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OF THE GAELIC LANGUAGE.
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meath, fail, fade, become weak, dishearted, Ir. meathaim, fail, droop, soften, E. Ir. meth, failure, decay: *mitô, root mit, the short form of root meit, moit (see maoth).
meidh, a balance, Ir. meadh, O. Ir. med, d. meid, W. medd, centre of motion: *medâ, root med, mete; Lat. modius, a peck: Gr. μέδιμνος, a measure (6 modii); Eng. mete. See meas further. Hence meidhis, a measure, instalment (Arg., M'A.).
meidhinnean, mèigean, hip-joints:
meigead, the bleating of a goat or kid, Ir. meigiodaigh; Gr. μηκάομαι, bleat, μήκας, she-goat, "bleater"; Ger. meckern, bleat; Skr. makakas, bleating; root mêk, mek, mak, an onomatopoetic syllable.
mèil, bleat, Ir. méidhlighim, M. Ir. meglim, I bleat, megill, bleating; Ger. meckern: see meigead. G. is for *megli- or *mekli.
meil, beil, grind, Ir. meilim, O. Ir. melim, W. malu, Br. malaff: *melô; Lat. molo; Gr. μúλλω; O. H. G. malan, grin, Eng. meal, mill; Lit. málti, molo. Hence meildreach, meiltir, a quantity of corn sent to grind, meiltear, miller.
meilcheart, chilblain (Arg.), Ir. miolcheárd (Kerry), miolchartach, miolcartán, milchearta (Tirconnell); root in meilich.
meile, the thick stick by which the quern is turned, a quern, Ir. meile, hand-mill: "grinder"; from meil?
meilearach, long sea-side grass; from Norse melr, bent.
meilich, become chill with cold, be benumbed; from the root mel, crush, grind. See meil.
meiligeag, sea-pod, husk of peas, etc.:
meill, the cheek, Ir. meill; G. méill, blubber-lip (M'L., M'E.), méilleach, beilleach, blubber-lipped (meilleach, H.S.D.); see béilleach.
méilleag, beilleag, outer rind of bark:
mèin, mèinn, ore, mine, Ir. méin, mianach, E. Ir. míanach, W. mwyn: *meini-, meinni-, root mei, smei, smi; O.Sl. mêdi, aes; O. H. G. smîda, metal, Eng. smith (Schräder).
mèin, meinn, disposition, Ir. méin, M. Ir. mèin, mind, disposition: "metal, mettle"; seemingly a metaphoric use of the foregoing word. A root mein, mind, mean, appears to exist in Eng. mean, Ger. meinen; cf. W. myn, mind. Thurneysen compares Eng. mien.
mèineil, flexible, sappy, substantial; from méin, ore: "gritty"?
meirbh, spiritless, delicate, so Ir., E. Ir. meirb, W. merw: *mervi-; O. H. G. maro, soft, mellow, Ger. mürbe, Ag. S. mearo, Norse merja, crush; Gr. μαραίνω, destroy, μάρναμαι, fight; Lat. martus, hammer, "crusher"; etc. See marbh from the same root ultimately (mer, mar). Hence merbh, digest.
