an, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A medusa.
MEDUSIFORM Me*du"si*form, a. Etym: [Medusa + -form.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Resembling a medusa in shape or structure.
MEDUSOID Me*du"soid, a. Etym: [Medusa + -oid.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Like a medusa; having the fundamental structure of a medusa, but without a locomotive disk; — said of the sessile gonophores of hydroids. — n.
Defn: A sessile gonophore. See Illust. under Gonosome.
MEECH Meech, v. i.
Defn: See Mich. [Obs. or Colloq.]
MEED Meed, n. Etym: [OE. mede, AS. med, meord; akin to OS. m, OHG. miata, mieta, G. miethe hire, Goth. mizdo reward, Bohem. & Russ. mzda, Gr. mistho`s, Skr. midha. sq. root276.]
1. That which is bestowed or rendered in consideration of merit; reward; recompense. A rosy garland was the victor's meed. Spenser.
2. Merit or desert; worth. My meed hath got me fame. Shak.
3. A gift; also, a bride. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MEED Meed, v. t.
1. To reward; to repay. [Obs.] Waytt.
2. To deserve; to merit. [Obs.] Heywood.
MEEDFUL Meed"ful, a.
Defn: Worthy of meed, reward, or recompense; meritorious. "Meedful works." Wiclif.
MEEDFULLY Meed"ful*ly, adv.
Defn: According to merit; suitably.
MEEK Meek, a. [Compar. Meeker; superl. Meekest.] Etym: [OE. mek, meoc; akin to Icel. mj mild, soft, Sw. mjuk, Dan. myg, D. muik, Goth. mukam
1. Mild of temper; not easily provoked or orritated; patient under injuries; not vain, or haughty, or resentful; forbearing; submissive. Not the man Moses was very meek. Num. xii. 3.
2. Evincing mildness of temper, or patience; characterized by mildness or patience; as, a meek answer; a meek face. "Her meek prayer." Chaucer.
Syn. — Gentle; mild; soft; yielding; pacific; unassuming; humble. See Gentle.
MEEK; MEEKEN Meek, Meek"en (-'n), v. t.
Defn: To make meek; to nurture in gentleness and humility. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MEEKLY Meek"ly, adv.
Defn: In a meek manner. Spenser.
MEEKNESS Meek"ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being meek.
MEER Meer, a.
Defn: Simple; unmixed. See Mere, a. [Obs.]
MEER Meer, n.
Defn: See Mere, a lake.
MEER Meer, n.
Defn: A boundary. See Mere.
MEERKAT Meer"kat, n. Etym: [D.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A South African carnivore (Cynictis penicillata), allied to the ichneumons.
MEERSCHAUM Meer"schaum, n. Etym: [G., lit., sea foam; meer sea + schaum foam; but it perh. is a corruption of the Tartaric name myrsen. Cf. Mere a lake, and Scum.]
1. (Min.)
Defn: A fine white claylike mineral, soft, and light enough when in dry masses to float in water. It is a hydrous silicate of magnesia, and is obtained chiefly in Asia Minor. It is manufacturd into tobacco pipes, cigar holders, etc. Also called sepiolite.
2. A tobacco pipe made of this mineral.
MEET Meet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Met; p. pr. & vb. n. Meeting.] Etym: [OE. meten, AS. m, fr. m, gem, a meeting; akin to OS. m to meet, Icel. mæta, Goth. gam. See Moot, v. t.]
1. To join, or come in contact with; esp., to come in contact with by approach from an opposite direction; to come upon or against, front to front, as distinguished from contact by following and overtaking.
2. To come in collision with; to confront in conflict; to encounter hostilely; as, they met the enemy and defeated them; the ship met opposing winds and currents.
3. To come into the presence of without contact; to come close to; to intercept; to come within the perception, influence, or recognition of; as, to meet a train at a junction; to meet carriages or persons in the street; to meet friends at a party; sweet sounds met the ear. His daughter came out to meet him. Judg. xi. 34.
4. To perceive; to come to a knowledge of; to have personal acquaintance with; to experience; to suffer; as, the eye met a horrid sight; he met his fate. Of vice or virtue, whether blest or curst, Which meets contempt, or which compassion first. Pope.
5. To come up to; to be even with; to equal; to match; to satisfy; to ansver; as, to meet one's expectations; the supply meets the demand. To meet half way, literally, to go half the distance between in order to meet (one); hence, figuratively, to yield or concede half of the difference in order to effect a compromise or reconciliation with.
MEET Meet, v. t.
1. To come together by mutual approach; esp., to come in contact, or into proximity, by approach from opposite directions; to join; to come face to face; to come in close relationship; as, we met in the street; two lines meet so as to form an angle. O, when meet now Such pairs in love and mutual honor joined ! Milton.
2. To come together with hostile purpose; to have an encounter or conflict. Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton.
3. To assemble together; to congregate; as, Congress meets on the first Monday of December. They . . . appointed a day to meet together. 2. Macc. xiv. 21.
4. To come together by mutual concessions; hence, to agree; to harmonize; to unite. To meet with. (a) To light upon; to find; to come to; — often with the sense of unexpectedness. We met with many things worthy of observation. Bacon. (b) To join; to unite in company. Shak. (c) To suffer unexpectedly; as, to meet with a fall; to meet with a loss. (d) To encounter; to be subjected to. Prepare to meet with more than brutal fury From the fierce prince. Rowe. (e) To obviate. [Obs.] Bacon.
MEET Meet, n.
Defn: An assembling together; esp., the assembling of huntsmen for the hunt; also, the persons who so assemble, and the place of meeting.
MEET Meet, a. Etym: [OE. mete fitting, moderate, scanty, AS. m moderate; akin to gemet fit, meet, metan to mete, and G. mässig moderate, gemäss fitting. See Mete.]
Defn: Suitable; fit; proper; appropriate; qualified; convenient. It was meet that we should make merry. Luke xv. 32. To be meet with, to be even with; to be equal to. [Obs.]
MEET Meet, adv.
Defn: Meetly. [Obs.] Shak.
MEETEN Meet"en, v. t.
Defn: To render fit. [R.]
MEETER Meet"er, n.
Defn: One who meets.
MEETH Meeth
Defn: , Mead. See Meathe. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MEETING Meet"ing, n.
1. A coming together; an assembling; as, the meeting of Congress.
2. A junction, crossing, or union; as, the meeting of the roads or of two rivers.
3. A congregation; a collection of people; a convention; as, a large meeting; an harmonius meeting.
4. An assembly for worship; as, to attend meeting on Sunday; — in England, applied distinctively and disparagingly to the worshiping assemblies of Dissenters.
Syn. — Conference; assembly; company; convention; congregation; junction; confluence; union.
MEETINGHOUSE Meet"ing*house`, n.
Defn: A house used as a place of worship; a church; — in England, applied only to a house so used by Dissenters.
MEETLY Meet"ly, adv.
Defn: Fitly; suitably; properly.
MEETNESS Meet"ness, n.
Defn: Fitness; suitableness; propriety.
MEG-; MEGA; MEGALO- Meg-, Meg"a, Meg"a*lo-. Etym: [Gr. me`gas, gen. mega`loy, great.]
Defn: Combining forms signifying: (a) Great, extended, powerful; as, megascope, megacosm. (b) (Metric System, Elec., Mech., etc.)
Defn: A million times, a million of; as, megameter, a million meters; megafarad, a million farads; megohm, a million ohms.
MEGACEPHALIC; MEGACEPHALOUS Meg`a*ce*phal"ic, Meg`a*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Mega- Gr. (Biol.)
Defn: Large headed; — applied to animals, and to plants when they have large flower heads.
MEGACEROS Me*gac"e*ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. me`gas great + horn.] (Paleon.)
Defn: The Irish elk.
MEGACHILE Meg"a*chile, n. Etym: [Mega- + Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A leaf-cutting bee of the genus Megachilus. See Leaf cutter, under Leaf.
MEGACOSM Meg"a*cosm, n. Etym: [Mega- + Gr.
Defn: See Macrocosm. Croft.
MEGACOULOMB Meg`a*cou`lomb", n. Etym: [Mega- + coulomb.] (Elec.)
Defn: A million coulombs.
MEGADERM Meg"a*derm, n. Etym: [Mega- + Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of several species of Old World blood-sucking bats of the genus Megaderma.
MEGADYNE Meg"a*dyne, n. Etym: [Mega- + dyne.] (Physics)
Defn: One of the larger measures of force, amounting to one million dynes.
MEGAFARAD Meg"a*far`ad, n. Etym: [Mega- + farad.] (Elec.)
Defn: One of the larger measures of electrical capacity, amounting to one million farads; a macrofarad.
MEGALERG Meg"a*lerg, n. Etym: [Megalo- + erg.] (Physics)
Defn: A million ergs; a megerg.
MEGALESIAN Meg`a*le"sian, a. Etym: [L. Megalesius, fr. Gr. Mega`lh the Great, a surname of Cybele, the Magna Mater.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or in honor of, Cybele; as, the Megalesian games at Rome.
MEGALETHOSCOPE Meg`a*leth"o*scope, n. Etym: [Mega- + alethoscope.]
Defn: An optical apparatus in which pictures are viewed through a large lens with stereoptical effects. It is often combined with the stereoscope.
MEGALITH Meg"a*lith, n. Etym: [Mega- + -lith; cf. F. mégalithe.]
Defn: A large stone; especially, a large stone used in ancient building. — Meg`a*lith"ic, a.
MEGALO- Meg"a*lo-.
Defn: See Meg-.
MEGALOCEPHALIA; MEGALOCEPHALY Meg`a*lo*ce*pha"li*a, Meg`a*lo*ceph"a*ly, n. [NL. megalocephalia, fr. Gr. having a large head.] (Med.)
Defn: The condition of having an abnormally large head. — Meg`a*lo*ce*phal"ic (#), a.
MEGALOCYTE Meg"a*lo*cyte, n. Etym: [Megalo- + Gr. (Physiol.)
Defn: A large, flattened corpuscle, twice the diameter of the ordinary red corpuscle, found in considerable numbers in the blood in profound anæmia.
MEGALOMANIA Meg`a*lo*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. megalo- + mania.] (Pathol.)
Defn: A form of mental alienation in which the patient has grandiose delusions.
MEGALONYX Meg`a*lon"yx, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. me`gas, mega`lh, great + 'o`nyx claw.] (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct quaternary mammal, of great size, allied to the sloth.
MEGALOPHONOUS Meg`a*loph"o*nous, a. Etym: [Megalo- + Gr. fwnh` voice.]
Defn: Having a loud voice.
MEGALOPOLIS Meg`a*lop"o*lis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. megalo`polis; me`gas, mega`lh, great + po`lis city.]
Defn: A chief city; a metropolis. [R.]
MEGALOPS Meg"a*lops, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. me`gas, -a`loy, large + 'w`ps eye.] (Zoöl.)
1. A larva, in a stage following the zoëa, in the development of most crabs. In this stage the legs and abdominal appendages have appeared, the abdomen is relatively long, and the eyes are large. Also used adjectively.
2. A large fish; the tarpum.
MEGALOPSYCHY Meg`a*lop"sy*chy, n. Etym: [Megalo- + Gr.
Defn: Greatness of soul. [Obs. & R.]
MEGALOSAUR; MEGALOSAURUS Meg"a*lo*saur`, Meg`a*lo*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL. megalosaurus, fr. Gr. mégalosaure.] (Paleon.)
Defn: A gigantic carnivorous dinosaur, whose fossil remains have been found in England and elsewhere.
MEGAMETER Me*gam"e*ter, n. Etym: [Mega- + -meter: cf. F. mégamètre.] (Physics)
1. An instrument for determining longitude by observation of the stars.
2. A micrometer. [R.] Knight.
MEGAMETER; MEGAMETRE Meg"a*me`ter, Meg"a*me`tre, n. Etym: [Mega- + meter, metre, n., 2.]
Defn: In the metric system, one million meters, or one thousand kilometers.
MEGAMPERE Meg`am`père", n. Etym: [Mega- + ampère.] (Elec.)
Defn: A million ampères.
MEGAPHONE Meg"a*phone, n. Etym: [Mega- + Gr.
Defn: A device to magnify sound, or direct it in a given direction in a greater volume, as a very large funnel used as an ear trumpet or as a speaking trumpet.
MEGAPHYTON Me*gaph"y*ton, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. me`gas great + fyto`n plant.] (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct genus of tree ferns with large, two-ranked leaves, or fronds.
MEGAPODE Meg"a*pode, n. Etym: [Mega- + Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any one of several species of large-footed, gallinaceous birds of the genera Megapodius and Leipoa, inhabiting Australia and other Pacific islands. See Jungle fowl (b) under Jungle, and Leipoa.
MEGAPOLIS Me*gap"o*lis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. me`gas great + po`lis city.]
Defn: A metropolis. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.
MEGARIAN; MEGARIC Me*ga"ri*an, Me*gar"ic, a.
Defn: Belonging, or pertaining, to Megara, a city of ancient Greece. Megarian, or Megaric, school, a school of philosophy established at Megara, after the death of Socrates, by his disciples, and remarkable for its logical subtlety.
MEGASCOPE Meg"a*scope, n. Etym: [Mega- + -scope: cf. F. mégascope.]
Defn: A modification of the magic lantern, used esp. for throwing a magnified image of an opaque object on a screen, solar or artificial light being used.
MEGASCOPIC; MEGASCOPICAL Meg`a*scop"ic, Meg`a*scop"ic*al, a.
1. (Physics) Of or pertaining to the megascope or the projection upon a screen of images of opaque objects. (b) Enlarged or magnified; — said of images or of photographic pictures, etc.
2. (Geol.) Large enough to be seen; —said of the larger structural features and components of rocks which do not require the use of the microscope to be perceived. Opposed to microscopic.
MEGASEME Meg"a*seme, a. Etym: [Mega- + Gr. mégasème.] (Anat.)
Defn: Having the orbital index relatively large; having the orbits narrow transversely; — opposed to microseme.
MEGASS; MEGASSE Me"gass", Me*gasse", n.
Defn: See Bagasse.
MEGASTHENE Meg"as*thene, n. Etym: [Gr. me`gas great + sthe`nos strength.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of a group which includes the higher orders of mammals, having a large size as a typical characteristic.
MEGASTHENIC Meg`as*then"ic, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Having a typically large size; belonging to the megasthenes.
MEGASTOME Meg"a*stome, n. Etym: [Gr. me`gas great + sto`ma mouth.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of a group of univalve shells, having a large aperture or mouth.
MEGATHERE; MEGATHERIUM Meg"a*there, Meg`a*the"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL. megatherium, fr. Gr. me`gas great + thyri`on beast.] (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct gigantic quaternary mammal, allied to the ant-eaters and sloths. Its remains are found in South America.
MEGATHEROID Meg`a*the"roid, n. Etym: [Megatherium + -oid.] (Paleon.)
Defn: One of a family of extinct edentates found in America. The family includes the megatherium, the megalonyx, etc.
MEGAVOLT Meg`a*volt", n. Etym: [Mega- + volt.] (Elec.)
Defn: One of the larger measures of electro-motive force, amounting to one million volts.
MEGAWEBER Meg`a*we"ber, n. Etym: [Mega- + weber.] (Elec.)
Defn: A million webers.
MEGERG Meg"erg`, n. Etym: [Mega- + erg.] (Physics)
Defn: One of the larger measures of work, amounting to one million ergs; — called also megalerg.
MEGILP; MEGILPH Me*gilp", Me*gilph", n. (Paint.)
Defn: A gelatinous compound of linseed oil and mastic varnish, used by artists as a vehicle for colors. [Written also magilp, and magilph.]
MEGOHM Meg"ohm", n. Etym: [Mega- + ohm.] (Elec.)
Defn: One of the larger measures of electrical resistance, amounting to one million ohms.
MEGRIM Me"grim, n. Etym: [OE. migrim, migrene, F. migraine, LL. hemigrania, L. hemicrania, hemicranium, Gr. Hemi- and Cranium, and cf. Hemicrania, Migraine.]
1. A kind of sick or nevrous headache, usually periodical and confined to one side of the head.
2. A fancy; a whim; a freak; a humor; esp., in the plural, lowness of spirits. These are his megrims, firks, and melancholies. Ford.
3. pl. (Far.)
Defn: A sudden vertigo in a horse, succeeded sometimes by unconsciousness, produced by an excess of blood in the brain; a mild form of apoplexy. Youatt.
MEGRIM Me"grim, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The British smooth sole, or scaldfish (Psetta arnoglossa).
MEIBOMIAN Mei*bo"mi*an, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or discovered by, Meibomius. Meibomian glands, the slender sebaceous glands of the eyelids, which discharge, through minute orifices in the edges of the lids, a fatty secretion serving to lubricate the adjacent parts.
MEINE Meine, v. t.
Defn: See Menge.
MEINE; MEINY Mein"e, Mein"y, (, n. Etym: [OF. maisniée, maisnie. See Menial.]
1. A family, including servants, etc.; household; retinue; train. [Obs.] Chaucer. Shak.
2. Company; band; army. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MEIOCENE Mei"o*cene, a. (Geol.)
Defn: See Miocene.
MEIONITE Mei"o*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)
Defn: A member of the scapolite, group, occuring in glassy crystals on Monte Somma, near Naples.
MEIOSIS Mei*o"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Meionite.] (Rhet.)
Defn: Diminution; a species of hyperbole, representing a thing as being less than it really is.
MEIOSTEMONOUS Mei`o*stem"o*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: Having fever stamens than the parts of the corolla.
MEISTERSINGER Meis"ter*sing`er, n. Etym: [G.]
Defn: See Mastersinger.
MEKHITARIST Mekh"i*tar*ist, n. (Ecc. Hist.)
Defn: See Mechitarist.
MELACONITE Me*lac"o*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)
Defn: An earthy black oxide of copper, arising from the decomposition of other ores.
MELADA; MELADO Me*la"da, Me*la"do, n. Etym: [Sp., prop. p. p. of melar to sugar, candy, fr. L. mel honey. See Molasses.]
Defn: A mixture of sugar and molasses; crude sugar as it comes from the pans without being drained.
MELAENA Me*læ"na, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A discharge from the bowels of black matter, consisting of altered blood.
MELAIN Mel"ain, n. Etym: [See Melna.]
Defn: The dark coloring matter of the liquid of the cuttlefish.
MELAINOTYPE Me*lai"no*type, n.
Defn: See Melanotype.
MELAM Me"lam, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mélam.] (Chem.)
Defn: A white or buff-colored granular powder,
MELAMINE Me*lam"ine, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A strong nitrogenous base, C3H6N6, produced from several cyanogen compounds, and obtained as a white crystalline substance, — formerly supposed to be produced by the decomposition of melam. Called also cyanuramide.
MELAMPODE Mel"am*pode, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: The black hellebore. [Obs.] Spenser.
MELAMPYRIN; MELAMPYRITE Mel`am*py"rin, Mel`am*py"rite, n. Etym: [NL. Melampyrum cowwheat; Gr. (Chem.)
Defn: The saccharine substance dulcite; — so called because found in the leaves of cowwheat (Melampyrum). See Dulcite.
MELANAEMIA Mel`a*næ"mi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A morbid condition in which the blood contains black pigment either floating freely or imbedded in the white blood corpuscles.
MELANAGOGUE Me*lan"a*gogue, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A medicine supposed to expel black bile or choler. [Obs.]
MELANCHOLIA Mel`an*cho"li*a, n. Etym: [L. See Melancholy.] (Med.)
Defn: A kind of mental unsoundness characterized by extreme depression of spirits, ill-grounded fears, delusions, and brooding over one particular subject or train of ideas.
MELANCHOLIAN Mel`an*cho"li*an, n.
Defn: A person affected with melancholy; a melancholic. [Obs.] Dr. J. Scott.
MELANCHOLIC Mel"an*chol`ic, a. Etym: [L. melancholicus, Gr. mélancholique.]
Defn: Given to melancholy; depressed; melancholy; dejected; unhappy. Just as the melancholic eye Sees fleets and armies in the sky. Prior.
MELANCHOLIC Mel"an*chol`ic, n. [Obs.]
1. One affected with a gloomy state of mind. J. Spenser.
2. A gloomy state of mind; melancholy. Clarendon.
MELANCHOLILY Mel"an*chol`i*ly, adv.
Defn: In a melancholy manner.
MELANCHOLINESS Mel"an*chol`i*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being melancholy. Hallywell.
MELANCHOLIOUS Mel`an*cho"li*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. melancholieux.]
Defn: Melancholy. [R.] Milton.
MELANCHOLIST Mel"an*chol*ist, n.
Defn: One affected with melancholy or dejection. [Obs.] Glanvill.
MELANCHOLIZE Mel"an*cho*lize, v. i.
Defn: To become gloomy or dejected in mind. Barrow.
MELANCHOLIZE Mel"an*cho*lize, v. t.
Defn: To make melancholy.
MELANCHOLY Mel"an*chol*y, n. Etym: [OE. melancolie, F. mélancolie, L. melancholia, fr. Gr. Malice, and 1st Gall.]
1. Depression of spirits; a gloomy state continuing a considerable time; deep dejection; gloominess. Shak.
2. Great and continued depression of spirits, amounting to mental unsoundness; melancholia.
3. Pensive maditation; serious thoughtfulness. [Obs.] "Hail, divinest Melancholy !" Milton.
4. Ill nature. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MELANCHOLY Mel"an*chol*y, a.
1. Depressed in spirits; dejected; gloomy dismal. Shak.
2. Producing great evil and grief; causing dejection; calamitous; afflictive; as, a melancholy event.
3. Somewhat deranged in mind; having the jugment impaired. [Obs.] Bp. Reynolds.
4. Favorable to meditation; somber. A pretty, melancholy seat, well wooded and watered. Evelin.
Syn. — Gloomy; sad; dispirited; low-spirited; downhearted; unhappy; hypochondriac; disconsolate; heavy, doleful; dismal; calamitous; afflictive.
MELANCONIACEAE Mel`an*co`ni*a"ce*æ, n. pl. [NL.] (Bot.)
Defn: A family of fungi constituting the order Melanconiales. — Mel`an*co`ni*a"ceous (#), a.
MELANCONIALES Mel`an*co`ni*a"les, n. pl. [NL., fr. Melanconium, name of the typical genus, fr. Gr. black + dust, in allusion to the dark spores.] (Bot.)
Defn: The smallest of the three orders of Fungi Imperfecti, including those with no asci nor pycnidia, but as a rule having the spores in cavities without special walls. They cause many of the plant diseases known as anthracnose.
MELANESIAN Mel`a*ne"sian, a. Etym: [Gr. Melanesia was so called from the dark complexion of the natives.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to Melanesia.
MELANGE Mé`lange", n. Etym: [F. See Mell, Meddle.]
Defn: A mixture; a medley.
MELANIAN Me*la"ni*an, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: One of a family of fresh-water pectinibranchiate mollusks, having a turret-shaped shell.
MELANIC Me*lan"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
1. Melanotic.
2. (Ethnol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the black-haired races. Prichard.
MELANILINE Me*lan"i*line, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A complex nitrogenous hydrocarbon obtained artificially (as by the action of cyanogen chloride on aniline) as a white, crystalline substance; — called also diphenyl guanidin.
MELANIN Mel"a*nin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)
Defn: A black pigment found in the pigment-bearing cells of the skin (particularly in the skin of the negro), in the epithelial cells of the external layer of the retina (then called fuscin), in the outer layer of the choroid, and elsewhere. It is supposed to be derived from the decomposition of hemoglobin.
MELANISM Mel"a*nism, n. Etym: [Gr. , , black.]
1. An indue development of dark-colored pigment in the skin or its appendages; — the opposite of albinism.
2. (Med.)
Defn: A disease; black jaundice. See Mel.
MELANISTIC Mel`a*nis"tic, a.
Defn: Affected with melanism; of the nature of melanism.
MELANITE Mel"a*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. mélanite.] (Min.)
Defn: A black variety of garnet.
MELANOCHROI Mel`a*noch"ro*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Melanochroic.] (Ethnol.)
Defn: A group of the human race, including the dark whites.
MELANOCHROIC Mel`a*no*chro"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Having a dark complexion; of or pertaining to the Melanochroi.
MELANOCHROITE Mel`a*no*chro"ite, n. Etym: [See Melanochroic.] (Min.)
Defn: A mineral of a red, or brownish or yellowish red color. It is a chromate of lead; — called also phoenicocroite.
MELANOCOMOUS Mel`a*noc"o*mous, a. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Having very dark or black hair; black-haired. Prichard.
MELANOMA Mel`a*no"ma, n.; L. pl. -nomata (#). [NL.; Gr. , , black + -oma.] (Med.) (a) A tumor containing dark pigment. (b) Development of dark-pigmented tumors.
MELANORRHOEA Mel`a*nor*rhoe"a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: An East Indian genus of large trees. Melanorrhoea usitatissima is the lignum-vitæ of Peru, and yelds a valuable black varnish.
MELANOSCOPE Me*lan"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope.] (Opt.)
Defn: An instrument containing a combination of colored glasses such that they transmit only red light, so that objects of other colors, as green leaves, appear black when seen through it. It is used for viewing colored flames, to detect the presence of potassium, lithium, etc., by the red light which they emit.
MELANOSIS Mel`a*no"sis, Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: The morbid deposition of black matter, often of a malignant character, causing pigmented tumors.
MELANOSPERM Me*lan"o*sperm, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: An alga of any kind that produces blackish spores, or seed dust. The melanosperms include the rockweeds and all kinds of kelp. — Mel`a*no*sper"mous, a.
MELANOTIC Mel`a*not"ic
Defn: , Melanistic.
MELANOTYPE Me*lan"o*type, n. Etym: [Gr. -type.] (Photog.)
Defn: A positive picture produced with sensitized collodion on a smooth surface of black varnish, coating a thin plate of iron; also, the process of making such a picture. [Written also melainotype.]
MELANTERITE Me*lan"ter*ite, n. (Min.)
Defn: A hydrous sulphate of iron of a green color and vitreous luster; iron vitriol.
MELANURE Mel"a*nure, n. Etym: [NL. melanurus, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small fish of the Mediterranean; a gilthead. See Gilthead (a).
MELANURIC Mel`a*nu"ric, a. Etym: [Melam + urea.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a complex nitrogenous acid obtained by decomposition of melam, or of urea, as a white crystalline powder; — called also melanurenic acid.
MELAPHYRE Mel"a*phyre, n. Etym: [F., fr. Gr. phyre porphyry.] (Min.)
Defn: Any one of several dark-colored augitic, eruptive rocks allied to basalt.
MELASMA Me*las"ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: A dark discoloration of the skin, usually local; as, Addison's melasma, or Addison's disease. — Me*las"mic, a.
MELASSES Me*las"ses, n.
Defn: See Molasses.
MELASSIC Me*las"sic, a. Etym: [See Molasses.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from molasses or glucose, and probably identical with saccharic acid. See Saccharic.
MELASTOMA Me*las"to*ma, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of evergreen tropical shrubs; — so called from the black berries of some species, which stain the mouth.
MELASTOMACEOUS Mel`a*sto*ma"ceous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Belonging to the order of which Melastoma is the type.
MELCHITE Mel"chite, n. Etym: [Heb. melek king.] (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of a sect, chiefly in Syria and Egypt, which acknowledges the authority of the pope, but adheres to the liturgy and ceremonies of the Eastern Church.
MELD Meld, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Melded; p. pr. & vb. n. Melding.] [G. melden to announce.] (Card Playing)
Defn: In the game of pinochle, to declare or announce for a score; as, to meld a sequence.
MELD Meld, n. (Card Playing)
Defn: Any combination or score which may be declared, or melded, in pinochle.
MELEAGRINE Mel`e*a"grine, a. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the genus Meleagris.
MELEAGRIS Mel`e*a"gris, n. Etym: [L., the Guinea fowl.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of American gallinaceous birds, including the common and the wild turkeys.
MELEE Mê`lée", n. Etym: [F., fr. mêler to mix. See Meddle, Mell, and cf. Mellay.]
Defn: A fight in which the combatants are mingled
MELENA Me*le"na, n. (Med.)
Defn: See Mel.
MELENE Mel"ene, n. Etym: [Melissic + ethylene.] (Chem.)
Defn: An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C30H60, of the ethylene series, obtained from beeswax as a white, scaly, crystalline wax; — called also melissene, and melissylene.
MELENITE Mel"e*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. me`li honey.]
Defn: An explosive of great destructive power; — so called from its color, which resembles honey.
MELETIN Mel"e*tin, n. (Chem.)
Defn: See Quercitin.
MELEZITOSE Me*lez"i*tose`, n. Etym: [F. mélèze the larch + melitose.] (Chem.)
Defn: A variety of sugar, isomeric with sucrose, extracted from the manna of the larch (Larix). [Written also melicitose.]
MELIACEOUS Me`li*a"ceous, a. (Bot.)
Defn: Pertaining to a natural order (Meliacæ) of plants of which the genus Melia is the type. It includes the mahogany and the Spanish cedar.
MELIBEAN; MELIBOEAN Mel`i*be"an, Mel`i*boe"an, a. Etym: [From L. Meliboeus, one of the interlocutors in Virgil's first Eclogue.] (Rhet.)
Defn: Alternately responsive, as verses.
MELIC Mel"ic, Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Of or pertaining to song; lyric; tuneful.
MELICEROUS Me*lic"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. meliceris a kind of tumor, fr. Gr. me`li honey + (Med.)
Defn: Consisting of or containing matter like honey; — said of certain encysted tumors.
MELIC GRASS Mel"ic grass`. (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of grasses (Melica) of little agricultural importance.
MELICOTOON Mel`i*co*toon", n. (Bot.)
Defn: See Melocoton.
MELICRATORY Me*lic"ra*to*ry, n. Etym: [Gr. meli`kraton.]
Defn: A meadlike drink. [Obs.]
MELILITE Mel"i*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. me`li honey + -lite; cf. F. mélilithe.] (Min.)
Defn: A mineral occurring in small yellow crystals, found in the lavas (melilite basalt) of Vesuvius, and elsewhere. [Written also mellilite.]
MELILOT Mel"i*lot, n. Etym: [F. mélilot, L. melilotus, fr. Gr. me`li honey + (Bot.)
Defn: Any species of Melilotus, a genus of leguminous herbs having a vanillalike odor; sweet clover; hart's clover. The blue melilot (Melilotus cærulea) is used in Switzerland to give color and flavor to sapsago cheese.
MELILOTIC Mel`i*lot"ic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, sweet clover or meliot; specifically, designating an acid of the aromatic series, obtained from melilot as a white crystalline substance.
MELINITE Mé"lin*ite, n. [F.] (Chem.)
Defn: A high explosive similar to lyddite, consisting principally of picric acid, used in the French military service.
MELIORATE Mel"io*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Meliorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Meliorating.] Etym: [L. melioratus, p. p. of meliorare to meliorate, fr. melior better; akin to Gr. Ameliorate.]
Defn: To make better; to improve; to ameliorate; to soften; to make more tolerable. Nature by art we nobly meliorate. Denham. The pure and bening light of revelation has had a meliorating influence on mankind. Washington.
MELIORATE Mel"io*rate, v. i.
Defn: To grow better.
MELIORATER Mel"io*ra`ter, n.
Defn: Same as Meliorator.
MELIORATION Mel`io*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. melioratio.]
Defn: The act or operation of meliorating, or the state of being meliorated; improvement. Bacon.
MELIORATOR Mel"io*ra`tor, n.
Defn: One who meliorates.
MELIORISM Mel"io*rism, n. Etym: [From L. melior better.]
Defn: The doctrine that there is a tendency throughout nature toward improvement. J. Sully.
MELIORITY Mel*ior"i*ty, n. Etym: [LL. melioritas, fr. L. melior. See Meliorate.]
Defn: The state or quality of being better; melioration. [Obs.] Bacon.
MELIPHAGAN Me*liph"a*gan, a. Etym: [Gr. me`li honey + (Zoöl.)
Defn: Belonging to the genus Meliphaga.
MELIPHAGAN Me*liph"a*gan, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any bird of the genus Meliphaga and allied genera; a honey eater; — called also meliphagidan.
MELIPHAGOUS Me*liph"a*gous, a. Etym: [See Meliphagan.] (Zool.)
Defn: Eating, or feeding upon, honey.
MELISMA Me*lis"ma, n.; pl. Melismata. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Mus.) (a) A piece of melody; a song or tune, — as opposed to recitative or musical declamation. (b) A grace or embellishment.
MELISSA Me*lis"sa, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. me`lissa a bee, honey.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of labiate herbs, including the balm, or bee balm (Melissa officinalis).
MELISSIC Me*lis"sic, a. Etym: [Gr. me`lissa a bee, honey.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, beeswax; specif., denoting an acid obtained by oxidation of myricin.
MELISSYL Me*lis"syl, n. Etym: [Melissic +yl.] (Chem.)
Defn: See Myricyl.
MELISSYLENE Me*lis"sy*lene, n. Etym: [Melissic + -yl + -ene.] (Chem.)
Defn: See Melene.
MELITOSE Mel"i*tose`, n. Etym: [Gr. me`li honey.] (Chem.)
Defn: A variety of sugar isomeric with sucrose, extracted from cotton seeds and from the so-called Australian manna (a secretion of certain species of Eucalyptus).
MELL Mell, v. i. & t. Etym: [F. mêler, OF. meller, mester. See Meddle.]
Defn: To mix; to meddle. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MELL Mell, n. Etym: [See Mellifluous.]
Defn: Honey. [Obs.] Warner.
MELL Mell, n.
Defn: A mill. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MELLATE Mel"late, n. Etym: [L. mel, mellis, honey. Cf. Mellitate.] (Chem.)
Defn: A mellitate. [R.]
MELLAY Mel"lay, n.
Defn: A mêlée; a conflict. Tennyson.
MELLIC Mel"lic, a. (Chem.)
Defn: See Mellitic. [R.]
MELLIFEROUS Mel*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. mellifer; mel, mellis, honey + ferre to bear.]
Defn: Producing honey.
MELLIFIC Mel*lif"ic, a. Etym: [L. mel, mellis, honey + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]
Defn: Producing honey.
MELLIFICATION Mel`li*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. mellificare to make honey: cf. F. mellification. See Mellific.]
Defn: The making or production of honey.
MELLIFLUENCE Mel*lif"lu*ence, n.
Defn: A flow of sweetness, or a sweet, smooth flow.
MELLIFLUENT Mel*lif"lu*ent, a. Etym: [L. mellifluens. See Mellifluous.]
Defn: Flowing as with honey; smooth; mellifluous.
MELLIFLUENTLY Mel*lif"lu*ent*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mellifluent manner.
MELLIFLUOUS Mel*lif"lu*ous, a. Etym: [L. mellifluus; mel, mellis, honey (akin to Gr. milip) + fluere to flow. See Mildew, Fluent, and cf. Marmalade.]
Defn: Flowing as with honey; smooth; flowing sweetly or smoothly; as, a mellifluous voice. — Mel*lif"lu*ous*ly, adv.
MELLIGENOUS Mel*lig"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. mel, mellis + -genous.]
Defn: Having the qualities of honey. [R.]
MELLIGO Mel*li"go, n. Etym: [L.]
Defn: Honeydew.
MELLILOQUENT Mel*lil"o*quent, a. Etym: [L. mel, mellis honey + loquens speaking, p. pr. of loqui to speak.]
Defn: Speaking sweetly or harmoniously.
MELLIPHAGAN Mel*liph"a*gan, n.
Defn: See Meliphagan.
MELLIPHAGOUS Mel*liph"a*gous, a.
Defn: See Meliphagous.
MELLITATE Mel"li*tate, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mellitate. See Mellitic.] (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of mellitic acid.
MELLITE Mel"lite, n. Etym: [L. mel, mellis, honey: cf. F. mellite.] (Min.)
Defn: A mineral of a honey color, found in brown coal, and partly the result of vegetable decomposition; honeystone. It is a mellitate of alumina.
MELLITIC Mel*lit"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mellitique. See Mellite.] (Chem.) (a) Containing saccharine matter; marked by saccharine secretions; as, mellitic diabetes. (b) Pertaining to, or derived from, the mineral mellite. Mellitic acid (Chem.), a white, crystalline, organic substance, C6(CO2H)6, occurring naturally in combination with aluminium in the mineral mellite, and produced artificially by the oxidation of coal, graphite, etc., and hence called also graphitic acid.
MELLONE Mel"lone, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A yellow powder, C6H3N9, obtained from certain sulphocyanates. It has acid properties and forms compounds called mellonides.
MELLONIDE Mel"lon*ide, n.
Defn: See Mellone.
MELLOW Mel"low, a. [Compar. Mellower; superl. Mellowest.] Etym: [OE. melwe; cf. AS. mearu soft, D. murw, Prov. G. mollig soft, D. malsch, and E. meal flour.]
1. Soft or tender by reason of ripeness; having a tender pulp; as, a mellow apple.
2. Hence: (a) Easily worked or penetrated; not hard or rigid; as, a mellow soil. "Mellow glebe." Drayton (b) Not coarse, rough, or harsh; subdued; soft; rich; delicate; — said of sound, color, flavor, style, etc. "The mellow horn." Wordsworth. "The mellow-tasted Burgundy." Thomson. The tender flush whose mellow stain imbues Heaven with all freaks of light. Percival.
3. Well matured; softened by years; genial; jovial. May health return to mellow age. Wordsworth. As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound. W. Irving.
4. Warmed by liquor; slightly intoxicated. Addison.
MELLOW Mel"low, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mellowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mellowing.]
Defn: To make mellow. Shak. If the Weather prove frosty to mellow it [the ground], they do not plow it again till April. Mortimer. The fervor of early feeling is tempered and mellowed by the ripeness of age. J. C. Shairp.
MELLOW Mel"low, v. i.
Defn: To become mellow; as, ripe fruit soon mellows. "Prosperity begins to mellow." Shak.
MELLOWLY Mel"low*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mellow manner.
MELLOWNESS Mel"low*ness, n.
Defn: Quality or state of being mellow.
MELLOWY Mel"low*y, a.
Defn: Soft; unctuous. Drayton.
MELLUCO Mel*lu"co, n. (Bot.)
Defn: A climbing plant (Ullucus officinalis) of the Andes, having tuberous roots which are used as a substitute for potatoes.
MELNE Mel"ne, n.
Defn: A mill. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MELOCOTON; MELOCOTOON Mel`o*co*ton", Mel`o*co*toon", n. Etym: [Sp. melocoton a kind of peach tree and its fruit, L. malum cotonium, or cotonea, or Cydonia, a quince, or quince tree, lit., apple of Cydonia, Gr. Quince.] (Bot.) (a) A quince. (b) A kind of peach having one side deep red, and the flesh yellow. [Written also malacatoon, malacotune.]
MELODEON Me*lo"de*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Melody, and cf. Odeon.]
1. (Mus.)
Defn: A kind of small reed organ; — a portable form of the seraphine.
2. A music hall.
MELODIC Me*lod"ic, a. Etym: [L. melodicus, Gr. mélodique.]
Defn: Of the nature of melody; relating to, containing, or made up of, melody; melodious.
MELODICS Me*lod"ics, n.
Defn: The department of musical science which treats of the pitch of tones, and of the laws of melody.
MELODIOGRAPH Me*lo"di*o*graph, n. Etym: [Melody + -graph.]
Defn: A contrivance for preserving a record of music, by recording the action of the keys of a musical instrument when played upon.
MELODIOUS Me*lo"di*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mélodieux. See Melody.]
Defn: Containing, or producing, melody; musical; agreeable to the ear by a sweet succession of sounds; as, a melodious voice. "A melodious voice." "A melodious undertone." Longfellow. — Me*lo"di*ous*ly, adv. — Me*lo"di*ous*ness, n.
MELODIST Mel"o*dist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mélodiste.]
Defn: A composer or singer of melodies.
MELODIZE Mel"o*dize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Melodized; p. pr. & vb. n. Melodizing.]
Defn: To make melodious; to form into, or set to, melody.
MELODIZE Mel"o*dize, v. i.
Defn: To make melody; to compose melodies; to harmonize.
MELODRAMA Mel`o*dra"ma, n. Etym: [F. mélodrame, fr. Gr.
Defn: Formerly, a kind of drama having a musical accompaniment to intensify the effect of certain scenes. Now, a drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic. In opera, a passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks; as, the melodrama in the gravedigging scene of Beethoven's "Fidelio".
MELODRAMATIC Mel`o*dra*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mélodramatique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to melodrama; like or suitable to a melodrama; unnatural in situation or action. — Mel`o*dra*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.
MELODRAMATIST Mel`o*dram"a*tist, n.
Defn: One who acts in, or writes, melodramas.
MELODRAME Mel"o*drame, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: Melodrama.
MELODY Mel"o*dy, n.; pl. Melodies. Etym: [OE. melodie, F. mélodie, L. melodia, fr. Gr. Ode.]
1. A sweet or agreeable succession of sounds. Lulled with sound of sweetest melody. Shak.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A rhythmical succession of single tones, ranging for the most part within a given key, and so related together as to form a musical whole, having the unity of what is technically called a musical thought, at once pleasing to the ear and characteristic in expression.
Note: Melody consists in a succession of single tones; harmony is a consonance or agreement of tones, also a succession of consonant musical combinations or chords.
3. The air or tune of a musical piece.
Syn. — See Harmony.
MELOE Mel"o*e, Etym: [ NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of beetles without wings, but having short oval elytra; the oil beetles. These beetles are sometimes used instead of cantharides for raising blisters. See Oil beetle, under Oil.
MELOGRAPH Mel"o*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph : cf. F. mélographe.]
Defn: Same as Melodiograph.
MELOLONTHIDIAN Mel`o*lon*thid"i*an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A beetle of the genus Melolontha, and allied genera. See May beetle, under May.
MELON Mel"on, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. melo, for melopepo an apple-shaped melon, Gr. malum apple. Cf. Marmalade.]
1. (Bot.)
Defn: The juicy fruit of certain cucurbitaceous plants, as the muskmelon, watermelon, and citron melon; also, the plant that produces the fruit.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large, ornamental, marine, univalve shell of the genus Melo. Melon beetle (Zoöl.), a small leaf beetle (Diabrotiea vittata), which damages the leaves of melon vines. — Melon cactus, Melon thistle. (a) (Bot.) A genus of cactaceous plants (Melocactus) having a fleshy and usually globose stem with the surface divided into spiny longitudinal ridges, and bearing at the top a prickly and woolly crown in which the small pink flowers are half concealed. M. communis, from the West Indies, is often cultivated, and sometimes called Turk's cap. (b) The related genus Mamillaria, in which the stem is tubercled rather than ribbed, and the flowers sometimes large. See Illust. under Cactus.
MELOPIANO Mel`o*pi*a"no, n. Etym: [Gr. piano.]
Defn: A piano having a mechanical attachment which enables the player to prolong the notes at will.
MELOPLASTIC Mel`o*plas"tic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to meloplasty, or the artificial formation of a new cheek.
MELOPLASTY Mel"o*plas`ty, n. Etym: [Gr. -plasty: cf. F. méloplastie.] (Surg.)
Defn: The process of restoring a cheek which has been destroyed wholly or in part.
MELOPOEIA Mel`o*poe"ia, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Mus.)
Defn: The art of forming melody; melody; — now often used for a melodic passage, rather than a complete melody.
MELOTYPE Mel"o*type, n. (Photog.)
Defn: A picture produced by a process in which development after exposure may be deferred indefinitely, so as to permit transportation of exposed plates; also, the process itself.
MELPOMENE Mel*pom"e*ne, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.
1. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: The Muse of tragedy.
2. (Astron.)
Defn: The eighteenth asteroid.
MELROSE Mel"rose, n.
Defn: Honey of roses.
MELT Melt, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See 2d Milt.
MELT Melt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Melted (obs.) p. p. Molten; p. pr. & vb. n. Melting.] Etym: [AS. meltan; akin to Gr. malt, and prob. to E. smelt, v. Smelt, v., Malt, Milt the spleen.]
1. To reduce from a solid to a liquid state, as by heat; to liquefy; as, to mell wax, tallow, or lead; to melt ice or snow.
2. Hence: To soften, as by a warming or kindly influence; to relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences; sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of; to weaken. Thou would'st have . . . melted down thy youth. Shak. For pity melts the mind to love. Dryden.
Syn. — To liquefy; fuse; thaw; mollify; soften.
MELT Melt, v. i.
1. To be changed from a solid to a liquid state under the influence of heat; as, butter and wax melt at moderate temperatures.
2. To dissolve; as, sugar melts in the mouth.
3. Hence: To be softened; to become tender, mild, or gentle; also, to be weakened or subdued, as by fear. My soul melteth for heaviness. Ps. cxix. 28. Melting with tenderness and kind compassion. Shak.
4. To lose distinct form or outline; to blend. The soft, green, rounded hills, with their flowing outlines, overlapping and melting into each other. J. C. Shairp.
5. To disappear by being dispersed or dissipated; as, the fog melts away. Shak.
MELTABLE Melt"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being melted.
MELTER Melt"er
Defn: , One who, or that which, melts.
MELTING Melt"ing, n.
Defn: Liquefaction; the act of causing (something) to melt, or the process of becoming melted. Melting point (Chem.), the degree of temperature at which a solid substance melts or fuses; as, the melting point of ice is 0º Centigrade or 32º Fahr., that of urea is 132º Centigrade. — Melting pot, a vessel in which anything is melted; a crucible.
MELTING Melt"ing a.
Defn: Causing to melt; becoming melted; — used literally or figuratively; as, a melting heat; a melting appeal; a melting mood. — Melt"ing*ly, adv.
MELTON Mel"ton, Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]
Defn: A kind of stout woolen cloth with unfinished face and without raised nap. A commoner variety has a cotton warp.
MELUNGEON Me*lun"geon, n. [Cf. F. mélanger to mix, mélange a mixture.]
Defn: One of a mixed white and Indian people living in parts of Tennessee and the Carolinas. They are descendants of early intermixtures of white settlers with natives. In North Carolina the Croatan Indians, regarded as descended from Raleigh's lost colony of Croatan, formerly classed with negroes, are now legally recognized as distinct.
MEMBER Mem"ber, v. t. Etym: [See Remember.]
Defn: To remember; to cause to remember; to mention. [Obs.]
MEMBER Mem"ber, n. Etym: [OE. membre, F. membre, fr. L. membrum; cf. Goth. mimz flesh, Skr. mamsa.]
1. (Anat.)
Defn: A part of an animal capable of performing a distinct office; an organ; a limb. We have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office. Rom. xii. 4.
2. Hence, a part of a whole; an independent constituent of a body; as: (a) A part of a discourse or of a period or sentence; a clause; a part of a verse. (b) (Math.) Either of the two parts of an algebraic equation, connected by the sign of equality. (c) (Engin.)
Defn: Any essential part, as a post, tie rod, strut, etc., of a framed structure, as a bridge truss. (d) (Arch.) Any part of a building, whether constructional, as a pier, column, lintel, or the like, or decorative, as a molding, or group of moldings. (e) One of the persons composing a society, community, or the like; an individual forming part of an association; as, a member of the society of Friends. Compression member, Tension member (Engin.), a member, as a rod, brace, etc., which is subjected to compression or tension, respectively.
MEMBERED Mem"bered, a.
1. Having limbs; — chiefly used in composition.
2. (Her.)
Defn: Having legs of a different tincture from that of the body; — said of a bird in heraldic representations.
MEMBERSHIP Mem"ber*ship, n.
1. The state of being a member.
2. The collective body of members, as of a society.
MEMBRAL Mem"bral, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Relating to a member.
MEMBRANACEOUS Mem`bra*na"ceous, a. Etym: [L. membranaceus.]
1. Same as Membranous. Arbuthnot.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Thin and rather soft or pliable, as the leaves of the rose, peach tree, and aspen poplar.
MEMBRANE Mem"brane, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. membrana the skin that covers the separate members of the body, fr. L. membrum. See Member.] (Anat.)
Defn: A thin layer or fold of tissue, usually supported by a fibrous network, serving to cover or line some part or organ, and often secreting or absorbing certain fluids.
Note: The term is also often applied to the thin, expanded parts, of various texture, both in animals and vegetables. Adventitious membrane, a membrane connecting parts not usually connected, or of a different texture from the ordinary connection; as, the membrane of a cicatrix. — Jacob's membrane. See under Retina. — Mucous membranes (Anat.), the membranes lining passages and cavities which communicate with the exterior, as well as ducts and receptacles of secretion, and habitually secreting mucus. — Schneiderian membrane. (Anat.) See Schneiderian. — Serous membranes (Anat.) , the membranes, like the peritoneum and pleura, which line, or lie in, cavities having no obvious outlet, and secrete a serous fluid.
MEMBRANEOUS Mem*bra"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. membraneus of parchment.]
Defn: See Membranous.
MEMBRANIFEROUS Mem`bra*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Membrane + -ferous.]
Defn: Having or producing membranes.
MEMBRANIFORM Mem*bra"ni*form, a. Etym: [Membrane + -form: cf. F. membraniforme.]
Defn: Having the form of a membrane or of parchment.
MEMBRANOLOGY Mem`bra*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Membrane + -logy.]
Defn: The science which treats of membranes.
MEMBRANOUS Mem"bra*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. membraneux.]
1. Pertaining to, consisting of, or resembling, membrane; as, a membranous covering or lining.
2. (Bot.)
Defn: Membranaceous. Membranous croup (Med.), true croup. See Croup.
MEMENTO Me*men"to, n.; pl. Mementos. Etym: [L., remember, be mindful, imper. of meminisse to remember. See Mention.]
Defn: A hint, suggestion, token, or memorial, to awaken memory; that which reminds or recalls to memory; a souvenir. Seasonable mementos may be useful. Bacon.
MEMENTO MORI Me*men"to mo"ri. [L.]
Defn: Lit., remember to die, i.e., that you must die; a warning to be prepared for death; an object, as a death's-head or a personal ornament, usually emblematic, used as a reminder of death.
MEMINNA Me*min"na, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small deerlet, or chevrotain, of India.
MEMNON Mem"non, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Antiq.)
Defn: A celebrated Egyptian statue near Thebes, said to have the property of emitting a harplike sound at sunrise.
MEMOIR; MEMOIRS Mem"oir, or pl. Mem"oirs, n. Etym: [F. mémoire, m., memorandum, fr. mémoire, f., memory, L. memoria. See Memory.]
1. A memorial account; a history composed from personal experience and memory; an account of transactions or events (usually written in familiar style) as they are remembered by the writer. See History, 2.
2. A memorial of any individual; a biography; often, a biography written without special regard to method and completeness.
3. An account of something deemed noteworthy; an essay; a record of investigations of any subject; the journals and proceedings of a society.
MEMOIRIST Mem"oir*ist, n.
Defn: A writer of memoirs.
MEMORABILIA Mem`o*ra*bil"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [L., fr. memorabilis memorable. See Memorable.]
Defn: Things remarkable and worthy of remembrance or record; also, the record of them.
MEMORABILITY Mem`o*ra*bil"i*ty, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being memorable.
MEMORABLE Mem"o*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. memorabilis, fr. memorare to bring to remembrance, fr. memor mindful, remembering. See Memory, and cf. Memorabilia.]
Defn: Worthy to be remembered; very important or remarkable. — Mem"o*ra*ble*ness, n. — Mem"o*ra*bly, adv. Surviving fame to gain, Buy tombs, by books, by memorable deeds. Sir J. Davies.
MEMORANDUM Mem`o*ran"dum, n.; pl. E. Memorandums, L. Memoranda. Etym: [L., something to be remembered, neut. of memorandus, fut. pass. p. of memorare. See Memorable.]
1. A record of something which it is desired to remember; a note to help the memory. I . . . entered a memorandum in my pocketbook. Guardian. I wish you would, as opportunity offers, make memorandums of the regulations of the academies. Sir J. Reynolds.
2. (Law)
Defn: A brief or informal note in writing of some transaction, or an outline of an intended instrument; an instrument drawn up in a brief and compendious form. Memorandum check, a check given as an acknowledgment of indebtedness, but with the understanding that it will not be presented at bank unless the maker fails to take it up on the day the debt becomes due. It usually has Mem. written on its face.
MEMORATE Mem"o*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. memoratus, p. p. of memorare. See Memorable.]
Defn: To commemorate. [Obs.]
MEMORATIVE Mem"o*ra*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. mémoratif.]
Defn: Commemorative. [Obs.] Hammond.
MEMORIA Me*mo"ri*a, n. Etym: [L.]
Defn: Memory. Memoria technica, technical memory; a contrivance for aiding the memory.
MEMORIAL Me*mo"ri*al, a. Etym: [F. mémorial, L. memorialis, fr. memoria. See Memory.]
1. Serving to preserve remembrance; commemorative; as, a memorial building. There high in air, memorial of my name, Fix the smooth oar, and bid me live to fame. Pope.
2. Contained in memory; as, a memorial possession.
3. Mnemonic; assisting the memory. This succession of Aspirate, Soft, and Hard, may be expressed by the memorial word ASH. Skeat. Memorial Day. Same as Decoration Day. [U.S.]
MEMORIAL Me*mo"ri*al, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mémorial.]
1. Anything intended to preserve the memory of a person or event; something which serves to keep something else in remembrance; a monument. Macaulay. Churches have names; some as memorials of peace, some of wisdom, some in memory of the Trinity itself. Hooker.
2. A memorandum; a record. [Obs. or R.] Hayward.
3. A written representation of facts, addressed to the government, or to some branch of it, or to a society, etc., — often accompanied with a petition.
4. Memory; remembrance. [Obs.] Precious is the memorial of the just. Evelyn.
5. (Diplomacy)
Defn: A species of informal state paper, much used in negotiation.
MEMORIAL DAY Me*mo"ri*al Day.
Defn: A day, May 30, appointed for commemorating, by decorating their graves with flowers, by patriotic exercises, etc., the dead soldiers and sailors who served the Civil War (1861-65) in the United States; Decoration Day. It is a legal holiday in most of the States. In the Southern States, the Confederate Memorial Day is: May 30 in Virginia; April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in North Carolina and South Carolina; the second Friday in May in Tennessee; June 3 in Louisiana. [U. S.]
MEMORIALIST Me*mo"ri*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mémorialiste.]
Defn: One who writes or signs a memorial.
MEMORIALIZE Me*mo"ri*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Memorialized; p. pr. & vb. n. Memorializing.]
Defn: To address or petition by a memorial; to present a memorial to; as, to memorialize the legislature. T. Hook.
MEMORIALIZER Me*mo"ri*al*i`zer, n.
Defn: One who petitions by a memorial. T. Hook.
MEMORIAL ROSE Memorial rose.
Defn: A Japanese evergreen rose (Rosa wichuraiana) with creeping branches, shining leaves, and single white flowers. It is often planted in cemeteries.
MEMORIST Mem"o*rist, n. Etym: [See Memorize.]
Defn: One who, or that which, causes to be remembered. [Obs.]
MEMORITER Me*mor"i*ter, adv. Etym: [L., fr. memor mindful. See Memorable.]
Defn: By, or from, memory.
MEMORIZE Mem"o*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Memorized; p. pr. & vb. n. Memorizing.] Etym: [See Memory.]
1. To cause to be remembered ; hence, to record. [Obs.] They neglect to memorize their conquest. Spenser. They meant to . . . memorize another Golgotha. Shak.
2. To commit to memory; to learn by heart.
MEMORY Mem"o*ry, n.; pl. Memories. Etym: [OE. memorie, OF. memoire, memorie, F. mémoire, L. memoria, fr. memor mindful; cf. mora delay. Cf. Demur, Martyr, Memoir, Remember.]
1. The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events. Memory is the purveyor of reason. Rambler.
2. The reach and positiveness with which a person can remember; the strength and trustworthiness of one's power to reach and represent or to recall the past; as, his memory was never wrong.
3. The actual and distinct retention and recognition of past ideas in the mind; remembrance; as, in memory of youth; memories of foreign lands.
4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered; as, within the memory of man. And what, before thy memory, was done From the begining. Milton.
5. Something, or an aggregate of things, remembered; hence, character, conduct, etc., as preserved in remembrance, history, or tradition; posthumous fame; as, the war became only a memory. The memory of the just is blessed. Prov. x. 7. That ever-living man of memory, Henry the Fifth. Shak. The Nonconformists . . . have, as a body, always venerated her [Elizabeth's] memory. Macaulay.
6. A memorial. [Obs.] These weeds are memories of those worser hours. Shak.
Syn. — Memory, Remembrance, Recollection, Reminiscence. Memory is the generic term, denoting the power by which we reproduce past impressions. Remembrance is an exercise of that power when things occur spontaneously to our thoughts. In recollection we make a distinct effort to collect again, or call back, what we know has been formerly in the mind. Reminiscence is intermediate between remembrance and recollection, being a conscious process of recalling past occurrences, but without that full and varied reference to particular things which characterizes recollection. "When an idea again recurs without the operation of the like object on the external sensory, it is remembrance; if it be sought after by the mind, and with pain and endeavor found, and brought again into view, it is recollection." Locke. To draw to memory, to put on record; to record. [Obs.] Chaucer. Gower.
MEMPHIAN Mem"phi*an, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the ancient city of Memphis in Egypt; hence, Egyptian; as, Memphian darkness.
MEM-SAHIB Mem"-sa`hib, n. [Hind. mem-sahib; mem (fr. E. ma'am) + Ar. çahib master. See Sahib.]
Defn: Lady; mistress; — used by Hindustani-speaking natives in India in addressing European women.
MEN Men, n.,
Defn: pl. of Man.
MEN Men, pron. Etym: [OE. me, men. "Not the plural of man, but a weakened form of the word man itself." Skeat.]
Defn: A man; one; — used with a verb in the singular, and corresponding to the present indefinite one or they. [Obs.] Piers Plowman. Men moot give silver to the poure triars. Chaucer. A privy thief, men clepeth death. Chaucer.
MENACCANITE Me*nac"can*ite, n. Etym: [From Menaccan, in Cornwall, where it was first found.] (Min.)
Defn: An iron-black or steel-gray mineral, consisting chiefly of the oxides of iron and titanium. It is commonly massive, but occurs also in rhombohedral crystals. Called also titanic iron ore, and ilmenite.
MENACE Men"ace, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. minaciae threats, menaces, fr. minax, - acis, projecting, threatening, minae projecting points or pinnacles, threats. Cf. Amenable, Demean, Imminent, Minatory.]
Defn: The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come. His (the pope's) commands, his rebukes, his menaces. Milman. The dark menace of the distant war. Dryden.
MENACE Men"ace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Menaced (ast); p. pr. & vb. n. Menacing.] Etym: [OF. menacier, F. menacer. See Menace, n.]
1. To express or show an intention to inflict, or to hold out a prospect of inflicting, evil or injury upon; to threaten; — usually followed by with before the harm threatened; as, to menace a country with war. My master . . . did menace me with death. Shak.
2. To threaten, as an evil to be inflicted. By oath he menaced Revenge upon the cardinal. Shak.
MENACE Men"ace, v. i.
Defn: To act in threatening manner; to wear a threatening aspect. Who ever knew the heavens menace so Shak.
MENACER Men"a*cer, n.
Defn: One who menaces.
MENACINGLY Men"a*cing*ly, adv.
Defn: In a threatening manner.
MENAGE Mé`nage", n.
Defn: See Manage.
MENAGE Mé`nage", n. Etym: [See Menagerie.]
Defn: A collection of animals; a menagerie. [Obs.] Addison.
MENAGERIE Men*ag"er*ie, n. Etym: [F. ménagerie, fr. ménager to keep house, ménage household. See Menial, Mansion.]
1. A piace where animals are kept and trained.
2. A collection of wild or exotic animals, kept for exhibition.
MENAGOGUE Men"a*gogue, n. Etym: [F. ménagogue, fr. Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Emmenagogue.
MENAION Me*na"ion, n.; pl. Menaia (-yå). Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Eccl.)
Defn: A work of twelve volumes, each containing the offices in the Greek Church for a month; also, each volume of the same. Shipley.
MENALD; MENILD Men"ald, Men"ild, a.
Defn: Covered with spots; speckled; variegated. [Obs.]
MEND Mend, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mended; p. pr. & vb. n. Mending.] Etym: [Abbrev. fr. amend. See Amend.]
1. To repair, as anything that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or the like; to restore from partial decay, injury, or defacement; to patch up; to put in shape or order again; to re-create; as, to mend a garment or a machine.
2. To alter for the better; to set right; to reform; hence, to quicken; as, to mend one's manners or pace. The best service they could do the state was to mend the lives of the persons who composed it. Sir W. Temple.
3. To help, to advance, to further; to add to. Though in some lands the grass is but short, yet it mends garden herbs and fruit. Mortimer. You mend the jewel by the wearing it. Shak.
Syn. — To improve; help; better; emend; amend; correct; rectify; reform.
MEND Mend, v. i.
Defn: To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved. Shak.
MENDABLE Mend"a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being mended.
MENDACIOUS Men*da"cious, a. Etym: [L. mendax, -acis, lying, cf. mentiri to lie.]
1. Given to deception or falsehood; lying; as, a mendacious person.
2. False; counterfeit; containing falsehood; as, a mendacious statement. — Men*da"cious*ly, adv. — Men*da"cious*ness, n.
MENDACITY Men*dac"i*ty, n.; pl. Mendacities. Etym: [L. mendacitas.]
1. The quality or state of being mendacious; a habit of lying. Macaulay.
2. A falsehood; a lie. Sir T. Browne.
Syn. — Lying; deceit; untruth; falsehood.
MENDELIAN Men*de"li*an, a. [See Mendel's law.] (Biol.)
Defn: Pert. to Mendel, or to Mendel's law. — Men*de"li*an*ism (#), Men*del"ism (#), n.
MENDELIAN CHARACTER Mendelian character. (Biol.)
Defn: A character which obeys Mendel's law in regard to its hereditary transmission.
MENDEL'S LAW Men"del's law.
Defn: A principle governing the inheritance of many characters in animals and plants, discovered by Gregor J. Mendel (Austrian Augustinian abbot, 1822-84) in breeding experiments with peas. He showed that the height, color, and other characters depend on the presence of determinating factors behaving as units. In any given germ cell each of these is either present or absent. The following example (using letters as symbols of the determining factors and hence also of the individuals possessing them) shows the operation of the law: Tallness being due to a factor T, a tall plant, arising by the union in fertilization of two germ cells both bearing this factor, is TT; a dwarf, being without T, is tt. Crossing these, crossbreeds, Tt, result (called generation F1). In the formation of the germ cells of these crossbreeds a process of segregation occurs such that germ cells, whether male or female, are produced of two kinds, T and t, in equal numbers. The T cells bear the factor "tallness," the t cells are devoid of it. The offspring, generation F2, which arise from the chance union of these germ cells in pairs, according to the law of probability, are therefore on an average in the following proportions:
1 TT : 2 Tt : 1 tt;
and thus plants pure in tallness (TT) and dwarfness (tt), as well as crossbreeds (Tt), are formed by the interbreeding of crossbreeds. Frequently, as in this example, owning to what is called the dominance of a factor, the operation of Mendel's law may be complicated by the fact that when a dominant factor (as T) occurs with its allelomorph (as t), called recessive, in the crossbreed Tt, the individual Tt is itself indistinguishable from the pure form TT. Generation F1, containing only the Tt form, consists entirely of dominants (tall plants) and generation F2 consists of three dominants (2 Tt, 1 TT) to one dwarf (tt), which, displaying the feature suppressed in F1, is called recessive. Such qualitative and numerical regularity has been proved to exist in regard to very diverse qualities or characters which compose living things, both wild and domesticated, such as colors of flowers, of hair or eyes, patterns, structure, chemical composition, and power of resisting certain diseases. The diversity of forms produced in crossbreeding by horticulturists and fanciers generally results from a process of analytical variation or recombination of the factors composing the parental types. Purity of type consequently acquires a specific meaning. An individual is pure in respect of a given character when it results from the union of two sexual cells both bearing that character, or both without it.
MENDER Mend"er, n.
Defn: One who mends or repairs.
MENDIANT Men"di*ant, n.
Defn: See Mendinant. [Obs.]
MENDICANCY Men"di*can*cy, n.
Defn: The condition of being mendicant; beggary; begging. Burke.
MENDICANT Men"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. mendicans, -antis, p. pr. of mendicare to beg, fr. mendicus beggar, indigent.]
Defn: Practicing beggary; begging; living on alms; as, mendicant friars. Mendicant orders (R. C. Ch.), certain monastic orders which are forbidden to acquire landed property and are required to be supported by alms, esp. the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Carmelites, and the Augustinians.
MENDICANT Men"di*cant, n.
Defn: A beggar; esp., one who makes a business of begging; specifically, a begging friar.
MENDICATE Men"di*cate, v. t.& i. Etym: [L. mendicatus, p. p. of mendicare to beg.]
Defn: To beg. [R.] Johnson.
MENDICATION Men`di*ca"tion, n.
Defn: The act or practice of begging; beggary; mendicancy. Sir T. Browne.
MENDICITY Men*dic"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. mendicitas: cf. F. mendicité. See Mendicant.]
Defn: The practice of begging; the life of a beggar; mendicancy. Rom. of R.
MENDINANT Men"di*nant, n.
Defn: A mendicant or begging friar. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MENDMENT Mend"ment, n.
Defn: Amendment. [Obs.]
MENDOLE Men"dole, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mendol, mendole.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The cackerel.
MENDREGAL Men"dre*gal, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Medregal.
MENDS Mends, n.
Defn: See Amends. [Obs.] Shak.
MENGE Menge, v. i. [imp. Mente, Meinte; p. p. Ment, Meint.] Etym: [See Mingle.]
Defn: To mix. [Obs.] Spenser.
MENHADEN Men*ha"den, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: An American marine fish of the Herring familt (Brevoortia tyrannus), chiefly valuable for its oil and as a component of fertilizers; — called also mossbunker, bony fish, chebog, pogy, hardhead, whitefish, etc.
MENHIR Men"hir, n. Etym: [F. Armor. men stone + hir high.]
Defn: A large stone set upright in olden times as a memorial or monument. Many, of unknown date, are found in Brittany and throughout Northern Europe.
MENIAL Men"ial, a. Etym: [OE. meneal, fr. meine, maine, household, OF. maisniée, maisnie, LL. mansionaticum. See Mansion, and cf. Meine, n., Meiny.]
1. Belonging to a retinue or train of servants; performing servile office; serving. Two menial dogs before their master pressed. Dryden.
2. Pertaining to servants, esp. domestic servants; servile; low; mean. " Menial offices." Swift.
MENIAL Men"ial, n.
1. A domestic servant or retainer, esp. one of humble rank; one employed in low or servile offices.
2. A person of a servile character or disposition.
MENIERE'S DISEASE Mé`nière's" dis*ease". (Med.)
Defn: A disease characterized by deafness and vertigo, resulting in incoördination of movement. It is supposed to depend upon a morbid condition of the semicircular canals of the internal ear. Named after Ménière, a French physician.
MENILITE Men"i*lite, n. Etym: [F. ménilite; — so called because it is found at Ménilmontant, near Paris.] (Min.)
Defn: See Opal.
MENINGEAL Me*nin"ge*al, a. (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the meninges.
MENINGES Me*nin"ges, n. pl.; sing. Meninx (. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)
Defn: The three membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord; the pia mater, dura mater, and arachnoid membrane.
MENINGITIS Men`in*gi"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Meninges, and -itis.] (Med.)
Defn: Inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord. Cerebro-spinal meningitis. See under Cerebro-spinal.
MENISCAL Me*nis"cal, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or having the form of, a meniscus.
MENISCOID Me*nis"coid, a. Etym: [Meniscus + -oid.]
Defn: Concavo-convex, like a meniscus.
MENISCUS Me*nis"cus, n.; pl. L. Menisci (-si), E. Meniscuses. Etym: [NL., from Gr. mh`nh the moon.]
1. A crescent.
2. (Opt.)
Defn: A lens convex on one side and concave on the other.
3. (Anat.)
Defn: An interarticular synovial cartilage or membrane; esp., one of the intervertebral synovial disks in some parts of the vertebral column of birds. Converging meniscus, Diverging meniscus. See Lens.
MENISPERMACEOUS Men`i*sper*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [Gr. mh`nh the moon + spe`rma seed.] (Bot.)
Defn: Pertaining to a natural order (Menispermaceæ) of climbing plants of which moonseed (Menispermum) is the type.
MENISPERMIC Men`i*sper"mic (, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or obtained from, moonseed (Menispermum), or other plants of the same family, as the Anamirta Cocculus.
MENISPERMINE Men`i*sper"mine, n. Etym: [Cf. F. ménispermine.] (Chem.)
Defn: An alkaloid distinct from picrotoxin and obtained from the cocculus indicus (the fruit of Anamirta Cocculus, formerly Menispermum Cocculus) as a white, crystalline, tasteless powder; — called also menispermina.
MENIVER Men"i*ver, n. Etym: [OF. menuver, menuveir, menuvair, a grayish fur; menu small + vair a kind of fur. See Minute, a., and Vair.]
Defn: Same as Miniver.
MENNONIST; MENNONITE Men"non*ist, Men"non*ite, n. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of a small denomination of Christians, so called from Menno Simons of Friesland, their founder. They believe that the New Testament is the only rule of faith, that there is no original sin, that infants should not be baptized, and that Christians ought not to take oath, hold office, or render military service.
MENOBRANCH; MENOBRANCHUS Men"o*branch, Men`o*bran"chus, n. Etym: [NL. menobranchus, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A large aquatic American salamander of the genus Necturus, having permanent external gills.
MENOLOGIUM; MENOLOGY Men`o*lo"gi*um, Me*nol"o*gy, n.; pl. L. Menologia, E. Menologies. Etym: [NL. menologium, fr. Gr. ménologe.]
1. A register of months. Bp. Stillingfleet.
2. (Gr. Church)
Defn: A brief calendar of the lives of the saints for each day in the year, or a simple remembrance of those whose lives are not written.
MENOPAUSE Men"o*pause, n. Etym: [Gr. Menses.] (Med.)
Defn: The period of natural cessation of menstruation. See Change of life, under Change.
MENOPOMA; MENOPOME Men`o*po"ma, Men"o*pome, n. Etym: [NL. menopoma, fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)
Defn: The hellbender.
MENORRHAGIA Men`or*rha"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.) (a) Profuse menstruation. (b) Any profuse bleeding from the uterus; Metrorrhagia.
MENOSTASIS Me*nos"ta*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. mh`n month + 'istan`nai to stop.] (Med.)
Defn: Stoppage of the mences.
MENOSTATION Men`os*ta"tion, n. (Med.)
Defn: Same as Menostasis.
MENOW Men"ow, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A minnow.
MEN-PLEASER Men"-pleas`er, n.
Defn: One whose motive is to please men or the world, rather than God. Eph. vi. 6.
MENSAL Men"sal, a. Etym: [L. mensalis, fr. mensa table.]
Defn: Belonging to the table; transacted at table; as, mensa conversation.
MENSAL Men"sal, a. Etym: [L. mensis month.]
Defn: Occurring once in a month; monthly.
MENSE Mense, n. Etym: [OE. menske, AS. mennisc human, man. See Man.]
Defn: Manliness; dignity; comeliness; civility. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] — Mense"ful, a. — Mense"less, a.
MENSE Mense, v. t.
Defn: To grace. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
MENSES Men"ses, n. pl. Etym: [L. mensis month, pl. menses months, and the monthly courses of women. Cf. Month.] (Med.)
Defn: The catamenial or menstrual discharge, a periodic flow of blood or bloody fluid from the uterus or female generative organs.
MENSTRUAL Men"stru*al, a. Etym: [L. menstrualis: cf. F. menstruel. See Menstruous.]
1. Recurring once a month; monthly; gone through in a month; as, the menstrual revolution of the moon; pertaining to monthly changes; as, the menstrual equation of the sun's place.
2. Of or pertaining to the menses; as, menstrual discharges; the menstrual period.
3. Of or pertaining to a menstruum. Bacon.
MENSTRUANT Men"stru*ant, a. Etym: [L. menstruans, p. pr. of menstruare to have a monthly term, fr. menstruus. See Menstruous.]
Defn: Subject to monthly flowing or menses.
MENSTRUATE Men"stru*ate, a.
Defn: Menstruous. [Obs.]
MENSTRUATE Men"stru*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Menstruated; p. pr. & vb. n. Menstruating.]
Defn: To discharge the menses; to have the catamenial flow.
MENSTRUATION Men`stru*a"tion, n.
Defn: The discharge of the menses; also, the state or the period of menstruating.
MENSTRUE Men"strue, n. Etym: [Cf. F. menstrues. See Menstruous.]
Defn: The menstrual flux; menses. [Obs.]
MENSTRUOUS Men"stru*ous, a. Etym: [L. menstruus, fr. mensis month. Cf. Menstruum.]
1. Having the monthly flow or discharge; menstruating.
2. Of or pertaining tj the monthly flow; catamenial.
MENSTRUUM Men"stru*um, n.; pl. E. Menstruums, L. Menstrua. Etym: [L. menstruus. See Menstruous.]
Defn: Any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent. The proper menstruum to dissolve metal. Bacon. All liquors are called menstruums which are used as dissolvents, or to extract the virtues of ingredients by infusion or decoction. Quincy.
Note: The use is supposed to have originated in some notion of the old chemists about the influence of the moon in the preparation of dissolvents. Johnson.
MENSURABILITY Men`su*ra*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mensurabilité.]
Defn: The quality of being mensurable.
MENSURABLE Men"su*ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. mensurabilis, fr. mensurare to measure, fr. mensura measure: cf. F. mensurable. See Measurable, Measure.]
Defn: Capable of being measured; measurable.
MENSURABLENESS Men"su*ra*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being mensurable; measurableness.
MENSURAL Men"su*ral, a. Etym: [L. mensuralis.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to measure.
MENSURATE Men"su*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. mensuratus, p. p. of mensurare. See Measure, v.]
Defn: To measure. [Obs.]
MENSURATION Men`su*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. mensuratio : cf. F. mensuration.]
1. The act, process, or art, of measuring.
2. That branch of applied geometry which gives rules for finding the length of lines, the areas of surfaces, or the volumes of solids, from certain simple data of lines and angles.
-MENT -ment, Etym: [F. -ment, L. -mentum.]
Defn: A suffix denoting that which does a thing; an act or process; the result of an act or process; state or condition; as, aliment, that which nourishes, ornament, increment; fragment, piece broken, segment; abridgment, act of abridging, imprisonment, movement, adjournment; amazement, state of being amazed, astonishment.
MENT Ment, p. p.
Defn: of Menge.
MENTAGRA Men"ta*gra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. mentum chin + Gr. (Med.)
Defn: Sycosis.
MENTAL Men"tal, a. Etym: [L. mentum the chin.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the chin; genian; as, the mental nerve; the mental region.
MENTAL Men"tal, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A plate or scale covering the mentum or chin of a fish or reptile.
MENTAL Men"tal, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. mentalis, fr. mens, mentis, the mind; akin to E. mind. See Mind.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the mind; intellectual; as, mental faculties; mental operations, conditions, or exercise. What a mental power This eye shoots forth! Shak. Mental alienation, insanity. — Mental arithmetic, the art or practice of solving arithmetical problems by mental processes, unassisted by written figures.
MENTALITY Men*tal"i*ty, n.
Defn: Quality or state of mind. "The same hard mentality." Emerson.
MENTALLY Men"tal*ly, adv.
Defn: In the mind; in thought or meditation; intellectually; in idea.
MENTHA Men"tha, n. Etym: [L. See Mint the plant.] (Bot.)
Defn: A widely distributed genus of fragrant herbs, including the peppermint, spearmint, etc. The plants have small flowers, usually arranged in dense axillary clusters.
MENTHENE Men"thene, n. Etym: [Menthol + terpene.] (Chem.)
Defn: A colorless liquid hydrocarbon resembling oil of turpentine, obtained by dehydrating menthol. It has an agreeable odor and a cooling taste.
MENTHOL Men"thol, n. Etym: [Mentha + -ol.] (Chem.)
Defn: A white, crystalline, aromatic substance resembling camphor, extracted from oil of peppermint (Mentha); — called also mint camphor or peppermint camphor.
MENTHYL Men"thyl, n. Etym: [Mentha + -yl.] (Chem.)
Defn: A compound radical forming the base of menthol.
MENTICULTURAL Men`ti*cul"tur*al, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to mental culture; serving to improve or strengthen the mind. [R.]
MENTION Men"tion, n. Etym: [OE. mencioun, F. mention, L. mentio, from the root of meminisse to remember. See Mind.]
Defn: A speaking or notice of anything, — usually in a brief or cursory manner. Used especially in the phrase to make mention of. I will make mention of thy righteousness. Ps. lxxi. 16. And sleep in dull, cold marble, where no mention Of me more must be heard of. Shak.
MENTION Men"tion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mentioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Mentioning.] Etym: [Cf. F. mentionner.]
Defn: To make mention of; to speak briefly of; to name. I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. Is. lxiii. 7.
MENTIONABLE Men"tion*a*ble, a.
Defn: Fit to be mentioned.
MENTOMECKELIAN Men`to*meck*e"li*an, a. Etym: [1st mental + Meckelian.] (Anat.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the chin and lower jaw. — n.
Defn: The bone or cartilage forming the anterior extremity of the lower jaw in some adult animals and the young of others.
MENTOR Men"tor, n. Etym: [From Mentor, the counselor of Telemachus, Gr. Monitor.]
Defn: A wise and faithful counselor or monitor.
MENTORIAL Men*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [From Mentor.]
Defn: Containing advice or admonition.
MENTUM Men"tum, n. Etym: [L., chin.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The front median plate of the labium in insects. See Labium.
MENU Me*nu", n. Etym: [F., slender, thin, minute. See 4th Minute.]
Defn: The details of a banquet; a bill of fare.
MENUSE Me"nuse, v. i.
Defn: See Amenuse. [Obs.]
MEOW Me*ow", v. i. & n.
Defn: See 6th and 7th Mew.
MEPHISTOPHELIAN Meph`is*to*phe"li*an ( or ), a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or resembling, the devil Mephistopheles, "a crafty, scoffing, relentless fiend;" devilish; crafty.
MEPHITIC; MEPHITICAL Me*phit"ic, Me*phit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mephiticus, fr. mephitis mephitis: cf. F. méphitique.]
1. Tending to destroy life; poisonous; noxious; as, mephitic exhalations; mephitic regions.
2. Offensive to the smell; as, mephitic odors. Mephitic air (Chem.), carbon dioxide; — so called because of its deadly suffocating power. See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic.
MEPHITIS Me*phi"tis, n. Etym: [L. mephitis : cf. F. méphitis.]
1. Noxious, pestilential, or foul exhalations from decomposing substances, filth, or other source.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A genus of mammals, including the skunks.
MEPHITISM Meph"i*tism, n.
Defn: Same as Mephitis, 1.
MERACIOUS Me*ra"cious, a. Etym: [L. meracus, fr. merus pure, inmixed.]
Defn: Being without mixture or adulteration; hence, strong; racy. [Obs.]
MERCABLE Mer"ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. mercabilis, fr. mercari to trade, traffic, buy. See Merchant.]
Defn: Capable of being bought or sold. [Obs.]
MERCANTILE Mer"can*tile, a. Etym: [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, -antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See Merchant.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of commodities; commercial. The expedition of the Argonauts was partly mercantile, partly military. Arbuthnot. Mercantile agency, an agency for procuring information of the standing and credit of merchants in different parts of the country, for the use of dealers who sell to them. — Mercantile marine, the persons and vessels employed in commerce, taken collectively. — Mercantile paper, the notes or acceptances given by merchants for goods bought, or received on consignment; drafts on merchants for goods sold or consigned. McElrath.
Syn. — Mercantile, Commercial. Commercial is the wider term, being sometimes used to embrace mercantile. In their stricter use, commercial relates to the shipping, freighting, forwarding, and other business connected with the commerce of a country (whether external or internal), that is, the exchange of commodities; while mercantile applies to the sale of merchandise and goods when brought to market. As the two employments are to some extent intermingled, the two words are often interchanged.
MERCAPTAL Mer*cap"tal, n. Etym: [Mercaptan + aldehyde.] (Chem.)
Defn: Any one of a series of compounds of mercaptans with aldehydes.
MERCAPTAN Mer*cap"tan, n. Etym: [F., fr. NL. mercurius mercury + L. captans, p. pr. of captare to seize, v. intens. fr. capere.] (Chem.)
Defn: Any one of series of compounds, hydrosulphides of alcohol radicals, in composition resembling the alcohols, but containing sulphur in place of oxygen, and hence called also the sulphur alcohols. In general, they are colorless liquids having a strong, repulsive, garlic odor. The name is specifically applied to ethyl mercaptan, C2H5SH. So called from its avidity for mercury, and other metals.
MERCAPTIDE Mer*cap"tide ( or ), n. (Chem.)
Defn: A compound of mercaptan formed by replacing its sulphur hydrogen by a metal; as, potassium mercaptide, C2H5SK.
MERCAT Mer"cat, n. Etym: [L. mercatus : cf. It. mercato. See Market.]
Defn: Market; trade. [Obs.] Bp. Sprat.
MERCATANTE Mer`ca*tan"te (; It. ), n. Etym: [It. See Merchant.]
Defn: A foreign trader. [Obs.] Shak.
MERCATOR'S CHART Mer*ca"tor's chart".
Defn: See under Chart, and see Mercator's projection, under Projection.
MERCATURE Mer"ca*ture, n. Etym: [L. mercatura commerce.]
Defn: Commerce; traffic; trade. [Obs.]
MERCE Merce, v. t. Etym: [See Amerce.]
Defn: To subject to fine or amercement; to mulct; to amerce. [Obs.]
MERCENARIA Mer`ce*na"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Mercenary.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The quahog.
MERCENARIAN Mer`ce*na"ri*an (-an), n.
Defn: A mercenary. [Obs.]
MERCENARILY Mer"ce*na`ri*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mercenary manner.
MERCENARINESS Mer"ce*na*ri*ness, n.
Defn: The quality or state of being mercenary; venality. Boyle.
MERCENARY Mer"ce*na*ry, a. Etym: [OE. mercenarie, F. mercenaire, fr. L. mercenarius, fr. merces wages, reward. See Mercy.]
1. Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers.
2. Hence: Moved by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. Shak. For God forbid I should my papers blot With mercenary lines, with servile pen. Daniel.
Syn. — See Venal.
MERCENARY Mer"ce*na*ry, n.; pl. Mercenaries (.
Defn: One who is hired; a hireling; especially, a soldier hired into foreign service. Milman.
MERCER Mer"cer, n. Etym: [F. mercier, fr. L. merx, mercis, wares, merchandise. See Merchant.]
Defn: Originally, a dealer in any kind of goods or wares; now restricted to a dealer in textile fabrics, as silks or woolens. [Eng.]
MERCERIZE Mer"cer*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. -ized; p. pr. & vb. n. -izing.] [From (John) Mercer (1791-1866), an English calico printer who introduced the process + -ize.]
Defn: To treat (cotton fiber or fabrics) with a solution of caustic alkali. Such treatment causes the fiber to shrink in length and become stronger and more receptive of dyes. If the yarn or cloth is kept under tension during the process, it assumes a silky luster. — Mer`cer*i*za"tion (#), n.
MERCERSHIP Mer"cer*ship, n.
Defn: The business of a mercer.
MERCERY Mer"cer*y, n. Etym: [F. mercerie.]
Defn: The trade of mercers; the goods in which a mercer deals.
MERCHAND Mer"chand, v. i. Etym: [F. marchander. See Merchant.]
Defn: To traffic. [Obs.] Bacon.
MERCHANDISABLE Mer"chan*di`sa*ble, a.
Defn: Such as can be used or transferred as merchandise.
MERCHANDISE Mer"chan*dise, n. Etym: [F. marchandise, OF. marcheandise.]
1. The objects of commerce; whatever is usually bought or sold in trade, or market, or by merchants; wares; goods; commodities. Spenser.
2. The act or business of trading; trade; traffic.
MERCHANDISE Mer"chan*dise, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Merchandised; p. pr. & vb. n. Merchandising.]
Defn: To trade; to carry on commerce. Bacon.
MERCHANDISE Mer"chan*dise, v. t.
Defn: To make merchandise of; to buy and sell. "Love is merchandised." Shak.
MERCHANDISER Mer"chan*di`ser, n.
Defn: A trader. Bunyan.
MERCHANDRY Mer"chand*ry, n. Etym: [See Merchant.]
Defn: Trade; commerce. [Obs.] Bp. Sanderson.
MERCHANT Mer"chant, n. Etym: [OE. marchant, OF. marcheant, F. marchand, fr. LL. mercatans, -antis, p. pr. of mercatare to negotiate, L. mercari to traffic, fr. merx, mercis, wares. See Market, Merit, and cf. Commerce.]
1. One who traffics on a large scale, especially with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader. Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad. Shak.
2. A trading vessel; a merchantman. [Obs.] Shak.
3. One who keeps a store or shop for the sale of goods; a shopkeeper. [U. S. & Scot.]
MERCHANT Mer"chant, a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service. Merchant bar, Merchant iron or steel, certain common sizes of wrought iron and steel bars. — Merchant service, the mercantile marine of a country. Am. Cyc. — Merchant ship, a ship employed in commerce. — Merchant tailor, a tailor who keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes.
MERCHANT Mer"chant, v. i.
Defn: To be a merchant; to trade. [Obs.]
MERCHANTABLE Mer"chant*a*ble, a.
Defn: Fit for market; such as is usually sold in market, or such as will bring the ordinary price; as, merchantable wheat; sometimes, a technical designation for a particular kind or class.
MERCHANTLY Mer"chant*ly, a.
Defn: Merchantlike; suitable to the character or business of a merchant. [Obs.] Gauden.
MERCHANTMAN Mer"chant*man, n.; pl. Merchantmen (.
1. A merchant. [Obs.] Matt. xiii. 45.
2. A trading vessel; a ship employed in the transportation of goods, as, distinguished from a man-of-war.
MERCHANTRY Mer"chant*ry, n.
1. The body of merchants taken collectively; as, the merchantry of a country.
2. The business of a merchant; merchandise. Walpole.
MERCIABLE Mer"ci*a*ble, a. Etym: [OF.]
Defn: Merciful. [Obs.]
MERCIFUL Mer"ci*ful, a. Etym: [Mercy + -ful.]
1. Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Ex. xxxiv. 6. Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Shak.
2. Unwilling to give pain; compassionate. A merciful man will be merciful to his beast. Old Proverb.
Syn. — Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild; clement; benignant. — Mer"ci*ful*ly, adv. — Mer"ci*ful*ness, n.
MERCIFY Mer"ci*fy, v. t.
Defn: To pity. [Obs.] Spenser.
MERCILESS Mer"ci*less, a.
Defn: Destitute of mercy; cruel; unsparing; — said of animate beings, and also, figuratively, of things; as, a merciless tyrant; merciless waves. The foe is merciless, and will not pity. Shak.
Syn. — Cruel; unmerciful; remorseless; ruthless; pitiless; barbarous; savage. — Mer"ci*less*ly, adv. — Mer"ci*less*ness, n.
MERCURAMMONIUM Mer`cur*am*mo"ni*um, n. Etym: [Mercuric + ammonium.] (Chem.)
Defn: A radical regarded as derived from ammonium by the substitution of mercury for a portion of the hydrogen.
MERCURIAL Mer*cu"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. mercurialis, fr. Mercurius Mercury: cf. F. mercuriel.]
1. Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament. A mercurial man Who fluttered over all things like a fan. Byron.
2. Having the form or image of Mercury; — applied to ancient guideposts. [Obs.] Chillingworth.
3. Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money- making; crafty. The mercurial wand of commerce. J. Q. Adams.
4. Of or pertaining to, or containing, mercury; as, mercurial preparations, barometer. See Mercury, 2.
5. (Med.)
Defn: Caused by the use of mercury; as, mercurial sore mouth.
MERCURIAL Mer*cu"ri*al, n.
1. A person having mercurial qualities. Bacon.
2. (Med.)
Defn: A preparation containing mercury.
MERCURIALISM Mer*cu"ri*al*ism, n. [Mercurial + -ism.] (Med.)
Defn: The morbid condition produced by the excessive use of mercury, or by exposure to its fumes, as in mining or smelting.
MERCURIALIST Mer*cu"ri*al*ist, n.
1. One under the influence of Mercury; one resembling Mercury in character.
2. (Med.)
Defn: A physician who uses much mercury, in any of its forms, in his practice.
MERCURIALIZE Mer*cu"ri*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurialized; p. pr. & vb. n. Mercurializing.]
1. (Med.)
Defn: To affect with mercury.
2. (Photography)
Defn: To treat with mercury; to expose to the vapor of mercury.
MERCURIALIZE Mer*cu"ri*al*ize, v. i.
Defn: To be sprightly, fantastic, or capricious. [Obs.]
MERCURIALLY Mer*cu"ri*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mercurial manner.
MERCURIC Mer*cu"ric, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; — said of those compounds of mercury into which this element enters in its lowest proportion. Mercuric chloride, corrosive sublimate. See Corrosive.
MERCURIFICATION Mer*cu`ri*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mercurification. See Mercurify.]
1. (Metal.)
Defn: The process or operation of obtaining the mercury, in its fluid form, from mercuric minerals.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: The act or process of compounding, or the state of being compounded, with mercury. [R.]
MERCURIFY Mer*cu"ri*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurified; p. pr. & vb. n. Mercurifying.] Etym: [Mercury + -fy.]
1. To obtain mercury from, as mercuric minerals, which may be done by any application of intense heat that expels the mercury in fumes, which are afterward condensed. [R.]
2. To combine or mingle mercury with; to impregnate with mercury; to mercurialize. [R.]
MERCURISM Mer"cu*rism, n.
Defn: A communication of news; an announcement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
MERCUROUS Mer*cu"rous, a. (Chem.)
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; — said of those compounds of mercury in which it is present in its highest proportion. Mercurous chloride. (Chem.) See Calomel.
MERCURY Mer"cu*ry, n. Etym: [L. Mercurius; akin to merx wares.]
1. (Rom. Myth.)
Defn: A Latin god of commerce and gain; — treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: A metallic element mostly obtained by reduction from cinnabar, one of its ores. It is a heavy, opaque, glistening liquid (commonly called quicksilver), and is used in barometers, thermometers, ect. Specific gravity 13.6. Symbol Hg (Hydrargyrum). Atomic weight 199.8. Mercury has a molecule which consists of only one atom. It was named by the alchemists after the god Mercury, and designated by his symbol, mercury.
Note: Mercury forms alloys, called amalgams, with many metals, and is thus used in applying tin foil to the backs of mirrors, and in extracting gold and silver from their ores. It is poisonous, and is used in medicine in the free state as in blue pill, and in its compounds as calomel, corrosive sublimate, etc. It is the only metal which is liquid at ordinary temperatures, and it solidifies at about -39º Centigrade to a soft, malleable, ductile metal.
3. (Astron.)
Defn: One of the planets of the solar system, being the one nearest the sun, from which its mean distance is about 36,000,000 miles. Its period is 88 days, and its diameter 3,000 miles.
4. A carrier of tidings; a newsboy; a messenger; hence, also, a newspaper. Sir J. Stephen. "The monthly Mercuries." Macaulay.
5. Sprightly or mercurial quality; spirit; mutability; fickleness. [Obs.] He was so full of mercury that he could not fix long in any friendship, or to any design. Bp. Burnet.
6. (Bot.)
Defn: A plant (Mercurialis annua), of the Spurge family, the leaves of which are sometimes used for spinach, in Europe.
Note: The name is also applied, in the United States, to certain climbing plants, some of which are poisonous to the skin, esp. to the Rhus Toxicodendron, or poison ivy. Dog's mercury (Bot.), Mercurialis perennis, a perennial plant differing from M. annua by having the leaves sessile. — English mercury (Bot.), a kind of goosefoot formerly used as a pot herb; — called Good King Henry. — Horn mercury (Min.), a mineral chloride of mercury, having a semitranslucent, hornlike appearance.
MERCURY Mer"cu*ry, v. t.
Defn: To wash with a preparation of mercury. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
MERCY Mer"cy, n.; pl. Mercies. Etym: [OE. merci, F. merci, L. merces, mercedis, hire, pay, reward, LL., equiv. to misericordia pity, mercy. L. merces is probmerere to deserve, acquire. See Merit, and cf. Amerce.]
1. Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency. Examples of justice must be made for terror to some; examples of mercy for comfort to others. Bacon.
2. Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence. Luke x. 37.
3. Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help. In whom mercy lacketh and is not founden. Sir T. Elyot.
4. A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor. The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 2 Cor. i. 3. Mercy seat (Bib.), the golden cover or lid of the Ark of the Covenant. See Ark, 2. — Sisters of Mercy (R. C. Ch.),a religious order founded in Dublin in the year 1827. Communities of the same name have since been established in various American cities. The duties of those belonging to the order are, to attend lying-in hospitals, to superintend the education of girls, and protect decent women out of employment, to visit prisoners and the sick, and to attend persons condemned to death. — To be at the mercy of, to be wholly in the power of.
Syn. — See Grace.
MERD Merd, n. Etym: [F. merde, L. merda.]
Defn: Ordure; dung. [Obs.] Burton.
-MERE -mere. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: A combining form meaning part, portion; as, blastomere, epimere.
MERE Mere, n. Etym: [Written also mar.] Etym: [OE. mere, AS. mere mere, sea; akin to D. meer lake, OS. meri sea, OHG. meri, mari, G. meer, Icel. marr, Goth. marei, Russ. more, W. mor, Ir. & Gael. muir, L. mare, and perh. to L. mori to die, and meaning originally, that which is dead, a waste. Cf. Mortal, Marine, Marsh, Mermaid, Moor.]
Defn: A pool or lake. Drayton. Tennyson.
MERE Mere, n. Etym: [Written also meer and mear.] Etym: [AS. gemære. sq. root269.]
Defn: A boundary. Bacon.
MERE Mere, v. t.
Defn: To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.] Which meared her rule with Africa. Spenser.
MERE Mere, n.
Defn: A mare. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MERE Mere, a. [Superl. Merest. The comparative is rarely or never used.] Etym: [L. merus.]
1. Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute; unqualified. Then entered they the mere, main sea. Chapman. The sorrows of this world would be mere and unmixed. Jer. Taylor.
2. Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more; simple; bare; as, a mere boy; a mere form. From mere success nothing can be concluded in favor of any nation. Atterbury.
MERELY Mere"ly, adv.
1. Purely; unmixedly; absolutely. Ulysses was to force forth his access, Though merely naked. Chapman.