M M (em). (continued 9)
Reading edition
1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals.
2. A mine. [Obs.] Shak.
3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
MINERAL Min"er*al, a.
1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.
2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. Mineral acids (Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids. — Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes. — Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine. — Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. See Caoutchouc, and Elaterite. — Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon. — Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal. — Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below). — Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite. — Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as distinguished from plants or animals. — Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum. — Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher. — Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt. — Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land. — Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid. — Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty or spermaceti-like appearance. — Mineral water. See under Water. — Mineral wax. See Ozocerite. — Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor conductor of heat.
MINERALIST Min"er*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliste.]
Defn: One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [R.]
MINERALIZATION Min`er*al*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralisation.]
1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant.
2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature.
MINERALIZE Min"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mineralized; p. pr. & vb. n. Mineralizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliser.]
1. To transform into a mineral. In these caverns the bones are not mineralized. Buckland.
2. To impregnate with a mineral; as, mineralized water.
MINERALIZE Min"er*al*ize, v. i.
Defn: To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize.
MINERALIZER Min"er*al*i`zer, n.
Defn: An element which is combined with a metal, thus forming an ore. Thus, in galena, or lead ore, sulphur is a mineralizer; in hematite, oxygen is a mineralizer.
MINERALOGICAL Min`er*al*og"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogique. See Mineralogy.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to mineralogy; as, a mineralogical table.
MINERALOGICALLY Min`er*al*og"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: According to the principles of, or with reference to, mineralogy.
MINERALOGIST Min`er*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogiste.]
1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A carrier shell (Phorus).
MINERALOGIZE Min`er*al"o*gize, v. i.
Defn: To study mineralogy by collecting and examining minerals. Miss Edgeworth.
MINERALOGY Min`er*al"o*gy, n.; pl. Mineralogies. Etym: [Mineral + -logy: cf. F. minéralogie.]
1. The science which treats of minerals, and teaches how to describe, distinguish, and classify them.
2. A treatise or book on this science.
MINERVA Mi*ner"va, n. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Myth.)
Defn: The goddess of wisdom, of war, of the arts and sciences, of poetry, and of spinning and weaving; — identified with the Grecian Pallas Athene.
MINETTE Mi*nette", n.
Defn: The smallest of regular sizes of portrait photographs.
MINEVER Min"e*ver, n.
Defn: Same as Miniver.
MINGE Minge, v. t. Etym: [AS. myngian; akin to E. mind.]
Defn: To mingle; to mix. [Obs.]
MINGE Minge, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. midge.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small biting fly; a midge. [Local, U. S.]
MINGLE Min"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mingled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mingling.] Etym: [From OE. mengen, AS. mengan; akin to D. & G. mengen, Icel. menga, also to E. among, and possibly to mix. Cf. Among, Mongrel.]
1. To mix; intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product; to confuse; to confound. There was… fire mingled with the hail. Ex. ix. 24.
2. To associate or unite in society or by ties of relationship; to cause or allow to intermarry; to intermarry. The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. Ezra ix. 2.
3. To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate. A mingled, imperfect virtue. Rogers.
4. To put together; to join. [Obs.] Shak.
5. To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of. [He] proceeded to mingle another draught. Hawthorne.
MINGLE Min"gle, v. i.
Defn: To become mixed or blended.
MINGLE Min"gle, n.
Defn: A mixture. [Obs.] Dryden.
MINGLEABLE Min"gle*a*ble, a.
Defn: That can be mingled. Boyle.
MINGLEDLY Min"gled*ly, adv.
Defn: Confusedly.
MINGLE-MANGLE Min"gle-man`gle, v. t. Etym: [Reduplicated fr. mingle.]
Defn: To mix in a disorderly way; to make a mess of. [Obs.] Udall.
MINGLE-MANGLE Min"gle-man`gle, n.
Defn: A hotchpotch. [Obs.] Latimer.
MINGLEMENT Min"gle*ment, n.
Defn: The act of mingling, or the state of being mixed.
MINGLER Min"gler, n.
Defn: One who mingles.
MINGLINGLY Min"gling*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mingling manner.
MINIACEOUS; MINACEOUS Min`i*a"ceous, a.
Defn: Of the color of minium or red lead; miniate.
MINIARD Min"iard, a.
Defn: Migniard. [Obs.]
MINIARDIZE Min"iard*ize, v. t.
Defn: To render delicate or dainty. [Obs.] Howell.
MINIATE Min"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Miniated; p. pr. & vb. n. Miniating.] Etym: [L. miniatus, p. p. of miniare. See Minium.]
Defn: To paint or tinge with red lead or vermilion; also, to decorate with letters, or the like, painted red, as the page of a manuscript. T. Wharton.
MINIATE Min"i*ate, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the color of red lead or vermilion; painted with vermilion.
MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, n. Etym: [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.]
1. Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.
2. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
3. Lettering in red; rubric distinction. [Obs.]
4. A particular feature or trait. [Obs.] Massinger.
MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, a.
Defn: Being on a small; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.
MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, v. t.
Defn: To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.
MINIATURIST Min"i*a*tur`ist, n.
Defn: A painter of miniatures.
MINIBUS Min"i*bus, n. Etym: [L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus.]
Defn: A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying four persons.
MINIE BALL Min"ie ball`. Etym: [From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.]
Defn: A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.
MINIE RIFLE Min"ie ri"fle.
Defn: A rifle adapted to minie balls.
MINIFY Min"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minified; p. pr. & vb. n. Minifying.] Etym: [L. minor less + -fly.]
1. To make small, or smaller; to diminish the apparent dimensions of; to lessen.
2. To degrade by speech or action.
MINIKIN Min"i*kin, n. Etym: [OD. minneken a darling, dim. of minne love; akin to G. minne, and to E. mind.]
1. A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.
2. A little pin. [Obs.]
MINIKIN Min"i*kin, a.
Defn: Small; diminutive. Shak.
MINIM Min"im, n. Etym: [F. minime, L. minimus the least, smallest, a superl. of minor: cf. It. minima a note in music. See Minor, and cf. Minimum.]
1. Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; — applied to animalcula; and the like.
2. The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.]
4. A little man or being; a dwarf. [Obs.] Milton.
5. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of an austere order of mendicant hermits of friars founded in the 15th century by St. Francis of Paola.
6. (Mus.)
Defn: A time note, formerly the shortest in use; a half note, equal to half a semibreve, or two quarter notes or crotchets.
7. A short poetical encomium. [Obs.] Spenser.
MINIM Min"im, a.
Defn: Minute. "Minim forms." J. R. Drake.
MINIMAL Min"i*mal, a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or having a character of, a minim or minimum; least; smallest; as, a minimal amount or value.
MINIMENT Min"i*ment, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. of moniment.]
Defn: A trifle; a trinket; a token. [Obs.] Spenser.
MINIMIZATION Min`i*mi*za"tion, n.
Defn: The act or process of minimizing. Bentham.
MINIMIZE Min"i*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minimized; p. pr. & vb. n. Minimizing.]
Defn: To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum. Bentham.
MINIMUM Min"i*mum, n.; pl. Minima. Etym: [L., fr. minimus. See Minim.]
Defn: The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; — opposed to Ant: maximum.
MINIMUM THERMOMETER Minimum thermometer
Defn: , a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment.
MINIMUS Min"i*mus, n.; pl. Minimi. Etym: [L. See Minim.]
1. A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: The little finger; the fifth digit, or that corresponding to it, in either the manus or pes.
MINING Min"ing, n. Etym: [See Mine, v. i.]
Defn: The act or business of making mines or of working them.
MINING Min"ing, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to mines; as, mining engineer; mining machinery; a mining region. Mining engineering. See the Note under Engineering.
MINION Min"ion, n.
Defn: Minimum. [Obs.] Burton.
MINION Min"ion, n. Etym: [F. mignon, fr. OHG. minni love, G. minne; akin to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Mignonette.]
1. A loved one; one highly esteemed and favored; — in a good sense. [Obs.] God's disciple and his dearest minion. Sylvester. Is this the Athenian minion whom the world Voiced so regardfully Shak.
2. An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.
3. (Print.)
Defn: A small kind of type, in size between brevier and nonpareil. This line is printed in minion type.
4. An ancient form of ordnance, the caliber of which was about three inches. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
MINION Min"ion, a. Etym: [See 2d Minion.]
Defn: Fine; trim; dainty. [Obs.] "Their… minion dancing." Fryth.
MINIONETTE Min`ion*ette", a.
Defn: Small; delicate. [Obs.] "His minionette face." Walpole.
MINIONETTE Min"ion*ette, n. (Print.)
Defn: A size of type between nonpareil and minion; — used in ornamental borders, etc.
MINIONING Min"ion*ing, n.
Defn: Kind treatment. [Obs.]
MINIONIZE Min"ion*ize, v. t.
Defn: To flavor. [Obs.]
MINIONLIKE; MINIONLY Min"ion*like`, Min"ion*ly, a. & adv.
Defn: Like a minion; daintily. Camden.
MINIONSHIP Min"ion*ship, n.
Defn: State of being a minion. [R.]
MINIOUS Min"ious, a. Etym: [L. minium red lead.]
Defn: Of the color of red or vermilion. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
MINISH Min"ish, v. t. Etym: [OE. menusen, F. menuiser to make small, cut small, fr. (assumed) LL. minutiare, for minutare, fr. L. minutus small. See Minute, a., and cf. Diminish, Minge.]
Defn: To diminish; to lessen. The living of poor men thereby minished. Latimer.
MINISHMENT Min"ish*ment, n.
Defn: The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [Obs.]
MINISTER Min"is*ter, n. Etym: [OE. ministre, F. ministre, fr. L. minister, orig. a double comparative from the root of minor less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st Minor, and cf. Master, Minstrel.]
1. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument. Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. I chose Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes. Shak.
2. An officer of justice. [Obs.] I cry out the on the ministres, quod he, That shoulde keep and rule this cité. Chaucer.
3. One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs. Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon.
4. A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business.
Note: Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. "The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, — ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident." Abbott.
5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Addison.
Syn. — Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest.
MINISTER Min"is*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ministered; p. pr. & vb. n. Ministering.] Etym: [OE. ministren, OF. ministrer, fr. L. ministrare. See Minister, n.]
Defn: To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer. He that ministereth seed to the sower. 2 Cor. ix. 10. We minister to God reason to suspect us. Jer. Taylor.
MINISTER Min"is*ter, v. i.
1. To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Matt. xx. 28.
2. To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies. Matt. xxv. 44. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased Shak.
MINISTERIAL Min`is*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. ministerialis: cf. F. ministériel. See Minister, and cf. Minstrel.]
1. Of or pertaining to ministry or service; serving; attendant. Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames. Prior.
2. Of or pertaining to the office of a minister or to the ministry as a body, whether civil or sacerdotal. "Ministerial offices." Bacon. "A ministerial measure." Junius. "Ministerial garments." Hooker.
3. Tending to advance or promote; contributive. "Ministerial to intellectual culture." De Quincey. The ministerial benches, the benches in the House of Commons occupied by members of the cabinet and their supporters; — also, the persons occupying them. "Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches." Burke.
Syn. — Official; priestly; sacerdotal; ecclesiastical.
MINISTERIALIST Min`is*te"ri*al*ist, n.
Defn: A supporter of the ministers, or the party in power.
MINISTERIALLY Min`is*te"ri*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a ministerial manner; in the character or capacity of a minister.
MINISTERY Min"is*ter*y, n.
Defn: See Ministry. Milton.
MINISTRACY Min"is*tra*cy, n.
Defn: Ministration. [Obs.]
MINISTRAL Min"is*tral, a.
Defn: Ministerial. [Obs.] Johnson.
MINISTRANT Min"is*trant, a. Etym: [L. ministrans, -antis, of ministrare to minister.]
Defn: Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command; subordinate. "Princedoms and dominations ministrant." Milton. — n.
Defn: One who ministers.
MINISTRATION Min`is*tra"tion, n. Etym: [L. ministratio, fr. ministrare.]
Defn: The act of ministering; service; ministry. "The days of his ministration." Luke i. 23.
MINISTRATIVE Min"is*tra*tive, a.
Defn: Serving to aid; ministering.
MINISTRESS Min"is*tress, n. Etym: [Cf. L. ministrix.]
Defn: A woman who ministers. Akenside.
MINISTRY Min"is*try, n.; pl. Ministries. Etym: [L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade.]
1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. "With tender ministry." Thomson.
2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality. The ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. The wicked ministry of arms. Dryden.
3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession.
4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body.
5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt.
MINISTRYSHIP Min"is*try*ship, n.
Defn: The office of a minister. Swift.
MINIUM Min"i*um, n. Etym: [L. minium, an Iberian word, the Romans getting all their cinnabar from Spain; cf. Basque armineá.] (Chem.)
Defn: A heavy, brilliant red pigment, consisting of an oxide of lead, Pb3O4, obtained by exposing lead or massicot to a gentle and continued heat in the air. It is used as a cement, as a paint, and in the manufacture of flint glass. Called also red lead.
MINIVER Min"i*ver, n. Etym: [See Meniver.]
Defn: A fur esteemed in the Middle Ages as a part of costume. It is uncertain whether it was the fur of one animal only or of different animals.
MINIVET Min"i*vet, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A singing bird of India of the family Campephagidæ.
MINK Mink, n. Etym: [Cf. 2d Minx.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A carnivorous mammal of the genus Putorius, allied to the weasel. The European mink is Putorius lutreola. The common American mink (P. vison) varies from yellowish brown to black. Its fur is highly valued. Called also minx, nurik, and vison.
MINNESINGER Min"ne*sing`er, n. Etym: [G., fr. minne love + singen to sing.]
Defn: A love-singer; specifically, one of a class of German poets and musicians who flourished from about the middle of the twelfth to the middle of the fourteenth century. They were chiefly of noble birth, and made love and beauty the subjects of their verses.
MINNOW Min"now, n. Etym: [OE. menow, cf. AS. myne; also OE. menuse, OF. menuise small fish; akin to E. minish, minute.] [Written also minow.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Phoxinus lævis, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; — called also minim and minny. The name is also applied to several allied American species, of the genera Phoxinus, Notropis, or Minnilus, and Rhinichthys.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any of numerous small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and related genera. They live both in fresh and in salt water. Called also killifish, minny, and mummichog.mummichog
MINNY Min"ny, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A minnow.
MINO BIRD Mi"no bird". Etym: [Hind. maina.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: An Asiatic bird (Gracula musica), allied to the starlings. It is black, with a white spot on the wings, and a pair of flat yellow wattles on the head. It is often tamed and taught to pronounce words.
MINOR Mi"nor, a. Etym: [L., a comparative with no positive; akin to AS. min small, G. minder less, OHG. minniro, a., min, adv., Icel. minni, a., minnr, adv., Goth. minniza, a., mins, adv., Ir. & Gael. min small, tender, L. minuere to lessen, Gr. mi to damage. Cf. Minish, Minister, Minus, Minute.]
1. Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third. Asia Minor (Geog.), the Lesser Asia; that part of Asia which lies between the Euxine, or Black Sea, on the north, and the Mediterranean on the south. — Minor mode (Mus.), that mode, or scale, in which the third and sixth are minor, — much used for mournful and solemn subjects. — Minor orders (Eccl.), the rank of persons employed in ecclesiastical offices who are not in holy orders, as doorkeepers, acolytes, etc. — Minor scale (Mus.) The form of the minor scale is various. The strictly correct form has the third and sixth minor, with a semitone between the seventh and eighth, which involves an augmented second interval, or three semitones, between the sixth and seventh, as, 6/F, 7/G#, 8/A. But, for melodic purposes, both the sixth and the seventh are sometimes made major in the ascending, and minor in the descending, scale, thus: —See Major. — Minor term of syllogism (Logic), the subject of the conclusion.
MINOR Mi"nor, n.
1. A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age.
Note: In hereditary monarchies, the minority of a sovereign ends at an earlier age than of a subject. The minority of a sovereign of Great Britain ends upon the completion of the eighteenth year of his age.
2. (Logic)
Defn: The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.
3. A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.
MINORAT Mi`no*rat", n. [G. Cf. Minor, a.] (Law)
Defn: A custom or right, analogous to borough-English in England, formerly existing in various parts of Europe, and surviving in parts of Germany and Austria, by which certain entailed estates, as a homestead and adjacent land, descend to the youngest male heir.
MINORATE Mi"nor*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. minoratus; p. p. of minorare to diminish, fr. minor, a. See 1st Minor.]
Defn: To diminish. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
MINORATION Mi`nor*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. minoratio: cf. F. minoration.]
Defn: A diminution. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
MINORESS Mi"nor*ess, n.
Defn: See Franciscan Nuns, under Franciscan, a.
MINORITE Mi"nor*ite, n. Etym: [L. minor less. Cf. 2d Minor, 3.]
Defn: A Franciscan friar.
MINORITY Mi*nor"i*ty, n.; pl. Minorities. Etym: [Cf. F. minorité. See Minor, a. & n.]
1. The state of being a minor, or under age.
2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
3. The smaller number; — opposed to Ant: majority; as, the minority must be ruled by the majority.
MINOS Mi"nos, n. Etym: [Gr. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa. After death he was made a judge in the Lower Regions.
MINOTAUR Min"o*taur, n. Etym: [L. Minotaurus, Gr. Mi`nos, the husband of Pasiphaë + tay^ros a bull, the Minotaur being the offspring of Pasiphaë and a bull: cf. F. minotaure.] (Class. Myth.)
Defn: A fabled monster, half man and half bull, confined in the labyrinth constructed by Dædalus in Crete.
MINOW Min"ow, n.
Defn: See Minnow.
MINSTER Min"ster, n. Etym: [AS. mynster, fr. L. monasterium. See Monastery.] (Arch.)
Defn: A church of a monastery. The name is often retained and applied to the church after the monastery has ceased to exist (as Beverly Minster, Southwell Minster, etc.), and is also improperly used for any large church. Minster house, the official house in which the canons of a cathedral live in common or in rotation. Shipley.
MINSTREL Min"strel, n. Etym: [OE. minstrel, menestral, OF. menestrel, fr. LL. ministerialis servant, workman (cf. ministrellus harpist), fr. L. ministerium service. See Ministry, and cf. Ministerial.]
Defn: In the Middle Ages, one of an order of men who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music, and sang verses to the accompaniment of a harp or other instrument; in modern times, a poet; a bard; a singer and harper; a musician. Chaucer.
MINSTRELSY Min"strel*sy, n.
1. The arts and occupation of minstrels; the singing and playing of a minstrel.
2. Musical instruments. [Obs.] Chaucer.
3. A collective body of minstrels, or musicians; also, a collective body of minstrels' songs. Chaucer. "The minstrelsy of heaven." Milton.
MINT Mint, n. Etym: [AS. minte, fr. L. mentha, Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: The name of several aromatic labiate plants, mostly of the genus Mentha, yielding odoriferous essential oils by distillation. See Mentha.
Note: Corn mint is Mentha arvensis. — Horsemint is M. sylvestris, and in the United States Monarda punctata, which differs from the true mints in several respects. — Mountain mint is any species of the related genus Pycnanthemum, common in North America. — Peppermint is M. piperita. — Spearmint is M. viridis. — Water mint is M. aquatica. Mint camphor. (Chem.) See Menthol. — Mint julep. See Julep. — Mint sauce, a sauce flavored with spearmint, for meats.
MINT Mint, n. Etym: [AS. mynet money, coin, fr. L. moneta the mint, coined money, fr. Moneta, a surname of Juno, in whose at Rome money was coined; akin to monere to warn, admonish, AS. manian, and to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Money, Monition.]
1. A place where money is coined by public authority.
2. Hence: Any place regarded as a source of unlimited supply; the supply itself. A mint of phrases in his brain. Shak.
MINT Mint, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minted; p. pr. & vb. n. Minting.] Etym: [AS. mynetian.]
1. To make by stamping, as money; to coin; to make and stamp into money.
2. To invent; to forge; to fabricate; to fashion. Titles… of such natures as may be easily minted. Bacon. Minting mill, a coining press.
MINTAGE Mint"age, n.
1. The coin, or other production, made in a mint. Stamped in clay, a heavenly mintage. Sterling.
2. The duty paid to the mint for coining.
MINTER Mint"er, n.
Defn: One who mints.
MINTMAN Mint"man, n.; pl. Mintmen (.
Defn: One skilled in coining, or in coins; a coiner.
MINT-MASTER Mint"-mas`ter, n.
Defn: The master or superintendent of a mint. Also used figuratively.
MINT SAUCE Mint sauce.
1. A sauce of vinegar and sugar flavored with spearmint leaves.
2. Money. [Slang, Eng.]
MINUEND Min"u*end, n. Etym: [L. minuendus to be diminished, fr. minuere to lessen, diminish. See Minish.] (Arith.)
Defn: The number from which another number is to be subtracted.
MINUET Min"u*et, n. Etym: [F., fr. menu small, L. minutus small. So called on account of the short steps of the dance. See 4th Minute.]
1. A slow graceful dance consisting of a coupee, a high step, and a balance.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A tune or air to regulate the movements of the dance so called; a movement in suites, sonatas, symphonies, etc., having the dance form, and commonly in 3-4, sometimes 3-8, measure.
MINUM Min"um, n. Etym: [See 2d Minion, Minum, 6.] [Obs.]
1. A small kind of printing type; minion.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A minim.
MINUS Mi"nus, a. Etym: [L. See Minor, and cf. Mis- pref. from the French.] (Math.)
Defn: Less; requiring to be subtracted; negative; as, a minus quantity. Minus sign (Math.), the sign [-] denoting minus, or less, prefixed to negative quantities, or quantities to be subtracted. See Negative sign, under Negative.
MINUSCULE Mi*nus"cule, n. Etym: [L. minusculus rather small, fr. minus less: cf. F. minuscule.]
1. Any very small, minute object.
2. A small Roman letter which is neither capital nor uncial; a manuscript written in such letters. — a.
Defn: Of the size and style of minuscules; written in minuscules. These minuscule letters are cursive forms of the earlier uncials. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).
MINUTARY Min"u*ta*ry, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or consisting of, minutes. [Obs.] Fuller.
MINUTE Min"ute, n. Etym: [LL. minuta a small portion, small coin, fr. L. minutus small: cf. F. minute. See 4th Minute.]
1. The sixtieth part of an hour; sixty seconds. (Abbrev. m.; as, 4 h. 30 m.) Four minutes, that is to say, minutes of an hour. Chaucer.
2. The sixtieth part of a degree; sixty seconds (Marked thus (`); as, 10º 20`.)
3. A nautical or a geographic mile.
4. A coin; a half farthing. [Obs.] Wyclif (Mark xii. 42)
5. A very small part of anything, or anything very small; a jot; a tittle. [Obs.] Minutes and circumstances of his passion. Jer. Taylor.
6. A point of time; a moment. I go this minute to attend the king. Dryden.
7. The memorandum; a record; a note to preserve the memory of anything; as, to take minutes of a contract; to take minutes of a conversation or debate.
8. (Arch.)
Defn: A fixed part of a module. See Module.
Note: Different writers take as the minute one twelfth, one eighteenth, one thirtieth, or one sixtieth part of the module.
MINUTE Min"ute, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a minute or minutes; occurring at or marking successive minutes. Minute bell, a bell tolled at intervals of a minute, as to give notice of a death or a funeral. — Minute book, a book in which written minutes are entered. — Minute glass, a glass measuring a minute or minutes by the running of sand. — Minute gun, a discharge of a cannon repeated every minute as a sign of distress or mourning. — Minute hand, the long hand of a watch or clock, which makes the circuit of the dial in an hour, and marks the minutes.
MINUTE Min"ute, v. t. Etym: [imp. & p. p. Minuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Minuting.]
Defn: To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a minute or a brief summary of. The Empress of Russia, with her own hand, minuted an edict for universal tolerance. Bancroft.
MINUTE Mi*nute", a. Etym: [L. minutus, p. p. of minuere to lessen. See Minish, Minor, and cf. Menu, Minuet.]
1. Very small; little; tiny; fine; slight; slender; inconsiderable. "Minute drops." Milton.
2. Attentive to small things; paying attention to details; critical; particular; precise; as, a minute observer; minute observation.
Syn. — Little; diminutive; fine; critical; exact; circumstantial; particular; detailed. — Minute, Circumstantial, Particular. A circumstantial account embraces all the leading events; a particular account includes each event and movement, though of but little importance; a minute account goes further still, and omits nothing as to person, time, place, adjuncts, etc.
MINUTE-JACK Mi*nute"-jack`, n.
1. A figure which strikes the hour on the bell of some fanciful clocks; — called also jack of the clock house.
2. A timeserver; an inconstant person. Shak.
MINUTELY Mi*nute"ly, adv. Etym: [From 4th Minute.]
Defn: In a minute manner; with minuteness; exactly; nicely.
MINUTELY Min"ute*ly, a. Etym: [From 1st Minute.]
Defn: Happening every minute; continuing; unceasing. [Obs.] Throwing themselves absolutely upon God's minutely providence. Hammond.
MINUTELY Min"ute*ly, adv.
Defn: At intervals of a minute; very often and regularly. J. Philips. Minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven. Hammond.
MINUTEMAN Min"ute*man, n.; pl. Minutemen (.
Defn: A militiaman who was to be ready to march at a moment's notice; — a term used in the American Revolution.
MINUTENESS Mi*nute"ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being minute.
MINUTIA Mi*nu"ti*a, n.; pl. Minutiæ (-e). Etym: [L., fr. minutus small, minute. See 4th Minute.]
Defn: A minute particular; a small or minor detail; — used chiefly in the plural.
MINX Minx, n. Etym: [Prob. of Low German origin; cf. LG. minsk wench, jade, hussy, D. mensch; prop. the same word as D. & G. mensch man, human being, OHG. mennisco, AS. mennisc, fr. man. See Man.]
1. A pert or a wanton girl. Shak.
2. A she puppy; a pet dog. [Obs.] Udall.
MINX Minx, n. Etym: [See Mink.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The mink; — called also minx otter. [Obs.]
MINY Min"y, a.
Defn: Abounding with mines; like a mine. "Miny caverns." Thomson.
MINYAN Min*yan", n. (Jewish Relig.)
Defn: A quorum, or number necessary, for conducting public worship.
MIOCENE Mi"o*cene, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the middle division of the Tertiary. — n.
Defn: The Miocene period. See Chart of Geology.
MIOHIPPUS Mi`o*hip"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct Miocene mammal of the Horse family, closely related to the genus Anhithecrium, and having three usable hoofs on each foot.
MIQUELET Miq"ue*let, n. Etym: [Sp. miquelete.] (Mil.)
Defn: An irregular or partisan soldier; a bandit.
MIR Mir, n.
Defn: A Russian village community. D. M. Wallace.
MIR Mir, n. Etym: [Per. mir.]
Defn: Same as Emir.
MIRA Mi"ra, n. Etym: [NL., from L. mirus wonderful.] (Astron.)
Defn: A remarkable variable star in the constellation Cetus (o Ceti).
MIRABILARY Mi*rab"i*la*ry, n.; pl. Mirabilaries (.
Defn: One who, or a work which, narrates wonderful things; one who writes of wonders. [Obs.] Bacon.
MIRABILIS Mi*rab"i*lis, n. Etym: [L., wonderful.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of plants. See Four-o'clock.
MIRABILITE Mi*rab"i*lite, n. (Min.)
Defn: Native sodium sulphate; Glauber's salt.
MIRABLE Mi"ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. mirabilis, fr. mirari to wonder: cf. OF. mirable. See Marvel.]
Defn: Wonderful; admirable. [Obs.] Shak.
MIRACLE Mir"a*cle, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. miraculum, fr. mirari to wonder. See Marvel, and cf. Mirror.]
1. A wonder or wonderful thing. That miracle and queen of genus. Shak.
2. Specifically: An event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event, or one transcending the ordinary laws by which the universe is governed. They considered not the miracle of the loaves. Mark vi. 52.
3. A miracle play.
4. A story or legend abounding in miracles. [Obs.] When said was all this miracle. Chaucer. Miracle monger, an impostor who pretends to work miracles. — Miracle play, one of the old dramatic entertainments founded on legends of saints and martyrs or (see 2d Mystery, 2) on events related in the Bible.
MIRACLE Mir"a*cle, v. t.
Defn: To make wonderful. [Obs.] Shak.
MIRACULIZE Mi*rac"u*lize, v. t.
Defn: To cause to seem to be a miracle. [R.] Shaftesbury.
MIRACULOUS Mi*rac"u*lous, a. Etym: [F. miraculeux. See Miracle.]
1. Of the nature of a miracle; performed by supernatural power; effected by the direct agency of almighty power, and not by natural causes.
2. Supernatural; wonderful.
3. Wonder-working. "The miraculous harp." Shak. — Mi*rac"u*lous*ly, adv. — Mi*rac"u*lous*ness, n.
MIRADOR Mir`a*dor", n. Etym: [Sp., fr. mirar to behold, view. See Mirror.] (Arch.)
Defn: Same as Belvedere.
MIRAGE Mi`rage", n. Etym: [F., fr. mirer to look at carefully, to aim, se mirer to look at one's self in a glass, to reflect, to be reflected, LL. mirare to look at. See Mirror.]
Defn: An optical effect, sometimes seen on the ocean, but more frequently in deserts, due to total reflection of light at the surface common to two strata of air differently heated. The reflected image is seen, commonly in an inverted position, while the real object may or may not be in sight. When the surface is horizontal, and below the eye, the appearance is that of a sheet of water in which the object is seen reflected; when the reflecting surface is above the eye, the image is seen projected against the sky. The fata Morgana and looming are species of mirage. By the mirage uplifted the land floats vague in the ether, Ships and the shadows of ships hang in the motionless air. Longfellow.
MIRBANE Mir"bane, n.
Defn: See Nitrobenzene.
MIRE Mire, n. Etym: [AS. mire, m; akin to D. mier, Icel. maurr, Dan. myre, Sw. myra; cf. also Ir. moirbh, Gr.
Defn: An ant. [Obs.] See Pismire.
MIRE Mire, n. Etym: [OE. mire, myre; akin to Icel. m swamp, Sw. myra marshy ground, and perh. to E. moss.]
Defn: Deep mud; wet, spongy earth. Chaucer. He his rider from the lofty steed Would have cast down and trod in dirty mire. Spenser. Mire crow (Zoöl.), the pewit, or laughing gull. [Prov. Eng.] — Mire drum, the European bittern. [Prov. Eng.]
MIRE Mire, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mired; p. pr. & vb. n. Miring.]
1. To cause or permit to stick fast in mire; to plunge or fix in mud; as, to mire a horse or wagon.
2. To soil with mud or foul matter. Smirched thus and mired with infamy. Shak.
MIRE Mire, v. i.
Defn: To stick in mire. Shak.
MIRIFIC; MIRIFICAL Mi*rif"ic, Mi*rif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mirificus; mirus wonderful + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]
Defn: Working wonders; wonderful.
MIRIFICENT Mi*rif"i*cent, a.
Defn: Wonderful. [Obs.]
MIRINESS Mir"i*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being miry.
MIRK Mirk, a. Etym: [See Murky.]
Defn: Dark; gloomy; murky. Spenser. Mrs. Browning.
MIRK Mirk, n.
Defn: Darkness; gloom; murk. "In mirk and mire." Longfellow.
MIRKSOME Mirk"some, a.
Defn: Dark; gloomy; murky. [Archaic] Spenser. — Mirk"some*ness, n. [Archaic]
MIRKY Mirk"y, a.
Defn: Dark; gloomy. See Murky.
MIRLITON Mir"li*ton, n. [F.]
Defn: A kind of musical toy into which one sings, hums, or speaks, producing a coarse, reedy sound.
Trilby singing "Ben Bolt" into a mirliton was a thing to be remembered, whether one would or no! Du Maurier.
MIRROR Mir"ror, n. Etym: [OE. mirour, F. miroir, OF. also mireor, fr. (assumed) LL. miratorium, fr. mirare to look at, L. mirari to wonder. See Marvel, and cf. Miracle, Mirador.]
1. A looking-glass or a speculum; any glass or polished substance that forms images by the reflection of rays of light. And in her hand she held a mirror bright, Wherein her face she often viewèd fair. Spenser.
2. That which gives a true representation, or in which a true image may be seen; hence, a pattern; an exemplar. She is mirour of all courtesy. Chaucer. O goddess, heavenly bright, Mirror of grace and majesty divine. Spenser.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Speculum. Mirror carp (Zoöl.), a domesticated variety of the carp, having only three or fur rows of very large scales side. — Mirror plate. (a) A flat glass mirror without a frame. (b) Flat glass used for making mirrors. — Mirror writing, a manner or form of backward writing, making manuscript resembling in slant and order of letters the reflection of ordinary writing in a mirror. The substitution of this manner of writing for the common manner is a symptom of some kinds of nervous disease.
MIRROR Mir"ror, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mirrored; p. pr. & vb. n. Mirroring.]
Defn: To reflect, as in a mirror.
MIRRORSCOPE Mir"ror*scope, n. [Mirror + -scope.]
Defn: See Projector, below.
MIRTH Mirth, n. Etym: [OE. mirthe, murthe, merthe, AS. myredh, myrgedh, merhedh, mirhedh. See Merry.]
1. Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity. Then will I cause to cease … from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth. Jer. vii. 34.
2. That which causes merriment. [Obs.] Shak.
Syn. — Merriment; joyousness; gladness; fun; frolic; glee; hilarity; festivity; jollity. See Gladness.
MIRTHFUL Mirth"ful, a.
1. Full of mirth or merriment; merry; as, mirthful children.
2. Indicating or inspiring mirth; as, a mirthful face. Mirthful, comic shows. Shak. — Mirth"ful*ly, adv. — Mirth"ful*ness, n.
MIRTHLESS Mirth"less, a.
Defn: Without mirth. — Mirth"less*ness, n.
MIRY Mir"y, a. Etym: [From 2d Mire.]
Defn: Abounding with deep mud; full of mire; muddy; as, a miry road.
MIRYACHIT Mir"ya*chit`, n. [Written also myriachit.] [Yakoot merjäk epileptic, fr. imerek jerk, rage.] (Med.)
Defn: A nervous disease in which the patient involuntarily imitates the words or action of another.
MIRZA Mir"za, n. Etym: [Per. mirza, abbrev. fr. mirzadeh son of the prince; mir prince (Ar. amir, emir) + zadeh son.]
Defn: The common title of honor in Persia, prefixed to the surname of an individual. When appended to the surname, it signifies Prince.
MIS- Mis-. Etym: [In words of Teutonic origin, fr. AS. mis-; akin to D. mis-, G. miss-, OHG. missa-, missi-, Icel. & Dan. mis-, Sw. miss-, Goth. missa-; orig., a p. p. from the root of G. meiden to shun, OHG. midan, AS. mi (Miss to fail of). In words from the French, fr. OF. mes-, F. mé-, mes-, fr. L. minus less (see Minus). In present usage these two prefixes are commonly confounded.]
Defn: A prefix used adjectively and adverbially in the sense of amiss, wrong, ill, wrongly, unsuitably; as, misdeed, mislead, mischief, miscreant.
MIS Mis, a. & adv. Etym: [See Amiss.]
Defn: Wrong; amiss. [Obs.] "To correcten that [which] is mis." Chaucer.
MISACCEPTATION Mis*ac`cep*ta"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong acceptation; understanding in a wrong sense.
MISACCOMPT Mis`ac*compt", v. t.
Defn: To account or reckon wrongly. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISADJUST Mis`ad*just", v. t.
Defn: To adjust wrongly of unsuitably; to throw of adjustment. I. Taylor.
MISADJUSTMENT Mis`ad*just"ment, n.
Defn: Wrong adjustment; unsuitable arrangement.
MISADVENTURE Mis`ad*ven"ture, n. Etym: [OE. mesaventure, F. mésaventure.]
Defn: Mischance; misfortune; ill lick; unlucky accident; ill adventure. Chaucer. Homicide by misadventure (Law), homicide which occurs when a man, doing a lawful act, without any intention of injury, unfortunately kills another; — called also excusable homicide. See Homicide. Blackstone.
Syn. — Mischance; mishap; misfortune; disaster; calamity.
MISADVENTURED Mis`ad*ven"tured, a.
Defn: Unfortunate. [Obs.]
MISADVENTUROUS Mis`ad*ven"tur*ous, a.
Defn: Unfortunate.
MISADVERTENCE Mis`ad*vert"ence, n.
Defn: Inadvertence.
MISADVICE Mis`ad*vice", n.
Defn: Bad advice.
MISADVISE Mis`ad*vise", v. t.
Defn: To give bad counsel to.
MISADVISED Mis`ad*vised", a.
Defn: Ill advised. — Mis`ad*vis"ed*ly, adv.
MISAFFECT Mis`af*fect", v. t.
Defn: To dislike. [Obs.]
MISAFFECTED Mis`af*fect"ed, a.
Defn: Ill disposed. [Obs.]
MISAFFECTION Mis`af*fec"tion, n.
Defn: An evil or wrong affection; the state of being ill affected. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
MISAFFIRM Mis`af*firm", v. t.
Defn: To affirm incorrectly.
MISAIMED Mis*aimed", a.
Defn: Not rightly aimed. Spenser.
MISALLEGATION Mis*al`le*ga"tion, n.
Defn: A erroneous statement or allegation. Bp. Hall.
MISALLEGE Mis`al*lege", v. t.
Defn: To state erroneously.
MISALLIANCE Mis`al*li"ance, n. Etym: [F. mésalliance.]
Defn: A marriage with a person of inferior rank or social station; an improper alliance; a mesalliance. A Leigh had made a misalliance, and blushed A Howard should know it. Mrs. Browning.
MISALLIED Mis`al*lied", a.
Defn: Wrongly allied or associated.
MISALLOTMENT Mis`al*lot"ment, n.
Defn: A wrong allotment.
MISALTER Mis*al"ter, v. t.
Defn: To alter wrongly; esp., to alter for the worse. Bp. Hall.
MISANTHROPE Mis"an*thrope, n. Etym: [Gr. misanthrope. Cf. Miser.]
Defn: A hater of mankind; a misanthropist.
MISANTHROPIC; MISANTHROPICAL Mis`an*throp"ic, Mis`an*throp"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. misanthropique.]
Defn: Hating or disliking mankind.
MISANTHROPIST Mis*an"thro*pist, n.
Defn: A misanthrope.
MISANTHROPOS Mis*an"thro*pos, n. Etym: [NL. See Misanthrope.]
Defn: A misanthrope. [Obs.] Shak.
MISANTHROPY Mis*an"thro*py, n. Etym: [Gr. misanthropie.]
Defn: Hatred of, or dislike to, mankind; — opposed to philanthropy. Orrery.
MISAPPLICATION Mis*ap`pli*ca"tion, n.
Defn: A wrong application. Sir T. Browne.
MISAPPLY Mis`ap*ply", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misapplied; p. pr. & vb. n. Misapplying.]
Defn: To apply wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose; as, to misapply a name or title; to misapply public money.
MISAPPRECIATED Mis`ap*pre"ci*a`ted, a.
Defn: Improperly appreciated.
MISAPPREHEND Mis*ap`pre*hend", v. t.
Defn: To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand. Locke.
MISAPPREHENSION Mis*ap`pre*hen"sion, n.
Defn: A mistaking or mistake; wrong apprehension of one's meaning of a fact; misconception; misunderstanding.
MISAPPREHENSIVELY Mis*ap`pre*hen"sive*ly, adv.
Defn: By, or with, misapprehension.
MISAPPROPRIATE Mis`ap*pro"pri*ate, v. t.
Defn: To appropriate wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose.
MISAPPROPRIATION Mis`ap*pro`pri*a"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong appropriation; wrongful use.
MISARRANGE Mis`ar*range", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misarranged; p. pr. & vb. n. Misarranging.]
Defn: To place in a wrong order, or improper manner.
MISARRANGEMENT Mis`ar*range"ment, n.
Defn: Wrong arrangement.
MISASCRIBE Mis`as*cribe", v. t.
Defn: To ascribe wrongly.
MISASSAY Mis`as*say", v. t.
Defn: To assay, or attempt, improperly or unsuccessfully. [Obs.] W. Browne.
MISASSIGN Mis`as*sign", v. t.
Defn: To assign wrongly.
MISATTEND Mis`at*tend", v. t.
Defn: To misunderstand; to disregard. [Obs.] Milton.
MISAVENTURE Mis`a*ven"ture, n.
Defn: Misadventure. [Obs.]
MISAVIZE Mis`a*vize", v. t.
Defn: To misadvise. [Obs.]
MISBEAR Mis*bear", v. t.
Defn: To carry improperly; to carry (one's self) wrongly; to misbehave. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISBECOME Mis`be*come", v. t.
Defn: Not to become; to suit ill; not to befit or be adapted to. Macaulay. Thy father will not act what misbecomes him. Addison.
MISBECOMING Mis`be*com"ing, a.
Defn: Unbecoming. Milton. — Mis`be*com"ing*ly, adv. — Mis`be*com"ing*ness, n. Boyle.
MISBEDE Mis*bede", v. t. [imp. Misbode; p. p. Misboden.] Etym: [AS. mis- beôdan.]
Defn: To wrong; to do injury to. [Obs.] Who hath you misboden or offended Chaucer.
MISBEFITTING Mis`be*fit"ting, a.
Defn: No befitting.
MISBEGOT; MISBEGOTTEN Mis`be*got", Mis`be*got"ten (, p. a.
Defn: Unlawfully or irregularly begotten; of bad origin; pernicious. "Valor misbegot." Shak.
MISBEHAVE Mis`be*have", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misbehaved; p. pr. & vb. n. Misbehaving.]
Defn: To behave ill; to conduct one's self improperly; — often used with a reciprocal pronoun.
MISBEHAVED Mis`be*haved", a.
Defn: Guilty of ill behavior; illbred; rude. "A misbehaved and sullen wench." Shak.
MISBEHAVIOR Mis`be*hav"ior, n.
Defn: Improper, rude, or uncivil behavior; ill conduct. Addison.
MISBELIEF Mis`be*lief", n.
Defn: Erroneous or false belief.
MISBELIEVE Mis`be*lieve" (, v. i.
Defn: To believe erroneously, or in a false religion. "That misbelieving Moor." Shak.
MISBELIEVER Mis`be*liev"er, n.
Defn: One who believes wrongly; one who holds a false religion. Shak.
MISBESEEM Mis`be*seem", v. t.
Defn: To suit ill.
MISBESTOW Mis`be*stow", v. t.
Defn: To bestow improperly.
MISBESTOWAL Mis`be*stow"al, n.
Defn: The act of misbestowing.
MISBILEVE Mis`bi*leve", n.
Defn: Misbelief; unbelief; suspicion. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISBODE Mis*bode", imp.
Defn: of Misbede.
MISBODEN Mis*bo"den, p. p.
Defn: of Misbede.
MISBORN Mis"born`, a.
Defn: Born to misfortune. Spenser.
MISCALCULATE Mis*cal"cu*late, v. t. & i.
Defn: To calculate erroneously; to judge wrongly. — Mis*cal`cu*la"tion, n.
MISCALL Mis*call", v. t.
1. To call by a wrong name; to name improperly.
2. To call by a bad name; to abuse. [Obs.] Fuller.
MISCARRIAGE Mis*car"riage, n.
1. Unfortunate event or issue of an undertaking; failure to attain a desired result or reach a destination. When a counselor, to save himself, Would lay miscarriages upon his prince. Dryden.
2. Ill conduct; evil or improper behavior; as, the failings and miscarriages of the righteous. Rogers.
3. The act of bringing forth before the time; premature birth.
MISCARRIAGEABLE Mis*car"riage*a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of miscarrying; liable to fail. [R.] Bp. Hall.
MISCARRY Mis*car"ry, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Miscarried; p. pr. & vb. n. Miscarrying.]
1. To carry, or go, wrong; to fail of reaching a destination, or fail of the intended effect; to be unsuccessful; to suffer defeat. My ships have all miscarried. Shak. The cardinal's letters to the pope miscarried. Shak.
2. To bring forth young before the proper time.
MISCAST Mis*cast", v. t.
Defn: To cast or reckon wrongly.
MISCAST Mis*cast", n.
Defn: An erroneous cast or reckoning.
MISCEGENATION Mis`ce*ge*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. miscere to mix + the root of genus race.]
Defn: A mixing of races; amalgamation, as by intermarriage of black and white.
MISCELLANARIAN Mis`cel*la*na"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Miscellany.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to miscellanies. Shaftesbury. — n.
Defn: A writer of miscellanies.
MISCELLANE Mis"cel*lane, n. Etym: [See Miscellaneous, and cf. Maslin.]
Defn: A mixture of two or more sorts of grain; — now called maslin and meslin. Bacon.
MISCELLANEA Mis"cel*la"ne*a, n. pl. Etym: [L. See Miscellany.]
Defn: A collection of miscellaneous matters; matters of various kinds.
MISCELLANEOUS Mis`cel*la"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. miscellaneus mixed, miscellaneous, fr. miscellus mixed, fr. miscere to mix. See Mix, and cf. Miscellany.]
Defn: Mixed; mingled; consisting of several things; of diverse sorts; promiscuous; heterogeneous; as, a miscellaneous collection. "A miscellaneous rabble." Milton. — Mis`cel*la"ne*ous*ly, adv. — Mis`cel*la"ne*ous*ness, n.
MISCELLANIST Mis"cel*la*nist, n.
Defn: A writer of miscellanies; miscellanarian.
MISCELLANY Mis"cel*la*ny, n.; pl. Miscellanies. Etym: [L. miscellanea, neut. pl. of. miscellaneus: cf. F. miscellanée, pl. miscellanées. See Miscellaneous.]
Defn: A mass or mixture of various things; a medley; esp., a collection of compositions on various subjects. 'T is but a bundle or miscellany of sin; sins original, and sins actual. Hewyt. Miscellany madam, a woman who dealt in various fineries; a milliner. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
MISCELLANY Mis"cel*la*ny, a.
Defn: Miscellaneous; heterogeneous. [Obs.] Bacon.
MISCENSURE Mis*cen"sure, v. t.
Defn: To misjudge. [Obs.] Daniel. — n.
Defn: Erroneous judgment. [Obs.] Sylvester.
MISCHANCE Mis*chance", n. Etym: [OE. meschance, OF. mescheance.]
Defn: Ill luck; ill fortune; mishap. Chaucer. Never come mischance between us twain. Shak.
Syn. — Calamity; misfortune; misadventure; mishap; infelicity; disaster. See Calamity.
MISCHANCE Mis*chance", v. i.
Defn: To happen by mischance. Spenser.
MISCHANCEFUL Mis*chance"ful, a.
Defn: Unlucky. R. Browning.
MISCHARACTERIZE Mis*char"ac*ter*ize, v. t.
Defn: To characterize falsely or erroneously; to give a wrong character to. They totally mischaracterize the action. Eton.
MISCHARGE Mis*charge", v. t.
Defn: To charge erroneously, as in account. — n.
Defn: A mistake in charging.
MISCHIEF Mis"chief, n. Etym: [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief. See Minus, and Chief.]
1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or vexation caused by human agency or by some living being, intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. Chaucer. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs. Ps. lii. 2. The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs. Fuller.
2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. Milton. The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. Swift. To be in mischief, to be doing harm or causing annoyance. — To make mischief, to do mischief, especially by exciting quarrels. — To play the mischief, to cause great harm; to throw into confusion. [Colloq.]
Syn. — Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill. — Mischief, Damage, Harm. Damage is an injury which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency of things. We often suffer damage or harm from accident, but mischief always springs from perversity or folly.
MISCHIEF Mis"chief, v. t.
Defn: To do harm to. [Obs.] Milton.
MISCHIEFABLE Mis"chief*a*ble, a.
Defn: Mischievous. [R.] Lydgate.
MISCHIEFFUL Mis"chief*ful, a.
Defn: Mischievous. [Obs.] Foote.
MISCHIEF-MAKER Mis"chief-mak`er, n.
Defn: One who makes mischief; one who excites or instigates quarrels or enmity.
MISCHIEF-MAKING Mis"chief-mak`ing, a.
Defn: Causing harm; exciting enmity or quarrels. Rowe. — n.
Defn: The act or practice of making mischief, inciting quarrels, etc.
MISCHIEVOUS Mis"chie*vous, a.
Defn: Causing mischief; harmful; hurtful; — now often applied where the evil is done carelessly or in sport; as, a mischievous child. "Most mischievous foul sin." Shak. This false, wily, doubling disposition is intolerably mischievous to society. South.
Syn. — Harmful; hurtful; detrimental; noxious; pernicious; destructive. — Mis"chie*vous*ly, adv. — Mis"chie*vous*ness, n.
MISCHNA Misch"na, n.
Defn: See Mishna.
MISCHNIC Misch"nic, a.
Defn: See Mishnic.
MISCHOOSE Mis*choose", v. t. [imp. Mischose; p. p. Mischosen; p. pr. & vb. n. Mischoosing.]
Defn: To choose wrongly. Milton.
MISCHOOSE Mis*choose", v. i.
Defn: To make a wrong choice.
MISCHRISTEN Mis*chris"ten, v. t.
Defn: To christen wrongly.
MISCIBILITY Mis`ci*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. miscibilité.]
Defn: Capability of being mixed.
MISCIBLE Mis"ci*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. miscible, fr. L. miscere to mix.]
Defn: Capable of being mixed; mixable; as, water and alcohol are miscible in all proportions. Burke.
MISCITATION Mis`ci*ta"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous citation.
MISCITE Mis*cite", v. t.
Defn: To cite erroneously.
MISCLAIM Mis*claim", n.
Defn: A mistaken claim.
MISCOGNIZANT Mis*cog"ni*zant, a. (Law)
Defn: Not cognizant; ignorant; not knowing.
MISCOGNIZE Mis*cog"nize, v. t.
Defn: To fail to apprehend; to misunderstand. [Obs.] Holland.
MISCOLLOCATION Mis*col`lo*ca"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong collocation. De Quincey.
MISCOLOR Mis*col"or, v. t.
Defn: To give a wrong color to; figuratively, to set forth erroneously or unfairly; as, to miscolor facts. C. Kingsley.
MISCOMFORT Mis*com"fort, n.
Defn: Discomfort. [Obs.]
MISCOMPREHEND Mis*com`pre*hend", v. t.
Defn: To get a wrong idea of or about; to misunderstand.
MISCOMPUTATION Mis*com`pu*ta"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous computation; false reckoning.
MISCOMPUTE Mis`com*pute", v. t. Etym: [Cf. Miscount.]
Defn: To compute erroneously. Sir T. Browne.
MISCONCEIT Mis`con*ceit", n.
Defn: Misconception. [Obs.]
MISCONCEIVE Mis`con*ceive", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misconceived; p. pr. & vb. n. Misconceiving.]
Defn: To conceive wrongly; to interpret incorrectly; to receive a false notion of; to misjudge; to misapprehend. Those things which, for want of due consideration heretofore, they have misconceived. Hooker.
Syn. — To misapprehend; misunderstand; mistake.
MISCONCEIVER Mis`con*ceiv"er, n.
Defn: One who misconceives.
MISCONCEPTION Mis`con*cep"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous conception; false opinion; wrong understanding. Harvey.
MISCONCLUSION Mis`con*clu"sion, n.
Defn: An erroneous inference or conclusion. Bp. Hall.
MISCONDUCT Mis*con"duct, n.
Defn: Wrong conduct; bad behavior; mismanagement. Addison.
Syn. — Misbehavior; misdemeanor; mismanagement; misdeed; delinquency; offense.
MISCONDUCT Mis`con*duct", v. t.
Defn: To conduct amiss; to mismanage. Johnson. To misconduct one's self, to behave improperly.
MISCONDUCT Mis`con*duct", v. i.
Defn: To behave amiss.
MISCONFIDENT Mis*con"fi*dent, a.
Defn: Having a mistaken confidence; wrongly trusting. [R.] Bp. Hall.
MISCONJECTURE Mis`con*jec"ture, n.
Defn: A wrong conjecture or guess. Sir T. Browne.
MISCONJECTURE Mis`con*jec"ture, v. t. & i.
Defn: To conjecture wrongly.
MISCONSECRATE Mis*con"se*crate, v. t.
Defn: To consecrate amiss. "Misconsecrated flags." Bp. Hall.
MISCONSECRATION Mis*con`se*cra"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong consecration.
MISCONSEQUENCE Mis*con"se*quence, n.
Defn: A wrong consequence; a false deduction.
MISCONSTRUABLE Mis*con"stru*a*ble, a.
Defn: Such as can be misconstrued, as language or conduct. R. North.
MISCONSTRUCT Mis`con*struct", v. t.
Defn: To construct wrongly; to construe or interpret erroneously.
MISCONSTRUCTION Mis`con*struc"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous construction; wrong interpretation. Bp. Stillingfleet.
MISCONSTRUE Mis*con"strue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misconstrued; p. pr. & vb. n. Misconstruing.]
Defn: To construe wrongly; to interpret erroneously. Do not, great sir, misconstrue his intent. Dryden. Much afflicted to find his actions misconstrued. Addison.
MISCONSTRUER Mis*con"stru*er, n.
Defn: One who misconstrues.
MISCONTENT Mis`con*tent", a.
Defn: Discontent. [Obs.]
MISCONTINUANCE Mis`con*tin"u*ance, n. (Law)
Defn: Discontinuance; also, continuance by undue process.
MISCOPY Mis*copy", v. t.
Defn: To copy amiss.
MISCOPY Mis*copy", n.
Defn: A mistake in copying. North Am. Rev.
MISCORRECT Mis`cor*rect", v. t.
Defn: To fail or err in attempting to correct. "Scaliger miscorrects his author." Dryden.
MISCOUNSEL Mis*coun"sel, v. t.
Defn: To counsel or advise wrongly.
MISCOUNT Mis*count", v. t. & i. Etym: [Cf. OF. mesconter, F. mécompter. Cf. Miscompute.]
Defn: To count erroneously.
MISCOUNT Mis*count", n. Etym: [Cf. F. mécompte error, OF. mesconte.]
Defn: An erroneous counting.
MISCOVET Mis*cov"et, v. t.
Defn: To covet wrongfully. [Obs.]
MISCREANCE; MISCREANCY Mis"cre*ance, Mis"cre*an*cy, n. Etym: [OF. mescreance, F. mécréance incredulity.]
Defn: The quality of being miscreant; adherence to a false religion; false faith. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
MISCREANT Mis"cre*ant, n. Etym: [OF. mescreant, F. mécréant; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + p. pr. fr. L. credere to believe. See Creed.]
1. One who holds a false religious faith; a misbeliever. [Obs.] Spenser. De Quincey. Thou oughtest not to be slothful to the destruction of the miscreants, but to constrain them to obey our Lord God. Rivers.
2. One not restrained by Christian principles; an unscrupulous villain; a while wretch. Addison.
MISCREANT Mis"cre*ant, a.
1. Holding a false religious faith.
2. Destitute of conscience; unscrupulous. Pope.
MISCREATE Mis`cre*ate", a.
Defn: Miscreated; illegitimate; forged; as, miscreate titles. [Obs. or Poet.] Shak.
MISCREATE Mis`cre*ate", v. t.
Defn: To create badly or amiss.
MISCREATED Mis`cre*at"ed, a.
Defn: Formed unnaturally or illegitimately; deformed. Spenser. Milton.
MISCREATIVE Mis`cre*a"tive, a.
Defn: Creating amiss. [R.]
MISCREDENT Mis*cre"dent, n. Etym: [Pref. mis- + credent. Cf. Miscreant.]
Defn: A miscreant, or believer in a false religious doctrine. [Obs.] Holinshed.
MISCREDULITY Mis`cre*du"li*ty, n.
Defn: Wrong credulity or belief; misbelief. Bp. Hall.
MISCUE Mis*cue", n. (Billiards)
Defn: A false stroke with a billiard cue, the cue slipping from the ball struck without impelling it as desired.
MISDATE Mis*date", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misdated; p. pr. & vb. n. Misdating.]
Defn: To date erroneously. Young.
MISDEAL Mis*deal", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misdealt; p. pr. & vb. n. Misdealing.]
Defn: To deal or distribute wrongly, as cards; to make a wrong distribution.
MISDEAL Mis*deal", n.
Defn: The act of misdealing; a wrong distribution of cards to the players.
MISDEED Mis*deed", n. Etym: [AS. misd. See Deed, n.]
Defn: An evil deed; a wicked action. Evils which our own misdeeds have wrought. Milton.
Syn. — Misconduct; misdemeanor; fault; offense; trespass; transgression; crime.
MISDEEM Mis*deem", v. t.
Defn: To misjudge. [Obs.] Milton.
MISDEMEAN Mis`de*mean", v. t.
Defn: To behave ill; — with a reflexive pronoun; as, to misdemean one's self.
MISDEMEANANT Mis`de*mean"ant, n.
Defn: One guilty of a misdemeanor. Sydney Smith.
MISDEMEANOR Mis`de*mean"or, n.
1. Ill behavior; evil conduct; fault. Shak.
2. (Law)
Defn: A crime less than a felony. Wharton.
Note: As a rule, in the old English law, offenses capitally punishable were felonies; all other indictable offenses were misdemeanors. In common usage, the word crime is employed to denote the offenses of a deeper and more atrocious dye, while small faults and omissions of less consequence are comprised under the gentler name of misdemeanors. Blackstone. The distinction, however, between felonies and misdemeanors is purely arbitrary, and is in most jurisdictions either abrogated or so far reduced as to be without practical value. Cf. Felony. Wharton.
Syn. — Misdeed; misconduct; misbehavior; fault; trespass; transgression.
MISDEMPT Mis*dempt", obs. p. p.
Defn: of Misdeem. Spenser.
MISDEPART Mis`de*part", v. t.
Defn: To distribute wrongly. [Obs.] He misdeparteth riches temporal. Chaucer.
MISDERIVE Mis`de*rive", v. t.
1. To turn or divert improperly; to misdirect. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
2. To derive erroneously.
MISDESCRIBE Mis`de*scribe", v. t.
Defn: To describe wrongly.
MISDESERT Mis`de*sert", n.
Defn: Ill desert. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISDEVOTION Mis`de*vo"tion, n.
Defn: Mistaken devotion.
MISDIET Mis*di"et, n.
Defn: Improper. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISDIET Mis*di"et, v. t.
Defn: To diet improperly.
MISDIGHT Mis*dight", a.
Defn: Arrayed, prepared, or furnished, unsuitably. [Archaic] Bp. Hall.
MISDIRECT Mis`di*rect", v. t.
Defn: To give a wrong direction to; as, to misdirect a passenger, or a letter; to misdirect one's energies. Shenstone.
MISDIRECTION Mis`di*rec"tion, n.
1. The act of directing wrongly, or the state of being so directed.
2. (Law)
Defn: An error of a judge in charging the jury on a matter of law. Mozley & W.
MISDISPOSITION Mis*dis`po*si"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous disposal or application. Bp. Hall.
MISDISTINGUISH Mis`dis*tin"guish, v. t.
Defn: To make wrong distinctions in or concerning. Hooker.
MISDIVIDE Mis`di*vide", v. t.
Defn: To divide wrongly.
MISDIVISION Mis`di*vi"sion, n.
Defn: Wrong division.
MISDO Mis*do", v. t. [imp. Misdid; p. p. Misdone; p. pr. & vb. n. Misdoing.] Etym: [AS. misd. See Do, v.]
1. To do wrongly. Afford me place to show what recompense To wards thee I intend for what I have misdone. Milton.
2. To do wrong to; to illtreat. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISDO Mis*do", v. i.
Defn: To do wrong; to commit a fault. I have misdone, and I endure the smart. Dryden.
MISDOER Mis*do"er, n.
Defn: A wrongdoer. Spenser.
MISDOING Mis*do"ing, n.
Defn: A wrong done; a fault or crime; an offense; as, it was my misdoing.
MISDOUBT Mis*doubt", v. t. & i.
Defn: To be suspicious of; to have suspicion. [Obs.] I do not misdoubt my wife. Shak.
MISDOUBT Mis*doubt", n.
1. Suspicion. [Obs.]
2. Irresolution; hesitation. [Obs.] Shak.
MISDOUBTFUL Mis*doubt"ful, a
Defn: Misgiving; hesitating. [Obs.] "Her misdoubtful mind." Spenser.
MISDREAD Mis*dread", n.
Defn: Dread of evil. [Obs.]
MISE Mise, n. Etym: [F. mise a putting, setting, expense, fr. mis, mise, p. p. of mettre to put, lay, fr. LL. mittere to send.]
1. (Law)
Defn: The issue in a writ of right.
2. Expense; cost; disbursement. [Obs.]
3. A tax or tallage; in Wales, an honorary gift of the people to a new king or prince of Wales; also, a tribute paid, in the country palatine of Chester, England, at the change of the owner of the earldom. [Obs.]
MISEASE Mis*ease", n. Etym: [OE. mesaise, OF. mesaise.]
Defn: Want of ease; discomfort; misery. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISEASED Mis*eased", a.
Defn: Having discomfort or misery; troubled. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISEASY Mis*eas"y, a.
Defn: Not easy; painful. [Obs.]
MISEDITION Mis`e*di"tion, n.
Defn: An incorrect or spurious edition. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
MISEDUCATE Mis*ed"u*cate, v. t.
Defn: To educate in a wrong manner.
MISEMPLOY Mis`em*ploy", v. t.
Defn: To employ amiss; as, to misemploy time, advantages, talents, etc. Their frugal father's gains they misemploy. Dryden.
MISEMPLOYMENT Mis`em*ploy"ment, n.
Defn: Wrong or mistaken employment. Johnson.
MISENTER Mis*en"ter, v. t.
Defn: To enter or insert wrongly, as a charge in an account.
MISENTREAT Mis`en*treat", v. t.
Defn: To treat wrongfully. [Obs.] Grafton.
MISENTRY Mis*en"try, n.
Defn: An erroneous entry or charge, as of an account.
MISER Mi"ser, n. Etym: [L. miser wretched, miserable; cf. Gr. misero wretched, avaricious.]
1. A wretched person; a person afflicted by any great misfortune. [Obs.] Spenser. The woeful words of a miser now despairing. Sir P. Sidney.
2. A despicable person; a wretch. [Obs.] Shak.
3. A covetous, grasping, mean person; esp., one having wealth, who lives miserably for the sake of saving and increasing his hoard. As some lone miser, visiting his store, Bends at his treasure, counts, recounts it o'er. Goldsmith.
4. A kind of large earth auger. Knight.
MISERABLE Mis"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [F. misérable, L. miserabilis, fr. miserari to lament, pity, fr. miser wretched. See Miser.]
1. Very unhappy; wretched. What hopes delude thee, miserable man Dryden.
2. Causing unhappiness or misery. What 's more miserable than discontent Shak.
3. Worthless; mean; despicable; as, a miserable fellow; a miserable dinner. Miserable comforters are ye all. Job xvi. 2.
4. Avaricious; niggardly; miserly. [Obs.] Hooker.
Syn. — Abject; forlorn; pitiable; wretched.
MISERABLE Mis"er*a*ble, n.
Defn: A miserable person. [Obs.] Sterne.
MISERABLENESS Mis"er*a*ble*ness, n.
Defn: The state or quality of being miserable.
MISERABLY Mis"er*a*bly, adv.
Defn: In a miserable; unhappily; calamitously; wretchedly; meanly. They were miserably entertained. Sir P. Sidney. The fifth was miserably stabbed to death. South.
MISERATION Mis`er*a"tion, n.
Defn: Commiseration. [Obs.]
MISERERE Mis`e*re"re, n. Etym: [L., have mercy, fr. misereri to have mercy, fr. miser. See Miser.]
1. (R. C. Ch.)
Defn: The psalm usually appointed for penitential acts, being the 50th psalm in the Latin version. It commences with the word miserere.
2. A musical composition adapted to the 50th psalm. Where only the wind signs miserere. Lowell.
3. (Arch.)
Defn: A small projecting boss or bracket, on the under side of the hinged seat of a church stall (see Stall). It was intended, the seat being turned up, to give some support to a worshiper when standing. Called also misericordia.
4. (Med.)
Defn: Same as Ileus.
MISERICORDE Mis"er*i*corde", n. Etym: [F. miséricorde. See Misericordia.]
1. Compassion; pity; mercy. [Obs.]
2. (Anc. Armor.)
Defn: Same as Misericordia, 2.
MISERICORDIA Mis`e*ri*cor"di*a, n. Etym: [L., mercy, compassion; miser wretched + cor, cordis, heart.]
1. (O. Law)
Defn: An amercement. Burrill.
2. (Anc. Armor.)
Defn: A thin-bladed dagger; so called, in the Middle Ages, because used to give the death wound or "mercy" stroke to a fallen adversary.
3. (Eccl.)
Defn: An indulgence as to food or dress granted to a member of a religious order. Shipley.
MISERLY Mi"ser*ly, a. Etym: [From Miser.]
Defn: Like a miser; very covetous; sordid; niggardly.
Syn. — Avaricious; niggardly; sordid; parsimonious; penurious; covetous; stingy; mean. See Avaricious.
MISERY Mi"ser*y, n.; pl. Miseries. Etym: [OE. miserie, L. miseria, fr. miser wretched: cf. F. misère, OF. also, miserie.]
1. Great unhappiness; extreme pain of body or mind; wretchedness; distress; woe. Chaucer. Destruction and misery are in their ways. Rom. iii. 16.
2. Cause of misery; calamity; misfortune. When we our betters see bearing our woes, We scarcely think our miseries our foes. Shak.
3. Covetousness; niggardliness; avarice. [Obs.]
Syn. — Wretchedness; torture; agony; torment; anguish; distress; calamity; misfortune.
MISESTEEM Mis`es*teem", n. Etym: [Cf. F. mésestime.]
Defn: Want of esteem; disrespect. Johnson.
MISESTIMATE Mis*es"ti*mate, v. t.
Defn: To estimate erroneously. J. S. Mill.
MISEXPLANATION Mis*ex`pla*na"tion, n.
Defn: An erroneous explanation.
MISEXPLICATION Mis*ex`pli*ca"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong explication.
MISEXPOSITION Mis*ex`po*si"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong exposition.
MISEXPOUND Mis`ex*pound", v. t.
Defn: To expound erroneously.
MISEXPRESSION Mis`ex*pres"sion, n.
Defn: Wrong expression.
MISFAITH Mis*faith", n.
Defn: Want of faith; distrust. "[Anger] born of your misfaith." Tennyson.
MISFALL Mis*fall", v. t. [imp. Misfell; p. p. Misfallen (; p. pr. & vb. n. Misfalling.]
Defn: To befall, as ill luck; to happen to unluckily. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISFARE Mis*fare", v. i. Etym: [AS. misfaran.]
Defn: To fare ill. [Obs.] — n.
Defn: Misfortune. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISFASHION Mis*fash"ion, v. t.
Defn: To form wrongly.
MISFEASANCE Mis*fea"sance, n. Etym: [OF. pref. mes- wrong (L. minus less) + faisance doing, fr. faire to do, L. facere. Cf. Malfeasance.] (Law)
Defn: A trespass; a wrong done; the improper doing of an act which a person might lawfully do. Bouvier. Wharton.
MISFEATURE Mis*fea"ture, n.
Defn: Ill feature. [R.] Keats.
MISFEELING Mis*feel"ing, a.
Defn: Insensate. [Obs.] Wyclif.
MISFEIGN Mis*feign", v. i.
Defn: To feign with an evil design. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISFIT Mis*fit", n.
1. The act or the state of fitting badly; as, a misfit in making a coat; a ludicrous misfit.
2. Something that fits badly, as a garment. I saw an uneasy change in Mr. Micawber, which sat tightly on him, as if his new duties were a misfit. Dickens.
MISFORM Mis*form", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misformed; p. pr. & vb. n. Misforming.]
Defn: To make in an ill form. Spenser.
MISFORMATION Mis`for*ma"tion, n.
Defn: Malformation.
MISFORTUNATE Mis*for"tu*nate, a.
Defn: Producing misfortune. [Obs.]
MISFORTUNE Mis*for"tune, n.
Defn: Bad fortune or luck; calamity; an evil accident; disaster; mishap; mischance. Consider why the change was wrought, You 'll find his misfortune, not his fault. Addison.
Syn. — Calamity; mishap; mischance; misadventure; ill; harm; disaster. See Calamity.
MISFORTUNE Mis*for"tune, v. i.
Defn: To happen unluckily or unfortunately; to miscarry; to fail. [Obs.] Stow.
MISFORTUNED Mis*for"tuned, a.
Defn: Unfortunate. [Obs.]
MISFRAME Mis*frame", v. t.
Defn: To frame wrongly.
MISGET Mis*get", v. t.
Defn: To get wrongfully. [Obs.]
MISGIE Mis*gie", v. t.
Defn: See Misgye. [Obs.]
MISGIVE Mis*give", v. t. [imp. Misgave; p. p. Misgiven; p. pr. & vb. n. Misgiving.]
1. To give or grant amiss. [Obs.] Laud.
2. Specifically: To give doubt and apprehension to, instead of confidence and courage; to impart fear to; to make irresolute; — usually said of the mind or heart, and followed by the objective personal pronoun. So doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts What may befall him, to his harm and ours. Shak. Such whose consciences misgave them, how ill they had deserved. Milton.
3. To suspect; to dread. [Obs.] Shak.
MISGIVE Mis*give", v. i.
Defn: To give out doubt and apprehension; to be fearful or irresolute. "My mind misgives." Shak.
MISGIVING Mis*giv"ing, n.
Defn: Evil premonition; doubt; distrust. "Suspicious and misgivings." South.
MISGO Mis*go", v. i.
Defn: To go astray. Spenser.
MISGOTTEN Mis*got"ten, a.
Defn: Unjustly gotten. Spenser.
MISGOVERN Mis*gov"ern, v. t.
Defn: To govern ill; as, to misgovern a country. Knolles.
MISGOVERNANCE Mis*gov"ern*ance, n.
Defn: Misgovernment; misconduct; misbehavior. [Obs.] Chaucer. Spenser.
MISGOVERNED Mis*gov"erned, a.
Defn: Ill governed, as a people; ill directed. "Rude, misgoverned hands." Shak.
MISGOVERNMENT Mis*gov"ern*ment, n.
Defn: Bad government; want of government. Shak.
MISGRACIOUS Mis*gra"cious, a.
Defn: Not gracious. [Obs.]
MISGRAFF Mis*graff", v. t.
Defn: To misgraft. [Obs.] Shak.
MISGRAFT Mis*graft", v. t.
Defn: To graft wrongly.
MISGROUND Mis*ground", v. t.
Defn: To found erroneously. "Misgrounded conceit." Bp. Hall.
MISGROWTH Mis*growth", n.
Defn: Bad growth; an unnatural or abnormal growth.
MISGUESS Mis*guess", v. t. & i.
Defn: To guess wrongly.
MISGUIDANCE Mis*guid"ance, n.
Defn: Wrong guidance.
MISGUIDE Mis*guide", v. t.
Defn: To guide wrongly; to lead astray; as, to misguide the understanding.
MISGUIDE Mis*guide", n.
Defn: Misguidance; error. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISGUIDING Mis*guid"ing, a.
Defn: Misleading. — Mis*guid"ing*ly, adv.
MISGYE Mis*gye", v. t.
Defn: To misguide. [Obs.]
MISHANDLE Mis*han"dle, v. t.
Defn: To handle ill or wrongly; to maltreat.
MISHAP Mis*hap", n.
Defn: Evil accident; ill luck; misfortune; mischance. Chaucer. Secure from worldly chances and mishaps. Shak.
MISHAP Mis*hap", v. i.
Defn: To happen unluckily; — used impersonally. [Obs.] "If that me mishap." Chaucer.
MISHAPPEN Mis*hap"pen, v. i.
Defn: To happen ill or unluckily. Spenser.
MISHAPPY Mis*hap"py, a.
Defn: Unhappy. [Obs.]
MISHCUP Mish*cup", n. Etym: [See Scup.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The scup. [Local, U. S.]
MISHEAR Mis*hear", v. t. & i.
Defn: To hear incorrectly.
MISHMASH Mish"mash`, n. Etym: [Cf. G. mish-mash, fr. mischen to mix.]
Defn: A hotchpotch. Sir T. Herbert.
MISHNA Mish"na, n. Etym: [NHeb. mishnah, i. e., repetition, doubling, explanation (of the divine law), fr. Heb. shanah to change, to repeat.]
Defn: A collection or digest of Jewish traditions and explanations of Scripture, forming the text of the Talmud. [Written also Mischna.]
MISHNIC Mish"nic, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Mishna.
MISIMAGINATION Mis`im*ag`i*na"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong imagination; delusion. Bp. Hall.
MISIMPROVE Mis`im*prove", v. t.
Defn: To use for a bad purpose; to abuse; to misuse; as, to misimprove time, talents, advantages, etc. South.
MISIMPROVEMENT Mis`im*prove"ment, n.
Defn: Ill use or employment; use for a bad purpose.
MISINCLINE Mis"in*cline", v. t.
Defn: To cause to have a wrong inclination or tendency; to affect wrongly.
MISINFER Mis`in*fer", v. t.
Defn: To infer incorrectly.
MISINFORM Mis`in*form", v. t.
Defn: To give untrue information to; to inform wrongly.
MISINFORM Mis`in*form", v. i.
Defn: To give untrue information; (with against) to calumniate. [R.] Bp. Montagu.
MISINFORMANT Mis`in*form"ant, n.
Defn: A misinformer.
MISINFORMATION Mis*in`for*ma"tion, n.
Defn: Untrue or incorrect information. Bacon.
MISINFORMER Mis`in*form"er, n.
Defn: One who gives or incorrect information.
MISINSTRUCT Mis`in*struct", v. t.
Defn: To instruct amiss.
MISINSTRUCTION Mis`in*struc"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong or improper instruction.
MISINTELLIGENCE Mis`in*tel"li*gence, n.
1. Wrong information; misinformation.
2. Disagreement; misunderstanding. [Obs.]
MISINTEND Mis`in*tend", v. t.
Defn: To aim amiss. [Obs.]
MISINTERPRET Mis`in*ter"pret, v. t.
Defn: To interpret erroneously; to understand or to explain in a wrong sense.
MISINTERPRETABLE Mis`in*ter"pret*a*ble, a.
Defn: Capable of being misinterpreted; liable to be misunderstood.
MISINTERPRETATION Mis`in*ter"pre*ta"tion, n.
Defn: The act of interpreting erroneously; a mistaken interpretation.
MISINTERPRETER Mis`in*ter"pret*er, n.
Defn: One who interprets erroneously.
MISJOIN Mis*join", v. t.
Defn: To join unfitly or improperly.
MISJOINDER Mis*join"der, n. (Law)
Defn: An incorrect union of parties or of causes of action in a procedure, criminal or civil. Wharton.
MISJUDGE Mis*judge", v. t. & i.
Defn: To judge erroneously or unjustly; to err in judgment; to misconstrue.
MISJUDGMENT Mis*judg"ment, n. Etym: [Written also misjudgement.]
Defn: A wrong or unjust judgment.
MISKEEP Mis*keep", v. t.
Defn: To keep wrongly. Chaucer.
MISKEN Mis*ken", v. t.
Defn: Not to know. [Obs.]
MISKIN Mis"kin, n. Etym: [Prob. for music + -kin.] (Mus.)
Defn: A little bagpipe. [Obs.] Drayton.
MISKINDLE Mis*kin"dle, v. t.
Defn: To kindle amiss; to inflame to a bad purpose; to excite wrongly.
MISKNOW Mis*know", v. t.
Defn: To have a mistaken notion of or about. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
MISLACTATION Mis`lac*ta"tion, n. (Med.)
Defn: Defective flow or vitiated condition of the milk.
MISLAY Mis*lay", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mislaid; p. pr. & vb. n. Mislaying.]
1. To lay in a wrong place; to ascribe to a wrong source. The fault is generally mislaid upon nature. Locke.
2. To lay in a place not recollected; to lose. The… charter, indeed, was unfortunately mislaid: and the prayer of their petition was to obtain one of like import in its stead. Hallam.
MISLAYER Mis*lay"er, n.
Defn: One who mislays.
MISLE Mi"sle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Misled; p. pr. & vb. n. Misling.] Etym: [Prop. mistle, fr. mist. Cf. Mistle, Mizzle.]
Defn: To rain in very fine drops, like a thick mist; to mizzle.
MISLE Mi"sle, n.
Defn: A fine rain; a thick mist; mizzle.
MISLEAD Mis*lead", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misled; p. pr. & vb. n. Misleading.] Etym: [AS. misl. See Mis-, and Lead to conduct.]
Defn: To lead into a wrong way or path; to lead astray; to guide into error; to cause to mistake; to deceive. Trust not servants who mislead or misinform you. Bacon. To give due light To the mislead and lonely traveler. Milton.
Syn. — To delude; deceive. See Deceive.
MISLEADER Mis*lead"er, n.
Defn: One who leads into error.
MISLEADING Mis*lead"ing, a.
Defn: Leading astray; delusive.
MISLEARN Mis*learn", v. t.
Defn: To learn wrongly.
MISLED Mis*led", imp. & p. p.
Defn: of Mislead.
MISLEN Mis"len, n.
Defn: See Maslin.
MISLETOE Mis"le*toe, n.
Defn: See Mistletoe.
MISLIGHT Mis*light", v. t.
Defn: To deceive or lead astray with a false light. Herrick.
MISLIKE Mis*like", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misliked; p. pr. & vb. n. Misliking.] Etym: [AS. mislician to displease. See Like, v.]
Defn: To dislike; to disapprove of; to have aversion to; as, to mislike a man. Who may like or mislike what he says. I. Taylor.
MISLIKE Mis*like", n.
Defn: Dislike; disapprobation; aversion.
MISLIKER Mis*lik"er, n.
Defn: One who dislikes.
MISLIKING Mis*lik"ing, n.
Defn: Dislike; aversion.
MISLIN Mis"lin, n. & a.
Defn: See Maslin.
MISLIVE Mis*live", v. i.
Defn: To live amiss.
MISLODGE Mis*lodge", v. t.
Defn: To lodge amiss. [Obs.]
MISLUCK Mis*luck", n.
Defn: Ill luck; misfortune.
MISLY Mis"ly, a.
Defn: Raining in very small drops.
MISMAKE Mis*make", v. t.
Defn: To make or form amiss; to spoil in making. "Limping possibilities of mismade human nature." Mrs. Browning.
MISMAKE Mis*make" (mis*mak"), v. t.
Defn: To make or form amiss; to spoil in making. "Limping possibilities of mismade human nature." Mrs. Browning.
MISMANAGE Mis*man"age, v. t. & i.
Defn: To manage ill or improperly; as, to mismanage public affairs.
MISMANAGEMENT Mis*man"age*ment, n.
Defn: Wrong or bad management; as, he failed through mismagement.
MISMANAGER Mis*man"a*ger, n.
Defn: One who manages ill.
MISMARK Mis*mark", v. t.
Defn: To mark wrongly.
MISMATCH Mis*match", v. t.
Defn: To match unsuitably.
MISMATE Mis*mate", v. t.
Defn: To mate wrongly or unsuitably; as, to mismate gloves or shoes; a mismated couple.
MISMEASURE Mis*meas"ure, v. t.
Defn: To measure or estimate incorrectly.
MISMEASUREMENT Mis*meas"ure*ment, n.
Defn: Wrong measurement.
MISMETER Mis*me"ter, v. t.
Defn: To give the wrong meter to, as to a line of verse. [R.] Chaucer.
MISNAME Mis*name", v. t.
Defn: To call by the wrong name; to give a wrong or inappropriate name to.
MISNOMER Mis*no"mer, n. Etym: [OF. pref. mes- amiss, wrong (L. minus less) + F. nommer to name, L. nominare, fr. nomen name. See Name.]
Defn: The misnaming of a person in a legal instrument, as in a complaint or indictment; any misnaming of a person or thing; a wrong or inapplicable name or title. Many of the changes, by a great misnomer, called parliamentary "reforms". Burke. The word "synonym" is fact a misnomer. Whatel
MISNOMER Mis*no"mer, v. t.
Defn: To misname. [R.]
MISNUMBER Mis*num"ber, v. t.
Defn: To number wrongly.
MISNURTURE Mis*nur"ture, v. t.
Defn: To nurture or train wrongly; as, to misnurture children. Bp. Hall.
MISOBEDIENCE Mis`o*be"di*ence, n.
Defn: Mistaken obedience; disobedience. [Obs.] Milton.
MISOBSERVE Mis`ob*serve", v. t.
Defn: To observe inaccurately; to mistake in observing. Locke.
MISOBSERVER Mis`ob*serv"er, n.
Defn: One who misobserves; one who fails to observe properly.
MISOGAMIST Mi*sog"a*mist, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: A hater of marriage.
MISOGAMY Mi*sog"a*my, n. Etym: [Cf. F. misogamie.]
Defn: Hatre
MISOGYNIST Mi*sog"y*nist, n. Etym: [Gr. misogyne.]
Defn: A woman hater. Fuller.
MISOGYNOUS Mi*sog"y*nous, a.
Defn: Hating women.
MISOGYNY Mi*sog"y*ny, n. Etym: [Gr. misogynie.]
Defn: Hatred of women. Johnson.
MISOLOGY Mi*sol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Hatred of argument or discussion; hatred of enlightenment. G. H. Lewes.
MISOPINION Mis`o*pin"ion, n.
Defn: Wrong opinion. [Obs.]
MISORDER Mis*or"der, v. t.
Defn: To order ill; to manage erroneously; to conduct badly. [Obs.] Shak.
MISORDER Mis*or"der, n.
Defn: Irregularity; disorder. [Obs.] Camden.
MISORDERLY Mis*or"der*ly, a.
Defn: Irregular; disorderly. [Obs.]
MISORDINATION Mis*or`di*na"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong ordination.
MISOTHEISM Mis"o*the`ism, n. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: Hatred of God. De Quincey.
MISPAINT Mis*paint", v. t.
Defn: To paint ill, or wrongly.
MISPASSION Mis*pas"sion, n.
Defn: Wrong passion or feeling. [Obs.]
MISPAY Mis*pay", v. t. Etym: [Cf. Appay.]
Defn: To dissatisfy. [Obs.]
MISPELL; MISPEND Mis*pell", v. t., Mis*pend" (, v. t., etc.
Defn: See Misspell, Misspend, etc.
MISPENSE Mis*pense", n.
Defn: See Misspense. Bp. Hall.
MISPERCEPTION Mis`per*cep"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous perception.
MISPERSUADE Mis`per*suade", v. t.
Defn: To persuade amiss.
MISPERSUASION Mis`per*sua"sion, n.
Defn: A false persuasion; wrong notion or opinion. Dr. H. More.
MISPICKEL Mis*pick"el, n. Etym: [G.] (Min.)
Defn: Arsenical iron pyrites; arsenopyrite.
MISPLACE Mis*place", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misplaced; p. pr. & vb. n. Misplacing.]
Defn: To put in a wrong place; to set or place on an improper or unworthy object; as, he misplaced his confidence.
MISPLACEMENT Mis*place"ment, n.
Defn: The act of misplacing, or the state of being misplaced.
MISPLEAD Mis*plead", v. i.
Defn: To err in pleading.
MISPLEADING Mis*plead"ing, n. (Law)
Defn: An error in pleading.
MISPOINT Mis*point", v. t.
Defn: To point improperly; to punctuate wrongly.
MISPOLICY Mis*pol"i*cy, n.
Defn: Wrong policy; impolicy.
MISPRACTICE Mis*prac"tice, n.
Defn: Wrong practice.
MISPRAISE Mis*praise", v. t.
Defn: To praise amiss.
MISPRINT Mis*print", v. t.
Defn: To print wrong.
MISPRINT Mis*print", n.
Defn: A mistake in printing; a deviation from the copy; as, a book full of misprints.
MISPRISE Mis*prise", v. t.
Defn: See Misprize. [Obs.] Shak.
MISPRISE Mis*prise", v. t. Etym: [OF. mesprise mistake, F. méprise, fr. mespris, masc., mesprise, fem., p. p. of mesprendre to mistake; F. méprendre; pref. mes- amiss + prendre to take, L. prehendere.]
Defn: To mistake. [Obs.] Shak.
MISPRISION Mis*pri"sion, n. Etym: [LL. misprisio, or OF. mesprison, prop., a mistaking, but confused with OF. mespris contempt, F. mépris. See 2d Misprise, Misprize, Prison.]
1. The act of misprising; misapprehension; misconception; mistake. [Archaic] Fuller. The misprision of this passage has aided in fostering the delusive notion. Hare.
2. Neglect; undervaluing; contempt. [Obs.] Shak.
3. (Law)
Defn: A neglect, negligence, or contempt.
Note: In its larger and older sense it was used to signify "every considerable misdemeanor which has not a certain name given to it in the law." Russell. In a more modern sense it is applied exclusively to two offenses: —1. Misprision of treason, which is omission to notify the authorities of an act of treason by a person cognizant thereof. Stephen. 2. Misprision of felony, which is a concealment of a felony by a person cognizant thereof. Stephen.
MISPRIZE Mis*prize", v. t. Etym: [OF. mesprisier to deprise, F. mépriser; pref. amiss, wrong (L. minus less + LL. pretium price. See price, Prize, v.]
Defn: To slight or undervalue. O, for those vanished hours, so much misprized! Hillhouse. I do not blame them, madam, nor misprize. Mrs. Browning.
MISPROCEEDING Mis`pro*ceed"ing, n.
Defn: Wrong or irregular proceding.
MISPROFESS Mis`pro*fess", v. i.
Defn: To make a false profession; to make pretensions to skill which is not possessed.
MISPROFESS Mis`pro*fess", v. t.
Defn: To make a false profession of.
MISPRONOUNCE Mis`pro*nounce", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Mispronounced; p. pr. & vb. n. Mispronouncing.]
Defn: To pronounce incorrectly.
MISPRONUNCIATION Mis`pro*nun`ci*a"tion ( or ), n.
Defn: Wrong or improper pronunciation.
MISPROPORTION Mis`pro*por"tion, v. t.
Defn: To give wrong proportions to; to join without due proportion.
MISPROUD Mis*proud", a.
Defn: Viciously proud. [Obs.] Shak.
MISPUNCTUATE Mis*punc"tu*ate, v. t.
Defn: To punctuate wrongly or incorrectly.
MISQUOTATION Mis`quo*ta"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous or inaccurate quotation.
MISQUOTE Mis*quote", v. t. & i.
Defn: To quote erroneously or incorrectly. Shak.
MISRAISE Mis*raise", v. t.
Defn: To raise or exite unreasonable. "Misraised fury." Bp. Hall.
MISRATE Mis*rate", v. t.
Defn: To rate erroneously.
MISREAD Mis*read", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misread; p. pr. & vb. n. Misreading.]
Defn: To read amiss; to misunderstand in reading.
MISRECEIVE Mis`re*ceive", v. t.
Defn: To receive wrongly.
MISRECITAL Mis`re*cit"al, n.
Defn: An inaccurate recital.
MISRECITE Mis`re*cite", v. t. & i.
Defn: To recite erroneously.
MISRECKON Mis*reck"on, v. t. & i.
Defn: To reckon wrongly; to miscalculate. Swift.
MISRECKONING Mis*reck"on*ing, n.
Defn: An erroneous computation.
MISRECOLLECT Mis*rec`ol*lect", v. t. & i.
Defn: To have an erroneous remembrance of; to suppose erroneously that one recollects. Hitchcock.
MISRECOLLECTION Mis*rec`ol*lec"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous or inaccurate recollection.
MISREFORM Mis`re*form", v. t.
Defn: To reform wrongly or imperfectly.
MISREGARD Mis`re*gard", n.
Defn: Wrong understanding; misconstruction. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISREGULATE Mis*reg"u*late, v. t.
Defn: To regulate wrongly or imperfectly; to fail to regulate.
MISREHEARSE Mis`re*hearse", v. t.
Defn: To rehearse or quote incorrectly. Sir T. More.
MISRELATE Mis`re*late", v. t.
Defn: To relate inaccurately.
MISRELATION Mis`re*la"tion, n.
Defn: Erroneous relation or narration. Abp. Bramhall.
MISRELIGION Mis`re*li"gion, n.
Defn: False religion. [R.]
MISREMEMBER Mis`re*mem"ber, v. t. & i.
Defn: To mistake in remembering; not to remember correctly. Sir T. More.
MISRENDER Mis*ren"der, v. t.
Defn: To render wrongly; to translate or recite wrongly. Boyle.
MISREPEAT Mis`re*peat", v. t.
Defn: To repeat wrongly; to give a wrong version of. Gov. Winthrop.
MISREPORT Mis`re*port", v. t. & i.
Defn: To report erroneously; to give an incorrect account of. Locke.
MISREPORT Mis`re*port", n.
Defn: An erroneous report; a false or incorrect account given. Denham. South.
MISREPRESENT Mis*rep`re*sent", v. t.
Defn: To represent incorrectly (almost always, unfacorably); to give a false erroneous representation of, either maliciously, ignirantly, or carelessly. Swift.
MISREPRESENT Mis*rep`re*sent", v. i.
Defn: To make an incorrect or untrue representation. Milton.
MISREPRESENTATION Mis*rep`re*sen*ta"tion, n.
Defn: Untrue representation; false or incorrect statement or account; — usually unfavorable to the thing represented; as, a misrepresentation of a person's motives. Sydney Smith.
Note: In popular use, this word often conveys the idea of intentional untruth.
MISREPRESENTATIVE Mis*rep`re*sent"a*tive, a.
Defn: Tending to convey a wrong impression; misrepresenting.
MISREPRESENTER Mis*rep`re*sent"er, n.
Defn: One who misrepresents.
MISREPUTE Mis`re*pute", v. t.
Defn: To have in wrong estimation; to repute or estimate erroneously.
MISRULE Mis*rule", v. t. & i.
Defn: To rule badly; to misgovern.
MISRULE Mis*rule", n.
1. The act, or the result, of misruling.
2. Disorder; confusion; tumult from insubordination. Enormous riot and misrule surveyed. Pope. Abbot, or Lord, of Misrule. See under Abbot, and Lord.
MISRULY Mis*rul"y, a.
Defn: Unruly. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
MISS Miss, n.; pl. Misses. Etym: [Contr. fr. mistress.]
1. A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a girl or a woman who has not been married. See Mistress, 5.
Note: There is diversity of usage in the application of this title to two or more persons of the same name. We may write either the Miss Browns or the Misses Brown.
2. A young unmarried woman or a girl; as, she is a miss of sixteen. Gay vanity, with smiles and kisses, Was busy 'mongst the maids and misses. Cawthorn.
3. A kept mistress. See Mistress, 4. [Obs.] Evelyn.
4. (Card Playing)
Defn: In the game of three-card loo, an extra hand, dealt on the table, which may be substituted for the hand dealt to a player.
MISS Miss, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Missed; p.pr. & vb.n. Missing.] Etym: [AS. missan; akin to D. & G. missen, OHG. missan, Icel. missa, Sw. mista, Dan. miste. *100. See Mis-, pref.]
1. To fail of hitting, reaching, getting, finding, seeing, hearing, etc.; as, to miss the mark one shoots at; to miss the train by being late; to miss opportunites of getting knowledge; to miss the point or meaning of something said. When a man misses his great end, happiness, he will acknowledge he judged not right. Locke.
2. To omit; to fail to have or to do; to get without; to dispense with; — now seldom applied to persons. She would never miss, one day, A walk so fine, a sight so gay. Prior. We cannot miss him; he does make our fire, Fetch in our wood. Shak.
3. To discover the absence or omission of; to feel the want of; to mourn the loss of; to want. Shak. Neither missed we anything … Nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him. 1 Sam. xxv. 15, 21. What by me thou hast lost, thou least shalt miss. Milton. To miss stays. (Naut.) See under Stay.
MISS Miss, v. i.
1. To fail to hit; to fly wide; to deviate from the true direction. Men observe when things hit, and not when they miss. Bacon. Flying bullets now, To execute his rage, appear too slow; They miss, or sweep but common souls away. Waller.
2. To fail to obtain, learn, or find; — with of. Upon the least reflection, we can not miss of them. Atterbury.
3. To go wrong; to err. [Obs.] Amongst the angels, a whole legion Of wicked sprites did fall from happy bliss; What wonder then if one, of women all, did miss Spenser.
4. To be absent, deficient, or wanting. [Obs.] See Missing, a. What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. Shak.
MISS Miss, n.
1. The act of missing; failure to hit, reach, find, obtain, etc.
2. Loss; want; felt absence. [Obs.] There will be no great miss of those which are lost. Locke.
3. Mistake; error; fault. Shak. He did without any great miss in the hardest points of grammar. Ascham.
4. Harm from mistake. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISSA Mis"sa, n.; pl. Missæ. Etym: [LL. See 1st Mass.] (R.C.Ch.)
Defn: The service or sacrifice of the Mass.
MISSAL Mis"sal, n. Etym: [LL. missale, liber missalis, from missa mass: cf. F. missel. See 1st Mass.]
Defn: The book containing the service of the Mass for the entire year; a Mass book.
MISSAL Mis"sal, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the Mass, or to a missal or Mass book. Bp. Hall.
MISSAY Mis*say", v. t.
1. To say wrongly.
2. To speak evil of; to slander. [Obs.]
MISSAY Mis*say", v. i.
Defn: To speak ill. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISSEEK Mis*seek", v. t.
Defn: To seek for wrongly. [Obs.]
MISSEEM Mis*seem", v. i.
1. To make a false appearance. [Obs.]
2. To misbecome; to be misbecoming. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISSEL Mis"sel, n.
Defn: Mistletoe. [Obs.] Missel bird, Missel thrush (Zoöl.), a large European thrush (Turdus viscivorus) which feeds on the berries of the mistletoe; — called also mistletoe thrush and missel.
MISSELDINE Mis"sel*dine, n. Etym: [See Mistletoe.] [Written also misselden.]
Defn: The mistletoe. [Obs.] Baret.
MISSELTOE Mis"sel*toe, n.
Defn: See Mistletoe.
MISSEMBLANCE Mis*sem"blance, n.
Defn: False resemblance or semblance. [Obs.]
MISSEND Mis*send", v. t.
Defn: To send amiss or incorrectly.
MISSERVE Mis*serve", v. t. & i.
Defn: To serve unfaithfully.
MISSET Mis*set", v. t.
Defn: To set pr place wrongly.
MISSHAPE Mis*shape", v. t.
Defn: To shape ill; to give an ill or unnatural from to; to deform. "Figures monstrous and misshaped." Pope.
MISSHAPEN Mis*shap"en, a.
Defn: Having a bad or ugly form. "The mountains are misshapen." Bentley. — Mis*shap"en*ly, adv. — Mis*shap"en*ness, n.
MISSHEATHED Mis*sheathed", a.
Defn: Sheathed by mistake; wrongly sheathed; sheathed in a wrong place. Shak.
MISSIFICATE Mis*sif"i*cate, v. i. Etym: [LL. missa Mass + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See fy-.]
Defn: To perform Mass. [Obs.] Milton.
MISSILE Mis"sile, a. Etym: [L. missils, fr. mittere, missum, to cause to go, to send, to throw; cf. Lith. mesti to throw: cf. F. missile. Cf. Admit, Dismiss, Mass the religious service, Message, Mission.]
Defn: Capable of being thrown; adapted for hurling or to be projected from the hand, or from any instrument or rngine, so as to strike an object at a distance. We bend the bow, or wing the missile dart. Pope.
MISSILE Mis"sile, n. Etym: [L. missile.]
Defn: A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projcted, as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet.
MISSING Miss"ing, a. Etym: [From Miss, v. i.]
Defn: Absent from the place where it was expected to be found; lost; wanting; not present when called or looked for. Neither was there aught missing unto them. 1 Sam. xxv. 7. For a time caught up to God, as once Moses was in the mount, and missing long. Milton.
MISSINGLY Miss"ing*ly, adv.
Defn: With a sense of loss. [Obs.] Shak.
MISSION Mis"sion, n. Etym: [L. missio, fr. mittere, missum, to send: cf. F. mission. See Missile.]
1. The act of sending, or the state of being sent; a being sent or delegated by authority, with certain powers for transacting business; comission. Whose glorious deeds, but in these fields of late, Made emulous missions' mongst the gods themselves. Shak.
2. That with which a messenger or agent is charged; an errand; business or duty on which one is sent; a commission. How to begin, how to accomplish best His end of being on earth, and mission high. Milton.
3. Persons sent; any number of persons appointed to perform any service; a delegation; an embassy. In these ships there should be a mission of three of the fellows or brethren of Solomon's house. Bacon.
4. An assotiation or organization of missionaries; a station or residence of missionaries.
5. An organization for worship and work, dependent on one or more churches.
6. A course of extraordinary sermons and services at a particular place and time for the special purpose of quickening the faith and zeal participants, and of converting unbelievers. Addis & Arnold.
7. Dismission; discharge from service. [Obs.] Mission school. (a) A school connected with a mission and conducted by missionaries. (b) A school for the religious instruction of children not having regular church privileges.
Syn. — Message; errand; commission; deputation.
MISSION Mis"sion, v. t.
Defn: To send on a mission. [Mostly used in the form of the past participle.] Keats.
MISSIONARY Mis"sion*ary, n.; pl. Missionaries. Etym: [Cf. F. missionnaire. See Mission, n.]
Defn: One who is sent on a mission; especially, one sent to propagate religion. Swift. Missionary apostolic, a Roman Catholic missionary sent by commission from the pope.
MISSIONARY Mis"sion*a*ry, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to missions; as, a missionary meeting; a missionary fund.
MISSIONER Mis"sion*er, n.
Defn: A missionary; an envoy; one who conducts a mission. See Mission, n., 6. "Like mighty missioner you come." Dryden.
MISSIS Mis"sis, n.
Defn: A mistress; a wife; — so used by the illiterate. G. Eliot.
MISSISH Miss"ish, a.
Defn: Like a miss; prim; affected; sentimental. — Miss"ish*ness, n.
MISSIT Mis*sit", v. t.
Defn: To sit badly or imperfectly upon; to misbecome. [Obs.] Chaucer.
MISSIVE Mis"sive, a. Etym: [See Missive, n.]
1. Specially sent; intended or prepared to be sent; as, a letter missive. Ayliffe.
2. Missile. "The missive weapons fly." Dryden. Letters missive, letters conveying the permission, comand, or advice of a superior authority, as a sovereign. They are addressed and sent to some certain person or persons, and are distinguished from letters patent, which are addressed to the public.
MISSIVE Mis"sive, n. Etym: [F. lettre missive. See Mission, n.]
1. That which is sent; a writing containing a message.
2. One who is sent; a messenger. [Obs.] Shak.
MISSOUND Mis*sound", v. t.
Defn: To sound wrongly; to utter or pronounce incorrectly. E,Hall.
MISSPEAK Mis*speak", v. i.
Defn: To err in speaking.
MISSPEAK Mis*speak", v. t.
Defn: To utter wrongly.
MISSPEECH Mis*speech", n.
Defn: Wrong speech. [Obs.]
MISSPELL Mis*spell", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misspelled, or Misspelt (; p. pr. & vb. n. Misspelling.]
Defn: To spell incorrectly.
MISSPELLING Mis*spell"ing, n.
Defn: A wrong spelling.
MISSPEND Mis*spend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misspent; p. pr. & vb. n. Misspending.]
Defn: To spend amiss or for wrong purposes; to aquander; to waste; as, to misspend time or money. J. Philips.
MISSPENDER Mis*spend"er, n.
Defn: One who misspends.
MISSPENSE mis*spense", n.
Defn: A spending improperly; a wasting. [Obs.] Barrow.
MISSPENT Mis*spent", imp. & p. p.
Defn: of Misspend.
MISSTATE Mis*state", v. t.
Defn: To state wrongly; as, to misstate a question in debate. Bp. Sanderson.
MISSTATEMENT Mis*state"ment, n.
Defn: An incorrect statement.
MISSTAYED Mis*stayed", a. (Naut.)
Defn: Having missed stays; — said of a ship.
MISSTEP Mis*step", n.
Defn: A wrong step; an error of conduct.
MISSTEP Mis*step", v. i.
Defn: To take a wrong step; to go astray.
MISSUCCESS Mis`suc*cess", n.
Defn: Failure. [Obs.]
MISSUGGESTION Mis`sug*ges"tion ( or ), n.
Defn: Wrong or evil suggestion. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
MISSUMMATION Mis`sum*ma"tion, n.
Defn: Wrong summation.
MISSWEAR Mis*swear", v. i.
Defn: To swear falsely.
MISSY Mis"sy, n. (Min.)
Defn: See Misy.
MISSY Mis"sy, n.
Defn: An affectionate, or contemptuous, form of miss; a young girl; a miss. — a.
Defn: Like a miss, or girl.
MIST Mist, n. Etym: [AS. mist; akin to D. & Sw. mist, Icel. mistr, G. mist dung, Goth. maíhstus, AS. migan to make water, Icel. miga, Lith. migla mist, Russ. mgla, L. mingere, meiere, to make water, gr. mih to make water, n., a mist m*gha cloud. *102. Cf. Misle, Mizzle, Mixen.]
1. Visible watery vapor suspended in the atmosphere, at or near the surface of the earth; fog.
2. Coarse, watery vapor, floating or falling in visible particles, approaching the form of rain; as, Scotch mist.
3. Hence, anything which dims or darkens, and obscures or intercepts vision. His passion cast a mist before his sense. Dryden. Mist flower (Bot.), a composite plant (Eupatorium coelestinum), having heart-shaped leaves, and corymbs of lavender-blue flowers. It is found in the Western and Southern United States.
MIST Mist, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misted; p. pr. & vb. n. Misting.]
Defn: To cloud; to cover with mist; to dim. Shak.
MIST Mist, v. i.
Defn: To rain in very fine drops; as, it mists.
MISTAKABLE Mis*tak"a*ble, a.
Defn: Liable to be mistaken; capable of being misconceived. Sir T. Browne.
MISTAKE Mis*take", v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook; p. p. Mistaken; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking.] Etym: [Pref. mis- + take: cf. Icel. mistaka.]
1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.] Shak.
2. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend, or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's meaning. Locke. My father's purposes have been mistook. Shak.
3. To substitute in thought or perception; as, to mistake one person for another. A man may mistake the love of virtue for the practice of it. Johnson.
4. To have a wrong idea of in respect of character, qualities, etc.; to misjudge. Mistake me not so much, To think my poverty is treacherous. Shak.
MISTAKE Mis*take", v. i.
Defn: To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error. Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends. Swift.
MISTAKE Mis*take", n.
1. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct. Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all possibility of mistake. Tillotson.
2. (Law)
Defn: Misconception, error, which when non-negligent may be ground for rescinding a contract, or for refusing to perform it. No mistake, surely; without fail; as, it will happen at the appointed time, and no mistake. [Low]
Syn. — Blunder; error; bull. See Blunder.
MISTAKEN Mis*tak"en, p.a.
1. Being in error; judging wrongly; having a wrong opinion or a misconception; as, a mistaken man; he is mistaken.
2. Erroneous; wrong; as, a mistaken notion.
MISTAKENLY Mis*tak"en*ly, adv.
Defn: By mistake. Goldsmith.
MISTAKENNESS Mis*tak"en*ness, n.
Defn: Erroneousness.
MISTAKER Mis*tak"er, n.
Defn: One who mistakes. Well meaning ignorance of some mistakers. Bp. Hall.
MISTAKING Mis*tak"ing, n.
Defn: An error; a mistake. Shak.
MISTAKINGLY Mis*tak"ing*ly, adv.
Defn: Erroneously.
MISTAUGHT Mis*taught", a. Etym: [See Misteach.]
Defn: Wrongly taught; as, a mistaught youth. L'Estrange.
MISTEACH Mis*teach", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mistaught; p. pr. & vb. n. Misteaching.] Etym: [AS. mist.]
Defn: To teach wrongly; to instruct erroneously.
MISTELL Mis*tell", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mistold; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistelling.]
Defn: To tell erroneously.
MISTEMPER Mis*tem"per, v. t.
Defn: To temper ill; to disorder; as, to mistemper one's head. Warner. This inundation of mistempered humor. Shak.
MISTER Mis"ter, n. Etym: [See Master, and cf. Mistress.]
Defn: A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a man or youth. It is usually written in the abbreviated form Mr. To call your name, inquire your where, Or whet you think of Mister Some-one's book, Or Mister Other's marriage or decease. Mrs. Browning.
MISTER Mis"ter, v. t.
Defn: To address or mention by the title Mr.; as, he mistered me in a formal way. [Colloq.]
MISTER Mis"ter, n. Etym: [OF. mistier trade, office, ministry, need, F. métier trade, fr. L. ministerium service, office, ministry. See Ministry, Mystery trade.] [Written also mester.]
1. A trade, art, or occupation. [Obs.] In youth he learned had a good mester. Chaucer.
2. Manner; kind; sort. [Obs.] Spenser. But telleth me what mester men ye be. Chaucer.
3. Need; necessity. [Obs.] Rom. of R.
MISTER Mis"ter, v. i.
Defn: To be needful or of use. [Obs.] As for my name, it mistereth not to tell. Spenser.
MISTERM Mis*term", v. t.
Defn: To call by a wrong name; to miscall.
MISTERY Mis"ter*y, n.
Defn: See Mystery, a trade.
MISTFUL Mist"ful, a.
Defn: Clouded with, or as with, mist.
MISTHINK Mis*think", v. i. Etym: [See Think.]
Defn: To think wrongly. [Obs.] "Adam misthought of her." Milton.
MISTHINK Mis*think", v. t.
Defn: To have erroneous thoughts or judgment of; to think ill of. [Obs.] Shak.
MISTHOUGHT Mis*thought", n.
Defn: Erroneous thought; mistaken opinion; error. [Obs.] Spenser.
MISTHRIVE Mis*thrive", v. i.
Defn: To thrive poorly; to be not thrifty or prosperous. [Obs.]
MISTHROW Mis*throw", v. t.
Defn: To throw wrongly.
MISTIC; MISTICO Mis"tic, Mis"ti*co, n. Etym: [Sp. místico.]
Defn: A kind of small sailing vessel used in the Mediterranean. It is rigged partly like a xebec, and partly like a felucca.
MISTIDE Mis*tide", v. i. Etym: [AS. mistidan. See Tide.]
Defn: To happen or come to pass unfortunately; also, to suffer evil fortune. [Obs.]
MISTIGRIS; MISTIGRI Mis`ti`gris", Mis`ti`gri", n. Etym: [F. mistigri.]
Defn: A variety of the game of poker in which the joker is used, and called mistigris or mistigri.
MISTIHEAD Mist"i*head, n.
Defn: Mistiness. [Obs.]
MISTILY Mist"i*ly, adv.
Defn: With mist; darkly; obscurely.
MISTIME Mis*time", v. t. Etym: [AS. mistimain to turn out ill.]
Defn: To time wrongly; not to adapt to the time.
MISTINESS Mist"i*ness, n.
Defn: State of being misty.
MISTION Mis"tion, n. Etym: [L. mistio, mixtio. See Mix, and cf. Mixtion.]
Defn: Mixture. [Obs.]
MISTITLE Mis*ti"tle, v. t.
Defn: To call by a wrong title.
MISTLE Mis"tle, v. i. Etym: [Eng. mist. See Misle, and Mizzle.]
Defn: To fall in very fine drops, as rain.