Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Manumit Medic

by Thomas Davidson

fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.

Manumit, man-ū-mit′, v.t. to release from slavery: to set free, as a slave:—pr.p. manūmit′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. manūmit′ted.—n. Manumiss′ion, act of manumitting or setting free from slavery. [L. manumittĕre—manus, the hand, mittĕre, missum, to send.]

Manumotor, man-ū-mō′tor, n. a small wheel-carriage moved by the hand of the person in it.—adj. Manumō′tive. [L. manus, hand, motor, a mover.]

Manure, man-ūr′, v.t. to enrich land with any fertilising substance.—n. any substance applied to land to make it more fruitful.—ns. Manur′ance (Spens.), cultivation; Manur′er.—adj. Manū′rial.—n. Manur′ing, a dressing or spreading of manure on land. [Contr. of Fr. manœuvrer. See Manœuvre.]

Manus, mā′nus, n. the hand, the corresponding part of an animal's fore-limb.

Manuscript, man′ū-skript, adj. written by the hand: not printed.—n. a book or paper written by the hand.—adj. Manuscript′al. [L. manus, the hand, scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

Manx, mangks, n. the language of the Isle of Man, belonging to the Gadhelic branch of Celtic.—adj. pertaining to the Isle of Man or to its inhabitants.

Many, men′i, adj. consisting of a great number of individuals: not few: numerous:—comp. More (mōr); superl. Most (mōst).—n. many persons: a great number: (with def. art.) the people.—adj. Man′y-sid′ed, having many qualities or aspects: not narrow-minded.—n. Man′y-sid′edness.—The many, the crowd. [A.S. manig.]

Manyplies, men′i-plīz, n.sing. and pl. the third stomach of a ruminant—the omasum or psalterium.—Also Man′iplies and Mon′yplies.

Manzanilla, man-za-nil′a, n. a very dry and light kind of sherry, esp. that produced in the district of San Lucar de Barrameda in Spain. [Prob. from the town near Seville.]

Maori, mow′ri, or mä′ō-ri, n. a native of New Zealand:—pl. Mao′ris. [A New Zealand word signifying native or indigenous.]

Maormor, mär′mōr, n. a royal steward in ancient Scotland. [Gael., maor, maer, steward, mor, great.]

Map, map, n. a representation of the surface of the earth, or of part of it on a plane surface: a similar drawing of the stars in the sky.—v.t. to draw in the form of a map, as the figure of any portion of land: to describe clearly:—pr.p. map′ping; pa.t. and pa.p. mapped.—ns. Map′-meas′urer, an instrument for measuring distances other than in straight lines on a map; Map′-mount′er, one who mounts maps, or backs them with canvas and fixes them on rollers, &c.; Map′pery (Shak.), the art of planning and designing maps; Map′pist.—Map out, to mark down the chief points clearly. [L. mappa, a napkin, a painted cloth, orig. Punic.]

Maple, mā′pl, n. a tree of several species, from one of which, the rock-maple, sugar is made.—adj. of or pertaining to maple. [A.S. mapul, maple.]

Maqui, mā′kwi, n. an evergreen shrub, native of Chili, producing a berry yielding wine.

Mar, mär, v.t. to injure by wounding or by cutting off a part: to damage: to interrupt: to disfigure:—pr.p. mar′ring; pa.t. and pa.p. marred. [A.S. merran, mirran; cf. Dut. marren, to retard.]

Marabou, mar′a-bōō, n. a species of Indian stork, the feathers of which are much used as ornaments by ladies: a very white raw silk.

Marabout, mar′a-bōōt, n. one of a priestly race of Mohammedans in Northern Africa. [Ar.]

Marah, mā′ra, n. bitterness: something bitter. [Heb.]

Maranatha, mar-a-nā′tha, or mar-a-nath′a, n. See Anathema.

Maraschino, mar-as-kē′no, n. a liqueur distilled from a species of cherry grown in Dalmatia. [It.,—marasca, amarasca, a sour cherry—L. amārus, bitter.]

Marasmus, ma-raz′mus, n. a wasting of flesh without apparent disease, a kind of consumption. [Gr. marasmos—marainein, to decay.]

Marathi, ma-ra′thi, n. the language of the Mahrattas.—Also Mahrat′ti.

Maraud, ma-rawd′, v.i. to rove in quest of plunder.—n. Maraud′er, one who roves in quest of booty or plunder. [Fr. maraud, rogue; prob. O. Fr. mar-ir, to wander—Old High Ger. marrjan, to hinder.]

Maravedi, mar-a-vā′dī, n. the smallest copper coin of Spain, less than a farthing. [Sp.,—Ar. Murābitīn, the dynasty of the Almoravides (1086-1147 A.D.).]

Marble, mär′bl, n. any species of limestone taking a high polish: that which is made of marble, as a work of art: a little ball used by boys in play.—adj. made of marble: veined like marble: hard: insensible.—v.t. to stain or vein like marble.—adjs. Mar′ble-breast′ed, hard-hearted, cruel; Mar′ble-con′stant, constant or firm as marble, immovable.—n. Mar′ble-cut′ter, one who hews marble: a machine for cutting marble.—adjs. Mar′ble-edged, having the edges marbled, as a book; Mar′ble-heart′ed, hard-hearted, insensible.—ns. Mar′ble-pā′per, paper coloured in imitation of variegated marble; Mar′bler; Mar′bling, the act of veining or painting in imitation of marble.—adv. Mar′bly, resembling marble, in the manner of marble.—Elgin marbles, a collection of marbles obtained chiefly from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in 1811, now in the British Museum. [O. Fr. marbre—L. marmor; cf. Gr. marmaros, marmairein, to sparkle.]

Marcando, mar-kän′do, adj. and adv. (mus.) with distinctness or precision.—Also Marca′to. [It., marcare, to mark.]

Marcasite, mär′ka-sīt, n. an iron ore, a variety of pyrites (q.v.). [Fr.; prob. of Ar. origin.]

Marcescent, mar-ses′ent, adj. withering, decaying.—adj. Marcesc′ible, that may wither. [L. marcescens, -entis, pr.p. of marcescĕre—marcēre, to fade.]

March, märch, n. the third month of the year, named from Mars, the god of war. [L. Martius (mensis), (the month) of Mars.]

March, märch, n. a border: boundary of a territory:—used chiefly in pl. March′es.—v.i. to border: to be adjacent.—ns. March′man, a borderer; March′-trea′son, the betrayal of a border or march to an enemy.—Riding the marches, a ceremony in which the magistrates and chief men of a city ride on horseback round the bounds of the property of the city, so as to mark plainly what are its limits. [A.S. mearc; doublet of mark.]

March, märch, v.i. to move in order, as soldiers: to walk in a grave or stately manner.—v.t. to cause to march.—n. the movement of troops: regular advance: a piece of music fitted for marching to: the distance passed over.—March past, the march of a body of soldiers in front of one remaining stationary to review them; Forced march, a march in which the men are vigorously pressed forward for combative or strategic purposes; Rogue's march, music played in derision of a person when he is expelled as a soldier, &c. [Fr. marcher. Ety. dub.; acc. to Scheler, prob. from L. marcus, a hammer (cf. 'to beat time'); others suggest root of march, a frontier.]

Märchen, Mährchen, märh′hen, n.sing. and pl. a story or fable, a folk-tale. [Ger.]

Marchioness, mär′shun-es, Marchesa, mar-chē′za, n. feminine of Marquis.

Marchpane, märch′pān, n. (Shak.) a kind of sweet bread or biscuit composed of sugar, almonds, and a small quantity of flour. [Fr. massepain, the latter part of the word being from L. panis, bread.]

Marcid, mär′sid, adj. withered, wasted.

Marcionite, mar′shun-īt, n. and adj. a follower of Marcion of Sinope (died 165 A.D.), who, partly under Gnostic influences, constructed an ethico-dualistic philosophy of religion, with rigorously ascetic practices. He claimed alone to have understood Paul aright, and accepted as authoritative his own version of Luke and ten of Paul's epistles.—ns. Mar′cionist; Mar′cionitism.

Marcobrunner, mär′ko-brōōn-ėr, n. a remarkably fine white wine, produced in Erbach, near Wiesbaden—from the Markbrunnen fountain hard by.

Mare, mār, n. the female of the horse.—ns. Mare's′-nest, a supposed discovery which turns out to be a hoax; Mare's-tail, a tall, erect marsh plant of the genus Hippuris: (pl.) long straight fibres of gray cirrus cloud; Shank's′-mare, a person's own legs, as a means of travelling.—The gray mare is the better horse, the wife rules her husband. [A.S. mere, fem. of mearh, a horse; cog. with Ger. mähre, Ice. marr, W. march, a horse.]

Mareschal, mär′shal. Same as Marshal.

Margarine, mär′gar-in, n. the solid ingredient of human fat, olive-oil, &c.—so called from its pearly lustre: oleo-margarine or imitation butter (see under Olein).—adj. Margar′ic.—n. Mar′garite, one of the brittle micas. [L. margarita—Gr. margaritēs, a pearl.]

Margay, mär′gā, n. a spotted S. American tiger-cat.

Margin, mär′jin, n. an edge, border: the blank edge on the page of a book: something allowed more than is needed, in case of unforeseen things happening: a sum of money, or its value in securities, deposited with a broker to protect him against loss on transactions made on account: a deposit made by each of two brokers, parties to a contract, when one is 'called up' by the other.—v.t. to furnish with margins, enter on the margin.—ns. Marge, Marg′ent (poet.), edge, brink.—adjs. Marged; Mar′ginal, pertaining to a margin: placed in the margin.—n. Marginā′lia, notes written on the margin.—v.t. Mar′ginalise, to furnish with notes.—adv. Mar′ginally.—adjs. Mar′ginate, -d, having a margin; Mar′gined.—Marginal credit, a method by which a merchant at home can render bills drawn upon him abroad saleable there, by associating a well-known banker's name on their margin with his own; Marginal notes, notes written or printed on the margin of a book or writing. [L. margo, marginis; cf. mark.]

Margrave, mär′grāv, n. a German nobleman of rank equivalent to an English marquis:—fem. Margravine (mär′gra-vēn).—ns. Mar′gravate, Margrā′viate, the jurisdiction or dignity of a margrave. [Dut. markgraaf (Ger. markgraf)—mark, a border, graaf, a count; cf. Ger. graf, A.S. geréfa, Eng. reeve and she-riff.]

Marguerite, mär′ge-rēt, n. the common garden daisy: the ox-eye daisy: the China aster.

Marian, mā′ri-an, adj. relating to the Virgin Mary: to the great Roman general Caius Marius: to Queen Mary of England.

Marigold, mar′i-gōld, n. a name applied to several composite plants bearing yellow flowers. [From the Virgin Mary and gold.]

Marine, ma-rēn′, adj. of or belonging to the sea: done at sea: representing the sea: near the sea.—n. a soldier serving on shipboard: the whole navy of a country or state: naval affairs: a sea-piece in painting.—ns. Mar′igraph, a self-registering tide-gauge; Marinade′, a liquor or pickle in which fish or meat is steeped before cooking, to improve the flavour.—v.t. Mar′inate, to salt or pickle.—n. Mar′iner, a seaman or sailor: one who assists in navigating ships.—Marine acid, hydrochloric acid; Marine boiler, a boiler fitted for use in steamships; Marine engine, an engine fitted for use in a steamship; Marine insurance, insurance of ships or their cargoes when at sea; Marine soap, a kind of coconut-oil soap, adapted for washing with sea-water; Marine store, a place where old ships' materials are bought and sold.—Tell that to the marines, a phrase expressive of disbelief and ridicule, from the sailor's contempt for the marine's ignorance of seamanship. [Fr.,—L. marinus—mare, sea.]

Mariolatry, mā-ri-ol′a-tri, n. the undue worship of the Virgin Mary—the veneration paid to her is strictly Hyperdulia.—n. Mariol′ater, one who practises mariolatry. [L. Maria, Mary, Gr. latreia, worship.]

Marionette, mar-i-o-net′, n. a puppet moved by strings, a puppet-show. [Fr.]

Mariotte's law. See Law.

Mariput, mar′i-put, n. the African zoril.

Marischal, a Scotch form of marshal.

Marish, mar′ish, n. and adj. Same as Marsh.

Marist, mā′rist, n. a member of a modern R.C. congregation for teaching.—adj. devoted to the service of the Virgin.

Marital, mar′i-tal, adj. pertaining to a husband: of the nature of a marriage.—n. Maritā′gium, in the feudal system, the right of the lord of the fee to dispose of the heiress, later also of the male heir, in marriage. [Fr.,—L. maritalis—maritus, a husband—mas, maris, a male.]

Maritime, mar′i-tim, adj. pertaining to the sea: relating to navigation or to naval affairs: situated near the sea: living on the shore, littoral—opp. to Marine: having a navy and a naval commerce. [L. maritimus—mare, sea.]

Marjoram, mär′jo-ram, n. an aromatic plant used as a seasoning in cookery. [Fr. marjolaine—Low L. majoraca—L. amaracus—Gr. amarakos.]

Mark, märk, n. a visible sign: any object serving as a guide: that by which anything is known: a badge: a trace, impression, proof: any visible effect: symptom: a thing aimed at or striven for: an attainable point: a character made by one who cannot write: any impressed sign or stamp: a physical peculiarity: distinction: a boundary, limit: in medieval times, a tract of common land belonging to a community.—v.t. to make a mark on anything: to impress with a sign: to take notice of: to regard.—v.i. to take particular notice.—adj. Marked, distinguished: prominent: notorious.—adv. Mark′edly, noticeably.—ns. Mark′er, one who marks the score at games, as at billiards: a counter used at card-playing, &c.: the soldier who forms the pivot round which a body of soldiers wheels; Mark′ing, act of making a mark: a mark made upon anything; Mark′ing-ink, indelible ink, used for marking clothes; Mark′ing-nut, the fruit of an East Indian tree of the cashew family, yielding a black juice used in marking cloths; Mark′man, one of the community owning a mark; Marks′man, one good at hitting a mark: one who shoots well.—Mark down, set down in writing, put a note of; Mark out, to lay out the plan or outlines of anything; Mark time, to move the feet alternately in the same manner as in marching, but without changing ground.—A man of mark, a well-known or famous man; Beside the mark, not properly referring to the matter in hand; God bless, or save, the mark, or Save the mark, a phrase expressing ironical astonishment or scorn, from the usage of archery; Make one's mark, to leave a lasting impression: to gain great influence; Toe the mark, to stand to one's obligations, facing the consequences; Trade mark, a distinctive mark put on goods, &c., to show by whom they were made; Up to the mark, good enough, measured by a certain standard. [A.S. mearc, a boundary; Ger. mark, Goth. marka.]

Mark, märk, n. an obsolete English coin=13s. 4d.: a coin of the present German Empire=about one shilling: a silver coin of Hamburg=about 1s. 4d. [A.S. marc, another form of the above word.]

Market, mär′ket, n. a public place for the purposes of buying and selling: the time for the market: sale: rate of sale: value.—v.i. to deal at a market: to buy and sell.—ns. Marketabil′ity, Mar′ketableness.—adj. Mar′ketable, fit for the market: saleable.—ns. Mar′ket-bell (Shak.), a bell to give notice of the time; Mar′ket-cross, a cross anciently set up where a market was held; Mar′ket-day, the fixed day on which a market is usually held; Mar′keter; Mar′ket-gar′den, a garden in which fruit and vegetables are grown for market; Mar′ket-gar′dener; Mar′ket-house, a building in which a market is held; Mar′keting, the act or practice of buying and selling in market; Mar′ket-place, the open space in a town where markets are held; Mar′ket-price, the price at which anything is sold in the market: the current price; Mar′ket-town, a town having the privilege of holding a public market. [Through the O. Fr. (Fr. marché, It. mercato), from L. mercatus, trade, a market—merx, merchandise.]

Marl, märl, n. a fat earth or clay often used as manure.—v.t. to cover with marl.—adj. Marlā′ceous, having the qualities of marl: like marl.—n. Mar′lite, a variety of marl.—adjs. Marlit′ic; Mar′ly, like marl: abounding in marl.—n. Marl′stone, argillaceous limestone. [O. Fr. marle (Fr. marne)—Low L. margila, a dim. of L. marga, marl.]

Marline, mär′lin, n. a small rope for winding round a larger one to keep it from being worn by rubbing.—v.t. Mar′line, Marl, to bind or wind round with marline.—n. Mar′linespike, an iron tool, like a spike, for separating the strands of a rope in splicing. [Dut. marlijn, marling—marren, to bind, lijn, a rope—Fr. ligne; cf. moor and line.]

Marmalade, mär′ma-lād, n. a jam or preserve generally made of the pulp of oranges, originally of quinces. [Fr., from Port. marmelada—marmelo, a quince—L. melimēlum—Gr. melimēlon, a sweet apple—meli, honey, mēlon, an apple.]

Marmoraceous, mar-mo-rā′shus, adj. belonging to, or like, marble.—adjs. Mar′morate, -d, covered with marble: variegated like marble.—n. Marmorā′tion.—adjs. Marmō′real, Marmō′rean, belonging to, or like, marble. [L. marmor, marble.]

Marmose, mar′mōs, n. one of several small South American opossums.

Marmoset, mär′mo-zet, n. a small variety of American monkey. [Fr. marmouset, a little grotesque figure beside a fountain—L. marmor, marble.]

Marmot, mär′mot, n. a rodent animal, about the size of a rabbit, which inhabits the higher parts of the Alps and Pyrenees. [It. marmotto—Romansch murmont—L. mus montanus, mountain-mouse.]

Maronite, mar′ō-nīt, n. one of a sect of Christians who live on or around the mountains of Lebanon. [St Maron, about 400 A.D., or John Maron, a patriarch of the sect in the 7th century.]

Maroon, ma-rōōn′, n. a brownish crimson. [Fr. marron, a chestnut—It. marrone, a chestnut.]

Maroon, ma-rōōn′, n. a fugitive slave living on the mountains, in the West Indies.—v.t. to put on shore on a desolate island.—ns. Maroon′er; Maroon′ing. [Fr. marron—Sp. cimarron, wild—cima, a mountain-summit—L. cyma—Gr. kyma.]

Maroquin, mar′o-kwin, n. leather prepared from goatskin: morocco leather. [Fr.]

Marplot, mär′plot, n. one who mars or defeats a plot or design by interference where he has no right.

Marprelate, mär-prel′āt, adj. pertaining to the series of vigorous pamphlets against prelacy issued in England in 1588-9, in spite of severe repression.

Marque, märk, n. a license to pass the marches or limits of a country for the purpose of making reprisals: a ship commissioned for making captures.—Letter-of-marque (see Letter). [Fr.]

Marquee, mär-kē′, n. a large field-tent. [For marquees, the s being dropped as if a plural, from Fr. marquise, acc. to Littré, orig. a marchioness's tent.]

Marquetry, märk′et-ri, n. work inlaid with pieces of various-coloured wood. [Fr. marqueterie—marqueter, to inlay—marque, a mark.]

Marquis, mär′kwis, Marquess, mär′kwes, n. a title of nobility next below that of a duke, first given in England in 1386:—fem. Mar′chioness.—ns. Mar′quisāte, the dignity or lordship of a marquis; Marquise (mär-kēz′), in France, a marchioness: a style of parasol about 1850. [O. Fr. markis (Fr. marquis, It. marchese)—Low L. marchensis, a prefect of the marches.]

Marriage, mar′ij, n. the ceremony by which a man and woman become husband and wife: the union of a man and woman as husband and wife.—adj. Marr′iageable, suitable, or at a proper age, for marriage.—ns. Marr′iageableness; Marr′iage-con′tract, an agreement to be married: an agreement respecting property by persons about to marry.—n.pl. Marr′iage-fā′vours, knots or decorations worn at a marriage.—n. Marr′iage-sett′lement, an arrangement of property, &c., before marriage, by which something is secured to the wife or her children, in case of her husband's death. [O. Fr. mariage. See Marry.]

Marrow, mar′ō, n. the soft, fatty matter in the hollow parts of the bones: the pith of certain plants: the essence or best part of anything: the inner meaning or purpose.—ns. Marr′ow-bone, a bone containing marrow: (pl.) the knees or the bones of the knees; Marr′owfat, a rich kind of pea, called also Dutch Admiral pea.—adjs. Marr′owish, of the nature of, or resembling, marrow; Marr′owless, having no marrow.—n. Marr′ow-squash (U.S.), vegetable marrow.—adj. Marr′owy, full of marrow: strong: forcible: pithy. [A.S. mearg; Ger. mark.]

Marry, mar′i, v.t. to take for husband or wife: to give in marriage: to unite in matrimony.—v.i. to enter into the married state: to take a husband or a wife:—pr.p. marr′ying; pa.t. and pa.p. marr′ied. [Fr. marier—L. maritāre, to marry, maritus, a husband—mas, maris, a male.]

Marry, mar′i, interj. indeed! forsooth! [By Mary.]

Mars, märz, n. the Roman god of war: the planet next to the earth in the order of distance from the sun. [L. Mars, Martis.]

Marsala, mar′sä-la, n. a light wine resembling sherry, from Marsala in Sicily.

Marseillaise, mär-se-lyāz′, or mär-se-lāz′, n. the French revolutionary hymn composed by Rouget de Lisle in 1792, sung by the volunteers of Marseilles as they entered Paris, 30th July, and when they marched to the storming of the Tuileries.

Marsh, märsh, n. a tract of low wet land: a morass, swamp, or fen.—adj. pertaining to wet or boggy places.—ns. Marsh′-gas, fire-damp; Marsh′-harr′ier, a harrier of genus Circus frequenting marshes; Marsh′iness; Marsh′-mall′ow, a species of mallow common in meadows and marshes; Marsh′-mar′igold, a genus of plants of the Ranunculus order, having large yellow flowers like those of a buttercup.—adj. Marsh′y, pertaining to, or produced in, marshes: abounding in marshes. [A.S. mersc, for mer-isc, as if 'mere-ish,' full of meres. Cf. mere, a pool.]

Marshal, mär′shal, n. an officer charged with the regulation of ceremonies, preservation of order, points of etiquette, &c.: the chief officer who regulated combats in the lists: a pursuivant or harbinger: a herald: in France, an officer of the highest military rank: (U.S.) the civil officer of a district, corresponding to the sheriff of a county in England.—v.t. to arrange in order: to lead, as a herald:—pr.p. mar′shalling; pa.t. and pa.p. mar′shalled.—ns. Mar′shaller, one who marshals; Mar′shalling, act of arranging in due order; Mar′shalsea, till 1842 a prison in Southwark, under the marshal of the royal household; Mar′shalship, office of marshal. [O. Fr. mareschal (Fr. maréchal); from Old High Ger. marah, a horse, schalh (Ger. schalk), a servant.]

Marsipobranchiate, mar-si-po-brang′ki-āt, adj. having pursed gills, as lampreys, hags, &c.—Also Mar′sipobranch.

Marsupial, mär-sū′pi-al, adj. carrying young in a pouch.—n. a marsupial animal, as the opossum or the kangaroo.—n. Marsū′pium, a brood-pouch. [L. marsupium—Gr. marsipion, a pouch.]

Mart, märt, n. a place of trade. [Contr. of market.]

Martagon, mär′ta-gon, n. the Turk's-cap lily.

Martel, mär′tel, v.t. (Spens.) to hammer, to strike. [Fr. marteler, It. martello. See Martello.]

Martello, mar-tel′o, n. a circular fort erected to protect a coast. [It. martello, a hammer—L. martulus, marculus, dim. of marcus, a hammer; or from Mortella Point in Corsica, where a tower of this kind withstood an English cannonade in 1794.]

Marten, mär′ten, n. a destructive kind of weasel valued for its fur. [Fr. martre, also marte—Low L. marturis, from a Teut. root seen in Ger. marder, and A.S. mearð, a marten.]

Mar-text, mär′-tekst, n. an ignorant preacher.

Martial, mär′shal, adj. belonging to Mars, the god of war, or to the planet Mars: of or belonging to war, or to the army and navy: warlike: brave.—ns. Mar′tialism; Mar′tialist.—adv. Mar′tially.—Martial law, law enforced during a state of war for the proper government of armies, and for the punishment of those who break the laws of war. [Fr.,—L. martialis—Mars, Martis.]

Martin, mär′tin, n. a bird of the swallow kind.—Also Mar′tinet. [The name Martin; cf. robin, &c.]

Martinet, mär′tin-et, n. a strict disciplinarian.—n. Martinet′ism. [From Martinet, a very strict officer in the army of Louis XIV. of France.]

Martingale, mär′tin-gāl, n. a strap passing between a horse's forelegs, fastened to the girth and to the bit, to keep his head down: in ships, a short spar under the bowsprit.—Also Mar′tingal. [Fr., from a kind of breeches worn at Martigues in Provence.]

Martinmas, mär′tin-mas, n. the mass or feast of St Martin: 11th Nov., a term-day in Scotland.

Martlet, märt′let, n. the martin, the name of a bird: (her.) a martin or swallow without feet, used as a bearing, a crest, or a mark of cadency to designate the fourth son. [From Fr. martinet, dim. of martin.]

Martyr, mär′tėr, n. one who by his death bears witness to the truth: one who suffers for his belief: one who suffers greatly from any cause.—v.t. to put to death for one's belief.—n. Mar′tyrdom, state of being a martyr: the sufferings or death of a martyr: torment generally.—v.t. Mar′tyrise (Browning), to offer as a sacrifice: to cause to suffer martyrdom.—adj. Martyrolog′ical.—ns. Martyrol′ogist; Martyrol′ogy, a history of martyrs: a discourse on martyrdom. [A.S.,—L.,—Gr., a witness.]

Marvel, mär′vel, n. a wonder: anything astonishing or wonderful: astonishment.—v.i. to wonder: to feel astonishment:—pr.p. mar′velling; pa.t. and pa.p. mar′velled.—adj. Mar′vellous, astonishing: almost or altogether beyond belief: improbable.—adv. Mar′vellously.—n. Mar′vellousness. [Fr. merveille—L. mirabilis, wonderful—mirāri, to wonder.]

Marybud, mā′ri-bud, n. the marigold.

Mascle, mas′kl, n. (her.) a bearing, lozenge-shaped and perforated: a plate of steel in the form of a lozenge, used in making scale-armour.—adjs. Mas′cled, Mascule′, Mas′culy. [Fr. macle—L. macula, the mesh of a net.]

Mascot, mas′kot, n. a luck-penny or talisman: a person whose presence brings good luck. [Fr. mascotte.]

Masculine, mas′kū-lin, adj. of the male sex: having the qualities of a man: resembling a man, or suitable to a man: robust: of a woman, bold, forward, unwomanly: denoting nouns which are names of males.—n. (gram.) the masculine gender.—adv. Mas′culinely.—ns. Mas′culineness, Masculin′ity. [Fr.,—L. masculinus—masculus, male—mas, a male.]

Mash, mash, v.t. to beat into a mixed mass: to bruise: in brewing, to mix malt and hot water together.—v.i. to act violently.—n. a mixture of ingredients beaten or stirred together, as of bran, meal, &c., or bran and boiled turnips, &c., for feeding cattle or horses: in brewing, a mixture of crushed malt and hot water.—ns. Mash′ing; Mash′-tub, Mash′ing-tub, a tub in which the mash in breweries is mixed.—adj. Mash′y, produced by mashing; of the nature of a mash. [The noun is older than the verb, and seems to be connected with mix (A.S. miscian); cf. Mish-mash.]

Masher, mash′ėr, n. a fellow who dresses showily to attract the attention of silly young women, a fop.—v.t. Mash, to gain the affections of one of the opposite sex, to treat as a sweetheart.—Be mashed on (slang), to be struck with love for another.

Mashie, Mashy, mash′i, n. a kind of golf-club.

Masjid, mas′jid, n. a Mohammedan mosque.

Mask, Masque, mask, n. anything disguising or concealing the face: anything that disguises: a pretence: a masquerade: a former kind of dramatic spectacle, in which actors personified mythological deities, shepherdesses, &c.: a representation or impression of a face in any material, as in marble, plaster, &c.: a fox's head.—v.t. to cover the face with a mask: to hide.—v.i. to join in a mask or masquerade: to be disguised in any way: to revel.—n. Mas′caron (archit.), a grotesque face on door-knockers, spouts, &c.—adj. Masked, wearing a mask, concealed.—ns. Masked′-ball, a ball in which the dancers wear masks; Mask′er, one who wears a mask.—Masked battery (see Battery). [Fr. masque—Sp. mascara—Ar. maskharat, a jester, man in masquerade.]

Mask, mask, v.t. (Scot.) to steep, infuse.—v.i. to be infusing. [A form of mash.]

Maslin, mas′lin, n. mixed grain, esp. rye and wheat.—Also Mash′lin, Mash′lim, Mash′lum.

Mason, mā′sn, n. one who cuts, prepares, and lays stones: a builder in stone: a member of the society of freemasons.—v.t. to build.—adjs. Mason′ic, relating to freemasonry; Mā′sonried, constructed of masonry.—n. Mā′sonry, the skill or practice of a mason: the work of a mason: the art of building in stone: freemasonry.—adj. consisting of mason-work.—n. Mas′ter-mā′son (see under Master). [O. Fr. masson (Fr. maçon)—Low L. macion-em; prob. Teut.; cf. Mid. High Ger. mezzo, a mason, whence steinmetz, a stone-mason, cog. with Old High Ger. meizan, to hew, whence Ger. meissel, a chisel.]

Masoolah-boat, ma-sōō′la-bōt, n. a high many-oared East Indian surf-boat.—Also Masu′la-boat.

Masque. See Mask.

Masquerade, mask-ėr-ād′, n. an assembly of persons wearing masks, generally at a ball: disguise.—v.i. to wear a mask: to join in a masquerade: to go in disguise.—n. Masquerad′er, a person wearing a mask: a person or thing disguised in any manner. [Fr. mascarade. See Mask.]

Mass, mas, n. a lump of matter: a quantity: a collected body: the main body: magnitude: the principal part or main body: quantity of matter in any body, weight being proportional to mass: (pl.) the lower classes of the people.—v.t. to form into a mass: to bring together in masses.—v.i. to assemble in masses.—adj. Mass′ive, bulky: weighty: not separated into parts or elements: without crystalline form, geologically homogeneous.—adv. Mass′ively.—ns. Mass′iveness, Mass′iness; Mass′-meeting, a public meeting of persons of all classes to discuss some matter of general interest.—adj. Mass′y, massive, made up of masses. [Fr. masse—L. massa—Gr. maza—massein, to squeeze together.]

Mass, mas, n. the celebration of the Lord's Supper or Eucharist in R.C. churches, also the office for the same: a musical setting of certain parts of the R.C. liturgy: a church festival or feast-day, as in Candlemas, Christmas, Martinmas, &c.—ns. Mass′-bell, or Sacring-bell, a bell rung during the celebration of mass, at the elevation of the host; Mass′-book, the R.C. missal or service-book; Mass′-priest, formerly a R.C. secular priest, as distinct from those living under a rule—later, a priest retained in chantries, &c., to say masses for the dead: a R.C. priest generally.—Mass for the dead, a funeral mass for the faithful in Christ, to hasten their release from purgatory; Conventual mass, a mass for the general community of a religious house: a mass at which special remembrance is made of pious founders and benefactors; Dry mass, or service, a rite in which there is neither consecration nor communion; High mass, a mass celebrated with music, ritual, ceremonies, and incense; Low mass, the ordinary mass celebrated without music and incense; Midnight mass, that mass which is said at midnight on Christmas-eve; Private mass, any mass where only the priest communicates, esp. in a private oratory; Solemn mass, a mass resembling a high mass, but without some of its special ceremonies; Votive mass, a special mass over and above those ordinarily said for the day, for some particular grace or purpose, and provided by some individual. [A.S. mæsse—Low L. missa—L. missus, mittĕre, to send away, from the phrase at the close of service, Ite, missa est (ecclesia), 'Go, the congregation is dismissed.']

Massa, mas′ä, n. a negro corruption of master.

Massacre, mas′a-kėr, n. indiscriminate slaughter, esp. with cruelty: carnage.—v.t. to kill with violence and cruelty: to slaughter. [Fr.; from the Teut., as in Low Ger. matsken, to cut; cf. Ger. metz-ger, a butcher.]

Massage, ma-säzh′, n. in medicine, a system of treatment in which the manipulation and exercise of parts (passive movement) are employed for the relief of morbid conditions—by stroking, pressing, tapping, kneading, friction with kneading, &c.—v.t. to subject to massage.—ns. Massa′gist, Masseur′:—fem. Masseuse′. [Fr., from Gr. massein, to knead.]

Masse, ma-sā′, n. in billiards, a sharp stroke made with the cue perpendicular or nearly so. [Fr.]

Masseter, mas-ē′tėr, n. a muscle which raises the under jaw, and thus closes the mouth. [Gr. masētēr—masasthai, to chew.]

Massicot, mas′i-kot, n. protoxide of lead or yellow oxide of lead. [Fr.]

Massif, ma-sēf, n. a central mountain-mass; an orographic fault-block. [Fr.]

Massorah, Masora, mas′ō-rä, n. the tradition by which Jewish scholars tried to preserve the text of the Old Testament—a collection of critical notes on the text of the Old Testament, first committed to writing in Tiberias between the 6th and 9th cent. A.D.—the Great Massorah was finally arranged about the 11th century; the Small Massorah is an extract therefrom.—ns. Mass′orete, Mass′orite.—adjs. Massoret′ic, Masoret′ic.—Massoretic points and accents, the vowel-points in Hebrew furnished by the Massorah. [Heb., 'tradition.']

Mast, mast, n. a long upright pole for bearing the yards, rigging, &c. in a ship.—v.t. to supply with a mast or masts.—adj. Mast′ed.—n. Mast′-head, the head or top of the mast of a ship.—v.t. to raise to the mast-head: to punish by sending a sailor to the mast-head for a certain time.—n. Mast′-house, the place in dockyards where masts are made.—adj. Mast′less, having no mast. [A.S. mæst, the stem of a tree; Ger. mast.]

Mast, mast, n. the fruit of the oak, beech, chestnut, and other forest trees, on which swine feed: nuts, acorns.—adjs. Mast′ful; Mast′less; Mast′y. [A.S. mæst; Ger. mast, whence mästen, to feed.]

Master, mas′tėr, n. one who commands: a lord or owner: a leader or ruler: a teacher: an employer: the commander of a merchant-ship: formerly the navigator or sailing-master of a ship-of-war: one eminently skilled in anything: the common title of address to a young gentleman, &c.: a title of dignity or office—a degree conferred by universities, as Master of Arts, &c., the title of the eldest son of a Scotch viscount or baron, the head of some corporations, as Balliol College, &c., of a lodge of freemasons, &c.: a husband.—adj. the chief, predominant: belonging to a master, chief, principal, as in Master-builder, &c.—v.t. to become master of: to overcome: to become skilful in: to execute with skill.—ns. Mas′ter-build′er, a chief builder, one who directs or employs others; Mas′terdom, power of control.—adj. Mas′terful, exercising the authority or power of a master: imperious: having the skill of a master.—adv. Mas′terfully, in a masterful or imperious manner.—ns. Mas′terfulness; Mas′ter-hand, the hand of a master: a person highly skilled; Mas′terhood; Mas′ter-joint, the most marked system of joints or divisional planes by which a rock is intersected; Mas′terkey, a key that opens many locks: a clue fitted to guide one out of many difficulties.—adj. Mas′terless, without a master or owner: ungoverned: unsubdued: beyond control.—n. Mas′terliness, quality of being masterly: masterly skill.—adj. Mas′terly, like a master: with the skill of a master: skilful: excellent: overbearing.—adv. with the skill of a master.—ns. Mas′ter-mar′iner, the captain of a merchant-vessel or fishing-vessel; Mas′ter-mā′son, a freemason who has attained the third degree; Mas′ter-mind; Mas′ter-pass′ion; Mas′terpiece, a piece of work worthy of a master: a work of superior skill: chief excellence; Mas′tership, the office of master: rule or dominion: superiority; Mas′terstroke, a stroke or performance worthy of a master: superior performance; Mas′ter-wheel, the wheel in a machine which imparts motion to other parts; Mas′ter-work, work worthy of a master: masterpiece; Mas′terwort, a perennial umbelliferous herb, native to northern Europe, its root reputed as a stomachic, sudorific, diuretic, &c.; Mas′tery, the power or authority of a master: dominion: victory: superiority: the attainment of superior power or skill.—Master of ceremonies, of the Rolls, &c. (see Ceremonies, Rolls, &c.); Master of the horse, the Roman Magister Equitum, an official appointed by the dictator to act next under himself: an equerry, esp. the exalted official bearing this name at the British court; Master of the Temple, the preacher of the Temple Church in London; Masters of the schools, at Oxford, the conductors of the first examination (Responsions) for the degree of B.A.—Masterly inactivity, the position or part of a neutral or a Fabian combatant, carried out with diplomatic skill, so as to preserve a predominant influence without risking anything.—Passed, or Past, master, one who has occupied the office of master, esp. among freemasons—hence any one known to possess ample knowledge of some subject; The little masters, a 16th-17th cent. group of followers of Dürer, notable for fine work on wood and copper; The old masters, a term applied collectively to the great painters about the time of the Renaissance, esp. the Italians.—Be master of one's self, to have one's passions or emotions under control. [O. Fr. maistre (Fr. maître)—L. magister, from root of magnus, great.]

Mastic, Mastich, mas′tik, n. a species of gum-resin from the lentisk-tree: a cement from mastic: the tree producing mastic. [Fr.,—L. mastiche—Gr. mastichē—mas-tizein, to chew.]

Masticate, mas′ti-kāt, v.t. to chew: to grind with the teeth.—adj. Mas′ticable, that may be chewed.—ns. Masticā′tion, act or process of chewing; Masticā′tor, a machine for cutting up meat for people unable to chew: a machine used in purifying india-rubber.—adj. Mas′ticatory, chewing: adapted for chewing.—n. a substance chewed to increase the saliva. [L. masticāre, -ātum—mastiche, mastic.]

Masticot. Same as Massicot.

Mastiff, mas′tif, n. a thick-set and powerful variety of dog much used as a watch-dog. [Skeat follows Scheler and Diez in explaining mastiff as 'house-dog,' from an assumed O. Fr. mastif, prob. a variant of O. Fr. mastin (Fr. mâtin)—Low L. masnata, a family—L. mansion-em, a house. Others explain as O. Fr. mestif (Fr. métif), of mixed breed, mongrel, or O. Fr. mestis (métis), mongrel, or even as the above O. Fr. mastin (Fr. mâtin), all, through Low L. forms, from L. mixtus, mistus, miscēre, to mix.]

Mastitis, mas-tī′tis, n. inflammation of the mammary gland.—n. Mastodyn′ia, pain in the breast.—adj. Mas′toid, like a nipple or teat: denoting a part or process of the temporal bone.—n. Mastol′ogy, mammology. [Gr. mastos, a nipple.]

Mastodon, mas′to-don, n. a genus of extinct elephants, so named from the mamillary cusps or teat-like prominences on the molar teeth. [Gr. mastos, the breast, odous, odontos, a tooth.]

Masturbation, mas-tur-bā′shun, n. self-defilement, onanism.—v.i. Mas′turbate, to commit self-abuse.—n. Mas′turbator, one guilty of this. [L. masturbāri.]

Mat, mat, n. a texture of sedge, rushes, straw, &c. for cleaning the feet on: a web of rope-yarn: an ornamental border for a picture: a piece of cloth, &c. put below dishes on a table: anything like a mat in appearance, thick and closely set: any interwoven structure used as a revetment on river-banks, &c.: a sack of matting used to cover tea and coffee chests, such a sack containing a certain quantity of coffee: the closely-worked portion of lace: any annular pad to protect the head in bearing burdens.—v.t. to cover with mats: to interweave: to entangle:—pr.p. mat′ting; pa.t. and pa.p. mat′ted. [A.S. meatta—L. matta, a mat.]

Mat, mat, adj. and n. having a dull or dead surface, without lustre: an instrument by means of which such is produced.—v.t. to produce such a surface on metal. [Ger. matt, dull.]

Matador, Matadore, mat-a-dōr′, n. the man who kills the bull in bull-fights: one of the three chief cards at ombre and quadrille. [Sp. matador—matar, to kill—L. mactāre, to kill, to honour by sacrifice—mactus, honoured.]

Matafunda, mat-a-fun′da, n. an old military engine which slung stones. [Low L., prob. Sp. matar, to kill, L. funda, a sling.]

Match, mach, n. a piece of inflammable material which easily takes or carries fire: a prepared rope for firing a gun, &c.: a lucifer.—ns. Match′-box, a box for holding matches; Match′lock, the lock of a musket containing a match for firing it: a musket so fired; Match′wood, wood cut down to a size suitable for making matches: wood broken into small pieces; Quick′-match, a match made of threads of cotton, and steeped in various inflammable substances so as to burn a yard in thirteen seconds; Safe′ty-match, a match which will only light when rubbed on a specially prepared surface; Slow′-match, a match made to burn at the rate of from four to five inches in an hour, for blasting, &c. [O. Fr. mesche (Fr. mèche)—Low L. myxus—Gr. myxa, the snuff or wick of a lamp.]

Match, mach, n. anything which agrees with or suits another thing: an equal: one able to cope with another: a contest or game: a pairing, a marriage: one to be gained in marriage.—v.i. to be of the same make, size, &c., to correspond: to form a union with.—v.t. to be equal to, to set a counterpart to anything: to be able to compete with: to find an equal to: to set against as equal: to suit: to give in marriage.—adj. Match′able.—ns. Match′board, a board with a tongue cut along one edge and a groove in the opposite edge, their joining being called a Match′-joint; Match′er.—adj. Match′less, having no match or equal: superior to all: peerless: unpaired.—adv. Match′lessly.—ns. Match′lessness; Match′-mak′er, one who makes matches: one who plans to bring about marriages. [A.S. gemæca, gemaca, a mate, a wife.]

Mate, māt, n. a companion: an equal: one of a pair, the male or female of animals that go in pairs: in a merchant-ship the first-mate is the second in command—in the navy the term is now confined to petty-officers, such as boatswain's mate, gunner's mate, &c.: an assistant, deputy.—v.t. to be equal to: to become a companion to: to marry.—adj. Mate′less, without a mate or companion. [A.S. ge-maca; Ice. maki, an equal, from the same root as make. Cf. match. Prob. mate in its naut. sense is Dutch—Old Dut. maet, mod. maat.]

Mate, māt, n. and v.t. in chess=Checkmate.

Mate, Maté, mä′tā, n. a South American species of holly, the leaves and green shoots of which, dried and roughly ground, furnish the yerba de mate of Paraguay and Brazil. [Sp. mate, orig. the vessel in which it was infused for drinking.]

Mate, māt, v.t. (Bacon) to weaken, to confound, to crush. [O. Fr. mater; cf. Sp. matar, to weaken.]

Matelasse, mat-las′ā, adj. and n. having a raised pattern on the surface as if quilted, of silks. [Fr. matelas, a mattress.]

Matelote, mat′e-lōt, n. fish stewed with wine-sauce, onions, &c. [Fr. matelot, a sailor.]

Mateology, mat-ē-ol′o-ji, n. a foolish inquiry. [Gr. mataios, vain, matē, folly, logia, discourse.]

Mater, mā′tėr, n. a mother: one of the two membranes of the brain, outer and inner, separated by the arachnoid—the dura mater, or dura, and pia mater, or pia.—Mā′ter dolorō′sa, the Virgin Mary represented as the sorrowing mother; Māterfamil′ias, the mother of a family. [L.,—Gr. mētēr.]

Material, ma-tē′ri-al, adj. consisting of matter: corporeal, not spiritual: substantial: essential: important, esp. of legal importance: (phil.) pertaining to matter and not to form, relating to the object as it exists.—n., esp. in pl., that out of which anything is to be made.—n. Materialisā′tion.—v.t. Matē′rialīse, to render material: to reduce to or regard as matter: to occupy with material interests.—ns. Matē′rialism, the doctrine that denies the independent existence of spirit, and maintains that there is but one substance—viz. matter—thus professing to find in matter (monistic or philosophical materialism), or in material entities (atomistic materialism), or in material qualities and forces (scientific or physical materialism), a complete explanation of all life and existence whatsoever; Matē′rialist, one who holds the doctrine of materialism: one absorbed in material interests, who takes a low view of life and its responsibilities.—adjs. Materialist′ic, -al, pertaining to materialism.—adv. Matē′rially.—ns. Matē′rialness, Material′ity.—Material being, existence in the form of matter; Material cause, that which gives being to the thing; Material distinction, a distinction between individuals of the same species; Material evidence, evidence tending to prove or to disprove the matter under judgment; Material fallacy, a fallacy in the matter or thought, rather than in the logical form; Material form, a form depending on matter; Material issue (see Issue).—Raw material, stuff as yet unworked into anything useful. [Fr.,—L. materialis—materia.]

Materia medica, ma-tē′ri-a med′i-ka, n. the various substances used in making up medicines: the science of the nature and use of substances used as medicines. [L. materia, material, medicus, medical.]

Matériel, ma-tā-re-el′, n. the totality of materials or instruments employed (as in an army), as distinguished from the personnel or men—applied esp. to military stores, arms, baggage, horses, &c. [Fr.]

Maternal, ma-tėr′nal, adj. belonging to a mother: motherly.—adv. Mater′nally.—n. Mater′nity, the state, character, or relation of a mother: motherhood: a lying-in hospital. [Fr. maternel (It. maternale)—L. maternus—mater, mother.]

Math, math, n. a mowing.

Mathematic, -al, math-e-mat′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to, or done by, mathematics: very accurate.—adv. Mathemat′ically.—ns. Mathematic′ian, one versed in mathematics; Mathemat′ics, the science of magnitude and number, and of all their relations—usually divided into Pure, and Mixed or Applied, the first including all deductions from the abstract, self-evident relations of magnitude and number—the second, the results arrived at by applying the principles so established to certain relations found by observation to exist among the phenomena of nature.—Higher mathematics, a term applied generally to all the scientifically treated branches of mathematics. [Fr. mathématique—L. mathematica—Gr. mathēmatikē (epistēmē, skill, knowledge), relating to learning—mathēma—manthanein, to learn.]

Mathesis, ma-thē′sis, n. mental discipline. [Gr.]

Matico, ma-tē′ko, n. a Peruvian shrub, used in medicine as a styptic and astringent.

Matin, mat′in, adj. morning: used in the morning.—n. in pl. the daily morning service of the Church of England: one of the seven canonical hours, usually sung between midnight and daybreak.—adj. Mat′inal.—n. Matinée (mat-i-nā′), a musical entertainment or reception held in the day-time, usually in the afternoon: a woman's dress for wear in the forenoon or before dinner. [Fr.,—L. matutinus, belonging to the morning—Matuta, goddess of morning, prob. akin to maturus, early.]

Matrass, mat′ras, n. a chemical vessel with a tapering neck, a cucurbit.

Matriarchy, mā′tri-är-ki, n. government by a mother or by mothers, esp. a primitive order of society existing in many Indian tribes, in which the mother takes precedence of the father in tracing line of descent and in inheritance: descent in the female line.—ns. Mā′triarch, a woman in whom matriarchy rests: a patriarch's wife.—adj. Matriar′chal.—ns. Matriar′chalism, the character of possessing matriarchal customs; Matriar′chate, the position of a matriarch. [Gr. mētēr, mother, archos, a ruler.]

Matrice, mā′tris, n. Same as Matrix.

Matricide, mat′ri-sīd, n. a murderer of one's own mother: the murder of one's own mother.—adj. Mat′ricidal [Fr.,—L. matricida, matricidium—mater, mother, cædĕre, to kill.]

Matriculate, ma-trik′ū-lāt, v.t. to admit to membership by entering one's name in a register, esp. in a college.—v.i. to become a member of a college, university, &c., by being enrolled.—n. one admitted to membership in a society.—n. Matriculā′tion, act of matriculating: state of being matriculated. [Late L. matricula, a register, dim. of matrix.]

Matrimony, mat′ri-mun-i, n. union of husband and wife, marriage: state of marriage.—adj. Matrimō′nial, relating to, derived from, marriage.—adj. Matrimō′nially. [O. Fr.,—L. matrimonium—mater.]

Matrix, mā′triks, or mat′riks, n. (anat.) the cavity in which an animal is formed before its birth, the womb: the cavity in which anything is formed, a mould: (mining) earthy or stony substances in which minerals are found embedded: (dyeing) the five simple colours (black, white, blue, red, and yellow) from which all the others are formed: (math.) a rectangular array of quantities, usually square—a multiple quantity having as many dimensions as it has spaces:—pl. Matrices (mā′tri-sez or mat′ri-sez). [L. matrix, -icis—mater, mother.]

Matron, mā′trun, n. an elderly married woman: an elderly lady of staid and sober habits: a head-nurse in a hospital, or a female superintendent in a school.—ns. Mā′tronage, Mā′tronhood, state of being a matron: a body of matrons.—adj. Mā′tronal, pertaining or suitable to a matron: motherly: grave.—v.t. Mā′tronise, to render matronly: to attend a lady to public places, as protector: to chaperon.—adjs. Mā′tron-like, Mā′tronly, like, becoming, or belonging to a matron: elderly: sedate.—n. Matronym′ic, a name derived from a mother or maternal ancestor—also adj. [Fr.,—L. matrona, a married lady—mater, mother.]

Matross, ma-tros′, n. formerly a soldier set to help the gunners in an artillery train. [Dut. matroos—Fr. matelot, a sailor.]

Matte, mat, n. a product of the smelting of sulphuretted ores.—Also Regulus and Coarse metal. [Fr.,—Ger.]

Matter, mat′ėr, n. that which occupies space, and with which we become acquainted by our bodily senses: that out of which anything is made: that which receiving a form becomes a substance: the subject or thing treated of: anything engaging the attention: that with which one has to do: cause of a thing: thing of consequence: something requiring remedy or explanation: any special allegation in law: importance: a measure, &c., of indefinite amount: (print.) material for work, type set up: mere dead substance, that which is thrown off by a living body, esp. pus, or the fluid in boils, tumours, and festering sores.—v.i. to be of importance: to signify: to form or discharge matter in a sore:—pr.p. matt′ering; pa.p. matt′ered.—adjs. Matt′erful, full of matter, pithy; Matt′erless; Matt′er-of-fact, adhering to the matter of fact: not fanciful: dry; Matt′ery, significant: purulent.—Matter of course, occurring in natural time and order, as a thing to be expected; Matter of fact, really happening and not fanciful or supposed: not wandering beyond realities. [O. Fr. matiere—L. materia, matter.]

Matting, mat′ing, n. a covering with mats: a texture like a mat, but larger: material for mats.

Mattins. Same as Matins, pl. of Matin.

Mattock, mat′uk, n. a kind of pickaxe for loosening the soil, having the iron ends broad instead of pointed. [A.S. mattuc—W. matog.]

Mattress, mat′res, n. a bed made of a bag stuffed with wool, horse-hair, &c.: a mass of brushwood, &c., used to form a foundation for roads, &c., or for the walls of embankments, &c.—Spring mattress, a mattress in which springs of twisted wire are used to support the stuffed part; Wire mattress, one whose elasticity is produced by a sheet of tightly-stretched wire. [O. Fr. materas (Fr. matelas)—Ar. matrah, a place where anything is thrown.]

Maturate, mat′ū-rāt, v.t. to make mature: (med.) to promote the suppuration of.—v.i. (med.) to suppurate perfectly.—ns. Mat′urant, a maturative; Maturā′tion, a bringing or a coming to maturity: the process of suppurating fully.—adj. Matū′rative, maturing or ripening: (med.) promoting suppuration.—n. a medicine promoting suppuration. [L. maturāre—maturus, ripe.]

Mature, ma-tūr′, adj. grown to its full size: perfected: ripe: (med.) come to suppuration: fully digested, as a plan.—v.t. to ripen: to bring to perfection: to prepare for use.—v.i. to become ripe: to become payable, as a bill.—adj. Matur′able, capable of being matured.—adv. Mature′ly.—ns. Mature′ness, state or quality of being ripe or ready for use; Matur′ity, ripeness: a state of completeness or readiness for use. [L. maturus, ripe.]

Maturescent, mat-ū-res′ent, adj. becoming ripe: approaching maturity. [L. maturescĕre, to become ripe—maturus.]

Matutinal, mat-ū-tī′nal, adj. pertaining to the morning: happening early in the day.—Also Mat′utine. [L. matutinalis, matutinus. See Matin.]

Maud, mawd, n. a Scotch shepherd's woollen plaid.

Maudlin, mawd′lin, adj. silly: sickly-sentimental: fuddled, half-drunk: (obs.) tearful.—n. Maud′linism, the tearful stage of drink. [Contr. from M. E. Maudelein, which comes through O. Fr. and L. from Gr. Magdalēnē, the orig. sense being 'tearful from penitence,' hence 'with eyes red and swollen with weeping,' like Mary Magdalene, erroneously identified with the penitent woman of Luke vii. 37.]

Maugre, maw′gėr, prep. in spite of.—n. (obs.) ill-will: spite. [O. Fr. malgré—L. male gratum—male, badly, gratum, agreeable.]

Maul, mawl, v.t. to beat with a mall or a heavy stick: to injure greatly by beating.—n. a heavy wooden hammer: a struggle for the ball in football, when it has been carried across the goal-line, but has not yet been touched down. [Mall.]

Maulstick. See Mahl-stick.

Maumet, Mammet. Same as Mawmet.

Maund, mawnd, n. (Shak.) a basket. [A.S. mand.]

Maund, mawnd, n. a measure of weight in India, its value varying in different places from about 25 to about 85 pounds avoirdupois. [Hind. mān.]

Maunder, mawn′dėr, v.i. to beg: to whine like a beggar, to grumble: to mutter, to talk foolishly, to drivel.—ns. Maun′derer; Maun′dering, drivelling talk. [O. Fr. mendier, to beg—L. mendicāre.]

Maundril, mawn′dril, n. a pick with two prongs.

Maundy, mawn′di, n. the religious ceremony of washing the feet of others, esp. of inferiors, in commemoration of Christ's washing His disciples' feet at the Last Supper—still practised in Austria by the emperor.—Maundy money, the money given away on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday in Passion week, by the royal almoner, usually a penny for each year of the sovereign's reign—the small silver coins specially coined since 1662. [O. Fr. mande (Fr. mandé)—L. mandātum, command, i.e. the 'new Commandment' of John, xiii. 34.]

Maurist, maw′rist, n. a member of the reformed Benedictine Congregation of St Maur, settled from 1618 at the abbey of St Maur-sur-Loire, near Saumur, notable for its great services to learning.

Mauser, mow′zėr, n. a German magazine rifle, invented by Wilhelm Mauser (1834-82).

Mausoleum, maw-so-lē′um, n. a magnificent tomb or monument.—adj. Mausolē′an, pertaining to a mausoleum: monumental. [L.,—Gr., Mausōleion, from Mausolus, king of Caria, to whom his widow, Artemisia, erected a splendid tomb about 350 B.C.]

Mauther, mä′thėr, n. an Eng. prov. form of mother.

Mauve, mawv, n. a beautiful purple dye extracted from coal-tar, so called from its likeness in colour to the flowers of the common mallow.—adj. of the colour of mauve. [Fr.,—L. malva, the mallow.]

Maverick, mav′ėr-ik, n. (U.S.) an animal found straying without an owner's brand, esp. a strayed calf: anything dishonestly obtained.—v.t. to seize without legal claim. [From Samuel Maverick, a Texas cattle-raiser.]

Mavis, mā′vis, n. the song-thrush. [Fr. mauvis; prob. from Bret. milfid, a mavis.]

Mavourneen, ma-vōōr′nēn, n. and interj. a term of endearment=my dear one. [Ir.]

Maw, maw, n. the stomach, esp. in the lower animals: the craw, in birds.—ns. Maw′-seed, poppy-seed, so called when used as food for cage birds; Maw′-worm, the thread-worm infesting the stomach. [A.S. maga; Ger. magen.]

Mawkin. Same as Malkin (q.v.).

Mawkish, mawk′ish, adj. loathsome, disgusting, as anything beginning to breed mawks or maggots.—n. Mawk, a maggot.—adv. Mawk′ishly.—n. Mawk′ishness. [Explained by Skeat as formed, with suffix -ish, from M. E. mawk, mauk, a contr. form of M. E. maðek, a maggot—Ice. maðkr, a maggot.]

Mawmet, maw′met, n. a puppet: an idol—Mohammed.

Max, maks, n. a kind of gin. [L. maximus, greatest.]

Maxillary, maks′il-ar-i, adj. pertaining to the jawbone or jaw.—n. a maxillary bone, or maxilla.—n. Maxill′a, a jawbone.—adjs. Maxillif′erous; Maxill′iform.—n. Maxill′ipede, in crustacea, one of those limbs serving both for mastication and locomotion. [L. maxilla, jawbone.]

Maxim, maks′im, n. a general principle, serving as a rule or guide: a pithy saying: a proverb.—adjs. Max′imal; Max′imed, reduced to a maxim.—ns. Max′imist, Max′im-mong′er. [Fr.,—L. maxima (sententia, an opinion), superl. of magnus, great.]

Maxim, maks′im, n. often put for Max′im-gun, an automatic machine-gun capable of firing as many as 620 rounds per minute, and of accurate shooting up to 3000 yards. [From Hiram Maxim, the inventor.]

Maximum, maks′i-mum, adj. the greatest.—n. the greatest number, quantity, or degree: the highest point reached: (math.) the value of a variable when it ceases to increase and begins to decrease:—pl. Max′ima:—opp. to Minimum.—adj. Max′imal, of the highest or maximum value.—adv. Max′imally.—v.t. Max′imise, to raise to the highest degree. [L., superl. of magnus, great.]

May, mā, v.i. to be able: to be allowed: to be free to act: to be possible: to be by chance: to be competent:—pa.t. might (mīt).—adv. May′be, perhaps, possibly.—n. a possibility.—adv. May′hap, perhaps. [A.S. mæg, pr.t. of mugan, to be able, pa.t. mihte; cog. with Goth. magan, Ger. mögen.]

May, mā, n. the fifth month of the year: the early or gay part of life.—v.i. to gather May (prov. Eng. the blossom of the hawthorn, which blooms in May):—pr.p. May′ing.—ns. May′-bee′tle, May′-bug, the cockchafer; May′-bloom, the hawthorn flower; May′day, the first day of May; May′-dew, the dew of May, esp. that of the morning of the first day of May, which is said to whiten linen, and to enable a face washed with it to keep its beauty; May′-duke, a variety of sour cherry; May′-flow′er, the hawthorn, which blooms in May; May′fly, a short-lived fly which appears in May; May′-game, sport such as is usual on 1st May, frolic generally; May′ing, the observance of Mayday sports and games; May′-lā′dy, the queen of the May; May′-lil′y, the lily of the valley, so called because it blooms in May; May′-morn (Shak.), freshness, like that of a morning in May, vigour; May′pole, a pole erected for dancing round on Mayday; May′-queen, a young woman crowned with flowers as queen on Mayday; May′time, May, the season of May. [O. Fr. Mai—L. Maius (mensis, a month), sacred to Maia, the mother of Mercury.]

May, mā, n. a maid. [A.S. mǽg, a kinswoman.]

Maya, mä′ya, n. an illusive appearance, esp. of a celestial maiden personifying the active will of the creator of the universe. [Hind.]

Mayhem, mā′hem, n. the offence of depriving a person by violence of any limb, member, or organ, or causing any mutilation of the body. [Maim.]

Mayonnaise, mā-on-āz′, n. a sauce composed of the yoke of eggs, salad-oil, and vinegar or lemon-juice, seasoned: any cold dish of which the foregoing is an ingredient, as lobster. [Fr.]

Mayor, mā′ur, n. the chief magistrate of a city or borough:—fem. May′oress.—adj. May′oral.—ns. May′oralty, May′orship, the office of a mayor. [Fr. maire—L. major, comp. of magnus, great.]

Mazard, Mazzard, maz′ard, n. (Shak.) a head or skull: a wild European cherry. [Prob. from mazer, from the likeness of the skull to a goblet.]

Mazarinade, maz-a-rin-ād′, n. a pamphlet or satire against the French minister, Cardinal Mazarin (1602-61).—n. Mazarine′, a rich blue colour: a blue gown.—Mazarin Bible, the first printed Bible, printed by Gutenberg and Fust about 1450, so called because Cardinal Mazarin possessed twenty-five copies.

Mazda, maz′da, n. or Ahura Mazdâh, the supreme deity and creator of the Zend-Avesta.—adj. Maz′dēan.—n. Maz′dēism, the religious system of the Zend-Avesta, the ancient sacred writings of the Parsees, Zoroastrianism. [Zend ahu=the living, life, or spirit, root ah=to be; Mazdâh, the great Creator, maz+dâ=Sans. mahâ+dhâ.]

Maze, māz, n. a place full of intricate windings: confusion of thought: perplexity.—v.t. to bewilder: to confuse.—adjs. Maze′ful (Spens.), Maz′y, full of mazes or windings: intricate.—adv. Maz′ily.—n. Maz′iness, state or quality of being mazy. [Scand., as in Ice. masa, to jabber.]

Mazer, maz′ėr, n. (Spens.) a kind of hard wood, probably maple: a cup or goblet made of maple, and usually highly ornamented. [Skeat explains as Ice. mösurr, a maple-tree, lit. 'spot-wood.']

Mazourka, Mazurka, ma-zōōr′ka, n. a lively Polish round dance for four or eight couples: the music such as is played to it.

Me, mē, personal pron. the objective case of I, including both the old English accusative and dative of the first personal pronoun. [A.S. mé.]

Meacock, mē′kok, adj. (Shak.) timorous, effeminate, cowardly. [Perh. dim. of meek.]

Mead, mēd, n. honey and water fermented and flavoured. [A.S. medu; Ger. meth, W. medd.]

Meadow, med′ō, n. a level tract producing grass to be mown down: a rich pasture-ground—(poet.) Mead.—ns. Mead′ow-fox′tail (see Foxtail); Mead′ow-grass, the larger and more useful kinds of grass, grown in meadows for hay and pasture; Mead′ow-hay, a coarse grass or sedge growing in moist places, used as fodder or bedding; Mead′ow-lark, the American field-lark; Mead′ow-saff′ron, the colchicum—also Autumn-crocus, or Naked lady; Mead′ow-sweet, Mead′ow-wort, an ornamental shrub or plant with white flowers, called also Queen of the meadow.—adj. Mead′owy. [A.S. mǽd—máwan, to mow; Ger. mahd, a mowing, Swiss matt, a meadow, as in Zermatt, &c.]

Meagre, mē′gėr, adj. having little flesh: lean: poor: without richness or fertility: barren: scanty: without strength.—adv. Mea′grely.—n. Mea′greness, state or quality of being meagre. [Fr. maigre—L. macer, lean; cf. Ger. mager.]

Meal, mēl, n. the food taken at one time: the act or the time of taking food: a breakfast, dinner, or supper.—ns. Meal′er, one who takes his meals at a boarding-house, lodging elsewhere; Meal′-time, the time for meals.—Square meal, a full meal. [A.S. mǽl, time, portion of time; Dut. maal, Ger. mahl.]

Meal, mēl, n. grain ground to powder.—v.i. to yield or be plentiful in meal.—ns. Meal′-ark (Scot.), a large chest for holding meal; Meal′iness; Meal′-man, or Meal′-mong′er, one who deals in meal; Meal′-pock, or -poke, a beggar's meal-bag; Meal′worm, the larva of an insect abounding in granaries and flour-stores.—adj. Meal′y, resembling meal: covered with meal or with something like meal: whitish.—n. Meal′y-bug, a small species of cochineal insect covered with a while powdery substance resembling meal or flour.—adj. Meal′y-mouthed, smooth-tongued.—n. Meal′y-mouthedness. [A.S. melu, melo; Ger. mehl, Dut. meel, meal.]

Mealie, mēl′i, n. an ear of maize or Indian corn, esp. in pl., maize.

Mean, mēn, adj. low in rank or birth: base: sordid: low in worth or estimation: of little value or importance: poor, humble: despicable.—adj. Mean′-born, of humble origin.—adv. Mean′ly.—n. Mean′ness, state or quality of being mean: want of nobility or excellence: a low action.—adj. Mean′-spir′ited, having a mean spirit, base.—n. Mean′-spir′itedness. [A.S. mǽne, wicked, from mán, wickedness; perh. conn. with A.S. gemǽne, Ger. gemein, common.]

Mean, mēn, adj. middle: coming between two others in size, degree, quantity, time, &c.: average: moderate.—n. the middle point, quantity, value, or degree: (math.) a term interpolated between two terms of a series, and consequently intermediate in magnitude: (mus.) a middle voice or voice-part, as the tenor or alto, the second or third string in a viol: instrument or medium: (pl.) that by which anything is caused or brought to pass: income: estate: instrument.—n. Mean′-time, the interval between two given times.—advs. Mean′time, Mean′while, in the intervening time.—Means of grace, divine ordinances, by which divine grace reaches the hearts of men—word and sacraments.—Arithmetical mean, the average obtained by adding several quantities together and dividing the sum by their number; Harmonic mean, the reciprocal of the arithmetical mean of the reciprocals of the quantities concerned; Geometric mean, the mean obtained by multiplying two quantities together and extracting the square root of the product; Golden mean, the middle course between two extremes: a wise moderation; Quadratic mean, the square root of the arithmetical mean of the squares of the given quantities.—By all means, certainly; By any means, in any way; By no means, certainly not.—In the mean (Spens.), in the meantime. [O. Fr. meien (Fr. moyen)—L. medianus, enlarged form of medius.]

Mean, mēn, v.t. to have in the mind or thoughts: to intend, to purpose: to signify.—v.i. to have in the mind: to have meaning or disposition:—pr.p. mean′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. meant (ment).—n. Mean′ing, that which is in the mind or thoughts: signification: the sense intended: purpose.—adj. significant.—adj. Mean′ingless, without meaning.—adv. Mean′ingly. [A.S. mǽnan; Ger. meinen, to think.]

Mean, mēn, v.i. (Shak.) to lament, to moan.

Meander, mē-an′dėr, n. a winding course: a maze: an intricate variety of fretwork: perplexity.—v.i. to flow, run, or proceed in a winding course: to be intricate.—v.t. to wind or flow round.—adjs. Mean′dered, formed into mazy passages or patterns; Mean′dering, winding in a course; Mean′drian, Mean′drous, winding.—n. a winding course. [L.,—Gr. Maiandros, a winding river in Asia Minor.]

Meant, pa.t. and pa.p. of mean (v.t.).

Mear, mēr, n. (Spens.) a boundary. [See Mere.]

Mease, mēs, or mēz, n. a tale of 500 herrings.

Measles, mē′zlz, n.sing. a contagious fever accompanied with eruptions of small red spots upon the skin: a disease of swine and cattle, caused by larval tapeworms: a disease of trees, the leaves being covered with spots.—adjs. Mea′sled, Mea′sly, infected with measles: good for nothing, miserable.—n. Meas′liness.—German measles, a name somewhat loosely used of a disease, resembling measles, but mostly less prolonged and severe. [Dut. maselen, measles, from Old Dut. masche, a spot, cog. with Old High Ger. māsā, a spot; Ger. masern, measles.]

Measure, mezh′ūr, n. that by which extent is ascertained or expressed: the size of anything: a rule or standard by which anything is adjusted (Apothecaries', Cubic, Decimal, Dry, Liquid, &c.): (politics) a proposal or plan by which some end can be brought about: proportion: a stated quantity: degree: extent: moderation: means to an end: metre: (mus.) that division of time, containing a specified number of beats, by which the air and motion of music are regulated: rate of movement, time, rhythm, metre, arrangement of syllables in poetry: a slow and stately dance, as the minuet: (print.) the width of a page or column, usually in ems: (pl., geol.) a series of beds or strata.—v.t. to ascertain the dimensions of: to adjust by a rule or standard: to mark out: to allot: to show a certain measurement.—v.i. to be of a certain size: to be equal or uniform.—adj. Meas′urable, that may be measured or computed: moderate: in small quantity or extent.—n. Meas′urableness, the quality of being measurable.—adv. Meas′urably.—adjs. Meas′ured, of a certain measure: equal: uniform: steady: restricted; Meas′ureless, boundless: immense.—ns. Meas′urement, the act of measuring: quantity found by measuring—(Measurement goods, light goods carried for charges according to bulk, not weight); Meas′urer, one who, or that which, measures.—adj. Meas′uring, that measures, or fitted for measuring.—Measure one's length, to fall or be thrown down at full length; Measure strength, to engage in a contest; Measure swords, to fight with swords: to try one's skill against.—Above, or Beyond, measure, to an exceedingly great degree; In a measure, to some degree.—Take measures, to adopt means (to gain an end); Take one's measure, to find out what one is, and what he can or cannot do; Tread a measure, to dance; Use hard measures, to apply harsh treatment to; Within measure, moderately; Without measure, immoderately. [O. Fr. mesure—L. mensura, a measure—metīri, to measure.]

Meat, mēt, n. anything eaten as food, the edible part of anything: act of taking meat: (obs.) meal, flour: the flesh of animals used as food—sometimes beef, mutton, pork, veal, &c., as opposed to poultry, fish, &c.—ns. Meat′-bis′cuit, a preparation of meat, made with meal into a biscuit; Meat′iness, quality of being meaty; Meat′-off′ering, a Jewish sacrificial offering of fine flour or first-fruits with oil and frankincense; Meat′-pie, a pie mainly made up of meat; Meat′-safe, a receptacle for storing meat, walled with perforated zinc or gauze; Meat′-sales′man, one who sells meat, esp. to the retail butchers; Meat′-tea, a high tea, at which meat is served; Meat′-tub, a pickling-tub.—adj. Meat′y, full of meat: fleshy: pithy.—Hang meat, to hang up meat before cooking; Sit at meat, to sit at table. [A.S. mete; Dut. met.]

Meath, Meathe, mēth, n. a form of mead, liquor.

Meatus, mē-ā′tus, n. a passage or canal, as the urethral meatus.—adj. Meā′tal.—n. Meat′oscope, an instrument for examining the urethral or other meatus. [L. meātus—meāre, to go.]

Meazel, mē′zl, n. (Shak.) a leper. [Measles.]

Mechanic, -al, me-kan′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to machines or mechanics: constructed according to the laws of mechanics: possessing mechanical talent: acting by physical power: done by a machine: pertaining to artisans: done simply by force of habit, slavish, artificial: vulgar.—n. Mechan′ic, one engaged in a mechanical trade: an artisan—(Shak.) Mechan′ical.—adv. Mechan′ically.—ns. Mechanic′ian, Mech′anist, a machine-maker: one skilled in mechanics; Mechan′ics, the science which treats of machines: the science which treats of the nature of forces and of their action on bodies, either directly or by the agency of machinery.—v.t. Mech′anise, to make mechanical: to work out the details of a machine.—ns. Mech′anism, the construction of a machine: the arrangement and action of its parts, by which it produces a given result; Mech′anograph, a copy, esp. of a work of art produced by a mechanical process on a machine.—adj. Mech′anographic.—ns. Mechanog′raphist; Mechanog′raphy, the art of multiplying copies of a writing or work of art by means of a machine; Mechanol′ogy, a treatise on mechanics: the knowledge of such.—Mechanical effect, work produced by the use of mechanical power; Mechanical philosophy, the principles of mechanics applied to solve questions or phenomena involving force; Mechanical powers, the elementary forms or parts of machines—three primary, the lever, inclined plane, and pulley; and three secondary, the wheel-and-axle, the wedge, and the screw.—Mechanics' institute, an institution for mechanics, with lectures, library, museum, &c. [O. Fr.,—L. mechanicus; Gr. mēchanikos—mēchane, a contrivance.]

Mechlin, meh′lin, adj. and n. produced at Mechlin or Malines: lace made at Mechlin.

Meconic, me-kon′ik, adj. denoting an acid obtained from poppies.—ns. Mec′onate, a salt of meconic acid; Mec′onine, a white, fusible, neutral substance existing in opium; Mecō′nium, the first fæces of a new-born child: opium. [Gr. mēkōn, the poppy.]

Medal, med′al, n. a piece of metal in the form of a coin bearing some device or inscription, struck or cast: a reward of merit.—v.t. to decorate with a medal.—n. Med′alet, a small medal, esp. the representation of saints, worn by Roman Catholics.—adj. Medall′ic, pertaining to medals.—ns. Medall′ion, a large medal: a bas-relief of a round (sometimes a square) form: a round ornament enclosing a portrait or lock of hair; Med′allist, Med′alist, one skilled in medals: an engraver of medals: one who has gained a medal; Med′allurgy, the art of producing medals and coins. [O. Fr. medaille—It. medaglia; through a Low L. form medalla or medalia, a small coin, from L. metallum, a metal.]

Meddle, med′l, v.i. to interfere unnecessarily (with or in): to take part in a matter with which one has nothing to do: to have to do (with).—n. Medd′ler, one who interferes with matters in which he has no concern.—adj. Medd′lesome, given to meddling.—n. Medd′lesomeness.—adj. Medd′ling, interfering in the concerns of others: officious—also n. [O. Fr. medler, a corr. of mesler (Fr. mêler)—Low L. misculare—L. miscēre, to mix.]

Media. See Medium.

Mediæval, Mediævalist. See Medieval.

Medial, mē′di-al, adj. lying between two extremes, median: of or pertaining to a mean or average.—n. one of the sonant-mute group, g, d, b, intermediate between the surd or smooth group (c, t, p) and the rough or aspirate group (gh, dh, bh, kh, th, ph). [Low L. medialis—L. medius, middle.]

Median, mē′di-an, adj. being in the middle, running through the middle: situated in the median plane, that dividing the body longitudinally into symmetrical halves.—adv. Med′ianly.—n. Med′iant (mus.), the third tone of a diatonic scale. [L. medianus—medius, middle.]

Median, mē′di-an, adj. pertaining to Media or the Medes, an ancient Aryan race which became fused with the Persians under the victorious Cyrus about 550 B.C.—n. Mede, a member of this race.

Mediastinum, mē-di-as-tī′num, n. a membranous septum or cavity between two principal portions of an organ, esp. the folds of the pleura and the space between the right and left lungs.—adj. Mediastī′nal. [L., medius.]

Mediate, mē′di-āt, adj. middle: between two extremes: acting by or as a means: not direct and independent: dependent on some intervening thing.—v.i. to interpose between parties as a friend of each: to intercede: to hold a mediate position: to act as a spiritualistic medium.—v.t. to bring about by mediation: to effect a relation between two things.—n. Mē′diacy.—adv. Mē′diately.—ns. Mē′diateness, state of being mediate; Mediā′tion, the act of mediating or coming between: entreaty for another; Mediatisā′tion.—v.t. Mē′diatīse, to cause to act in a subordinate position or through an agent: to annex, or to subordinate, as a smaller state to a larger neighbouring one.—adj. Mē′diative.—n. Mē′diator, one who mediates between parties at strife:—fem. Mediat′ress, Mē′diatrix.—adj. Mediatō′rial, belonging to a mediator or intercessor.—adv. Mediatō′rially.—n. Mediat′orship, the office of a mediator.—adj. Mē′diatory. [Low L. mediāre, -ātum—L. medius.]

Medic, med′ik, n. one of several plants of the genus Medicago, esp. the purple medic or lucerne—leguminous plants, with leaves like those of clover.—Also Med′ick. [L. medica—Gr. mēdikē (poa), 'median' (grass).]