M M (em).

1. M, the thirteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant, and from the manner of its formation, is called the labio- nasal consonant. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 178-180, 242.

The letter M came into English from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being further derived from the Phonician, and ultimately, it is believed, from the Egyptian. Etymologically M is related to n, in lime, linden; emmet, ant; also to b.

M is readily followed by b and p. the position of the lips in the formation of both letters being the same. The relation of b and m is the same as that of d and t to n. and that of g and k to ng.

2. As a numeral, M stands for one thousand, both in English and Latin.

M M, n.

1. (Print.) A quadrat, the face or top of which is a perfect square; also, the size of such a square in any given size of type, used as the unit of measurement for that type: 500 m's of pica would be a piece of matter whose length and breadth in pica m's multiplied together produce that number. [Written also em.]

2. (law) A brand or stigma, having the shape of an M, formerly impressed on one convicted of manslaughter and admitted to the benefit of clergy.

M roof (Arch.), a kind of roof formed by the junction of two common roofs with a valley between them, so that the section resembles the letter M.

MA Ma (mä), n. [Cf. Mamma.]

1. A child's word for mother.

2. [Hind.] In Oriental countries, a respectful form of address given to a woman; mother. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

MA Ma, conj. [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: But; — used in cautionary phrases; as, "Vivace, ma non troppo presto" (i. e., lively, but not too quick). Moore (Encyc. of Music).

MAA Maa, n. [See New a gull.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The common European gull (Larus canus); — called also mar. See New, a gull.

MAAD Maad, obs. p. p. of Make.

Defn: Made. Chaucer.

MAALIN Maa"lin, n. (Zoöl.) (a) The sparrow hawk. (b) The kestrel.

MA'AM Ma'am, n.

Defn: Madam; my lady; — a colloquial contraction of madam often used in direct address, and sometimes as an appellation.

MAARA SHELL Ma"a*ra shell`. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large, pearly, spiral, marine shell (Turbo margaritaceus), from the Pacific Islands. It is used as an ornament.

MAASHA Ma*ash"a, n.

Defn: An East Indian coin, of about one tenth of the weight of a rupee.

MAAT Maat, a. [See Mate, a.]

Defn: Dejected; sorrowful; downcast. [Obs.] "So piteous and so maat." Chaucer.

MAB Mab (mab), n. [Cf. W. mad a male child, a boy.]

1. A slattern. [Prov. Eng.]

2. The name of a female fairy, esp. the queen of the fairies; and hence, sometimes, any fairy. Shak.

MABBLE Mab"ble, v. t.

Defn: To wrap up. [Obs.]

MABBY Mab"by, n.

Defn: A spirituous liquor or drink distilled from potatoes; — used in the Barbadoes.

MABOLO Ma*bo"lo, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of persimmon tree (Diospyros discolor) from the Philippine Islands, now introduced into the East and West Indies. It bears an edible fruit as large as a quince.

MAC Mac. [Gael., son.]

Defn: A prefix, in names of Scotch origin, signifying son.

MACACO Ma*ca"co, n. [Cf. Pg. macaco.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of lemurs, as the ruffed lemur (Lemur macaco), and the ring-tailed lemur (L. catta).

MACACUS Ma*ca"cus, n. [NL., a word of African origin. Cf. Macaco, Macaque.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of monkeys, found in Asia and the East Indies. They have short tails and prominent eyebrows.

MACADAMIZATION Mac*ad`am*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The process or act of macadamizing.

MACADAMIZE Mac*ad"am*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Macadamized; p. pr. & vb. n. Macadamizing.] [From John Loudon McAdam, who introduced the process into Great Britain in 1816.]

Defn: To cover, as a road, or street, with small, broken stones, so as to form a smooth, hard, convex surface.

MACADAM ROAD Mac*ad"am road`. [See Macadamize.]

Defn: A macadamized road.

MACAO Ma*ca"o, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A macaw.

MACAQUE Ma`caque", n. [F. See Macacus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of short-tailed monkeys of the genus Macacus; as, M. maurus, the moor macaque of the East Indies.

MACARANGA GUM Mac`a*ran"ga gum`.

Defn: A gum of a crimson color, obtained from a tree (Macaranga Indica) that grows in the East Indies. It is used in taking impressions of coins, medallions, etc., and sometimes as a medicine. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

MACARIZE Mac"a*rize, v. t. [Gr. to bless.]

Defn: To congratulate. [Oxford Univ. Cant] Whately.

MACARONI Mac`a*ro"ni, n.; pl. Macaronis (#), or Macaronies. [Prov. It. macaroni, It. maccheroni, fr. Gr. happiness, later, a funeral feast, fr. blessed, happy. Prob. so called because eaten at such feasts in honor of the dead; cf. Gr. blessed, i. e., dead. Cf. Macaroon.]

1. Long slender tubes made of a paste chiefly of wheat flour, and used as an article of food; Italian or Genoese paste.

A paste similarly prepared is largely used as food in Persia, India, and China, but is not commonly made tubular like the Italian macaroni. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

2. A medley; something droll or extravagant.

3. A sort of droll or fool. [Obs.] Addison.

4. A finical person; a fop; — applied especially to English fops of about 1775. Goldsmith.

5. pl. (U. S. Hist.) The designation of a body of Maryland soldiers in the Revolutionary War, distinguished by a rich uniform. W. Irving.

MACARONIAN; MACARONIC Mac`a*ro"ni*an, Mac`a*ron"ic, a. [Cf. It. maccheronico, F. macaronique.]

1. Pertaining to, or like, macaroni (originally a dish of mixed food); hence, mixed; confused; jumbled.

2. Of or pertaining to the burlesque composition called macaronic; as, macaronic poetry.

MACARONIC Mac`a*ron"ic, n.

1. A heap of thing confusedly mixed together; a jumble.

2. A kind of burlesque composition, in which the vernacular words of one or more modern languages are intermixed with genuine Latin words, and with hybrid formed by adding Latin terminations to other roots.

MACAROON Mac`a*roon", n. [F. macaron, It. maccherone. See Macaroni.]

1. A small cake, composed chiefly of the white of eggs, almonds, and sugar.

2. A finical fellow, or macaroni. [Obs.]

MACARTNEY Ma*cart"ney, n. [From Lord Macartney.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fire-backed pheasant. See Fireback.

MACASSAR OIL Ma*cas`sar oil".

Defn: A kind of oil formerly used in dressing the hair; — so called because originally obtained from Macassar, a district of the Island of Celebes. Also, an imitation of the same, of perfumed castor oil and olive oil.

MACAUCO Ma*cau"co, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of small lemurs, as Lemur murinus, which resembles a rat in size.

MACAVAHU Ma`ca*va"hu, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small Brazilian monkey (Callithrix torquatus), — called also collared teetee.

MACAW Ma*caw", n. [From the native name in the Antilles.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any parrot of the genus Sittace, or Macrocercus. About eighteen species are known, all of them American. They are large and have a very long tail, a strong hooked bill, and a naked space around the eyes. The voice is harsh, and the colors are brilliant and strongly contrasted.

Macaw bush (Bot.), a West Indian name for a prickly kind of nightshade (Solanum mammosum). —Macaw palm, Macaw tree (Bot.), a tropical American palm (Acrocomia fusiformis and other species) having a prickly stem and pinnately divided leaves. Its nut yields a yellow butter, with the perfume of violets, which is used in making violet soap. Called also grugru palm.

MACCABEAN Mac`ca*be"an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Judas Maccabeus or to the Maccabees; as, the Maccabean princes; Maccabean times.

MACCABEES Mac"ca*bees, n. pl.

1. The name given in later times to the Asmonæans, a family of Jewish patriots, who headed a religious revolt in the reign of Antiochus IV., 168-161 B. C., which led to a period of freedom for Israel. Schaff-Herzog.

2. The name of two ancient historical books, which give accounts of Jewish affairs in or about the time of the Maccabean princes, and which are received as canonical books in the Roman Catholic Church, but are included in the Apocrypha by Protestants. Also applied to three books, two of which are found in some MSS. of the Septuagint.

MACCABOY; MACCOBOY Mac"ca*boy, Mac"co*boy, n. Etym: [From a district in the Island of Martinique where it is made: cf. F. macouba.]

Defn: A kind of snuff.

MACCO Mac"co, n.

Defn: A gambling game in vogue in the eighteenth century. Thackeray.

MACE Mace, n. Etym: [Jav. & Malay. mas, fr. Skr. masha a bean.]

Defn: A money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael; also, a weight of 57.98 grains. S. W. Williams.

MACE Mace, n. Etym: [F. macis, L. macis, macir, Gr. makaranda the nectar or honey of a flower, a fragrant mango.] (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of spice; the aril which partly covers nutmegs. See Nutmeg.

Note: Red mace is the aril of Myristica tingens, and white mace that of M. Otoba, — East Indian trees of the same genus with the nutmeg tree.

MACE Mace, n. Etym: [OF. mace, F. masse, from (assumed) L. matea, of which the dim. mateola a kind of mallet or beetle, is found.]

1. A heavy staff or club of metal; a spiked club; — used as weapon in war before the general use of firearms, especially in the Middle Ages, for breaking metal armor. Chaucer. Death with his mace petrific . . . smote. Milton.

2. Hence: A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority. "Swayed the royal mace." Wordsworth.

3. An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority. Macaulay.

4. A knobbed mallet used by curriers in dressing leather to make it supple.

5. (Billiards)

Defn: A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand. Mace bearer, an officer who carries a mace before person in authority.

MACEDOINE Ma`cé`doine", n. [F., apparently the same word as Macédoine Macedonia.]

Defn: A kind of mixed dish, as of cooked vegetables with white sauce, sweet jelly with whole fruit, etc. Also, fig., a medley.

MACEDONIAN Mac`e*do"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Macedonius, Gr. (Geog.)

Defn: Belonging, or relating, to Macedonia. — n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Macedonia.

MACEDONIAN Mac`e*do"ni*an, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of a certain religious sect, followers of Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople, in the fourth century, who held that the Holy Ghost was a creature, like the angels, and a servant of the Father and the Son.

MACEDONIANISM Mac`e*do"ni*an*ism, n.

Defn: The doctrines of Macedonius.

MACER Ma"cer, n. Etym: [F. massier. See Mace staff.]

Defn: A mace bearer; an officer of a court. P. Plowman.

MACERATE Mac"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Macerated; p. pr. & vb. n. Macerating.] Etym: [L. maceratus, p. p. of macerare to make soft, weaken, enervate; cf. Gr.

1. To make lean; to cause to waste away. [Obs. or R.] Harvey.

2. To subdue the appetites of by poor and scanty diet; to mortify. Baker.

3. To soften by steeping in a liquid, with or without heat; to wear away or separate the parts of by steeping; as, to macerate animal or vegetable fiber.

MACERATER Mac"er*a`ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, macerates; an apparatus for converting paper or fibrous matter into pulp.

MACERATION Mac`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. maceratio: cf. F. macération.]

Defn: The act or process of macerating.

MACHAERODUS; MACHAIRODUS Ma*chæ"ro*dus, Ma*chai"ro*dus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of extinct mammals allied to the cats, and having in the upper jaw canine teeth of remarkable size and strength; — hence called saber-toothed tigers.

MACHETE Ma*che"te, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A large heavy knife resembling a broadsword, often two or three feet in length, — used by the inhabitants of Spanish America as a hatchet to cut their way through thickets, and for various other purposes. J. Stevens.

MACHIAVELIAN Mach`i*a*vel"ian, a. Etym: [From Machiavel, an Italian writer, secretary and historiographer to the republic of Florence.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Machiavel, or to his supposed principles; politically cunning; characterized by duplicity or bad faith; crafty.

MACHIAVELIAN Mach`i*a*vel"ian, n.

Defn: One who adopts the principles of Machiavel; a cunning and unprincipled politician.

MACHIAVELISM; MACHIAVELIANISM Mach"i*a*vel*ism, Mach`i*a*vel"ian*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. machiavélisme; It. machiavellismo.]

Defn: The supposed principles of Machiavel, or practice in conformity to them; political artifice, intended to favor arbitrary power.

MACHICOLATED Ma*chic"o*la`ted, a. Etym: [LL. machicolatus, p. p. of machicolare, machicollare. See Machicolation.]

Defn: Having machicolations. "Machicolated turrets." C. Kingsley.

MACHICOLATION Mach`i*co*la"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. machicolamentum, machacolladura, F. mâchicolis, mâchecoulis; perh. fr. F. mèche match, combustible matter + OF. coulis, couleis, flowing, fr. OF. & F. couler to flow. Cf. Match for making fire, and Cullis.]

1. (Mil. Arh.)

Defn: An opening between the corbels which support a projecting parapet, or in the floor of a gallery or the roof of a portal, shooting or dropping missiles upen assailants attacking the base of the walls. Also, the construction of such defenses, in general, when of this character. See Illusts. of Battlement and Castle.

2. The act of discharging missiles or pouring burning or melted substances upon assailants through such apertures.

MACHICOULIS Ma`chi`cou`lis", n. Etym: [F. mâchicoulis.] (Mil. Arch.)

Defn: Same as Machicolation.

MACHINAL Ma*chin"al, a. Etym: [L. machinalis: cf. F. machinal.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to machines.

MACHINATE Mach"i*nate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Machinated; p. pr. & vb. n. Machinating.] Etym: [L. machinatus, p. p. of machinari to devise, plot. See Machine.]

Defn: To plan; to contrive; esp., to form a scheme with the purpose of doing harm; to contrive artfully; to plot. "How long will you machinate!" Sandys.

MACHINATE Mach"i*nate, v. t.

Defn: To contrive, as a plot; to plot; as, to machinate evil.

MACHINATION Mach`i*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. machinatio: cf. F. machination.]

1. The act of machinating. Shak.

2. That which is devised; a device; a hostile or treacherous scheme; an artful design or plot. Devilish machinations come to naught. Milton. His ingenious machinations had failed. Macaulay.

MACHINATOR Mach"i*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who machinates, or forms a scheme with evil designs; a plotter or artful schemer. Glanvill. Sir W. Scott.

MACHINE Ma*chine", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. machina machine, engine, device, trick, Gr. Mechanic.]

1. In general, any combination of bodies so connected that their relative motions are constrained, and by means of which force and motion may be transmitted and modified, as a screw and its nut, or a lever arranged to turn about a fulcrum or a pulley about its pivot, etc.; especially, a construction, more or less complex, consisting of a combination of moving parts, or simple mechanical elements, as wheels, levers, cams, etc., with their supports and connecting framework, calculated to constitute a prime mover, or to receive force and motion from a prime mover or from another machine, and transmit, modify, and apply them to the production of some desired mechanical effect or work, as weaving by a loom, or the excitation of electricity by an electrical machine.

Note: The term machine is most commonly applied to such pieces of mechanism as are used in the industrial arts, for mechanically shaping, dressing, and combining materials for various purposes, as in the manufacture of cloth, etc. Where the effect is chemical, or other than mechanical, the contrivance is usually denominated an apparatus, not a machine; as, a bleaching apparatus. Many large, powerful, or specially important pieces of mechanism are called engines; as, a steam engine, fire engine, graduating engine, etc. Although there is no well-settled distinction between the terms engine and machine among practical men, there is a tendency to restrict the application of the former to contrivances in which the operating part is not distinct from the motor.

2. Any mechanical contrivance, as the wooden horse with which the Greeks entered Troy; a coach; a bicycle. Dryden. Southey. Thackeray.

3. A person who acts mechanically or at will of another.

4. A combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use; as, the social machine. The whole machine of government ought not to bear upon the people with a weight so heavy and oppressive. Landor.

5. A political organization arranged and controlled by one or more leaders for selfish, private or partisan ends. [Political Cant]

6. Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit. Addison. Elementary machine, a name sometimes given to one of the simple mechanical powers. See under Mechanical. — Infernal machine. See under Infernal. — Machine gun.See under Gun. — Machine screw, a screw or bolt adapted for screwing into metal, in distinction from one which is designed especially to be screwed into wood. — Machine shop, a workshop where machines are made, or where metal is shaped by cutting, filing, turning, etc. — Machine tool, a machine for cutting or shaping wood, metal, etc., by means of a tool; especially, a machine, as a lathe, planer, drilling machine, etc., designed for a more or less general use in a machine shop, in distinction from a machine for producing a special article as in manufacturing. — Machine twist, silken thread especially adapted for use in a sewing machine. — Machine work, work done by a machine, in contradistinction to that done by hand labor.

MACHINE Ma*chine", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Machined; p. pr. & vb. n. Machining.]

Defn: To subject to the action of machinery; to effect by aid of machinery; to print with a printing machine.

MACHINER Ma*chin"er, n.

Defn: One who or operates a machine; a machinist. [R.]

MACHINERY Ma*chin"er*y, n. Etym: [From Machine: cf. F. machinerie.]

1. Machines, in general, or collectively.

2. The working parts of a machine, engine, or instrument; as, the machinery of a watch.

3. The supernatural means by which the action of a poetic or fictitious work is carried on and brought to a catastrophe; in an extended sense, the contrivances by which the crises and conclusion of a fictitious narrative, in prose or verse, are effected. The machinery, madam, is a term invented by the critics, to signify that part which the deities, angels, or demons, are made to act in a poem. Pope.

4. The means and appliances by which anything is kept in action or a desired result is obtained; a complex system of parts adapted to a purpose. An indispensable part of the machinery of state. Macaulay. The delicate inflexional machinery of the Aryan languages. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

MACHINING Ma*chin"ing, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the machinery of a poem; acting or used as a machine.[Obs.] Dryden.

MACHINIST Ma*chin"ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. machiniste.]

1. A constrictor of machines and engines; one versed in the principles of machines.

2. One skilled in the use of machine tools.

3. A person employed to shift scenery in a theater.

MACHO Ma"cho, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The striped mullet of California (Mugil cephalus, or Mexicanus).

MACILENCY Mac"i*len*cy, n. Etym: [See Macilent.]

Defn: Leanness.[Obs.] Sandys.

MACILENT Mac"i*lent, a. Etym: [L. macilentus, fr. macies leanness, macere to be lean.]

Defn: Lean; thin. [Obs.] Bailey.

MACINTOSH Mac"in*tosh, n.

Defn: Same as Mackintosh.

MACKEREL Mack"er*el, n. Etym: [OF. maquerel, F. maquereau, fr. D. makelaar mediator, agent, fr. makelen to act as agent.]

Defn: A pimp; also, a bawd. [Obs.] Halliwell.

MACKEREL Mack`er*el, n. Etym: [OF. maquerel, F. maquereau (LL. macarellus), prob. for maclereau, fr. L. macula a spot, in allusion to the markings on the fish. See Mail armor.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of the genus Scomber, and of several related genera. They are finely formed and very active oceanic fishes. Most of them are highly prized for food.

Note: The common mackerel (Scomber scombrus), which inhabits both sides of the North Atlantic, is one of the most important food fishes. It is mottled with green and blue. The Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), of the American coast, is covered with bright yellow circular spots. Bull mackerel, Chub mackerel. (Zoöl.) See under Chub. — Frigate mackerel. See under Frigate. — Horse mackerel . See under Horse. — Mackerel bird (Zoöl.), the wryneck; — so called because it arrives in England at the time when mackerel are in season. — Mackerel cock (Zoöl.), the Manx shearwater; — so called because it precedes the appearance of the mackerel on the east coast of Ireland. — Mackerel guide. (Zoöl.) See Garfish (a). — Mackerel gull (Zoöl.) any one of several species of gull which feed upon or follow mackerel, as the kittiwake. — Mackerel midge (Zoöl.), a very small oceanic gadoid fish of the North Atlantic. It is about an inch and a half long and has four barbels on the upper jaw. It is now considered the young of the genus Onos, or Motella. — Mackerel plow, an instrument for creasing the sides of lean mackerel to improve their appearance. Knight. — Mackerel shark (Zoöl.), the porbeagle. — Mackerel sky, or Mackerel-back sky, a sky flecked with small white clouds; a cirro-cumulus. See Cloud. Mackerel sky and mare's-tails Make tall ships carry low sails. Old Rhyme.

MACKINAW BLANKET; MACKINAW Mack"i*naw blan"ket, Mack"i*naw.Etym: [From Mackinac,the State of Michigan, where blankets and other stores were distributed to the Indians.]

Defn: A thick blanket formerly in common use in the western part of the United States.

MACKINAW BOAT Mack"i*naw boat.

Defn: A flat-bottomed boat with a pointed prow and square stern, using oars or sails or both, used esp. on the upper Great Lakes and their tributaries.

MACKINAW COAT Mackinaw coat.

Defn: A short, heavy, double-breasted plaid coat, the design of which is large and striking. [Local, U. S.]

MACKINAW TROUT Mackinaw trout.

Defn: The namaycush.

MACKINTOSH Mack"in*tosh, n.

Defn: A waterproof outer garment; — so called from the name of the inventor.

MACKLE Mac`kle, n. Etym: [See Macle.]

Defn: Same Macule.

MACKLE Mac"kle, v. t. & i.

Defn: To blur, or be blurred, in printing, as if there were a double impression.

MACLE Ma"cle, n. Etym: [L. macula a spot: cf. F. macle. Cf. Mackle, Mascle.] (Min.) (a) Chiastolite; — so called from the tessellated appearance of a cross section. See Chiastolite. (b) A crystal having a similar tessellated appearance. (c) A twin crystal.

MACLED Ma"cled, a.

1. (Min.) (a) Marked like macle (chiastolite). (b) Having a twin structure. See Twin, a.

2. See Mascled.

MACLUREA Ma*clu"re*a, n. Etym: [NL. Named from William Maclure, the geologist.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of spiral gastropod shells, often of large size, characteristic of the lower Silurian rocks.

MACLURIN Ma*clu"rin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Morintannic.

MACRAME LACE Mac"ra*me lace".

Defn: A coarse lace made of twine, used especially in decorating furniture.

MACRENCEPHALIC; MACRENCEPHALOUS Mac`ren*ce*phal"ic, Mac`ren*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Macro + encephalic, encephalous.]

Defn: Having a large brain.

MACRO- Mac"ro-. Etym: [Gr. makro`s, adj.]

Defn: A combining form signifying long, large, great; as macrodiagonal, macrospore.

MACROBIOTIC Mac`ro*bi*ot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. macrobiotique.]

Defn: Long-lived. Dunglison.

MACROBIOTICS Mac`ro*bi*ot"ics, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The art of prolonging life.

MACROCEPHALOUS Mac`ro*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Macro + Gr. kefalh` the head.]

1. Having a large head.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the cotyledons of a dicotyledonous embryo confluent, and forming a large mass compared with the rest of the body. Henslow.

MACRO-CHEMISTRY Mac`ro-chem"is*try, n. Etym: [Macro- + chemistry.] (Chem.)

Defn: The science which treats of the chemical properties, actions or relations of substances in quantity; — distinguished from micro- chemistry.

MACROCHIRES Mac`ro*chi"res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of birds including the swifts and humming birds. So called from the length of the distal part of the wing.

MACROCOSM Mac"ro*cosm, n. Etym: [Macro- + Gr. macrocosme.]

Defn: The great world; that part of the universe which is exterior to man; — contrasted with microcosm, or man. See Microcosm.

MACROCOSMIC Mac`ro*cos"mic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the macrocosm. Tylor.

MACROCYSTIS Mac`ro*cys"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Macro-, and Cyst.] (Bot.)

Defn: An immensely long blackish seaweed of the Pacific (Macrocystis pyrifera), having numerous almond-shaped air vessels.

MACRODACTYL Mac`ro*dac"tyl, n. Etym: [Gr. macrodactyle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a group of wading birds (Macrodactyli) having very long toes. [Written also macrodactyle.]

MACRODACTYLIC; MACRODACTYLOUS Mac`ro*dac*tyl"ic, Mac`ro*dac"tyl*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having long toes.

MACRODIAGONAL Mac`ro*di*ag"o*nal, n. Etym: [Macro- + diagonal.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: The longer of two diagonals, as of a rhombic prism. See Crystallization.

MACRODOME Mac"ro*dome, n. Etym: [Macro- + dome.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: A dome parallel to the longer lateral axis of an orthorhombic crystal. See Dome, n., 4.

MACRODONT Mac"ro*dont, a. Etym: [Macro- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having large teeth. — n.

Defn: A macrodont animal.

MACROFARAD Mac"ro*far`ad, n. Etym: [Macro- + farad.] (Elec.)

Defn: See Megafarad. [R.]

MACROGLOSSIA Mac`ro*glos"si*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Macro-, and Glossa.] (Med.)

Defn: Enlargement or hypertrophy of the tongue.

MACROGNATHIC Mac`rog*nath"ic, a. Etym: [Macro- + gnathic.] (Anthropol.)

Defn: Long-jawed. Huxley.

MACROGRAPH Mac"ro*graph, n. [Macro- + -graph.]

Defn: A picture of an object as seen by the naked eye (that is, unmagnified); as, a macrograph of a metallic fracture.

MACROGRAPHY Ma*crog"ra*phy, n.

Defn: Examination or study with the naked eye, as distinguished from micrography.

MACROLOGY Ma*crol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. macrologia, Gr. macrologie.]

Defn: Long and tedious talk without much substance; superfluity of words.

MACROMETER Ma*crom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Macro- + -meter.]

Defn: An instrument for determining the size or distance of inaccessible objects by means of two reflectors on a common sextant.

MACRON Ma"cron, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Pron.)

Defn: A short, straight, horizontal mark [-], placed over vowels to denote that they are to be pronounced with a long sound; as, a, in dame; e, in seam, etc.

MACROPETALOUS Mac`ro*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Macro- + petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having long or large petals.

MACROPHYLLOUS Ma*croph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Macro- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having long or large leaves.

MACROPINACOID Mac`ro*pin"a*coid, n. Etym: [Macro- + pinacoid.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: One of the two planes of an orthorhombic crystal which are parallel to the vertical and longer lateral (macrodiagonal) axes.

MACROPOD Mac"ro*pod, n. Etym: [Macro- + -pod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of a group of maioid crabs remarkable for the length of their legs; — called also spider crab.

MACROPODAL Ma*crop"o*dal, a.

Defn: Having long or large feet, or a long stem.

MACROPODIAN Mac`ro*po"di*an, n.

Defn: A macropod.

MACROPODOUS Ma*crop"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having long legs or feet.

MACROPRISM Mac"ro*prism, n. Etym: [Macro- + prism.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: A prism of an orthorhombic crystal between the macropinacoid and the unit prism; the corresponding pyramids are called macropyramids.

MACROPTERES Ma*crop"te*res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of birds; the Longipennes.

MACROPTEROUS Ma*crop"ter*ous, a. Etym: [See Macropteres.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having long wings.

MACROPUS Mac"ro*pus, n. Etym: [NL. See Macropod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: genus of marsupials including the common kangaroo.

MACROPYRAMID Mac`ro*pyr"a*mid, n. Etym: [Macro- + pyramid.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: See Macroprism.

MACROSCOPIC; MACROSCOPICAL Mac`ro*scop"ic, Mac`ro*scop"ic*al, a. Etym: [Macro- + Gr.

Defn: Visible to the unassisted eye; — as opposed to microscopic. — Mac`ro*scop"ic*al*ly, adv.

MACROSPORANGIUM Mac`ro*spo*ran"gi*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Macro-, and Sporangium.] (Bot.)

Defn: A sporangium or conceptacle containing only large spores; — opposed to microsporangium. Both are found in the genera Selaginella, Isoctes, and Marsilia, plants remotely allied to ferns.

MACROSPORE Mac"ro*spore, n. Etym: [Macro- + spore.] (Bot.)

Defn: One of the specially large spores of certain flowerless plants, as Selaginella, etc.

MACROSPORIC Mac`ro*spor"ic, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to macrospores.

MACROTONE Mac"ro*tone, n. Etym: [Gr. Macro-, and Tone.] (Pron.)

Defn: Same as Macron.

MACROTOUS Ma*cro"tous, a. Etym: [Macro- + Gr. o"y^s, gen. 'wto`s, the ear.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Large-eared.

MACROURA; MACROURAL Ma*crou"ra, n. pl., Ma*crou"ral (, a., etc. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Macrura, Macrural, etc.

MACROZOOSPORE; MACROZOOESPORE Mac`ro*zo"ö*spore, n. Etym: [Macro- + zoöspore.] (Bot.)

Defn: A large motile spore having four vibratile cilia; — found in certain green algæ.

MACRURA Ma*cru"ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A subdivision of decapod Crustacea, having the abdomen largely developed. It includes the lobster, prawn, shrimp, and many similar forms. Cf. Decapoda.

MACRURAL Ma*cru"ral, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Macrurous.

MACRURAN Ma*cru"ran, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Macrura.

MACRUROID Ma*cru"roid, a. Etym: [Macrura + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the Macrura.

MACRUROUS Ma*cru"rous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Macrura; having a long tail.

MACTATION Mac*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. mactatio, fr. macture to slay, sacrifice.]

Defn: The act of killing a victim for sacrifice. [Obs.]

MACTRA Mac"tra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any marine bivalve shell of the genus Mactra, and allied genera. Many species are known. Some of them are used as food, as Mactra stultorum, of Europe. See Surf clam, under Surf.

MACULA Mac"u*la, n.; pl. Maculæ. Etym: [L., spot, stain, blot. See Mail armor, and cf. Mackle, Macule.]

1. A spot, as on the skin, or on the surface of the sun or of some other luminous orb.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A rather large spot or blotch of color.

MACULATE Mac"u*late, v. t. Etym: [L. maculatus, p. p. of maculare to spot. See Macula, and cf. Macule, v.]

Defn: To spot; to stain; to blur. Maculate the honor of their people. Sir T. Elyot.

MACULATE Mac"u*late, a. Etym: [L. maculatus, p. p.]

Defn: Marked with spots or maculæ; blotched; hence, defiled; impure; as, most maculate thoughts. Shak.

MACULATED Mac"u*la`ted, a.

Defn: Having spots or blotches; maculate.

MACULATION Mac"u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. maculatio.]

Defn: The act of spotting; a spot; a blemish. Shak.

MACULATORY Mac"u*la*to*ry, a.

Defn: Causing a spot or stain. T. Adams.

MACULATURE Mac"u*la*ture, n

Defn: , Blotting paper. [Obs.]

MACULE Mac"ule, n. Etym: [F. macule. See Macula.]

1. A spot. [Obs.]

2. (Print.)

Defn: A blur, or an appearance of a double impression, as when the paper slips a little; a mackle.

MACULE Mac"ule, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. maculer. See Maculate,v.]

Defn: To blur; especially (Print.), to blur or double an impression from type. See Mackle.

MACULOSE Mac"u*lose`, a. Etym: [L. maculosus.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to spots upon a surface; spotted; maculate.

MAD Mad, obs. p. p.

Defn: of Made. Chaucer.

MAD Mad, a. [Compar. Madder; superl. Maddest.] Etym: [AS. gem, gemad, mad; akin to OS. gem foolish, OHG. gameit, Icel. mei to hurt, Goth. gamáids weak, broken.

1. Disordered in intellect; crazy; insane. I have heard my grandsire say full oft, Extremity of griefs would make men mad. Shak.

2. Excited beyond self-control or the restraint of reason; inflamed by violent or uncontrollable desire, passion, or appetite; as, to be mad with terror, lust, or hatred; mad against political reform. It is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. Jer. 1. 88. And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Acts xxvi. 11.

3. Proceeding from, or indicating, madness; expressing distraction; prompted by infatuation, fury, or extreme rashness. "Mad demeanor." Milton. Mad wars destroy in one year the works of many years of peace. Franklin. The mad promise of Cleon was fulfilled. Jowett (Thucyd.).

4. Extravagant; immoderate. "Be mad and merry." Shak. "Fetching mad bounds." Shak.

5. Furious with rage, terror, or disease; — said of the lower animals; as, a mad bull; esp., having hydrophobia; rabid; as, a mad dog.

6. Angry; out of patience; vexed; as, to get mad at a person. [Colloq.]

7. Having impaired polarity; — applied to a compass needle. [Colloq.] Like mad, like a mad person; in a furious manner; as, to run like mad. L'Estrange. — To run mad. (a) To become wild with excitement. (b) To run wildly about under the influence of hydrophobia; to become affected with hydrophobia. — To run mad after, to pursue under the influence of infatuation or immoderate desire. "The world is running mad after farce." Dryden.

MAD Mad, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Madded; p. pr. & vb. n. Madding.]

Defn: To make mad or furious; to madden. Had I but seen thy picture in this plight, It would have madded me. Shak.

MAD Mad, v. i.

Defn: To be mad; to go mad; to rave. See Madding. [Archaic] Chaucer. Festus said with great voice, Paul thou maddest. Wyclif (Acts).

MAD Mad, n. Etym: [AS. ma; akin to D. & G. made, Goth. mapa, and prob. to E. moth.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An earthworm. [Written also made.]

MADAM Mad"am, n.; pl. Madams, or Mesdames. Etym: [See Madame.]

Defn: A gentlewoman; — an appellation or courteous form of address given to a lady, especially an elderly or a married lady; — much used in the address, at the beginning of a letter, to a woman. The corresponding word in addressing a man is Sir.

MADAME Ma`dame", n.; pl. Mesdames. Etym: [F., fr. ma my (L. mea) + dame dame. See Dame, and cf. Madonna.]

Defn: My lady; — a French title formerly given to ladies of quality; now, in France, given to all married women. Chaucer.

MAD-APPLE Mad"-ap`ple, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Eggplant.

MADBRAIN Mad"brain`, a.

Defn: Hot-headed; rash. Shak. — n.

Defn: A rash or hot-headed person.

MADBRAINED Mad"brained`, a.

Defn: Disordered in mind; hot-headed. Shak.

MADCAP Mad"cap`, a.

1. Inclined to wild sports; delighting in rash, absurd, or dangerous amusements. "The merry madcap

Defn: lord." Shak.

2. Wild; reckless. "Madcap follies" Beau. & Fl.

MADCAP Mad"cap`, n.

Defn: A person of wild behavior; an excitable, rash, violent person. Shak.

MADDEN Mad"den, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Maddened; p. pr. & vb. n. Maddening.]

Defn: To make mad; to drive to madness; to craze; to excite violently with passion; to make very angry; to enrage.

MADDEN Mad"den, v. i.

Defn: To become mad; to act as if mad. They rave, recite, and madden round the land. Pope.

MADDER Mad"der, n. Etym: [OE. mader, AS. mædere; akin to Icel. ma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the Rubia (R. tinctorum). The root is much used in dyeing red, and formerly was used in medicine. It is cultivated in France and Holland. See Rubiaceous.

Note: Madder is sometimes used in forming pigments, as lakes, etc., which receive their names from their colors; as. madder yellow. Field madder, an annual European weed (Sherardia arvensis) resembling madder. — Indian madder , the East Indian Rubia cordifolia, used in the East for dyeing; — called also munjeet. — Wild madder, Rubia peregrina of Europe; also the Galium Mollugo, a kind of bedstraw.

MADDERWORT Mad"der*wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A name proposed for any plant of the same natural order (Rubiaceæ) as the madder.

MADDING Mad"ding, a.

Defn: Affected with madness; raging; furious. — Mad"ding*ly, adv. [Archaic] Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife. Gray. The madding wheels Of brazen chariots raged. Milton.

MADDISH Mad"dish, a.

Defn: Somewhat mad. Beau. & Fl.

MADE Made, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mad, n.

MADE Made, imp. & p. p.

Defn: of Make.

MADE Made, a.

Defn: Artificially produced; pieced together; formed by filling in; as, made ground; a made mast, in distinction from one consisting of a single spar. Made up. (a) Complete; perfect. "A made up villain." Shak. (b) Falsely devised; fabricated; as, a made up story. (c) Artificial; as, a made up figure or complexion.

MADECASS; MADECASSEE Mad"e*cass, Mad`e*cas"see, n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Madagascar, or Madecassee; the language of the natives of Madagascar. See Malagasy.

MADECASSEE Mad`e*cas"see, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Madagascar or its inhabitants.

MADEFACTION; MADEFICATION Mad`e*fac"tion, Mad`e*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. madefacere to make wet; madere to be wet + facere to make: cf. F. madéfaction.]

Defn: The act of madefying, or making wet; the state of that which is made wet. [R.] Bacon.

MADEFY Mad"e*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Madefied; p. pr. & vb. n. Madefying.] Etym: [Cf. F. madéfier, L. madefacere. See Madefaction.]

Defn: To make wet or moist. [R.]

MADEGASSY Mad`e*gas"sy, n. & a.

Defn: See Madecassee.

MADEIRA Ma*dei"ra, n. Etym: [Pg., the Island Madeira, properly, wood, fr. L. materia stuff, wood. The island was so called because well wooded. See Matter.]

Defn: A rich wine made on the Island of Madeira. A cup of Madeira, and a cold capon's leg. Shak. Madeira nut (Bot.), the European walnut; the nut of the Juglans regia.

MADEIRA VINE Ma*dei"ra vine. (Bot.)

Defn: A herbaceous climbing vine (Boussingaultia baselloides) very popular in cultivation, having shining entire leaves and racemes of small fragrant white flowers.

MADEIRA WOOD Madeira wood. (Bot.) (a) The mahogany tree (Swietenia Mahogoni). (b) A West Indian leguminous tree (Lysiloma Latisiliqua) the wood of which is used for boat trimming.

MADEMOISELLE Ma`de*moi`selle", n.; pl. Mesdemoiselles. Etym: [F., fr. ma my, f. of mon + demoiselle young lady. See Damsel.]

1. A French title of courtesy given to a girl or an unmarried lady, equivalent to the English Miss. Goldsmith.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A marine food fish (Sciæna chrysura), of the Southern United States; — called also yellowtail, and silver perch.

MADGE Madge, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. & Prov. F. machette.] (Zoöl.) (a) The barn owl. (b) The magpie.

MAD-HEADED Mad"-head`ed, a.

Defn: Wild; crack-brained.

MADHOUSE Mad"house`, n.

Defn: A house where insane persons are confined; an insane asylum; a bedlam.

MADIA Ma"di*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Sp. madi, fr. Chilian madi, the native name.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of composite plants, of which one species (Madia sativa) is cultivated for the oil yielded from its seeds by pressure. This oil is sometimes used instead of olive oil for the table.

MADID Mad"id, a. Etym: [L. madidus, fr. madere to be wet.]

Defn: Wet; moist; as, a madid eye. [R.] Beaconsfield.

MADISTERIUM Mad`is*te"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument to extract hairs.

MADJOUN Mad"joun, n. Etym: [Hind., fr. Ar. ma'j.]

Defn: An intoxicating confection from the hemp plant; — used by the Turks and Hindoos. [Written also majoun.]

MADLY Mad"ly, adv. Etym: [From Mad, a.]

Defn: In a mad manner; without reason or understanding; wildly.

MADMAN Mad"man, n.; pl. Madmen (.

Defn: A man who is mad; lunatic; a crazy person. When a man mistakes his thoughts for person and things, he is mad. A madman is properly so defined. Coleridge.

MADNEP Mad"nep, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The masterwort (Peucedanum Ostruthium).

MADNESS Mad"ness, n. Etym: [From Mad, a.]

1. The condition of being mad; insanity; lunacy.

2. Frenzy; ungovernable rage; extreme folly.

Syn. — Insanity; distraction; derangement; craziness; lunacy; mania; frenzy; franticness; rage; aberration; alienation; monomania. See Insanity.

MADONNA Ma*don"na, n. Etym: [It. madonna my lady. See Dame, Donna, and cf. Madame, Monkey.]

1. My lady; — a term of address in Italian formerly used as the equivalent of Madame, but for which Signora is now substituted. Sometimes introduced into English. Shak.

2. [pl. Madonnas (naz).]

Defn: A picture of the Virgin Mary (usually with the babe). The Italian painters are noted for drawing the Madonnas by their own wives or mistresses. Rymer.

MADOQUA Ma"do*qua, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small Abyssinian antelope (Neotragus Saltiana), about the size of a hare.

MADRAGUE Ma`drague", n. Etym: [R.]

Defn: A large fish pound used for the capture of the tunny in the Mediterranean; also applied to the seines used for the same purpose.

MADRAS Ma*dras", n. [So named after Madras, a city and presidency of India.]

Defn: A large silk-and-cotton kerchief, usually of bright colors, such as those often used by negroes for turbans.

A black woman in blue cotton gown, red-and-yellow madras turban . . . crouched against the wall. G. W. Cable.

MADREPERL Ma"dre*perl, n. Etym: [It. madreperla.]

Defn: Mother-of-pearl.

MADREPORA Mad`re*po"ra, n. Etym: [NL. See Madre.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of reef corals abundant in tropical seas. It includes than one hundred and fifty species, most of which are elegantly branched. — Mad`re*po"ral, a.

MADREPORARIA Mad`re*po*ra"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Madrepore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive division of Anthozoa, including most of the species that produce stony corals. See Illust. of Anthozoa. — Mad`re*po*ra"ri*an, a. & n.

MADREPORE Mad"re*pore, n. Etym: [F. madrepore, perh. fr. madré spotted, fr. OF. madre, mazre, a kind of knotty wood with brown spots, fr. OHG. masar a knot, grain, or vein in wood, a speck, G. maser + pore (see Pore); or perh. F. madrépore is rather from It. madrepora, and this perh. fr. It. madre mother (see Mother) + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any coral of the genus Madrepora; formerly, often applied to any stony coral.

MADREPORIAN; MADREPORIC Mad`re*po"ri*an, Mad`re*po"ric, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Resembling, or pertaining to, the genus Madrepora. Madreporic plate (Zoöl.), a perforated plate in echinoderms, through which water is admitted to the ambulacral tubes; — called also madreporic tubercule.

MADREPORIFORM Mad`re*po"ri*form, a. Etym: [Madrepore + -form.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Resembling a madreporian coral in form or structure.

MADREPORITE Mad"re*po*rite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. madréporite]

1. (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil coral.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The madreporic plate of echinoderms.

MADRIER Ma*drier", n. Etym: [F., from Sp. madero, or Pg. madeiro, fr. Sp. madera wood for building, timber, Pg. madeira, L. materia stuff, materials, lumber. See Matter.]

Defn: A thick plank, used for several mechanical purposes; especially: (a) A plank to receive the mouth of a petard, with which it is applied to anything intended to be broken down. (b) A plank or beam used for supporting the earth in mines or fortifications.

MADRIGAL Mad"ri*gal, n. Etym: [It. madrigale, OIt. madriale, mandriale (cf. LL. matriale); of uncertain origin, possibly fr. It mandra flock, L. mandra stall, herd of cattle, Gr. madrigal, originally, a pastoral song.]

1. A little amorous poem, sometimes called a pastoral poem, containing some tender and delicate, though simple, thought. Whose artful strains have oft delayed The huddling brook to hear his madrigal. Milton.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: An unaccompanied polyphonic song, in four, five, or more parts, set to secular words, but full of counterpoint and imitation, and adhering to the old church modes. Unlike the freer glee, it is best sung with several voices on a part. See Glee.

MADRIGALER Mad"ri*gal*er, n.

Defn: A madrigalist.

MADRIGALIST Mad"ri*gal*ist, n.

Defn: A composer of madrigals.

MADRILENIAN Mad`ri*le"ni*an, a. Etym: [Sp. Madrileno.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Madrid in Spain, or to its inhabitants. — n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Madrid.

MADRINA Ma*dri"na, n. Etym: [Sp., prop., a godmother.]

Defn: An animal (usually an old mare), wearing a bell and acting as the leader of a troop of pack mules. [S. America]

MADRO Ma*dro"ña, n. [Sp. madroño.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small evergreen tree or shrub (Arbutus Menziesii), of California, having a smooth bark, thick shining leaves, and edible red berries, which are often called madroña apples. [Written also madroño.]

MADRONA; MADRONYA Ma*dro"ña, n. Etym: [Sp. madroño.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small evergreen tree or shrub (Arbutus Menziesii), of California, having a smooth bark, thick shining leaves, and edible red berries, which are often called madroña apples. [Written also madroño.]

MADWORT Mad"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of cruciferous plants (Alyssum) with white or yellow flowers and rounded pods. A. maritimum is the commonly cultivated sweet alyssum, a fragrant white-flowered annual.

MAEGBOTE; MAGBOTE Mæg"bote`, Mag"bote`, n. Etym: [AS. mæg kinsman + bot compensation.] (Anglo-Saxon Law)

Defn: Compensation for the injury done by slaying a kinsman. Spelman.

MAELSTROM Mael"strom, n. Etym: [Norw., a whirlpool.]

1. A celebrated whirlpool on the coast of Norway.

2. Also Fig. ; as, a maelstrom of vice.

MAENAD Mæ"nad, n. Etym: [L. Maenas, -adis, Gr.

1. A Bacchante; a priestess or votary of Bacchus.

2. A frantic or frenzied woman.

MAESTOSO Ma`es*to"so, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Majestic or majestically; — a direction to perform a passage or piece of music in a dignified manner.

MAESTRICHT MONITOR Maes"tricht mon"i*tor. Etym: [So called from Maestricht, a town in Holland.] (Paleon.)

Defn: The Mosasaurus Hofmanni. See Mosasaurus.

MAESTRO Ma*es"tro, n. Etym: [It., fr. L. magister. See Master.]

Defn: A master in any art, especially in music; a composer.

MAFFIA; MAFIA Maf"fi*a, Ma"fi*a, n. [It. maffia.]

Defn: A secret society which organized in Sicily as a political organization, but is now widespread among Italians, and is used to further or protect private interests, reputedly by illegal methods.

MAFFIOSO; MAFIOSO Maf`fi*o"so, Ma`fi*o"so, n.; pl. -si (#). [It. maffioso.]

Defn: A member of the maffia.

MAFFLE Maf"fle, v. i. Etym: [Akin to OD. maffelen to stammer. Cf. Muffle to mumble.]

Defn: To stammer. [Obs.]

MAFFLER Maf"fler, n.

Defn: A stammerer. [Obs.]

MAGAZINE Mag`a*zine", n. Etym: [F. magasin, It. magazzino, or Sp. magacen, almagacen; all fr. Ar. makhzan, almakhzan, a storehouse, granary, or cellar.]

1. A receptacle in which anything is stored, especially military stores, as ammunition, arms, provisions, etc. "Armories and magazines." Milton.

2. The building or room in which the supply of powder is kept in a fortification or a ship.

3. A chamber in a gun for holding a number of cartridges to be fed automatically to the piece.

4. A pamphlet published periodically containing miscellaneous papers or compositions. Magazine dress, clothing made chiefly of woolen, without anything metallic about it, to be worn in a powder magazine. — Magazine gun, a portable firearm, as a rifle, with a chamber carrying cartridges which are brought automatically into position for firing. — Magazine stove, a stove having a chamber for holding fuel which is supplied to the fire by some self-feeding process, as in the common base-burner.

MAGAZINE Mag`a*zine", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Magazined; p. pr. & vb. n. Magazining.]

Defn: To store in, or as in, a magazine; to store up for use.

MAGAZINE CAMERA Magazine camera. (Photog.)

Defn: A camera in which a number of plates can be exposed without reloading.

MAGAZINER Mag`a*zin"er, n.

Defn: One who edits or writes for a magazine. [R.] Goldsmith.

MAGAZINING Mag`a*zin"ing, n.

Defn: The act of editing, or writing for, a magazine. [Colloq.] Byron.

MAGAZINIST Mag`a*zin"ist, n.

Defn: One who edits or writes for a magazine. [R.]

MAGBOTE Mag"bote`, n.

Defn: See Mægbote.

MAGDALA Mag"da*la, a.

Defn: Designating an orange-red dyestuff obtained from naphthylamine, and called magdala red, naphthalene red, etc.

MAGDALEN Mag"da*len, n. Etym: [From Mary Magdalene, traditionally reported to have been the repentant sinner forgiven by Christ. See Luke vii. 36.]

Defn: A reformed prostitute.

MAGDALEON Mag*da"le*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A medicine in the form of a roll, a esp. a roll of plaster.

MAGDEBURG Mag"de*burg, n.

Defn: A city of Saxony. Magdeburg centuries, Magdeburg hemispheres. See under Century, and Hemisphere.

MAGE Mage, n. Etym: [F. mage. See Magi.]

Defn: A magician. [Archaic] Spenser. Tennyson.

MAGELLANIC Mag`el*lan"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or named from, Magellan, the navigator. Magellenic clouds (Astron.), three conspicuous nebulæ near the south pole, resembling thin white clouds.

MAGENTA Ma*gen"ta, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An aniline dye obtained as an amorphous substance having a green bronze surface color, which dissolves to a shade of red; also, the color; — so called from Magenta, in Italy, in allusion to the battle fought there about the time the dye was discovered. Called also fuchsine, roseïne, etc.

MAGGED Magged, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Worn; fretted; as, a magged brace. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

MAGGIORE Mag`gio"re, a. Etym: [It., from L. major, compar. of magnus great. See Major.] (Mus.)

Defn: Greater, in respect to scales, intervals, etc., when used in opposition to minor; major. Moore (Encyc. of Music).

MAGGOT Mag"got, n. Etym: [W. macai, pl. maceiod, magiod, a worn or grub; cf. magu to bread.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The footless larva of any fly. See Larval.

2. A whim; an odd fancy. Hudibras. Tennyson.

MAGGOTINESS Mag"got*i*ness, n.

Defn: State of being maggoty.

MAGGOTISH Mag"got*ish, a.

Defn: Full of whims or fancies; maggoty.

MAGGOT-PIE Mag"got-pie`, n.

Defn: A magpie. [Obs.] Shak.

MAGGOTY Mag"got*y, a.

1. Infested with maggots.

2. Full of whims; capricious. Norris.

MAGHET Ma"ghet, n. Etym: [Cf. Fl. maghet maid.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name for daisies and camomiles of several kinds.

MAGI Ma"gi, n. pl. Etym: [L., pl. of Magus, Gr. Mage, Magic.]

Defn: A caste of priests, philosophers, and magicians, among the ancient Persians; hence, any holy men or sages of the East. The inspired Magi from the Orient came. Sandys.

MAGIAN Ma"gi*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Magi.

MAGIAN Ma"gi*an, n.

Defn: One of the Magi, or priests of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia; an adherent of the Zoroastrian religion. — Ma"gi*an*ism, n.

MAGIC Mag"ic, n. Etym: [OE. magique, L. magice, Gr. Magic, a., and Magi.]

Defn: A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret forces in nature attained by a study of occult science, including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, incantation, etc. An appearance made by some magic. Chaucer. Celestial magic, a supposed supernatural power which gave to spirits a kind of dominion over the planets, and to the planets an influence over men. — Natural magic, the art of employing the powers of nature to produce effects apparently supernatural. — Superstitious, or Geotic, magic, the invocation of devils or demons, involving the supposition of some tacit or express agreement between them and human beings.

Syn. — Sorcery; witchcraft; necromancy; conjuration; enchantment.

MAGIC; MAGICAL Mag"ic, Mag"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. magicus, Gr. magique. See Magi.]

1. Pertaining to the hidden wisdom supposed to be possessed by the Magi; relating to the occult powers of nature, and the producing of effects by their agency.

2. Performed by, or proceeding from, occult and superhuman agencies; done by, or seemingly done by, enchantment or sorcery. Hence: Seemingly requiring more than human power; imposing or startling in performance; producing effects which seem supernatural or very extraordinary; having extraordinary properties; as, a magic lantern; a magic square or circle. The painter's magic skill. Cowper.

Note: Although with certain words magic is used more than magical, — as, magic circle, magic square, magic wand, — we may in general say magic or magical; as, a magic or magical effect; a magic or magical influence, etc. But when the adjective is predicative, magical, and not magic, is used; as, the effect was magical. Magic circle, a series of concentric circles containing the numbers 12 to 75 in eight radii, and having somewhat similar properties to the magic square. — Magic humming bird (Zoöl.), a Mexican humming bird (Iache magica) , having white downy thing tufts. — Magic lantern. See Lantern. — Magic square, numbers so disposed in parallel and equal rows in the form of a square, that each row, taken vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, shall give the same sum, the same product, or an harmonical series, according as the numbers taken are in arithmetical, geometrical, or harmonical progression. — Magic wand, a wand used by a magician in performing feats of magic.

MAGICALLY Mag"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a magical manner; by magic, or as if by magic.

MAGICIAN Ma*gi"cian, n. Etym: [F. magicien. See Magic, n.]

Defn: One skilled in magic; one who practices the black art; an enchanter; a necromancer; a sorcerer or sorceress; a conjurer.

MAGILP; MAGILPH Ma*gilp", Ma*gilph", n. (Paint.)

Defn: See Megilp.

MAGISTER Ma*gis"ter, n. Etym: [L. See Master.]

Defn: Master; sir; — a title of the Middle Ages, given to a person in authority, or to one having a license from a university to teach philosophy and the liberal arts.

MAGISTERIAL Mag`is*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. magisterius magisterial. See Master.]

1. Of or pertaining to a master or magistrate, or one in authority; having the manner of a magister; official; commanding; authoritative. Hence: Overbearing; dictatorial; dogmatic. When magisterial duties from his home Her father called. Glover. We are not magisterial in opinions, nor, dictator-like, obtrude our notions on any man. Sir T. Browne. Pretenses go a great way with men that take fair words and magisterial looks for current payment. L'Estrange.

2. (Alchem. & Old Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, produced by, or of the nature of, magistery. See Magistery, 2.

Syn. — Authoritative; stately; august; pompous; dignified; lofty; commanding; imperious; lordly; proud; haughty; domineering; despotic; dogmatical; arrogant. — Magisterial, Dogmatical, Arrogant. One who is magisterial assumes the air of a master toward his pupils; one who is dogmatical lays down his positions in a tone of authority or dictation; one who is arrogant in sults others by an undue assumption of superiority. Those who have long been teachers sometimes acquire, unconsciously, a manner which borders too much on the magisterial, and may be unjustly construed as dogmatical, or even arrogant.

MAGISTERIALITY Mag`is*te`ri*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: Magisterialness; authoritativeness. [R.] Fuller.

MAGISTERIALLY Mag`is*te"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a magisterial manner.

MAGISTERIALNESS Mag`is*te"ri*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being magisterial.

MAGISTERY Mag"is*ter*y, n. Etym: [L. magisterium the office of a chief, president, director, tutor. See Magistrate.]

1. Mastery; powerful medical influence; renowned efficacy; a sovereign remedy. [Obs.] Holland.

2. A magisterial injunction. [R.] Brougham.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: A precipitate; a fine substance deposited by precipitation; — applied in old chemistry to certain white precipitates from metallic solutions; as, magistery of bismuth. Ure.

MAGISTRACY Mag"is*tra*cy, n.; pl. Magistracies. Etym: [From Magistrate.]

1. The office or dignity of a magistrate. Blackstone.

2. The collective body of magistrates.

MAGISTRAL Mag"is*tral, a. Etym: [L. magistralis: cf. F. magistral. See Magistrate.]

1. Pertaining to a master; magisterial; authoritative; dogmatic.

2. Commanded or prescribed by a magister, esp. by a doctor; hence, effectual; sovereign; as, a magistral sirup. "Some magistral opiate." Bacon.

3. (Pharmacy)

Defn: Formulated extemporaneously, or for a special case; — opposed to officinal, and said of prescriptions and medicines. Dunglison. Magistral line (Fort.), the guiding line, or outline, or outline, by which the form of the work is determined. It is usually the crest line of the parapet in fieldworks, or the top line of the escarp in permanent fortifications.

MAGISTRAL Mag"is*tral, n.

1. (Med.)

Defn: A sovereign medicine or remedy. [Obs.] Burton.

2. (Fort.)

Defn: A magistral line.

3. (Metal.)

Defn: Powdered copper pyrites used in the amalgamation of ores of silver, as at the Spanish mines of Mexico and South America.

MAGISTRALITY Mag`is*tral"i*ty, n.; pl. -ties (.

Defn: Magisterialness; arbitrary dogmatism. Bacon.

MAGISTRALLY Mag"is*tral*ly, adv.

Defn: In a magistral manner. Abp. Bramhall.

MAGISTRATE Mag"is*trate, n. Etym: [L. magistratus, fr. magister master: cf. F. magistrat. See Master.]

Defn: A person clothed with power as a public civil officer; a public civil officer invested with the executive government, or some branch of it. "All Christian rulers and magistrates." Book of Com. Prayer. Of magistrates some also are supreme, in whom the sovereign power of the state resides; others are subordinate. Blackstone.

MAGISTRATIC; MAGISTRATICAL Mag`is*trat"ic, Mag`is*trat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or proceeding from, a magistrate; having the authority of a magistrate. Jer. Taylor.

MAGISTRATURE Mag"is*tra`ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. magistrature.]

Defn: Magistracy. [Obs.]

MAGMA Mag"ma, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. Any crude mixture of mineral or organic matters in the state of a thin paste. Ure.

2. (Med.) (a) A thick residuum obtained from certain substances after the fluid parts are expressed from them; the grounds which remain after treating a substance with any menstruum, as water or alcohol. (b) A salve or confection of thick consistency. Dunglison.

3. (Geol.) (a) The molten matter within the earth, the source of the material of lava flows, dikes of eruptive rocks, etc. (b) The glassy base of an eruptive rock.

4. (Chem.)

Defn: The amorphous or homogenous matrix or ground mass, as distinguished from well-defined crystals; as, the magma of porphyry.

MAGNA CHARTA Mag"na Char"ta. Etym: [L., great charter.]

1. The great Charter, so called, obtained by the English barons from King John, A. D. 1215. This name is also given to the charter granted to the people of England in the ninth year of Henry III., and confirmed by Edward I.

2. Hence, a fundamental constitution which guaranties rights and privileges.

MAGNALITY Mag*nal"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. magnalis mighty, fr. magnus great.]

Defn: A great act or event; a great attainment. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

MAGNANIMITY Mag`na*nim"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. magnanimité, L. magnanimitas.]

Defn: The quality of being magnanimous; greatness of mind; elevation or dignity of soul; that quality or combination of qualities, in character, which enables one to encounter danger and trouble with tranquility and firmness, to disdain injustice, meanness and revenge, and to act and sacrifice for noble objects.

MAGNANIMOUS Mag*nan"i*mous, a.Etym: [L. magnanimus; magnus great + animus mind. See Magnate, and Animus.]

1. Great of mind; elevated in soul or in sentiment; raised above what is low, mean, or ungenerous; of lofty and courageous spirit; as, a magnanimous character; a magnanimous conqueror. Be magnanimous in the enterprise. Shak. To give a kingdom hath been thought Greater and nobler done, and to law down Far more magnanimousan to assume. Milton.

2. Dictated by or exhibiting nobleness of soul; honorable; noble; not selfish. Both strived for death; magnanimous debate. Stirling. There is an indissoluble union between a magnanimous policy and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity. Washington.

MAGNANIMOUSLY Mag*nan"i*mous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a magnanimous manner; with greatness of mind.

MAGNASE BLACK Mag"nase black`. (Paint.)

Defn: A black pigment which dries rapidly when mixed with oil, and is of intense body. Fairholt.

MAGNATE Mag"nate, Etym: [F. magnat, L. (pl.) magnates, magnati, fr. magnus great. See Master.]

1. A person of rank; a noble or grandee; a person of influence or distinction in any sphere. Macaulay.

2. One of the nobility, or certain high officers of state belonging to the noble estate in the national representation of Hungary, and formerly of Poland.

MAGNES Mag"nes, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Magnet. [Obs.] Spenser.

MAGNESIA Mag*ne"si*a, n. Etym: [L. Magnesia, fem. of Magnesius of the country Magnesia, Gr. Magnet.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light earthy white substance, consisting of magnesium oxide, and obtained by heating magnesium hydrate or carbonate, or by burning magnesium. It has a slightly alkaline reaction, and is used in medicine as a mild antacid laxative. See Magnesium. Magnesia alba Etym: [L.] (Med. Chem.), a bulky white amorphous substance, consisting of a hydrous basic carbonate of magnesium, and used as a mild cathartic.

MAGNESIAN Mag*ne"sian, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, characterized by, or containing, magnesia or magnesium. Magnesian limestone. (Min.) See Dolomite.

MAGNESIC Mag*ne"sic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or containing, magnesium; as, magnesic oxide.

MAGNESITE Mag"ne*site, n. Etym: [Cf. F. magnésite.] (Min.)

Defn: Native magnesium carbonate occurring in white compact or granular masses, and also in rhombohedral crystals.

MAGNESIUM Mag*ne"si*um, n. Etym: [NL. & F. See Magnesia.] (Chem.)

Defn: A light silver-white metallic element, malleable and ductile, quite permanent in dry air but tarnishing in moist air. It burns, forming (the oxide) magnesia, with the production of a blinding light (the so-called magnesium light) which is used in signaling, in pyrotechny, or in photography where a strong actinic illuminant is required. Its compounds occur abundantly, as in dolomite, talc, meerschaum, etc. Symbol Mg. Atomic weight, 24.4. Specific gravity, 1.75. Magnesium sulphate. (Chem.) Same as Epsom salts.

MAGNET Mag"net, n. Etym: [OE. magnete, OF. magnete, L. magnes, -etis, Gr. Magnesia, Manganese.]

1. The loadstone; a species of iron ore (the ferrosoferric or magnetic ore, Fe3O4) which has the property of attracting iron and some of its ores, and, when freely suspended, of pointing to the poles; — called also natural magnet. Dinocrates began to make the arched roof of the temple of Arsinoë all of magnet, or this loadstone. Holland. Two magnets, heaven and earth, allure to bliss, The larger loadstone that, the nearer this. Dryden.

2. (Physics)

Defn: A bar or mass of steel or iron to which the peculiar properties of the loadstone have been imparted; — called, in distinction from the loadstone, an artificial magnet.

Note: An artificial magnet, produced by the action of a voltaic or electrical battery, is called an electro-magnet. Field magnet (Physics & Elec.), a magnet used for producing and maintaining a magnetic field; — used especially of the stationary or exciting magnet of a dynamo or electromotor in distinction from that of the moving portion or armature.

MAGNETIC; MAGNETICAL Mag*net"ic, Mag*net"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. magneticus: cf. F. magnétique.]

1. Pertaining to the magnet; possessing the properties of the magnet, or corresponding properties; as, a magnetic bar of iron; a magnetic needle.

2. Of or pertaining to, or characterized by,, the earth's magnetism; as, the magnetic north; the magnetic meridian.

3. Capable of becoming a magnet; susceptible to magnetism; as, the magnetic metals.

4. Endowed with extraordinary personal power to excite the feelings and to win the affections; attractive; inducing attachment. She that had all magnetic force alone. Donne.

5. Having, susceptible to, or induced by, animal magnetism, so called; as, a magnetic sleep. See Magnetism. Magnetic amplitude, attraction, dip, induction, etc. See under Amplitude, Attraction, etc. — Magnetic battery, a combination of bar or horseshoe magnets with the like poles adjacent, so as to act together with great power. — Magnetic compensator, a contrivance connected with a ship's compass for compensating or neutralizing the effect of the iron of the ship upon the needle. — Magnetic curves, curves indicating lines of magnetic force, as in the arrangement of iron filings between the poles of a powerful magnet. — Magnetic elements. (a) (Chem. Physics) Those elements, as iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, manganese, etc., which are capable or becoming magnetic. (b) (Physics) In respect to terrestrial magnetism, the declination, inclination, and intensity. (c) See under Element. — Magnetic equator, the line around the equatorial parts of the earth at which there is no dip, the dipping needle being horizontal. — Magnetic field, or Field of magnetic force, any space through which magnet exerts its influence. — Magnetic fluid, the hypothetical fluid whose existence was formerly assumed in the explanations of the phenomena of magnetism. — Magnetic iron, or Magnetic iron ore. (Min.) Same as Magnetite. — Magnetic needle, a slender bar of steel, magnetized and suspended at its center on a sharp-pointed pivot, or by a delicate fiber, so that it may take freely the direction of the magnetic meridian. It constitutes the essential part of a compass, such as the mariner's and the surveyor's. — Magnetic poles, the two points in the opposite polar regions of the earth at which the direction of the dipping needle is vertical. — Magnetic pyrites. See Pyrrhotite. — Magnetic storm (Terrestrial Physics), a disturbance of the earth's magnetic force characterized by great and sudden changes. — Magnetic telegraph, a telegraph acting by means of a magnet. See Telegraph.

MAGNETIC Mag*net"ic, n.

1. A magnet. [Obs.] As the magnetic hardest iron draws. Milton.

2. Any metal, as iron, nickel, cobalt, etc., which may receive, by any means, the properties of the loadstone, and which then, when suspended, fixes itself in the direction of a magnetic meridian.

MAGNETICALLY Mag*net"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: By or as by, magnetism.

MAGNETICALNESS Mag*net"ic*al*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being magnetic.

MAGNETICIAN Mag`ne*ti"cian, n.

Defn: One versed in the science of magnetism; a magnetist.

MAGNETICNESS Mag*net"ic*ness, n.

Defn: Magneticalness. [Obs.]

MAGNETICS Mag*net"ics, n.

Defn: The science of magnetism.

MAGNETIFEROUS Mag`net*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. magnes, -etis + -ferous.]

Defn: Producing or conducting magnetism.

MAGNETISM Mag"net*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. magnétisme.]

Defn: The property, quality, or state, of being magnetic; the manifestation of the force in nature which is seen in a magnet.

2. The science which treats of magnetic phenomena.

3. Power of attraction; power to excite the feelings and to gain the affections. "By the magnetism of interest our affections are irresistibly attracted." Glanvill. Animal magnetism, a force, more or less analogous to magnetism, which, it has been alleged, is produced in animal tissues, and passes from one body to another with or without actual contact. The existence of such a force, and its potentiality for the cure of disease, were asserted by Mesmer in 1775. His theories and methods were afterwards called mesmerism, a name which has been popularly applied to theories and claims not put forward by Mesmer himself. See Mesmerism, Biology, Od, Hypnotism. — Terrestrial magnetism, the magnetic force exerted by the earth, and recognized by its effect upon magnetized needles and bars.

MAGNETIST Mag"net*ist, n.

Defn: One versed in magnetism.

MAGNETITE Mag"net*ite, n. (Min.)

Defn: An oxide of iron (Fe3O4) occurring in isometric crystals, also massive, of a black color and metallic luster. It is readily attracted by a magnet and sometimes possesses polarity, being then called loadstone. It is an important iron ore. Called also magnetic iron.

MAGNETIZABLE Mag"net*i`za*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of magnetized.

MAGNETIZATION Mag`net*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of magnetizing, or the state of being magnetized.

MAGNETIZE Mag"net*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Magnetized; prep. & adv. Magnetizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. magnétiser.]

1. To communicate magnetic properties to; as, to magnetize a needle.

2. To attract as a magnet attracts, or like a magnet; to move; to influence. Fascinated, magnetized, as it were, by his character. Motley.

3. To bring under the influence of animal magnetism.

MAGNETIZEE Mag`net*i*zee", n.

Defn: A person subjected to the influence of animal magnetism. [R.]

MAGNETIZER Mag"net*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, imparts magnetism.

MAGNETO- Mag"net*o-. Etym: [See Magnet.]

Defn: A prefix meaning pertaining to, produced by, or in some way connected with, magnetism.

MAGNETO-ELECTRIC; MAGNETO-ELECTRICAL Mag`net*o-e*lec"tric, Mag`net*o-e*lec"tric*al, a. (Physics)

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, electricity by the action of magnets; as, magneto-electric induction. Magneto-electric machine, a form of dynamo-electric machine in which the field is maintained by permanent steel magnets instead of electro-magnets.

MAGNETO-ELECTRICITY Mag`net*o-e`lec*tric"i*ty, n.

1. Electricity evolved by the action of magnets.

2. (Physics)

Defn: That branch of science which treats of the development of electricity by the action of magnets; — the counterpart of electro- magnetism.

MAGNETOGRAPH Mag*net"o*graph, n. Etym: [Magneto- + -graph.] (Physics)

Defn: An automatic instrument for registering, by photography or otherwise, the states and variations of any of the terrestrial magnetic elements.

MAGNETOMETER Mag`net*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Magneto- + -meter: cf. F. magnétomètre.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the intensity of magnetic forces; also, less frequently, an instrument for determining any of the terrestrial magnetic elements, as the dip and declination.

MAGNETOMETRIC Mag`net*o*met"ric, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or employed in, the measurement of magnetic forces; obtained by means of a magnetometer; as, magnetometric instruments; magnetometric measurements.

MAGNETOMOTIVE Mag`net*o*mo"tive, a. [Magneto-+ motive, a.] (Elec.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a force producing magnetic flux, analogous to electromotive force, and equal to the magnetic flux multiplied by the magnetic reluctance.

MAGNETOMOTOR Mag`net*o*mo"tor, n.

Defn: A voltaic series of two or more large plates, producing a great quantity of electricity of low tension, and hence adapted to the exhibition of electro-magnetic phenomena. [R.]

MAGNETOTHERAPY Mag`net*o*ther"a*py, n. (Med.)

Defn: The treatment of disease by the application of magnets to the surface of the body.

MAGNIFIABLE Mag"ni*fi`a*ble, a. Etym: [From Magnify.]

Defn: Such as can be magnified, or extolled.

MAGNIFIC; MAGNIFICAL Mag*nif"ic, Mag*nif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. magnificus; magnus great + facere to make: cf. F. magnifique. See Magnitude, Fact. and cf. Magnificent.]

Defn: Grand; splendid; illustrious; magnificent. [Obs.] 1 Chron. xxii. 5. "Thy magnific deeds." Milton. — Mag*nif"ic*al*ly, adv. [Obs.]

MAGNIFICAT Mag*nif"i*cat, n. Etym: [L., it magnifies.]

Defn: The song of the Virgin Mary, Luke i. 46; — so called because it commences with this word in the Vulgate.

MAGNIFICATE Mag*nif"i*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. magnificatus, p. p. of magnificare.]

Defn: To magnify or extol. [Obs.] Marston.

MAGNIFICATION Mag`ni*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act of magnifying; enlargement; exaggeration. [R.]

MAGNIFICENCE Mag*nif"i*cence, n. Etym: [F. magnificence, L. magnificentia. See Magnific.]

Defn: The act of doing what magnificent; the state or quality of being magnificent. Acts xix. 27. "Then cometh magnificence." Chaucer. And, for the heaven's wide circuit, let it speak The Maker's high magnificence, who built so spacious. Milton. The noblest monuments of Roman magnificence. Eustace.

MAGNIFICENT Mag*nif"i*cent, a. Etym: [See Magnificence.]

1. Doing grand things; admirable in action; displaying great power or opulence, especially in building, way of living, and munificence. A prince is never so magnificent As when he's sparing to enrich a few With the injuries of many. Massinger.

2. Grand in appearance; exhibiting grandeur or splendor; splendid' pompous. When Rome's exalted beauties I descry Magnificent in piles of ruin lie. Addison.

Syn. — Glorious; majestic; sublime. See Grand.

MAGNIFICENTLY Mag*nif"i*cent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a Magnificent manner.

MAGNIFICO Mag*nif"i*co, n.; pl. Magnificoes. Etym: [It. See Magnific.]

1. A grandee or nobleman of Venice; — so called in courtesy. Shak.

2. A rector of a German university.

MAGNIFIER Mag"ni*fi`er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, magnifies.

MAGNIFY Mag"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Magnified; p. pr. & vb. n. Magnifying.] Etym: [OE. magnifien, F. magnifier, L. magnificare. See Magnific.]

1. To make great, or greater; to increase the dimensions of; to amplify; to enlarge, either in fact or in appearance; as, the microscope magnifies the object by a thousand diameters. The least error in a small quantity . . . will in a great one . . . be proportionately magnified. Grew.

2. To increase the importance of; to augment the esteem or respect in which one is held. On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel. Joshua iv. 14.

3. To praise highly; to land; to extol. [Archaic] O, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Ps. xxxiv. 3.

4. To exaggerate; as, to magnify a loss or a difficulty. To magnify one's self (Script.), to exhibit pride and haughtiness; to boast. — To magnify one's self against (Script.), to oppose with pride.

MAGNIFY Mag"ni*fy, v. i.

1. To have the power of causing objects to appear larger than they really are; to increase the apparent dimensions of objects; as, some lenses magnify but little.

2. To have effect; to be of importance or significance. [Cant & Obs.] Spectator. Magnifying glass, a lens which magnifies the apparent dimensions of objects seen through it.

MAGNILOQUENCE Mag*nil"o*quence, n. Etym: [L. magniloquentia.]

Defn: The quality of being magniloquent; pompous discourse; grandiloquence.

MAGNILOQUENT Mag*nil"o*quent, a. Etym: [L. magnus great + loquens, -entis, p. pr. of loqui to speak. See Magnitude, Loquacious.]

Defn: Speaking pompously; using swelling discourse; bombastic; tumid in style; grandiloquent. — Mag*nil"o*quent*ly, adv.

MAGNILOQUOUS Mag*nil"o*quous, a. Etym: [L. magniloquus.]

Defn: Magniloquent. [Obs.]

MAGNITUDE Mag"ni*tude, n. Etym: [L. magnitudo, from magnus great. See Master, and cf. Maxim.]

1. Extent of dimensions; size; — applied to things that have length, breath, and thickness. Conceive those particles of bodies to be so disposed amongst themselves, that the intervals of empty spaces between them may be equal in magnitude to them all. Sir I. Newton.

2. (Geom.)

Defn: That which has one or more of the three dimensions, length, breadth, and thickness.

3. Anything of which greater or less can be predicated, as time, weight, force, and the like.

4. Greatness; grandeur. "With plain, heroic magnitude of mind." Milton.

5. Greatness, in reference to influence or effect; importance; as, an affair of magnitude. The magnitude of his designs. Bp. Horsley. Apparent magnitude (Opt.), the angular breadth of an object viewed as measured by the angle which it subtends at the eye of the observer; - - called also apparent diameter. — Magnitude of a star (Astron.), the rank of a star with respect to brightness. About twenty very bright stars are said to be of first magnitude, the stars of the sixth magnitude being just visible to the naked eye. Telescopic stars are classified down to the twelfth magnitude or lower. The scale of the magnitudes is quite arbitrary, but by means of photometers, the classification has been made to tenths of a magnitude.

MAGNOLIA Mag*no"li*a, n. Etym: [NL. Named after Pierre Magnol, professor of botany at Montpellier, France, in the 17th century.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of American and Asiatic trees, with aromatic bark and large sweet-scented whitish or reddish flowers.

Note: Magnolia grandiflora has coriaceous shining leaves and very fragrant blossoms. It is common from North Carolina to Florida and Texas, and is one of the most magnificent trees of the American forest. The sweet bay (M. glauca)is a small tree found sparingly as far north as Cape Ann. Other American species are M. Umbrella, M. macrophylla, M. Fraseri, M. acuminata, and M. cordata. M. conspicua and M. purpurea are cultivated shrubs or trees from Eastern Asia. M. Campbellii, of India, has rose-colored or crimson flowers. Magnolia warbler (Zoöl.), a beautiful North American wood warbler (Dendroica maculosa). The rump and under parts are bright yellow; the breast and belly are spotted with black; the under tail coverts are white; the crown is ash.

MAGNOLIACEOUS Mag*no`li*a"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to a natural order (Magnoliaceæ) of trees of which the magnolia, the tulip tree, and the star anise are examples.

MAGNUM Mag"num, n. Etym: [Neut. sing. of L. magnus great.]

1. A large wine bottle. They passed the magnum to one another freely. Sir W. Scott .

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A bone of the carpus at the base of the third metacarpal bone.

MAGOT Mag"ot, n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Barbary ape.

MAGOT-PIE Mag"ot-pie`, n.

Defn: A magpie. [Obs.] Shak.

MAGPIE Mag"pie, n. Etym: [OE. & Prov. E. magot pie, maggoty pie, fr. Mag, Maggot, equiv. to Margaret, and fr. F. Marquerite, and common name of the magpie. Marguerite is fr. L. margarita pearl, Gr. Pie magpie, and cf. the analogous names Tomtit, and Jackdaw.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of the genus Pica and related genera, allied to the jays, but having a long graduated tail.

Note: The common European magpie (Pica pica, or P. caudata) is a black and white noisy and mischievous bird. It can be taught to speak. The American magpie (P. Hudsonica) is very similar. The yellow-belled magpie (P. Nuttalli) inhabits California. The blue magpie (Cyanopolius Cooki) inhabits Spain. Other allied species are found in Asia. The Tasmanian and Australian magpies are crow shrikes, as the white magpie (Gymnorhina organicum), the black magpie (Strepera fuliginosa), and the Australian magpie (Cracticus picatus). Magpie lark (Zoöl.), a common Australian bird (Grallina picata), conspicuously marked with black and white; — called also little magpie. — Magpie moth (Zoöl.), a black and white European geometrid moth (Abraxas grossulariata); the harlequin moth. Its larva feeds on currant and gooseberry bushes.

MAGUARI Ma`gua*ri", n. Etym: [From native name: cf. Pg. magoari.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South American stork (Euxenara maguari), having a forked tail.

MAGUEY Mag"uey, n. Etym: [Sp. maguey, Mexican maguei and metl.] (Bot.)

Defn: The century plant, a species of Agave (A. Americana). See Agave.

MAGYAR Mag"yar, n. Etym: [Hung.]

1. (Ethnol.)

Defn: One of the dominant people of Hungary, allied to the Finns; a Hungarian.

2. The language of the Magyars.

MAHA Ma"ha, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A kind of baboon; the wanderoo.

MAHABARATA; MAHABHARATAM Ma*ha*ba"ra*ta, Ma*ha*bha"ra*tam, n. Etym: [Skr. mahabharata.]

Defn: A celebrated epic poem of the Hindoos. It is of great length, and is chiefly devoted to the history of a civil war between two dynasties of ancient India.

MAHALED Ma*ha"led, n.Etym: [Ar. mahled.]

Defn: (Bot.) A cherry tree (Prunus Mahaleb) of Southern Europe. The wood is prized by cabinetmakers, the twigs are used for pipe stems, the flowers and leaves yield a perfume, and from the fruit a violet dye and a fermented liquor (like kirschwasser) are prepared.

MAHARAJAH Ma*ha*ra"jah, n. Etym: [Skr. maharaja; mahat great + raja king.]

Defn: A sovereign prince in India; — a title given also to other persons of high rank.

MAHARIF Ma`ha*rif", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An African antelope (Hippotragus Bakeri). Its face is striped with black and white.

MAHARMAH Ma*har"mah, n.

Defn: A muslin wrapper for the head and the lower part of the face, worn by Turkish and Armenian women when they go abroad.

MAHATMA Ma*hat"ma, n. [Skr. mahatman, lit., great-souled, wise.] (Theosophy)

Defn: One of a class of sages, or "adepts," reputed to have knowledge and powers of a higher order than those of ordinary men. — Ma*hat"ma*ism (#), n.

MAHDI Mah"di, n. Etym: [Ar., guide, leader.]

Defn: Among Mohammedans, the last imam or leader of the faithful. The Sunni, the largest sect of the Mohammedans, believe that he is yet to appear.

Note: The title has been taken by several persons in countries where Mohammedanism prevails, — notably by Mohammad Ahmed, who overran the Egyptian Sudan, and in 1885 captured Khartum, his soldiers killing General Gordon, an Englishman, who was then the Egyptian governor of the region.

MAHDIISM Mah"di*ism, n.

Defn: See Mahdism.

MAHDISM Mah"dism, n.

Defn: Belief in the coming of the Mahdi; fanatical devotion to the cause of the Mahdi or a pretender to that title. — Mah"dist (#), n.

Mahdism has proved the most shameful and terrible instrument of bloodshed and oppression which the modern world has ever witnessed. E. N. Bennett.

MAHL-STICK Mahl"-stick`, n.

Defn: See Maul-stick.

MAHOE Ma"hoe, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several malvaceous trees (species of Hibiscus, Ochroma, etc.), and to their strong fibrous inner bark, which is used for strings and cordage.

MAHOGANY Ma*hog"a*ny, n. Etym: [From the South American name.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A large tree of the genus Swietenia (S. Mahogoni), found in tropical America.

Note: Several other trees, with wood more or less like mahogany, are called by this name; as, African mahogany (Khaya Senegalensis), Australian mahogany (Eucalyptus marginatus), Bastard mahogany (Batonia apetala of the West Indies), Indian mahogany (Cedrela Toona of Bengal, and trees of the genera Soymida and Chukrassia), Madeira mahogany (Persea Indica), Mountain mahogany, the black or cherry birch (Betula lenta), also the several species of Cercocarpus of California and the Rocky Mountains.

2. The wood of the Swietenia Mahogoni. It is of a reddish brown color, beautifully veined, very hard, and susceptible of a fine polish. It is used in the manufacture of furniture.

3. A table made of mahogany wood. [Colloq.] To be under the mahogany, to be so drunk as to have fallen under the table. [Eng.] — To put one's legs under some one's mahogany, to dine with him. [Slang]

MAHOLI Ma*ho"li, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South African lemur (Galago maholi), having very large ears. [Written also moholi.]

MAHOMEDAN; MAHOMETAN Ma*hom"ed*an, Ma*hom"et*an, n.

Defn: See Mohammedan.

MAHOMETANISM Ma*hom"et*an*ism, n.

Defn: See Mohammedanism.

MAHOMETANIZE Ma*hom"et*an*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mahometanized; p. pr. & vb. n. Mahometanizing.]

Defn: To convert to the religion of Mohammed; to Mohammedanize.

MAHOMETISM Ma*hom"et*ism, n.

Defn: See Mohammedanism.

MAHOMETIST Ma*hom"et*ist, n.

Defn: A Mohammedan. [R.]

MAHOMETRY Ma*hom"et*ry, n.

Defn: Mohammedanism. [Obs.]

MAHONE Ma*hone", n.

Defn: A large Turkish ship. Crabb.

MAHONIA Ma*ho"ni*a, n. Etym: [Named after Bernard McMahon.] (Bot.)

Defn: The Oregon grape, a species of barberry (Berberis Aquifolium), often cultivated for its hollylike foliage.

MAHON STOCK Ma*hon" stock`. (Bot.)

Defn: An annual cruciferous plant with reddish purple or white flowers (Malcolmia maritima). It is called in England Virginia stock, but the plant comes from the Mediterranean.

MAHOOHOO Ma*hoo"hoo, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The African white two-horned rhinoceros (Atelodus simus).

MAHORI Ma"ho*ri, n. Etym: [Native name. Cf. Maori.] (Ethnol.)

Defn: One of the dark race inhabiting principally the islands of Eastern Polynesia. Also used adjectively.

MAHOUND Ma`hound, n.

Defn: A contemptuous name for Mohammed; hence, an evil spirit; a devil. [Obs.] Who's this, my mahound cousin Beau. & Fl.

MAHOUT Ma*hout", n. Etym: [Hind. mahawat, Skr. mahamatra; mahat great + matra measure.]

Defn: The keeper and driver of an elephant. [East Indies]

MAHOVO Ma*ho"vo, n. (Mach.)

Defn: A device for saving power in stopping and starting a railroad car, by means of a heavy fly wheel.

MAHRATI Mah*rat"i, n.

Defn: The language of the Mahrattas; the language spoken in the Deccan and Concan. [Written also Marathi.]

MAHRATTA Mah*rat"ta, n. Etym: [Hind. Marhata, Marhatta, the name of a famous Hindoo race, from the old Skr. name Maha-rashtra.]

Defn: One of a numerous people inhabiting the southwestern part of India. Also, the language of the Mahrattas; Mahrati. It is closely allied to Sanskrit. — a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Mahrattas. [Written also Maratha.]

MAHUMETAN; MAHUMETANISM Ma*hu"met*an, Ma*hu"met*an*ism, n.

Defn: See Mohammedan, Mohammedanism.

MAHWA TREE Mah"wa tree`. (Bot.)

Defn: An East Indian sapotaceous tree (Bassia latifolia, and also B. butyracea), whose timber is used for wagon wheels, and the flowers for food and in preparing an intoxicating drink. It is one of the butter trees. The oil, known as mahwa and yallah, is obtained from the kernels of the fruit.

MAIA Ma"i*a, n. Etym: [From L. Maia, a goddess.] (Zoöl.) (a) A genus of spider crabs, including the common European species (Maia squinado). (b) A beautiful American bombycid moth (Eucronia maia).

MAIAN Ma"ian, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any spider crab of the genus Maia, or family Maiadæ.

MAID Maid, n. Etym: [Shortened from maiden. . See Maiden.]

1. An unmarried woman; usually, a young unmarried woman; esp., a girl; a virgin; a maiden. Would I had died a maid, And never seen thee, never borne thee son. Shak. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire Yet my people have forgotten me. Jer. ii. 32.

2. A man who has not had sexual intercourse. [Obs.] Christ was a maid and shapen as a man. Chaucer.

3. A female servant. Spinning amongst her maids. Shak.

Note: Maid is used either adjectively or in composition, signifying female, as in maid child, maidservant.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The female of a ray or skate, esp. of the gray skate (Raia batis), and of the thornback (R. clavata). [Prov. Eng.] Fair maid. (Zoöl.) See under Fair, a. — Maid of honor, a female attendant of a queen or royal princess; - - usually of noble family, and having to perform only nominal or honorary duties. — Old maid. See under Old.

MAIDAN Mai*dan", n. [Written also midan, meidan, mydan, etc.] [Hind. & Per. maidan, fr. Ar. maidan.]

Defn: In various parts of Asia, an open space, as for military exercises, or for a market place; an open grassy tract; an esplanade.

A gallop on the green maidan. M. Crawford.

MAIDEN Maid"en, n. Etym: [OE. maiden, meiden, AS. mægden, dim. of AS. mæg, fr. mago son, servant; akin to G. magd, mädchen, maid, OHG. magad, Icel. mögr son, Goth. magus boy, child, magaps virgin, and perh. to Zend. magu youth. Cf. Maid a virgin.]

1. An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid. She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens. Carew. A maiden of our century, yet most meek. Tennyson.

2. A female servant. [Obs.]

3. An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals. Wharton.

4. A machine for washing linen.

MAIDEN Maid"en, a.

1. Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence. "Amid the maiden throng." Addison. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame Shak.

2. Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; — said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man; as, a maiden aunt. "A surprising old maiden lady." Thackeray.

3. Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused. "Maiden flowers.' Shak. Full bravely hast thou fleshed Thy maiden sword. Shak.

4. Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated. T. Warton. Macaulay. Maiden assize (Eng. Law), an assize which there is no criminal prosecution; an assize which is unpolluted with blood. It was usual, at such an assize, for the sheriff to present the judge with a pair of white gloves. Smart. — Maiden name, the surname of a woman before her marriage. — Maiden pink. (Bot.) See under Pink. — Maiden plum (Bot.), a West Indian tree (Comocladia integrifolia) with purplish drupes. The sap of the tree is glutinous, and gives a persistent black stain. — Maiden speech, the first speech made by a person, esp. by a new member in a public body. — Maiden tower, the tower most capable of resisting an enemy.

MAIDEN Maid"en, v. t.

Defn: To act coyly like a maiden; — with it as an indefinite object. For had I maiden'd it, as many use. Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse. Bp. Hall.

MAIDENHAIR Maid"en*hair`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A fern of the genus Adiantum (A. pedatum), having very slender graceful stalks. It is common in the United States, and is sometimes used in medicine. The name is also applied to other species of the same genus, as to the Venus-hair. Maiden grass, the smaller quaking grass. — Maiden tree. See Ginkgo.

MAIDENHEAD Maid"en*head, n. Etym: [See Maidenhood.]

1. The state of being a maiden; maidenhood; virginity. Shak.

2. The state of being unused or uncontaminated; freshness; purity. [Obs.] The maidenhead of their credit. Sir H. Wotton.

3. The hymen, or virginal membrane.

MAIDENHOOD Maid"en*hood, n. Etym: [AS. mægdenhad. See Maid, and -hood.]

1. The state of being a maid or a virgin; virginity. Shak.

2. Newness; freshness; uncontaminated state. The maidenhood Of thy fight. Shak.

MAIDENLIKE Maid"en*like`, a.

Defn: Like a maiden; modest; coy.

MAIDENLINESS Maid"en*li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being maidenly; the behavior that becomes a maid; modesty; gentleness.

MAIDENLY Maid"en*ly, a.

Defn: Like a maid; suiting a maid; maiden-like; gentle, modest, reserved. Must you be blushing . . . What a maidenly man-at-arms are you become ! Shak.

MAIDENLY Maid"en*ly, adv.

Defn: In a maidenlike manner. "Maidenly demure." Skelton.

MAIDENSHIP Maid"en*ship, n.

Defn: Maidenhood. [Obs.] Fuller.

MAIDHOOD Maid"hood, n. Etym: [AS. mæg. See Maid, and -hood.]

Defn: Maidenhood. Shak.

MAIDMARIAN Maid`ma"ri*an, n. Etym: [Maid + Marian, relating to Mary, or the Virgin Mary.]

1. The lady of the May games; one of the characters in a morris dance; a May queen. Afterward, a grotesque character personated in sports and buffoonery by a man in woman's clothes.

2. A kind of dance. Sir W. Temple.

MAIDPALE Maid"pale`, a.

Defn: Pale, like a sick girl. Shak.

MAIDSERVANT Maid"serv`ant, n.

Defn: A female servant.

MAID'S HAIR Maid's" hair`. (Bot.)

Defn: The yellow bedstraw (Galium verum).

MAIEUTIC; MAIEUTICAL Ma*ieu"tic, Ma*ieu"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Serving to assist childbirth. Cudworth.

2. Fig. : Aiding, or tending to, the definition and interpretation of thoughts or language. Payne.

MAIEUTICS Ma*ieu"tics, n.

Defn: The art of giving birth (i. e., clearness and conviction) to ideas, which are conceived as struggling for birth. Payne.

MAIGER Mai"ger, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The meagre.

MAIGRE Mai"gre, a. Etym: [F. See Meager.]

Defn: Belonging to a fast day or fast; as, a maigre day. Walpole. Maigre food (R. C. Ch.), food allowed to be eaten on fast days.

MAIHEM Mai"hem, n.

Defn: See Maim, and Mayhem.

MAIKEL Mai*kel", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South American carnivore of the genus Conepatus, allied to the skunk, but larger, and having a longer snout. The tail is not bushy.

MAIKONG Mai*kong", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South American wild dog (Canis cancrivorus); the crab-eating dog.

MAIL Mail, n.

Defn: A spot. [Obs.]

MAIL Mail, n. Etym: [F. maille, OF. also maaille, LL. medalia. See Medal.]

1. A small piece of money; especially, an English silver half-penny of the time of Henry V. [Obs.] [Written also maile, and maille.]

2. Rent; tribute. [Obs., except in certain compounds and phrases, as blackmail, mails and duties, etc.] Mail and duties (Scots Law), the rents of an estate, in whatever form paid.

MAIL Mail, n. Etym: [OE. maile, maille, F. maille a ring of mail, mesh, network, a coat of mail, fr. L. macula spot, a mesh of a net. Cf. Macle, Macula, Mascle.]

1. A flexible fabric made of metal rings interlinked. It was used especially for defensive armor. Chaucer. Chain mail, Coat of mail. See under Chain, and Coat.

2. Hence generally, armor, or any defensive covering.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc. We . . . strip the lobster of his scarlet mail. Gay.

MAIL Mail, v. t.

1. To arm with mail.

2. To pinion. [Obs.]

MAIL Mail, n. Etym: [OE. male bag, OF. male, F. malle bag, trunk, mail, OHG. malaha, malha, wallet; akin to D. maal, male; cf. Gael. & Ir. mala, Gr.

1. A bag; a wallet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. The bag or bags with the letters, papers, papers, or other matter contained therein, conveyed under public authority from one post office to another; the whole system of appliances used by government in the conveyance and delivery of mail matter. There is a mail come in to-day, with letters dated Hague. Tatler.

3. That which comes in the mail; letters, etc., received through the post office.

4. A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried. [Obs.] Sir W. Scott. Mail bag, a bag in which mailed matter is conveyed under public authority. — Mail boat, a boat that carries the mail. — Mail catcher, an iron rod, or other contrivance, attached to a railroad car for catching a mail bag while the train is in motion. — Mail guard, an officer whose duty it is to guard the public mails. [Eng.] — Mail train, a railroad train carrying the mail.

MAIL Mail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mailing.]

Defn: To deliver into the custody of the postoffice officials, or place in a government letter box, for transmission by mail; to post; as, to mail a letter. [U. S.]

Note: In the United States to mail and to post are both in common use; as, to mail or post a letter. In England post is the commoner usage.

MAILABLE Mail"a*ble, a.

Defn: Admissible lawfully into the mail. [U.S.]

MAILCLAD Mail"clad`, a.

Defn: Protected by a coat of mail; clad in armor. Sir W. Scott.

MAILED Mailed, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Protected by an external coat, or covering, of scales or plates.

MAILED Mailed, a. Etym: [See 1st Mail.]

Defn: Spotted; speckled.

MAILING Mail"ing, n. Etym: [Scot., fr. mail tribute, rent. See 2d Mail.]

Defn: A farm. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

MAIL-SHELL Mail"-shell`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A chiton.

MAIM Maim, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Maimed;p. pr. & vb. n. Maiming.] Etym: [OE. maimen, OF. mahaignier, mehaignier, meshaignier, cf. It. magagnare, LL. mahemiare, mahennare; perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Armor. mac'ha to mutilate, mac'ha to crowd, press; or cf. OHG. mang to lack, perh. akin to E. mangle to lacerate. Cf. Mayhem.]

1. To deprive of the use of a limb, so as to render a person on fighting less able either to defend himself or to annoy his adversary. By the ancient law of England he that maimed any man whereby he lost any part of his body, was sentenced to lose the like part. Blackstone.

2. To mutilate; to cripple; to injure; to disable; to impair. My late maimed limbs lack wonted might. Spenser. You maimed the jurisdiction of all bishops. Shak.

Syn. — To mutilate; mangle; cripple.

MAIM Maim, n. [Written in law language maihem, and mayhem.] Etym: [OF. mehaing. See Maim, v.]

1. The privation of the use of a limb or member of the body, by which one is rendered less able to defend himself or to annoy his adversary.

2. The privation of any necessary part; a crippling; mutilation; injury; deprivation of something essential. See Mayhem. Surely there is more cause to fear lest the want there of be a maim than the use of it a blemish. Hooker. A noble author esteems it to be a maim in history that the acts of Parliament should not be recited. Hayward.

MAIMEDLY Maim"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a maimed manner.

MAIMEDNESS Maim"ed*ness, n.

Defn: State of being maimed. Bolton.

MAIN Main, n. Etym: [F. main hand, L. manus. See Manual.]

1. A hand or match at dice. Prior. Thackeray.

2. A stake played for at dice. [Obs.] Shak.

3. The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given limits, as in the game of hazard.

4. A match at cockfighting. "My lord would ride twenty miles . . . to see a main fought." Thackeray.

5. A main-hamper. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

MAIN Main, n. Etym: [AS. mægen strength, power, force; akin to OHG. magan, Icel. megin, and to E. may, v. May, v.]

1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [Obs., except in certain phrases.] There were in this battle of most might and main. R. of Gl. He 'gan advance, With huge force, and with importable main. Spenser.

2. The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing. [Obs., except in special uses.] Resolved to rest upon the title of Lancaster as the main, and to use the other two . . . but as supporters. Bacon.

3. Specifically: (a) The great sea, as distinguished from an arm, bay, etc. ; the high sea; the ocean. "Struggling in the main." Dryden. (b) The continent, as distinguished from an island; the mainland. "Invaded the main of Spain." Bacon. (c) principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp. (Engin.), a principal pipe leading to or from a reservoir; as, a fire main. Forcing main, the delivery pipe of a pump. — For the main, or In the main, for the most part; in the greatest part. — With might and main, or With all one's might and main, with all one's strength; with violent effort. With might and main they chased the murderous fox. Dryden.

MAIN Main, a. Etym: [From Main strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. Magnate.]

1. Very or extremely strong. [Obs.] That current with main fury ran. Daniel.

2. Vast; huge. [Obs.] "The main abyss." Milton.

3. Unqualified; absolute; entire; sheer. [Obs.] "It's a man untruth." Sir W. Scott.

4. Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc. Our main interest is to be happy as we can. Tillotson.

5. Important; necessary. [Obs.] That which thou aright Believest so main to our success, I bring. Milton. By main force, by mere force or sheer force; by violent effort; as, to subdue insurrection by main force. That Maine which by main force Warwick did win. Shak. — By main strength, by sheer strength; as, to lift a heavy weight by main strength. — Main beam (Steam Engine), working beam. — Main boom (Naut.), the boom which extends the foot of the mainsail in a fore and aft vessel. — Main brace. (a) (Mech.) The brace which resists the chief strain. Cf. Counter brace. (b) (Naut.) The brace attached to the main yard. — Main center (Steam Engine), a shaft upon which a working beam or side lever swings. — Main chance. See under Chance. — Main couple (Arch.), the principal truss in a roof. — Main deck (Naut.), the deck next below the spar deck; the principal deck. — Main keel (Naut.), the principal or true keel of a vessel, as distinguished from the false keel.

Syn. — Principal; chief; leading; cardinal; capital.

MAIN Main, adv. Etym: [See Main, a.]

Defn: Very extremely; as, main heavy. "I'm main dry." Foote. [Obs. or Low]

MAINE Maine, n.

Defn: One of the New England States. Maine law, any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.

MAIN-GAUCHE Main`-gauche" (mâN`gosh"), n. Etym: [F., the left hand.] (Ancient Armor)

Defn: The dagger held in the left hand, while the rapier is held in the right; — used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.

MAIN-HAMPER Main"-ham`per, n. Etym: [F. main hand (see Main a hand at dice) + E. hamper.]

Defn: A hamper to be carried in the hand; a hand basket used in carrying grapes to the press.

MAINLAND Main"land`, n.

Defn: The continent; the principal land; — opposed to island, or peninsula. Dryden. After the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the mainland. Hawthorne.

MAINLY Main"ly, adv. Etym: [From main strong. See Main strength.]

Defn: Very strongly; mightily; to a great degree. [Obs.] Bacon. Shak.

MAINLY Main"ly, adv. Etym: [From main principal, chief.]

Defn: Principally; chiefly.

MAINMAST Main"mast`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The principal mast in a ship or other vessel.

MAINOR Main"or, n. Etym: [Anglo-Norm. meinoure, OF. manuevre. See Maneuver.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A thing stolen found on the person of the thief.

Note: A thief was said to be "taken with the mainor," when he was taken with the thing stolen upon him, that is, in his hands. Wharton. Bouvier.