M M (em). (continued 7)

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

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

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

Defn: Tissue composed of spheroidal cells.

MERESMAN Meres"man, n.

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

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

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

MERESTONE Mere"stone`, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MERGE Merge, v. i.

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

MERGER Mer"ger, n.

1. One who, or that which, merges.

2. (Law)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Midday; noon.

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

3. (Astron.)

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

4. (Geog.)

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

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

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

1. Of or pertaining to the meridian.

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

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

1. The state of being in the meridian.

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

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

Defn: In the direction of the meridian.

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Made of the wool of the merino sheep.

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

1. (Zoöl.)

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

2. A fine fabric of merino wool.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MERIT Mer"it, v. i.

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

MERITABLE Mer"it*a*ble, a.

Defn: Deserving of reward. [R.]

MERITEDLY Mer"it*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By merit; deservedly.

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

Defn: Same as Internode.

MERITMONGER Mer"it*mon`ger, n.

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

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

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

MERITORY Mer"i*to*ry, a.

Defn: Meritorious. [Obs.]

MERITOT Mer"i*tot, n.

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

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

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

MERK Merk, n.

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

MERKE Merke, a.

Defn: Murky. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

MERKIN Mer"kin, n.

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

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

Defn: The European blackbird. See Blackbird. Drayton.

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

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

MERLING Mer"ling, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European whiting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Hernia in the thigh; femoral hernia .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Organization in part. [R.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MEROU Mé`rou", n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Jack, 8 (c).

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

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

Defn: One of the kings of this dynasty.

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

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

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

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

MERRIMAKE Mer"ri*make`, n.

Defn: See Merrymake, n.

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

Defn: See Merrymake, v. Gay.

MERRIMENT Mer"ri*ment, n.

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

MERRINESS Mer"ri*ness, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MERRY Mer"ry, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of wild red cherry.

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

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

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

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

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

MERRYMAKE Mer"ry*make`, n.

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

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

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

MERRYMAKER Mer"ry*mak`er, n.

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

MERRYMAKING Mer"ry*mak`ing, a.

Defn: Making or producing mirth; convivial; jolly.

MERRYMAKING Mer"ry*mak`ing, n.

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

MERRYMEETING Mer"ry*meet`ing, n.

Defn: A meeting for mirth.

MERRYTHOUGHT Mer"ry*thought`, n.

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

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

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

Defn: Immersion [R.] Barrow.

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

Defn: A bird of the Thrush family.

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

Defn: See Meros.

MERVAILLE Mer"vaille`, n.

Defn: Marvel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

MES- Mes-.

Defn: See Meso-.

MESA Me"sa, Etym: [Sp.]

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

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

Defn: A salt of mesaconic acid.

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

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

MESAD Mes"ad, adv.

Defn: Same as Mesiad.

MESAL Mes"al, a.

Defn: Same as Mesial.

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

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

MESALLY Mes"al*ly, adv.

Defn: Same as Mesially.

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

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

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

Defn: Mesenteric.

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

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

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

Defn: Mesaticephalic.

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

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

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

Defn: pl. of Madame and Madam.

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

Defn: It seems to me. [Poetic]

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

Defn: A leper. [Obs.]

MESELRY Me"sel*ry, n.

Defn: Leprosy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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

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

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

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesencephalon or midbrain.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Pertaining to a mesentery; mesaraic.

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

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

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

1. (Anat.)

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

2. (Zoöl.)

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

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

Defn: Mesaraic.

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

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

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

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

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

2. (Gearing)

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

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

Defn: To catch in a mesh. Surrey.

MESH Mesh, v. i. (Gearing)

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

MESHED Meshed, a.

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

MESHY Mesh"y, a.

Defn: Formed with meshes; netted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: A salt of mesitylenic acid.

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

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

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

Defn: A crystalline substance obtained from mesitylene.

MESLIN Mes"lin ( or ), n.

Defn: See Maslin.

MESMEREE Mes`mer*ee", n.

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

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

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

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

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

MESMERIST Mes"mer*ist, n.

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

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

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

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

Defn: To bring into a state of mesmeric sleep.

MESMERIZER Mes"mer*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who mesmerizes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: The main bronchus of each lung.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: The pons Varolii.

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

Defn: Mesocephalic.

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

Defn: The cavity of the mesencephalon; the iter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESODERMIC Mes`o*der"mic, a.

Defn: Same as Mesodermal.

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

Defn: Having teeth of moderate size.

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

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

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

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

2. (Zoöl.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Same as Thomsonite.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: The fold of the peritoneum supporting the oviduct.

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

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

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

Defn: A bird having a mesomyodous larynx.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: The dorsal portion of the mesothorax of insects.

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

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

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

Defn: See Glabella.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Same as Mosasauria.

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

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

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

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesoscapula.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: See the Note under Meteorite.

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

Defn: A membrane of a seed. See Secundine.

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

Defn: A product of metabolic action.

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

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

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesosternum.

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

1. (Anat.)

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

2. (Zoöl.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: Of or pertaining to the mesothorax.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: A salt of mesoxalic acid.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESOZOIC Mes`o*zo"ic, n.

Defn: The Mesozoic age or formation.

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

1. Contempt; scorn. [Obs.]

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

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

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

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

MESQUITE BEAN Mes*qui"te bean.

Defn: The pod or seed of the mesquite.

MESS Mess, n.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESS Mess, v. t.

Defn: To supply with a mess.

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

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

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

MESSAGE Mes"sage, v. t.

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

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

Defn: A messenger. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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

Defn: A messenger. [Obs.]

MESSAGE STICK Mes"sage stick.

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

MESS BEEF Mess beef.

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

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

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

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

3. (Naut.)

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

4. (Law)

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

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

MESSET Mes"set, n.

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

MESSIAD Mes*si"ad, n.

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

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

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

MESSIAHSHIP Mes*si"ah*ship, n.

Defn: The state or office of the Messiah.

MESSIANIC Mes`si*an"ic, a.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MESSMATE Mess"mate`, n.

Defn: An associate in a mess.

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

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

MEST Mest, a.

Defn: Most. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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

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

MESTER Mes"ter, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Mister, a trade.

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

Defn: See Mestizo.

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

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

MESTLING Mest"ling, n.

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

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

Defn: A repetition at the end of a stanza.

MET Met, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Meet.

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

Defn: of Mete, to measure. Chapman.

MET Met, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Mete, to dream. Chaucer.

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

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

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

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

1. (Rhet.)

Defn: A transition from one subject to another.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Same as Metabola.

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: An insect which undergoes a metamorphosis.

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

1. (Biol.)

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

2. (Physiol.)

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

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

Defn: Metabolism. [R.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defn: A metacarpal bone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Measurement, especially of coal. De Foe.

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

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

1. (Biol.)

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

2. (Biol.)

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

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

Defn: Of or pertaining to metagenesis.

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

Defn: Metagenetic.

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

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

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

Defn: Anagrammatism.

METAGRAPHIC Met`a*graph"ic, a.

Defn: By or pertaining to metagraphy.

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

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

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

1. (Chem.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Glass in a state of fusion. Knight.

9. pl.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Of or pertaining to a metalepsis.

2. Transverse; as, the metaleptic motion of a muscle.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, concerned in, or occurring by, metalepsy.

METALEPTICAL Met`a*lep"tic*al, a.

Defn: Metaleptic. — Met`a*lep"tic*al*ly, adv.

METALLIC Me*tal"lic, a. Etym: [L. metallicus, fr. metallum: cf. F. métallique. See Metal.]

1. Of or pertaining to a metal; of the nature of metal; resembling metal; as, a metallic appearance; a metallic alloy.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characterized by, the essential and implied properties of a metal, as contrasted with a nonmetal or metalloid; basic; antacid; positive. Metallic iron, iron in the state of the metal, as distinquished from its ores, as magnetic iron. — Metallic paper, paper covered with a thin solution of lime, whiting, and size. When written upon with a pewter or brass pencil, the lines can hardly be effaced. — Metallic tinking (Med.), a sound heard in the chest, when a cavity communicating with the air passages contains both air and liquid.

METALLICAL Me*tal"lic*al, a.

Defn: See Metallic. [Obs.]

METALLICLY Me*tal"lic*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metallic manner; by metallic means.

METALLIFACTURE Me*tal`li*fac"ture, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + facere, factum, to make.]

Defn: The production and working or manufacture of metals. [R.] R. Park.

METALLIFEROUS Met`al*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. metallifer; metallum metal + ferre to bear: cf. F. métallifère.]

Defn: Producing metals; yielding metals.

METALLIFORM Me*tal"li*form, a. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -form: cf. F. métalliforme.]

Defn: Having the form or structure of a metal.

METALLINE Met"al*line, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métallin.] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or resembling, a metal; metallic; as, metalline properties. (b) Impregnated with metallic salts; chalybeate; as, metalline water. [R.]

METALLINE Met"al*line ( or ), n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance of variable composition, but resembling a soft, dark-colored metal, used in the bearings of machines for obviating friction, and as a substitute for lubricants.

METALLIST Met"al*list, n.

Defn: A worker in metals, or one skilled in metals.

METALLIZATION Met`al*li*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métallisation.]

Defn: The act or process of metallizing. [R.]

METALLIZE Met"al*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metallized; p. pr. & vb. n. Metallizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. métalliser.]

Defn: To impart metallic properties to; to impregnate with a metal. [R.]

METALLOCHROME Me*tal"lo*chrome, n. Etym: [See Metallochromy.]

Defn: A coloring produced by the deposition of some metallic compound; specifically, the prismatic tints produced by depositing a film of peroxide of lead on polished steel by electricity.

METALLOCHROMY Me*tal"lo*chro`my, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + Gr.

Defn: The art or process of coloring metals.

METALLOGRAPH Me*tal"lo*graph, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -graph.]

Defn: A print made by metallography.

METALLOGRAPHIC Me*tal`lo*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or by means of, metallography.

METALLOGRAPHIST Met`al*log"ra*phist, n.

Defn: One who writes on the subject of metals.

METALLOGRAPHY Met`al*log"ra*phy, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -graphy: cf. F. métallographie.]

1. The science or art of metals and metal working; also, a treatise on metals.

2. A method of transferring impressions of the grain of wood to metallic surfaces by chemical action. Knight.

3. A substitute for lithography, in which metallic plates are used instead of stone. Knight.

METALLOID Met"al*loid, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + -oid: cf. F. métalloïde.] (a) Formerly, the metallic base of a fixed alkali, or alkaline earth; — applied by Sir H. Davy to sodium, potassium, and some other metallic substances whose metallic character was supposed to be not well defined. (b) Now, one of several elementary substances which in the free state are unlike metals, and whose compounds possess or produce acid, rather than basic, properties; a nonmetal; as, boron, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, chlorine, bromine, etc., are metalloids.

METALLOID Met"al*loid, a.

1. Having the appearance of a metal.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the properties of a nonmetal; nonmetallic; acid; negative.

METALLOIDAL Met`al*loid"al, a.

Defn: Metalloid.

METALLOPHONE Me*tal"lo*phone, n. [L. metallum metal + Gr. sound.] (Music) (a) An instrument like a pianoforte, but having metal bars instead of strings. (b) An instrument like the xylophone, but having metallic instead of wooden bars.

METALLORGANIC Met`al*lor*gan"ic, a.

Defn: Metalorganic.

METALLOTHERAPY Me*tal`lo*ther"a*py, n. Etym: [L. metallum metal + E. therapy.] (Med.)

Defn: Treatment of disease by applying metallic plates to the surface of the body.

METALLURGIC; METALLURGICAL Met`al*lur"gic, Met`al*lur"gic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métallurgique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metallurgy.

METALLURGIST Met"al*lur`gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métallurgiste.]

Defn: One who works in metals, or prepares them for use; one who is skilled in metallurgy.

METALLURGY Met"al*lur`gy, n. Etym: [F. métallurgie, fr. L. metallum metal, Gr. Metal, and Work.]

Defn: The art of working metals, comprehending the whole process of separating them from other matters in the ore, smelting, refining, and parting them; sometimes, in a narrower sense, only the process of extracting metals from their ores.

METALMAN Met"al*man, n.; pl. Metalmen (.

Defn: A worker in metals.

METALOGICAL Met`a*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Beyond the scope or province of logic.

METALORGANIC Met`al*or*gan"ic, a. Etym: [Metal, L. metallum + E. organic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of a series of compounds of certain metallic elements with organic radicals; as, zinc methyl, sodium ethyl, etc. [Written also metallorganic.]

METAMER Met"a*mer, n. Etym: [See Metamere.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of several metameric forms of the same substance, or of different substances having the same composition; as, xylene has three metamers, viz., orthoxylene, metaxylene, and paraxylene.

METAMERE Met"a*mere, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + -mere.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of successive or homodynamous parts in animals and plants; one of a series of similar parts that follow one another in a vertebrate or articulate animal, as in an earthworm; a segment; a somite. See Illust. of Loeven's larva.

METAMERIC Met`a*mer"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + Gr.

1. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the same elements united in the same proportion by weight, and with the same molecular weight, but possessing a different structure and different properties; as, methyl ether and ethyl alcohol are metameric compounds. See Isomeric.

Note: The existence of metameric compounds is due to the different arrangement of the same constituents in the molecule.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a metamere or its formation; as, metameric segmentation.

METAMERICALLY Met`a*mer"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metameric manner.

METAMERISM Me*tam"er*ism, n.

1. (Biol.)

Defn: The symmetry of a metameric structure; serial symmetry; the state of being made up of metameres.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: The state or quality of being metameric; also, the relation or condition of metameric compounds.

METAMORPHIC Met`a*mor"phic, a. Etym: [See Metamorphosis.]

1. Subject to change; changeable; variable.

2. Causing a change of structure.

3. (Geol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, produced by, or exhibiting, certain changes which minerals or rocks may have undergone since their original deposition; — especially applied to the recrystallization which sedimentary rocks have undergone through the influence of heat and pressure, after which they are called metamorphic rocks.

METAMORPHISM Met`a*mor"phism, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The state or quality of being metamorphic; the process by which the material of rock masses has been more or less recrystallized by heat, pressure, etc., as in the change of sedimentary limestone to marble. Murchison.

METAMORPHIST Met`a*mor"phist, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: One who believes that the body of Christ was merged into the Deity when he ascended.

METAMORPHIZE Met`a*mor"phize, v. t.

Defn: To metamorphose.

METAMORPHOSE Met`a*mor"phose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metamorphosed; p. pr. & vb. n. Metamorphosing.] Etym: [Cf. F. métamorphoser.]

Defn: To change into a different form; to transform; to transmute. And earth was metamorphosed into man. Dryden.

METAMORPHOSE Met`a*mor"phose, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métamorphose. See Metamorphosis.]

Defn: Same as Metamorphosis.

METAMORPHOSER Met`a*mor"pho*ser, n.

Defn: One who metamorphoses. [R.] Gascoigne.

METAMORPHOSIC Met`a*mor"pho*sic, a.

Defn: Changing the form; transforming. [R.] Pownall.

METAMORPHOSIS Met`a*mor"pho*sis, n.; pl. Metamorphoses. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. Change of form, or structure; transformation.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: A change in the form or function of a living organism, by a natural process of growth or development; as, the metamorphosis of the yolk into the embryo, of a tadpole into a frog, or of a bud into a blossom. Especially, that form of sexual reproduction in which an embryo undergoes a series of marked changes of external form, as the chrysalis stage, pupa stage, etc., in insects. In these intermediate stages sexual reproduction is usually impossible, but they ultimately pass into final and sexually developed forms, from the union of which organisms are produced which pass through the same cycle of changes. See Transformation.

3. (Physiol.)

Defn: The change of material of one kind into another through the agency of the living organism; metabolism. Vegetable metamorphosis (Bot.), the doctrine that flowers are homologous with leaf buds, and that the floral organs are transformed leaves.

METANAUPLIUS Met`a*nau"pli*us, n. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and Nauplius.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A larval crustacean in a stage following the nauplius, and having about seven pairs of appendages.

METANEPHRITIC Met`a*ne*phrit"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metanephros.

METANEPHROS Met`a*neph"ros, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The most posterior of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in many vertebrates.

METANOTUM Met`a*no"tum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The dorsal portion of the metaphorax of insects.

METANTIMONATE Met`an*ti*mo"nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metantimonic acid.

METANTIMONIC Met`an*ti*mon"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. met- + antimonic.] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid (formerly called antimonic acid) analogous to metaphosphoric acid, and obtained as a white amorphous insoluble substance, (HSbO3). (b) Formerly, designating an acid, which is now properly called pyroantimonic acid, and analogous to pyrophosphoric acid.

METAPECTIC Met`a*pec"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + pectic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a supposed acid obtained from pectin.

METAPECTIN Met`a*pec"tin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A substance obtained from, and resembling, pectin, and occurring in overripe fruits.

METAPEPTONE Met`a*pep"tone, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + peptone.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: An intermediate product formed in the gastric digestion of albuminous matter.

METAPHOR Met"a*phor, n. Etym: [F. métaphore, L. metaphora, fr. Gr. meta` beyond, over + fe`rein to bring, bear.] (Rhet.)

Defn: The transference of the relation between one set of objects to another set for the purpose of brief explanation; a compressed simile; e. g., the ship plows the sea. Abbott & Seeley. "All the world's a stage." Shak.

Note: The statement, "that man is a fox," is a metaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a simile, similitude, or comparison.

METAPHORIC; METAPHORICAL Met`a*phor"ic, Met`a*phor"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. métaphorique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metaphor; comprising a metaphor; not literal; figurative; tropical; as, a metaphorical expression; a metaphorical sense. — Met`a*phor"ic*al*ly, adv. — Met`a*phor"ic*al*ness, n.

METAPHORIST Met"a*phor*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes metaphors.

METAPHOSPHATE Met`a*phos"phate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metaphosphoric acid.

METAPHOSPHORIC Met`a*phos*phor"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + phosphoric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a monobasic acid, HPO3, analogous to nitric acid, and, by heating phosphoric acid, obtained as a crystalline substance, commonly called glacial phosphoric acid.

METAPHRASE Met"a*phrase, n. Etym: [Gr. meta`frasis, from metafrazein to paraphrase; meta` beyond, over + fra`zein to speak: cf. F. métaphrase.]

1. A verbal translation; a version or translation from one language into another, word for word; — opposed to paraphrase. Dryden.

2. An answering phrase; repartee. Mrs. Browning.

METAPHRASED Met"a*phrased, a.

Defn: Translated literally.

METAPHRASIS Me*taph"ra*sis, n. Etym: [NL. See Metaphrase.]

Defn: Metaphrase.

METAPHRAST Met"a*phrast, n. Etym: [Gr. métaphraste.]

Defn: A literal translator.

METAPHRASTIC; METAPHRASTICAL Met`a*phras"tic, Met`a*phras"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Close, or literal.

METAPHYSIC Met`a*phys"ic, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysique.]

Defn: See Metaphysics.

METAPHYSIC Met`a*phys"ic, a.

Defn: Metaphysical.

METAPHYSICAL Met`a*phys"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysique. See Metaphysics.]

1. Of or pertaining to metaphysics.

2. According to rules or principles of metaphysics; as, metaphysical reasoning.

3. Preternatural or supernatural. [Obs.] The golden round *Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. Shak.

METAPHYSICALLY Met`a*phys"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of metaphysical science, or of a metaphysician. South.

METAPHYSICIAN Met`a*phy*si"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métaphysicien.]

Defn: One who is versed in metaphysics.

METAPHYSICS Met`a*phys"ics, n. Etym: [Gr. métaphysique. See Physics. The term was first used by the followers of Aristotle as a name for that part of his writings which came after, or followed, the part which treated of physics.]

1. The science of real as distinguished from phenomenal being; ontology; also, the science of being, with reference to its abstract and universal conditions, as distinguished from the science of determined or concrete being; the science of the conceptions and relations which are necessarily implied as true of every kind of being; phylosophy in general; first principles, or the science of first principles.

Note: Metaphysics is distinguished as general and special. General metaphysics is the science of all being as being. Special metaphysics is the science of one kind of being; as, the metaphysics of chemistry, of morals, or of politics. According to Kant, a systematic exposition of those notions and truths, the knowledge of which is altogether independent of experience, would constitute the science of metaphysics. Commonly, in the schools, called metaphysics, as being part of the philosophy of Aristotle, which hath that for title; but it is in another sense: for there it signifieth as much as "books written or placed after his natural philosophy." But the schools take them for "books of supernatural philosophy;" for the word metaphysic will bear both these senses. Hobbes. Now the science conversant about all such inferences of unknown being from its known manifestations, is called ontology, or metaphysics proper. Sir W. Hamilton. Metaphysics are [is] the science which determines what can and what can not be known of being, and the laws of being, a priori. Coleridge.

2. Hence: The scientific knowledge of mental phenomena; mental philosophy; psychology. Metaphysics, in whatever latitude the term be taken, is a science or complement of sciences exclusively occupied with mind. Sir W. Hamilton. Whether, after all, A larger metaphysics might not help Our physics. Mrs. Browning.

METAPHYSIS Me*taph"y*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: Change of form; transformation.

METAPLASM Met"a*plasm, n. Etym: [L. metaplasmus, Gr. métaplasme.] (Gram.)

Defn: A change in the letters or syllables of a word.

METAPLAST Met"a*plast, n. Etym: [See Metaplasm.] (Gram.)

Defn: A word having more than one form of the root.

METAPODE Met"a*pode, n. Etym: [NL. metapodium, from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The posterior division of the foot in the Gastropoda and Pteropoda.

METAPODIAL Met`a*po"di*al, a. (Anat.)

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

METAPODIALE Met`a*po`di*a"le, n.; pl. Metapodialia. Etym: [NL. See Metapode.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the bones of either the metacarpus or metatarsus.

METAPODIUM Met`a*po"di*um, n.; pl. Metapodia. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Metapode.

METAPOPHYSIS Met`a*poph"y*sis, n.; pl. Metapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: A tubercle projecting from the anterior articular processes of some vertebræ; a mammillary process.

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

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

METASILICATE Met`a*sil"i*cate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metasilicic acid.

METASILICIC Met`a*si*lic"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + silicic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Designating an acid derived from silicic acid by the removal of water; of or pertaining to such an acid.

Note: The salts of metasilicic acid are often called bisilicates, in mineralogy, as Wollastonite (CaSiO3). Metasilicic acid (Chem.), a gelatinous substance, or white amorphous powder, analogous to carbonic acid, and forming many stable salts.

METASOMATISM Met`a*so"ma*tism, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: An alteration in a mineral or rock mass when involving a chemical change of the substance, as of chrysolite to serpentine; — opposed to ordinary metamorphism, as implying simply a recrystallization. — Met`a*so*mat"ic, a.

METASOME Met"a*some, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + -some body.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the component segments of the body of an animal.

METASTANNATE Met`a*stan"nate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metastannic acid.

METASTANNIC Met`a*stan"nic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a compound of tin (metastannic acid), obtained, as an isomeric modification of stannic acid, in the form of a white amorphous substance.

METASTASIS Me*tas"ta*sis, n.; pl. Metastases. Etym: [L., transition, fr. Gr.

1. (Theol.)

Defn: A spiritual change, as during baptism.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A change in the location of a disease, as from one part to another. Dunglison.

3. (Physiol.)

Defn: The act or process by which matter is taken up by cells or tissues and is transformed into other matter; in plants, the act or process by which are produced all of those chemical changes in the constituents of the plant which are not accompanied by a production of organic matter; metabolism.

METASTATIC Met`a*stat"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or caused by, metastasis; as, a metastatic abscess; the metastatic processes of growth.

METASTERNAL Met`a*ster"nal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metasternum.

METASTERNUM Met`a*ster"num, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + sternum.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The most posterior element of the sternum; the ensiform process; xiphisternum.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The ventral plate of the third or last segment of the thorax of insects.

METASTOMA; METASTOME Me*tas"to*ma, Met"a*stome, n. Etym: [NL. metastoma, from Gr. meta` behind + sto`ma mouth.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A median elevation behind the mouth in the arthropods.

METATARSAL Met`a*tar"sal, a. (Anat.)

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

Defn: A metatarsal bone.

METATARSE Met"a*tarse, n. (Anat.)

Defn: Metatarsus.

METATARSUS Met`a*tar"sus, n.; pl. Metatarsi. Etym: [NL. See Meta-, and Tarsus.] (Anat.)

Defn: That part of the skeleton of the hind or lower limb between the tarsus and phalanges; metatarse. It consists, in the human foot, of five bones. See Illustration in Appendix.

METATE Me*ta"te, n. [Sp., fr. Mex. metlatl.]

Defn: A flat or somewhat hollowed stone upon which grain or other food is ground, by means of a smaller stone or pestle. [Southwestern U. S. & Sp. Amer.]

METATHESIS Me*tath"e*sis, n.; pl. Metatheses (. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for meager.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt.

METATHETIC; METATHETICAL Met`a*thet"ic, Met`a*thet"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to metathesis.

METATHORACIC Met`a*tho*rac"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the metathorax.

METATHORAX Met`a*tho"rax, n. Etym: [NL.: cf. F. métathorax. See Meta-, and Thorax.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The last or posterior segment of the thorax in insects. See Illust. of Coleoptera.

METATITANIC Met`a*ti*tan"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + titanic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid of titanium analogous to metasilicic acid.

METATUNGSTATE Met`a*tung"state, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metatungstic acid.

METATUNGSTIC Met`a*tung"stic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + tungstic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid known only in its salts (the metatungstates) and properly called polytungstic, or pyrotungstic, acid.

METAVANADATE Met`a*van"a*date, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of metavanadic acid.

METAVANADIC Met`a*va*nad"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. meta- + vanadic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a vanadic acid analogous to metaphosphoric acid.

METAXYLENE Met`a*xy"lene, n. Etym: [Pref. meta- + xylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: That variety of xylene, or dimethyl benzene, in which the two methyl groups occupy the meta position with reference to each other. It is a colorless inf

METAYAGE Mé`ta`yage", n. Etym: [F. See Métayer.]

Defn: A system of farming on halves. [France & Italy]

METAYER Mé`ta`yer" (F. ; E. ), n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. medietarius, fr. L. medius middle, half. See Mid, a.]

Defn: One who cultivates land for a share (usually one half) of its yield, receiving stock, tools, and seed from the landlord. [France & Italy] Milman.

METAZOA Met`a*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Those animals in which the protoplasmic mass, constituting the egg, is converted into a multitude of cells, which are metamorphosed into the tissues of the body. A central cavity is commonly developed, and the cells around it are at first arranged in two layers, — the ectoderm and endoderm. The group comprises nearly all animals except the Protozoa.

METAZOAN Met`a*zo"an, n.; pl. Metazoans (. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Metazoa.

METAZOIC Met`a*zo"ic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Metazoa.

METAZOON; METAZOOEN Met`a*zo"ön, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Metazoa.

METE Mete, n.

Defn: Meat. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METE Mete, v. t. & i.

Defn: To meet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METE Mete, v. i. & t. [imp. Mette; p. p. Met.] Etym: [AS. m.]

Defn: To dream; also impersonally; as, me mette, I dreamed. [Obs.] "I mette of him all night." Chaucer.

METE Mete, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Meted; p. pr. & vb. n. Meting.] Etym: [AS. metan; akin to D. meten, G. messen, OHG. mezzan, Icel. meta, Sw. mäta, Goth. mitan, L. modus measure, moderation, modius a corn measure, Gr. measure, L. metiri to measure; cf. Skr. ma to measure. sq. root99. Cf. Measure, Meet, a., Mode.]

Defn: To find the quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by any rule or standard; to measure.

METE Mete, v. i.

Defn: To measure. [Obs.] Mark iv. 24.

METE Mete, n. Etym: [AS. met. See Mete to measure.]

Defn: Measure; limit; boundary; — used chiefly in the plural, and in the phrase metes and bounds.

METECORN Mete"corn`, n.

Defn: A quantity of corn formerly given by the lord to his customary tenants, as an encouragement to, or reward for, labor and faithful service.

METELY Mete"ly, a.

Defn: According to measure or proportion; proportionable; proportionate. [Obs.]

METEMPIRIC; METEMPIRICAL Met`em*pir"ic, Met`em*pir"ic*al, a. Etym: [Pref. met- + empiric, - ical.] (Metaph.)

Defn: Related, or belonging, to the objects of knowledge within the province of metempirics. If then the empirical designates the province we include within the range of science, the province we exclude may be fitly styled the metempirical. G. H. Lewes.

METEMPIRICISM Met*em*pir"i*cism, n.

Defn: The science that is concerned with metempirics.

METEMPIRICS Met`em*pir"ics, n.

Defn: The concepts and relations which are conceived as beyond, and yet as related to, the knowledge gained by experience.

METEMPSYCHOSE Me*temp"sy*chose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Metempsychosed; p. pr. & vb. n. Metempsychosing.] Etym: [See Metempsychosis.]

Defn: To translate or transfer, as the soul, from one body to another. [R.] Peacham.

METEMPSYCHOSIS Me*temp`sy*cho"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Psychology.]

Defn: The passage of the soul, as an immortal essence, at the death of the animal body it had inhabited, into another living body, whether of a brute or a human being; transmigration of souls. Sir T. Browne.

METEMPTOSIS Met`emp*to"sis, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Chron.)

Defn: The suppression of a day in the calendar to prevent the date of the new moon being set a day too late, or the suppression of the bissextile day once in 134 years. The opposite to this is the proemptosis, or the addition of a day every 330 years, and another every 2,400 years.

METENCEPHALON Met`en*ceph"a*lon, n. Etym: [Met- + encephalon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The posterior part of the brain, including the medulla; the afterbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to meten.

METENSOMATOSIS Met`en*so`ma*to"sis, n. Etym: [L., a change of body (by the soul), fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The assimilation by one body or organism of the elements of another.

METEOR Me"te*or, n. Etym: [F. météore, Gr.

1. Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc. Hail, an ordinary meteor. Bp. Hall.

2. Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region. The vaulty top of heaven Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak.

Note: The term is especially applied to fireballs, and the masses of stone or other substances which sometimes fall to the earth; also to shooting stars and to ignes fatui. Meteors are often classed as: aerial meteors, winds, tornadoes, etc.; aqueous meteors, rain, hail, snow, dew, etc.; luminous meteors, rainbows, halos, etc.; and igneous meteors, lightning, shooting stars, and the like.

METEORIC Me`te*or"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. météorique.]

1. Of or pertaining to a meteor, or to meteors; atmospheric, as, meteoric phenomena; meteoric stones.

2. Influenced by the weather; as, meteoric conditions.

3. Flashing; brilliant; transient; like a meteor; as, meteoric fame. "Meteoric politician." Craik. Meteoric iron, Meteoric stone. (Min.) See Meteorite. — Meteoric paper, a substance of confervoid origin found floating in the air, and resembling bits of coarse paper; — so called because formerly supposed to fall from meteors. — Meteoric showers, periodical exhibitions of shooting stars, occuring about the 9th or 10th of August and 13th of November, more rarely in April and December, and also at some other periods.

METEORICAL Me`te*or"ic*al, a.

Defn: Meteoric.

METEORISM Me"te*or*ism, n. (Med.)

Defn: Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites.

METEORITE Me"te*or*ite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. météorite.] (Min.)

Defn: A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an aërolite.

Note: Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanstätten figures. 2. Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron (meteoric stone, sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron (asiderite).

METEORIZE Me"te*or*ize, v. i. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor. Evelyn.

METEOROGRAPH Me`te*or"o*graph, n. Etym: [Meteor + -graph.]

Defn: An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions.

METEOROGRAPHIC Me`te*or`o*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to meteorography.

METEOROGRAPHY Me`te*or*og"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Meteor + -graphy.]

Defn: The registration of meteorological phenomena.

METEOROID Me"te*or*oid, n. Etym: [Meteor + -oid.] (Astron.)

Defn: A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor. These bodies [small, solid bodies] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids. H. A. Newton.

METEOROIDAL Me`te*or*oid"al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids.

METEOROLITE Me`te*or"o*lite, n. Etym: [Meteor + -lite : cf. F. météorolithe.]

Defn: A meteoric stone; an aërolite; a meteorite.

METEOROLOGIC; METEOROLOGICAL Me`te*or`o*log"ic, Me`te*or`o*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. météorologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology. Meteorological table, Meteorological register, a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc.

METEOROLOGIST Me`te*or*ol"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. météorologiste.]

Defn: A person skilled in meteorology.

METEOROLOGY Me`te*or*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. météorologie. See Meteor.]

Defn: The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc.

METEOROMANCY Me`te*or"o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Meteor + -mancy : cf. F. météoromancie.]

Defn: A species of divination by meteors, chiefly by thunder and lightning, which was held in high estimation by the Romans.

METEOROMETER Me`te*or*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Meteor + -meter.]

Defn: An apparatus which transmits automatically to a central station atmospheric changes as marked by the anemometer, barometer, thermometer, etc.

METEOROSCOPE Me`te*or"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. météoroscope. See Meteor.] (Astron.) (a) An astrolabe; a planisphere. [Obs.] (b) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction, of the apparent path of a shooting star.

METEOROUS Me*te"o*rous ( or ), a. Etym: [See Meteor.]

Defn: Of the nature or appearance of a meteor.

-METER -me"ter. Etym: [L. metrum measure, or the allied Gr. Meter rhythm.]

Defn: A suffix denoting that by which anything is measured; as, barometer, chronometer, dynamometer.

METER Me"ter, n. Etym: [From Mete to measure.]

1. One who, or that which, metes or measures. See Coal-meter.

2. An instrument for measuring, and usually for recording automatically, the quantity measured. Dry meter, a gas meter having measuring chambers, with flexible walls, which expand and contract like bellows and measure the gas by filling and emptying. — W, a gas meter in which the revolution of a chambered drum in water measures the gas passing through it.

METER Me"ter, n.

Defn: A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.

METER; METRE Me"ter, Me"tre, n. Etym: [OE. metre, F. mètre, L. metrum, fr. Gr. ma to measure. See Mete to measure.]

1. Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements; as, the Horatian meters; a dactylic meter. The only strict antithesis to prose is meter. Wordsworth.

2. A poem. [Obs.] Robynson (More's Utopia).

3. A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See Metric system, under Metric. Common meter (Hymnol.), four iambic verses, or lines, making a stanza, the first and third having each four feet, and the second and fourth each three feet; — usually indicated by the initials C.M. — Long meter (Hymnol.), iambic verses or lines of four feet each, four verses usually making a stanza; — commonly indicated by the initials L.M. — Short meter (Hymnol.), iambic verses or lines, the first, second, and fourth having each three feet, and the third four feet. The stanza usually consists of four lines, but is sometimes doubled. Short meter is indicated by the initials S.M.

METERAGE Me"ter*age, n. Etym: [See 1st Meter.]

Defn: The act of measuring, or the cost of measuring.

METERGRAM Me"ter*gram`, n. (Mech.)

Defn: A measure of energy or work done; the power exerted in raising one gram through the distance of one meter against gravitation.

METEWAND Mete"wand`, n. Etym: [Mete to measure + wand.]

Defn: A measuring rod. Ascham.

METEYARD Mete"yard`, n. Etym: [AS. metgeard. See Mete to measure, and Yard stick.]

Defn: A yard, staff, or rod, used as a measure. [Obs.] Shak.

METH Meth, n.

Defn: See Meathe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

METHAEMOGLOBIN Met`hæm*o*glo"bin ( or ), n. Etym: [Pref. met- + h.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A stable crystalline compound obtained by the decomposition of hemoglobin. It is found in old blood stains.

METHAL Meth"al, n. Etym: [Myristic + ether + alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white waxy substance, found in small quantities in spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

METHANE Meth"ane, n. Etym: [See Methal.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH4; marsh gas. See Marsh gas, under Gas. Methane series (Chem.), a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series. The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.

METHANOMETER Meth`a*nom"e*ter, n. [Methane + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument, resembling a eudiometer, to detect the presence and amount of methane, as in coal mines.

METHEGLIN Me*theg"lin, n. Etym: [W. meddyglyn; medd mead + llyn liquor, juice. See Mead a drink.]

Defn: A fermented beverage made of honey and water; mead. Gay.

METHENE Meth"ene, n. Etym: [Methyl + ethylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: See Methylene.

METHENYL Meth"e*nyl, n. Etym: [Methene + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical hydrocarbon radical CH, regarded as an essential residue of certain organic compounds.

METHIDE Meth"ide ( or ), n. Etym: [See Methyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A binary compound of methyl with some element; as, aluminium methide, Al2(CH3)6.

METHINKS Me*thinks", v. impers. [imp. Methought.] Etym: [AS. þyncan to seem, me þynceedh, me þuhte, OE. me thinketh, me thoughte; akin to G. dünken to seem, denken to think, and E. think. See Me, and Think.]

Defn: It seems to me; I think. See Me. [R., except in poetry.] In all ages poets have been had in special reputation, and, methinks, not without great cause. Spenser.

METHIONATE Me*thi"on*ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of methionic acid.

METHIONIC Meth`i*on"ic, a. Etym: [Methyl + thionic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic (thionic) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH2.(SO3H)2, which forms well defined salts.

METHOD Meth"od, n. Etym: [F. méthode, L. methodus, fr. Gr. meqodos method, investigation following after; meta` after + "odo`s way.]

1. An orderly procedure or process; regular manner of doing anything; hence, manner; way; mode; as, a method of teaching languages; a method of improving the mind. Addison.

2. Orderly arrangement, elucidation, development, or classification; clear and lucid exhibition; systematic arrangement peculiar to an individual. Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. Shak. All method is a rational progress, a progress toward an end. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: Classification; a mode or system of classifying natural objects according to certain common characteristics; as, the method of Theophrastus; the method of Ray; the Linnæan method.

Syn. — Order; system; rule; regularity; way; manner; mode; course; process; means. — Method, Mode, Manner. Method implies arrangement; mode, mere action or existence. Method is a way of reaching a given end by a series of acts which tend to secmode relates to a single action, or to the form which a series of acts, viewed as a whole, exhibits. Manner is literally the handling of a thing, and has a wider sense, embracing both method and mode. An instructor may adopt a good method of teaching to write; the scholar may acquire a bad mode of holding his pen; the manner in which he is corrected will greatly affect his success or failure.

METHODIC; METHODICAL Me*thod"ic, Me*thod"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. methodicus, Gr. méthodique.]

1. Arranged with regard to method; disposed in a suitable manner, or in a manner to illustrate a subject, or to facilitate practical observation; as, the methodical arrangement of arguments; a methodical treatise. "Methodical regularity." Addison.

2. Proceeding with regard to method; systematic. "Aristotle, strict, methodic, and orderly." Harris.

3. Of or pertaining to the ancient school of physicians called methodists. Johnson. — Me*thod"ic*al*ly, adv. — Me*thod"ic*al*ness, n.

METHODIOS Me*thod"ios, n.

Defn: The art and principles of method.

METHODISM Meth"o*dism, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: The system of doctrines, polity, and worship, of the sect called Methodists. Bp. Warburton.

METHODIST Meth"o*dist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. méthodiste. See Method.]

1. One who observes method. [Obs.]

2. One of an ancient school of physicians who rejected observation and founded their practice on reasoning and theory. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Theol.)

Defn: One of a sect of Christians, the outgrowth of a small association called the "Holy Club," formed at Oxford University, A.D. 1729, of which the most conspicuous members were John Wesley and his brother Charles; — originally so called from the methodical strictness of members of the club in all religious duties.

4. A person of strict piety; one who lives in the exact observance of religious duties; — sometimes so called in contempt or ridicule.

METHODIST Meth"o*dist, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sect of Methodists; as, Methodist hymns; a Methodist elder.

METHODISTIC; METHODISTICAL Meth`o*dis"tic, Meth`o*dis"tic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to methodists, or to the Methodists. — Meth`o*dis"tic*al*ly, adv.

METHODIZATION Meth`od*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of methodizing, or the state of being methodized.

METHODIZE Meth"od*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Methodized; p. pr. & vb. n. Methodizing.]

Defn: To reduce to method; to dispose in due order; to arrange in a convenient manner; as, to methodize one's work or thoughts. Spectator.

METHODIZER Meth"od*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who methodizes.

METHODOLOGICAL Meth`od*o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to methodology.

METHODOLOGY Meth`od*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The science of method or arrangement; a treatise on method. Coleridge.

METHOL Meth"ol, n. Etym: [Gr. -ol.] (Chem.)

Defn: The technical name of methyl alcohol or wood spirit; also, by extension, the class name of any of the series of alcohols of the methane series of which methol proper is the type. See Methyl alcohol, under Methyl.

METHOUGHT Me*thought", imp.

Defn: of Methinks.

METHOXYL Meth*ox"yl, n. Etym: [Methyl + hydroxyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hypothetical radical, CH3O, analogous to hydroxyl.

METHYL Meth"yl, n. Etym: [See Methylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon radical, CH3, not existing alone but regarded as an essential residue of methane, and appearing as a component part of many derivatives; as, methyl alcohol, methyl ether, methyl amine, etc. [Formerly written also methule, methyle, etc.] Methyl alcohol (Chem.), a light, volatile, inflammable liquid, CH3.OH, obtained by the distillation of wood, and hence called wood spirit; — called also methol, carbinol, etc. — Methyl amine (Chem.), a colorless, inflammable, alkaline gas, CH3.NH2, having an ammoniacal, fishy odor. It is produced artificially, and also occurs naturally in herring brine and other fishy products. It is regarded as ammonia in which a third of its hydrogen is replaced by methyl, and is a type of the class of substituted ammonias. — Methyl ether (Chem.), a light, volatile ether CH3.O.CH3, obtained by the etherification of methyl alcohol; — called also methyl oxide. — Methyl green. (Chem.) See under Green, n. — Methyl orange. (Chem.) See Helianthin. — Methyl violet (Chem.), an artificial dye, consisting of certain methyl halogen derivatives of rosaniline.

METHYLAL Meth"yl*al, n. Etym: [Methylene + alcohol.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light, volatile liquid, H2C(OCH3)2, regarded as a complex ether, and having a pleasant ethereal odor. It is obtained by the partial oxidation of methyl alcohol. Called also formal.

METHYLAMINE Meth`yl*am"ine ( or ), n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Methyl amine, under Methyl.

METHYLATE Meth"yl*ate, n. Etym: [Methyl + alcoholate.] (Chem.)

Defn: An alcoholate of methyl alcohol in which the hydroxyl hydrogen is replaced by a metal, after the analogy of a hydrate; as, sodium methylate, CH3ONa.

METHYLATE Meth"yl*ate, v. t.

Defn: To impregnate or mix with methyl or methyl alcohol.

METHYLATED Meth"yl*a`ted, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Impregnated with, or containing, methyl alcohol or wood spirit; as, methylated spirits.

METHYLENE Meth"yl*ene, n. Etym: [F. méthylène, from Gr. wood spirit.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon radical, CH2, not known in the free state, but regarded as an essential residue and component of certain derivatives of methane; as, methylene bromide, CH2Br2; — formerly called also methene. Methylene blue (Chem.), an artificial dyestuff consisting of a complex sulphur derivative of diphenyl amine; — called also pure blue.

METHYLIC Me*thyl"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, methyl; specifically, designating methyl alcohol. See under Methyl.

METHYSTICIN Me*thys"ti*cin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white, silky, crystalline substance extracted from the thick rootstock of a species of pepper (Piper methysticum) of the South Sea Islands; — called also kanakin.

METIC Met"ic ( or ; 277), n. Etym: [Gr. metoecus, F. métèque.] (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A sojourner; an immigrant; an alien resident in a Grecian city, but not a citizen. Mitford. The whole force of Athens, metics as well as citizens, and all the strangers who were then in the city. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

METICULOUS Me*tic"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. meticulosus, fr. metus fear: cf. F. méticuleux.]

Defn: Timid; fearful. — Me*tic"u*lous*ly, adv.

METIER Mé`tier", n. [F.]

Defn: Calling; vocation; business; trade.

Not only is it the business of no one to preach the truth but it is the métier of many to conceal it. A. R. Colquhoun.

METIF; METIVE Mé`tif", n. m. Mé`tive", n. f.Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Métis.

METIS; METISSE Mé`tis", n. m. Mé`tisse", n. f.Etym: [F.; akin to Sp. mestizo. See Mestizo.]

1. The offspring of a white person and an American Indian.

2. The offspring of a white person and a quadroon; an octoroon. [Local, U. S.] Bartlett.

METOCHE Met"o*che, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Arch.) (a) The space between two dentils. (b) The space between two triglyphs.

METOL Me"tol, n. [G.; trade name, fr. meta- + kresol cresol.]

Defn: A whitish soluble powder used as a developer in photography. Chemically, it is the sulphate of methyl-p-amino-m-cresol.

METONIC Me*ton"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métonique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or discovered by, Meton, the Athenian. Metonic cycle or year. (Astron.) See under Cycle.

METONYMIC; METONYMICAL Met`o*nym"ic, Met`o*nym"ic*al, a. Etym: [See Metonymy.]

Defn: Used by way of metonymy. — Met`o*nym"ic*al*ly, adv.

METONYMY Me*ton"y*my, n. Etym: [L. metonymia, Gr. métonymie. See Name.] (Rhet.)

Defn: A trope in which one word is put for another that suggests it; as, we say, a man keeps a good table instead of good provisions; we read Virgil, that is, his poems; a man has a warm heart, that is, warm affections.

METOPE Met"o*pe, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. (Arch.)

Defn: The space between two triglyphs of the Doric frieze, which, among the ancients, was often adorned with carved work. See Illust. of Entablature.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The face of a crab.

Note: In the Parthenon, groups of centaurs and heroes in high relief occupy the metopes.

METOPIC Me*top"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the forehead or frontal bones; frontal; as, the metopic suture.

METOPOMANCY Met"o*po*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. -mancy.]

Defn: Fortune telling by physiognomy. [R.] Urquhart.

METOPOSCOPIC; METOPOSCOPICAL Met`o*po*scop"ic, Met`o*po*scop"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or relating to metoposcopy.

METOPOSCOPIST Met`o*pos"co*pist, n.

Defn: One versed in metoposcopy.

METOPOSCOPY Met`o*pos"co*py, n. Etym: [Gr. métoposcopie.]

Defn: The study of physiognomy; the art of discovering the character of persons by their features, or the lines of the face.

METOSTEON Me*tos"te*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The postero-lateral ossification in the sternum of birds; also, the part resulting from such ossification.

METRE Me"tre, n.

Defn: See Meter.

METRIC Met"ric, a. Etym: [L. metricus, Gr. métrique. See Meter rhythm.]

1. Relating to measurement; involving, or proceeding by, measurement.

2. Of or pertaining to the meter as a standard of measurement; of or pertaining to the decimal system of measurement of which a meter is the unit; as, the metric system; a metric measurement. Metric analysis (Chem.), analysis by volume; volumetric analysis. — Metric system, a system of weights and measures originating in France, the use of which is required by law in many countries, and permitted in many others, including the United States and England. The principal unit is the meter (see Meter). From this are formed the are, the liter, the stere, the gram, etc. These units, and others derived from them, are divided decimally, and larger units are formed from multiples by 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000. The successive multiplies are designated by the prefixes, deca-, hecto-, kilo-, and myria-; successive parts by deci-, centi-, and milli-. The prefixes mega- and micro- are sometimes used to denote a multiple by one million, and the millionth part, respectively. See the words formed with these prefixes in the Vocabulary. For metric tables, see p. 1682.

METRICAL Met"ric*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to the meter; arranged in meter; consisting of verses; as, metrical compositions.

2. Of or pertaining to measurement; as, the inch, foot, yard, etc., are metrical terms; esp., of or pertaining to the metric system.

METRICALLY Met"ric*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a metrical manner.

METRICIAN Me*tri"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métricien. See Meter rhythm.]

Defn: A composer of verses. [Obs.]

METRIC SYSTEM Met"ric sys"tem.

Defn: See Metric, a.

METRIC TON Met"ric ton.

Defn: A weight of 1,000 kilograms, or 2,204.6 pounds avoirdupois.

METRIFICATION Met`ri*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: Composition in metrical form; versification. [R.] Tennyson.

METRIFY Met"ri*fy, v. i. Etym: [L. metrum meter + -fy: cf. F. métrifier.]

Defn: To make verse. [R.] Skelton.

METRIST Me"trist, n.

Defn: A maker of verses. Bale. Spenser was no mere metrist, but a great composer. Lowell.

METRITIS Me*tri"tis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -tis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the womb.

METROCHROME Met"ro*chrome, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An instrument for measuring colors.

METROGRAPH Met"ro*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.]

Defn: An instrument attached to a locomotive for recording its speed and the number and duration of its stops.

METROLOGICAL Met`ro*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. métrologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to metrology.

METROLOGY Me*trol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -métrologie.]

Defn: The science of, or a system of, weights and measures; also, a treatise on the subject.

METROMANIA Met`ro*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [Gr. mania.]

Defn: A mania for writing verses.

METROMANIAC Met`ro*ma"ni*ac, n.

Defn: One who has metromania.

METROMETER Me*trom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Med.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the size of the womb. Knight.

METRONOME Met"ro*nome, n. Etym: [Gr. métronome, It. metronomo.]

Defn: An instrument consisting of a short pendulum with a sliding weight. It is set in motion by clockwork, and serves to measure time in music.

METRONOMY Me*tron"o*my, n. Etym: [See Metronome.]

Defn: Measurement of time by an instrument.

METRONYMIC Met`ro*nym"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Derived from the name of one's mother, or other female ancestor; as, a metronymic name or appellation. — A metronymic appellation.

METROPOLE Met"ro*pole, n. Etym: [Cf. F. métropole. See Metropolis.]

Defn: A metropolis. [Obs.] Holinshed.

METROPOLIS Me*trop"o*lis, n. Etym: [L. metropolis, Gr. Mother, and Police.]

1. The mother city; the chief city of a kingdom, state, or country. [Edinburgh] gray metropolis of the North. Tennyson.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: The seat, or see, of the metropolitan, or highest church dignitary. The great metropolis and see of Rome. Shak.

METROPOLITAN Met`ro*pol"i*tan, a. Etym: [L. metropolitanus: cf. F. métropolitain.]

1. Of or pertaining to the capital or principal city of a country; as, metropolitan luxury.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, a metropolitan or the presiding bishop of a country or province, his office, or his dignity; as, metropolitan authority. "Bishops metropolitan." Sir T. More.

METROPOLITAN Met`ro*pol"i*tan, n. Etym: [LL. metropolitanus.]

1. The superior or presiding bishop of a country or province.

2. (Lat. Church.)

Defn: An archbishop.

3. (Gr. Church)

Defn: A bishop whose see is civil metropolis. His rank is intermediate between that of an archbishop and a patriarch. Hook.

METROPOLITANATE Met`ro*pol"i*tan*ate, n.

Defn: The see of a metropolitan bishop. Milman.

METROPOLITE Me*trop"o*lite, n. Etym: [L. metropolita, Gr.

Defn: A metropolitan. Barrow.

METROPOLITICAL Met`ro*po*lit"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a metropolis; being a metropolis; metropolitan; as, the metropolitical chair. Bp. Hall.

METRORRHAGIA Met`ror*rha"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Profuse bleeding from the womb, esp. such as does not occur at the menstrual period.

METROSCOPE Met"ro*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope.]

Defn: A modification of the stethoscope, for directly auscultating the uterus from the vagina.