Words |
Parts of Speech |
Meaning/Definition/Similar Words |
maad |
past participle |
Made. |
maat |
adjective |
Dejected; sorrowful; downcast. |
mace |
noun |
A money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael; also, a weight of 57.98 grains., A kind of spice; the aril which partly covers nutmegs. See Nutmeg., 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., A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority., An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority., A knobbed mallet used by curriers in dressing leather to make it supple., A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand. |
made |
noun |
See Mad, n., imp. & p. p. of Make., Artificially produced; pieced together; formed by filling in; as, made ground; a made mast, in distinction from one consisting of a single spar., of Make |
mage |
noun |
A magician. |
magi |
noun pl. |
A caste of priests, philosophers, and magicians, among the ancient Persians; hence, any holy men or sages of the East. |
maha |
noun |
A kind of baboon; the wanderoo. |
maia |
noun |
A genus of spider crabs, including the common European species (Maia squinado)., A beautiful American bombycid moth (Eucronia maia). |
maid |
noun |
An unmarried woman; usually, a young unmarried woman; esp., a girl; a virgin; a maiden., A man who has not had sexual intercourse., A female servant., The female of a ray or skate, esp. of the gray skate (Raia batis), and of the thornback (R. clavata). |
mail |
noun |
A spot., A small piece of money; especially, an English silver half-penny of the time of Henry V., Rent; tribute., A flexible fabric made of metal rings interlinked. It was used especially for defensive armor., Hence generally, armor, or any defensive covering., A contrivance of interlinked rings, for rubbing off the loose hemp on lines and white cordage., Any hard protective covering of an animal, as the scales and plates of reptiles, shell of a lobster, etc., To arm with mail., To pinion., A bag; a wallet., 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., That which comes in the mail; letters, etc., received through the post office., A trunk, box, or bag, in which clothing, etc., may be carried., 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. |
maim |
verb t. |
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., To mutilate; to cripple; to injure; to disable; to impair., 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., The privation of any necessary part; a crippling; mutilation; injury; deprivation of something essential. See Mayhem. |
main |
noun |
A hand or match at dice., A stake played for at dice., The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given limits, as in the game of hazard., A match at cockfighting., A main-hamper., Strength; force; might; violent effort., The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing., The great sea, as distinguished from an arm, bay, etc. ; the high sea; the ocean., The continent, as distinguished from an island; the mainland., principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp. (Engin.), a principal pipe leading to or from a reservoir; as, a fire main., Very or extremely strong., Vast; huge., Unqualified; absolute; entire; sheer., Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc., Important; necessary., Very; extremely; as, main heavy. |
make |
noun |
A companion; a mate; often, a husband or a wife., To cause to exist; to bring into being; to form; to produce; to frame; to fashion; to create., To form of materials; to cause to exist in a certain form; to construct; to fabricate., To produce, as something artificial, unnatural, or false; — often with up; as, to make up a story., To bring about; to bring forward; to be the cause or agent of; to effect, do, perform, or execute; — often used with a noun to form a phrase equivalent to the simple verb that corresponds to such noun; as, to make complaint, for to complain; to make record of, for to record; to make abode, for to abide, etc., To execute with the requisite formalities; as, to make a bill, note, will, deed, etc., To gain, as the result of one’s efforts; to get, as profit; to make acquisition of; to have accrue or happen to one; as, to make a large profit; to make an error; to make a loss; to make money., To find, as the result of calculation or computation; to ascertain by enumeration; to find the number or amount of, by reckoning, weighing, measurement, and the like; as, he made the distance of; to travel over; as, the ship makes ten knots an hour; he made the distance in one day., To put a desired or desirable condition; to cause to thrive., To cause to be or become; to put into a given state verb, or adjective; to constitute; as, to make known; to make public; to make fast., To cause to appear to be; to constitute subjectively; to esteem, suppose, or represent., To require; to constrain; to compel; to force; to cause; to occasion; — followed by a noun or pronoun and infinitive., To become; to be, or to be capable of being, changed or fashioned into; to do the part or office of; to furnish the material for; as, he will make a good musician; sweet cider makes sour vinegar; wool makes warm clothing., To compose, as parts, ingredients, or materials; to constitute; to form; to amount to., To be engaged or concerned in., To reach; to attain; to arrive at or in sight of., To act in a certain manner; to have to do; to manage; to interfere; to be active; — often in the phrase to meddle or make., To proceed; to tend; to move; to go; as, he made toward home; the tiger made at the sportsmen., To tend; to contribute; to have effect; — with for or against; as, it makes for his advantage., To increase; to augment; to accrue., To compose verses; to write poetry; to versify., Structure, texture, constitution of parts; construction; shape; form. |
maki |
noun |
A lemur. See Lemur. |
mal- |
|
A prefix in composition denoting ill,or evil, F. male, adv., fr. malus, bad, ill. In some words it has the form male-, as in malediction, malevolent. See Malice. |
mala |
noun |
Evils; wrongs; offenses against right and law., of Malum |
male |
adjective |
Evil; wicked; bad., Same as Mail, a bag., Of or pertaining to the sex that begets or procreates young, or (in a wider sense) to the sex that produces spermatozoa, by which the ova are fertilized; not female; as, male organs., Capable of producing fertilization, but not of bearing fruit; — said of stamens and antheridia, and of the plants, or parts of plants, which bear them., Suitable to the male sex; characteristic or suggestive of a male; masculine; as, male courage., Consisting of males; as, a male choir., Adapted for entering another corresponding piece (the female piece) which is hollow and which it fits; as, a male gauge, for gauging the size or shape of a hole; a male screw, etc., An animal of the male sex., A plant bearing only staminate flowers. |
mall |
noun |
A large heavy wooden beetle; a mallet for driving anything with force; a maul., A heavy blow., An old game played with malls or mallets and balls. See Pall-mall., A place where the game of mall was played. Hence: A public walk; a level shaded walk., To beat with a mall; to beat with something heavy; to bruise; to maul., Formerly, among Teutonic nations, a meeting of the notables of a state for the transaction of public business, such meeting being a modification of the ancient popular assembly., A court of justice., A place where justice is administered., A place where public meetings are held. |
malm |
noun |
Alt. of Malmbrick |
malt |
noun |
Barley or other grain, steeped in water and dried in a kiln, thus forcing germination until the saccharine principle has been evolved. It is used in brewing and in the distillation of whisky., Relating to, containing, or made with, malt., To make into malt; as, to malt barley., To become malt; also, to make grain into malt. |
mama |
noun |
See Mamma. |
mand |
noun |
A demand. |
mane |
noun |
The long and heavy hair growing on the upper side of, or about, the neck of some quadrupedal animals, as the horse, the lion, etc. See Illust. of Horse. |
manu |
noun |
One of a series of progenitors of human beings, and authors of human wisdom. |
manx |
adjective |
Of or pertaining to the Isle of Man, or its inhabitants; as, the Manx language., The language of the inhabitants of the Isle of Man, a dialect of the Celtic. |
many |
noun |
A retinue of servants; a household., Consisting of a great number; numerous; not few., The populace; the common people; the majority of people, or of a community., A large or considerable number. |
mara |
noun |
The principal or ruling evil spirit., A female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions., The Patagonian cavy (Dolichotis Patagonicus). |
marc |
noun |
The refuse matter which remains after the pressure of fruit, particularly of grapes., A weight of various commodities, esp. of gold and silver, used in different European countries. In France and Holland it was equal to eight ounces., A coin formerly current in England and Scotland, equal to thirteen shillings and four pence., A German coin and money of account. See Mark. |
mare |
noun |
The female of the horse and other equine quadrupeds., Sighing, suffocative panting, intercepted utterance, with a sense of pressure across the chest, occurring during sleep; the incubus; — obsolete, except in the compound nightmare. |
mark |
noun |
A license of reprisals. See Marque., An old weight and coin. See Marc., The unit of monetary account of the German Empire, equal to 23.8 cents of United States money; the equivalent of one hundred pfennigs. Also, a silver coin of this value., A visible sign or impression made or left upon anything; esp., a line, point, stamp, figure, or the like, drawn or impressed, so as to attract the attention and convey some information or intimation; a token; a trace., A character or device put on an article of merchandise by the maker to show by whom it was made; a trade-mark., A character (usually a cross) made as a substitute for a signature by one who can not write., A fixed object serving for guidance, as of a ship, a traveler, a surveyor, etc.; as, a seamark, a landmark., A trace, dot, line, imprint, or discoloration, although not regarded as a token or sign; a scratch, scar, stain, etc.; as, this pencil makes a fine mark., An evidence of presence, agency, or influence; a significative token; a symptom; a trace; specifically, a permanent impression of one’s activity or character., That toward which a missile is directed; a thing aimed at; what one seeks to hit or reach., Attention, regard, or respect., Limit or standard of action or fact; as, to be within the mark; to come up to the mark., Badge or sign of honor, rank, or official station., Preeminence; high position; as, particians of mark; a fellow of no mark., A characteristic or essential attribute; a differential., A number or other character used in registring; as, examination marks; a mark for tardiness., Image; likeness; hence, those formed in one’s image; children; descendants., One of the bits of leather or colored bunting which are placed upon a sounding line at intervals of from two to five fathoms. The unmarked fathoms are called “deeps.”, To put a mark upon; to affix a significant mark to; to make recognizable by a mark; as, to mark a box or bale of merchandise; to mark clothing., To be a mark upon; to designate; to indicate; — used literally and figuratively; as, this monument marks the spot where Wolfe died; his courage and energy marked him for a leader., To leave a trace, scratch, scar, or other mark, upon, or any evidence of action; as, a pencil marks paper; his hobnails marked the floor., To keep account of; to enumerate and register; as, to mark the points in a game of billiards or cards., To notice or observe; to give attention to; to take note of; to remark; to heed; to regard., To take particular notice; to observe critically; to note; to remark. |
marl |
verb t. |
To cover, as part of a rope, with marline, marking a pecular hitch at each turn to prevent unwinding., A mixed earthy substance, consisting of carbonate of lime, clay, and sand, in very varivble proportions, and accordingly designated as calcareous, clayey, or sandy. See Greensand., To overspread or manure with marl; as, to marl a field. |
mars |
noun |
The god of war and husbandry., One of the planets of the solar system, the fourth in order from the sun, or the next beyond the earth, having a diameter of about 4,200 miles, a period of 687 days, and a mean distance of 141,000,000 miles. It is conspicuous for the redness of its light., The metallic element iron, the symbol of which / was the same as that of the planet Mars. |
mart |
noun |
A market., A bargain., To buy or sell in, or as in, a mart., To traffic., The god Mars., Battle; contest. |
mary |
noun |
Marrow., See Marry. |
mase |
noun & verb |
See Maze. |
mash |
noun |
A mesh., A mass of mixed ingredients reduced to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure; a mass of anything in a soft pulpy state. Specifically (Brewing), ground or bruised malt, or meal of rye, wheat, corn, or other grain (or a mixture of malt and meal) steeped and stirred in hot water for making the wort., A mixture of meal or bran and water fed to animals., A mess; trouble., To convert into a mash; to reduce to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure; to bruise; to crush; as, to mash apples in a mill, or potatoes with a pestle. Specifically (Brewing), to convert, as malt, or malt and meal, into the mash which makes wort. |
mask |
noun |
A cover, or partial cover, for the face, used for disguise or protection; as, a dancer’s mask; a fencer’s mask; a ball player’s mask., That which disguises; a pretext or subterfuge., A festive entertainment of dancing or other diversions, where all wear masks; a masquerade; hence, a revel; a frolic; a delusive show., A dramatic performance, formerly in vogue, in which the actors wore masks and represented mythical or allegorical characters., A grotesque head or face, used to adorn keystones and other prominent parts, to spout water in fountains, and the like; — called also mascaron., In a permanent fortification, a redoubt which protects the caponiere., A screen for a battery., The lower lip of the larva of a dragon fly, modified so as to form a prehensile organ., To cover, as the face, by way of concealment or defense against injury; to conceal with a mask or visor., To disguise; to cover; to hide., To conceal; also, to intervene in the line of., To cover or keep in check; as, to mask a body of troops or a fortess by a superior force, while some hostile evolution is being carried out., To take part as a masker in a masquerade., To wear a mask; to be disguised in any way. |
mass |
noun |
The sacrifice in the sacrament of the Eucharist, or the consecration and oblation of the host., The portions of the Mass usually set to music, considered as a musical composition; — namely, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei, besides sometimes an Offertory and the Benedictus., To celebrate Mass., A quantity of matter cohering together so as to make one body, or an aggregation of particles or things which collectively make one body or quantity, usually of considerable size; as, a mass of ore, metal, sand, or water., A medicinal substance made into a cohesive, homogeneous lump, of consistency suitable for making pills; as, blue mass., A large quantity; a sum., Bulk; magnitude; body; size., The principal part; the main body., The quantity of matter which a body contains, irrespective of its bulk or volume., To form or collect into a mass; to form into a collective body; to bring together into masses; to assemble. |
mast |
noun |
The fruit of the oak and beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns., A pole, or long, strong, round piece of timber, or spar, set upright in a boat or vessel, to sustain the sails, yards, rigging, etc. A mast may also consist of several pieces of timber united by iron bands, or of a hollow pillar of iron or steel., The vertical post of a derrick or crane., To furnish with a mast or masts; to put the masts of in position; as, to mast a ship. |
mate |
noun |
The Paraguay tea, being the dried leaf of the Brazilian holly (Ilex Paraguensis). The infusion has a pleasant odor, with an agreeable bitter taste, and is much used for tea in South America., Same as Checkmate., See 2d Mat., To confuse; to confound., To checkmate., One who customarily associates with another; a companion; an associate; any object which is associated or combined with a similar object., Hence, specifically, a husband or wife; and among the lower animals, one of a pair associated for propagation and the care of their young., A suitable companion; a match; an equal., An officer in a merchant vessel ranking next below the captain. If there are more than one bearing the title, they are called, respectively, first mate, second mate, third mate, etc. In the navy, a subordinate officer or assistant; as, master’s mate; surgeon’s mate., To match; to marry., To match one’s self against; to oppose as equal; to compete with., To be or become a mate or mates, especially in sexual companionship; as, some birds mate for life; this bird will not mate with that one. |
math |
noun |
A mowing, or that which is gathered by mowing; — chiefly used in composition; as, an aftermath. |
matt |
noun |
See Matte. |
maty |
noun |
A native house servant in India. |
maud |
noun |
A gray plaid; — used by shepherds in Scotland. |
maul |
noun |
A heavy wooden hammer or beetle., To beat and bruise with a heavy stick or cudgel; to wound in a coarse manner., To injure greatly; to do much harm to. |
mawk |
noun |
A maggot., A slattern; a mawks. |
maya |
noun |
The name for the doctrine of the unreality of matter, called, in English, idealism; hence, nothingness; vanity; illusion. |
maze |
noun |
A wild fancy; a confused notion., Confusion of thought; perplexity; uncertainty; state of bewilderment., A confusing and baffling network, as of paths or passages; an intricacy; a labyrinth., To perplex greatly; to bewilder; to astonish and confuse; to amaze., To be bewildered. |
mazy |
adjective |
Perplexed with turns and windings; winding; intricate; confusing; perplexing; embarrassing; as, mazy error. |
mead |
noun |
A fermented drink made of water and honey with malt, yeast, etc.; metheglin; hydromel., A drink composed of sirup of sarsaparilla or other flavoring extract, and water. It is sometimes charged with carbonic acid gas., A meadow. |
meak |
noun |
A hook with a long handle. |
meal |
noun |
A part; a fragment; a portion., The portion of food taken at a particular time for the satisfaction of appetite; the quantity usually taken at one time with the purpose of satisfying hunger; a repast; the act or time of eating a meal; as, the traveler has not eaten a good meal for a week; there was silence during the meal., Grain (esp. maize, rye, or oats) that is coarsely ground and unbolted; also, a kind of flour made from beans, pease, etc.; sometimes, any flour, esp. if coarse., Any substance that is coarsely pulverized like meal, but not granulated., To sprinkle with, or as with, meal., To pulverize; as, mealed powder. |
mean |
verb t. |
To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?, To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote., To have a purpose or intention., Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble., Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive., Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable., Of poor quality; as, mean fare., Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality., Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes., Intermediate in excellence of any kind., Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day., That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure., A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the square root of the product of the quantities., That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument., Hence: Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance., A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part., Meantime; meanwhile., A mediator; a go-between. |
mear |
noun |
A boundary. See Mere. |
meat |
noun |
Food, in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast. Hence, the edible part of anything; as, the meat of a lobster, a nut, or an egg., The flesh of animals used as food; esp., animal muscle; as, a breakfast of bread and fruit without meat., Specifically, dinner; the chief meal., To supply with food. |
meaw |
noun |
The sea mew., See Mew, to cry as a cat. |
mede |
noun |
A native or inhabitant of Media in Asia., See lst & 2d Mead, and Meed. |
meed |
noun |
That which is bestowed or rendered in consideration of merit; reward; recompense., Merit or desert; worth., A gift; also, a bride., To reward; to repay., To deserve; to merit. |
meek |
superl. |
Mild of temper; not easily provoked or orritated; patient under injuries; not vain, or haughty, or resentful; forbearing; submissive., Evincing mildness of temper, or patience; characterized by mildness or patience; as, a meek answer; a meek face., Alt. of Meeken |
meer |
adjective |
Simple; unmixed. See Mere, a., See Mere, a lake., A boundary. See Mere. |
meet |
verb t. |
To join, or come in contact with; esp., to come in contact with by approach from an opposite direction; to come upon or against, front to front, as distinguished from contact by following and overtaking., To come in collision with; to confront in conflict; to encounter hostilely; as, they met the enemy and defeated them; the ship met opposing winds and currents., To come into the presence of without contact; to come close to; to intercept; to come within the perception, influence, or recognition of; as, to meet a train at a junction; to meet carriages or persons in the street; to meet friends at a party; sweet sounds met the ear., To perceive; to come to a knowledge of; to have personal acquaintance with; to experience; to suffer; as, the eye met a horrid sight; he met his fate., To come up to; to be even with; to equal; to match; to satisfy; to ansver; as, to meet one’s expectations; the supply meets the demand., To come together by mutual approach; esp., to come in contact, or into proximity, by approach from opposite directions; to join; to come face to face; to come in close relationship; as, we met in the street; two lines meet so as to form an angle., To come together with hostile purpose; to have an encounter or conflict., To assemble together; to congregate; as, Congress meets on the first Monday of December., To come together by mutual concessions; hence, to agree; to harmonize; to unite., An assembling together; esp., the assembling of huntsmen for the hunt; also, the persons who so assemble, and the place of meeting., Suitable; fit; proper; appropriate; qualified; convenient., Meetly. |
meg- |
|
Alt. of Megalo- |
mega |
|
Alt. of Megalo- |
mell |
verb i. & t. |
To mix; to meddle., Honey., A mill. |
melt |
noun |
See 2d Milt., To reduce from a solid to a liquid state, as by heat; to liquefy; as, to melt wax, tallow, or lead; to melt ice or snow., Hence: To soften, as by a warming or kindly influence; to relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences; sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of; to weaken., To be changed from a solid to a liquid state under the influence of heat; as, butter and wax melt at moderate temperatures., To dissolve; as, sugar melts in the mouth., Hence: To be softened; to become tender, mild, or gentle; also, to be weakened or subdued, as by fear., To lose distinct form or outline; to blend., To disappear by being dispersed or dissipated; as, the fog melts away. |
mend |
verb t. |
To repair, as anything that is torn, broken, defaced, decayed, or the like; to restore from partial decay, injury, or defacement; to patch up; to put in shape or order again; to re-create; as, to mend a garment or a machine., To alter for the better; to set right; to reform; hence, to quicken; as, to mend one’s manners or pace., To help, to advance, to further; to add to., To grow better; to advance to a better state; to become improved. |
ment |
past participle |
of Menge, p. p. of Menge. |
menu |
noun |
The details of a banquet; a bill of fare. |
meow |
verb i. & noun |
See 6th and 7th Mew. |
merd |
noun |
Ordure; dung. |
mere |
noun |
A pool or lake., A boundary., To divide, limit, or bound., A mare., Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute; unqualified., Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more; simple; bare; as, a mere boy; a mere form. |
merk |
noun |
An old Scotch silver coin; a mark or marc., A mark; a sign. |
merl |
noun |
Alt. of Merle |
mes- |
|
See Meso-., A combining form denoting in the middle, intermediate;, denoting a type of hydrocarbons which are regarded as methenyl derivatives. Also used adjectively. |
mesa |
/. |
A high tableland; a plateau on a hill. |
mesh |
noun |
The opening or space inclosed by the threads of a net between knot and knot, or the threads inclosing such a space; network; a net., The engagement of the teeth of wheels, or of a wheel and rack., To catch in a mesh., To engage with each other, as the teeth of wheels. |
mess |
noun |
Mass; church service., A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time., A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess., A set of four; — from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner., The milk given by a cow at one milking., A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it., To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers., To supply with a mess. |
mest |
adjective |
Most. |
met- |
|
A prefix meaning between, with, after, behind, over, about, reversely; as, metachronism, the error of placing after the correct time; metaphor, lit., a carrying over; metathesis, a placing reversely., Other; duplicate, corresponding to; resembling; hence, metameric; as, meta-arabinic, metaldehyde., That two replacing radicals, in the benzene nucleus, occupy the relative positions of 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 3 and 5, 4 and 6, 5 and 1, or 6 and 2; as, metacresol, etc. See Ortho-, and Para-., Having less than the highest number of hydroxyl groups; — said of acids; as, metaphosphoric acid. Also used adjectively. |
mete |
noun |
Meat., To meet., To dream; also impersonally; as, me mette, I dreamed., To find the quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by any rule or standard; to measure., To measure., Measure; limit; boundary; — used chiefly in the plural, and in the phrase metes and bounds. |
meth |
noun |
See Meathe. |
meve |
verb t. & i. |
To move. |
mewl |
verb i. |
To cry, as a young child; to squall. |
mews |
noun sing. & pl. |
An alley where there are stables; a narrow passage; a confined place. |
mias |
noun |
The orang-outang. |
mica |
noun |
The name of a group of minerals characterized by highly perfect cleavage, so that they readily separate into very thin leaves, more or less elastic. They differ widely in composition, and vary in color from pale brown or yellow to green or black. The transparent forms are used in lanterns, the doors of stoves, etc., being popularly called isinglass. Formerly called also cat-silver, and glimmer. |
mice |
noun |
pl of Mouse., of Mouse |
mich |
verb i. |
Alt. of Miche |
mico |
noun |
A small South American monkey (Mico melanurus), allied to the marmoset. The name was originally applied to an albino variety. |
mida |
noun |
The larva of the bean fly. |
mien |
noun |
Aspect; air; manner; demeanor; carriage; bearing. |
miff |
noun |
A petty falling out; a tiff; a quarrel; offense., To offend slightly. |
mild |
superl. |
Gentle; pleasant; kind; soft; bland; clement; hence, moderate in degree or quality; — the opposite of harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable, etc.; — applied to persons and things; as, a mild disposition; a mild eye; a mild air; a mild medicine; a mild insanity. |
mile |
noun |
A certain measure of distance, being equivalent in England and the United States to 320 poles or rods, or 5,280 feet. |
milk |
noun |
A white fluid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the nourishment of their young, consisting of minute globules of fat suspended in a solution of casein, albumin, milk sugar, and inorganic salts., A kind of juice or sap, usually white in color, found in certain plants; latex. See Latex., An emulsion made by bruising seeds; as, the milk of almonds, produced by pounding almonds with sugar and water., The ripe, undischarged spat of an oyster., To draw or press milk from the breasts or udder of, by the hand or mouth; to withdraw the milk of., To draw from the breasts or udder; to extract, as milk; as, to milk wholesome milk from healthy cows., To draw anything from, as if by milking; to compel to yield profit or advantage; to plunder., To draw or to yield milk. |
mill |
noun |
A money of account of the United States, having the value of the tenth of a cent, or the thousandth of a dollar., A machine for grinding or comminuting any substance, as grain, by rubbing and crushing it between two hard, rough, or intented surfaces; as, a gristmill, a coffee mill; a bone mill., A machine used for expelling the juice, sap, etc., from vegetable tissues by pressure, or by pressure in combination with a grinding, or cutting process; as, a cider mill; a cane mill., A machine for grinding and polishing; as, a lapidary mill., A common name for various machines which produce a manufactured product, or change the form of a raw material by the continuous repetition of some simple action; as, a sawmill; a stamping mill, etc., A building or collection of buildings with machinery by which the processes of manufacturing are carried on; as, a cotton mill; a powder mill; a rolling mill., A hardened steel roller having a design in relief, used for imprinting a reversed copy of the design in a softer metal, as copper., An excavation in rock, transverse to the workings, from which material for filling is obtained., A passage underground through which ore is shot., A milling cutter. See Illust. under Milling., A pugilistic., To reduce to fine particles, or to small pieces, in a mill; to grind; to comminute., To shape, finish, or transform by passing through a machine; specifically, to shape or dress, as metal, by means of a rotary cutter., To make a raised border around the edges of, or to cut fine grooves or indentations across the edges of, as of a coin, or a screw head; also, to stamp in a coining press; to coin., To pass through a fulling mill; to full, as cloth., To beat with the fists., To roll into bars, as steel., To swim under water; — said of air-breathing creatures. |
milt |
noun |
The spleen., The spermatic fluid of fishes., The testes, or spermaries, of fishes when filled with spermatozoa., To impregnate (the roe of a fish) with milt. |
mime |
noun |
A kind of drama in which real persons and events were generally represented in a ridiculous manner., An actor in such representations., To mimic. |
mina |
noun |
An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value. The Attic mina was valued at a hundred drachmas., See Myna. |
mind |
verb |
The intellectual or rational faculty in man; the understanding; the intellect; the power that conceives, judges, or reasons; also, the entire spiritual nature; the soul; — often in distinction from the body., The state, at any given time, of the faculties of thinking, willing, choosing, and the like; psychical activity or state; as: (a) Opinion; judgment; belief., Choice; inclination; liking; intent; will., Courage; spirit., Memory; remembrance; recollection; as, to have or keep in mind, to call to mind, to put in mind, etc., To fix the mind or thoughts on; to regard with attention; to treat as of consequence; to consider; to heed; to mark; to note., To occupy one’s self with; to employ one’s self about; to attend to; as, to mind one’s business., To obey; as, to mind parents; the dog minds his master., To have in mind; to purpose., To put in mind; to remind., To give attention or heed; to obey; as, the dog minds well. |
mine |
noun |
See Mien., Belonging to me; my. Used as a pronominal to me; my. Used as a pronominal adjective in the predicate; as, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” Rom. xii. 19. Also, in the old style, used attributively, instead of my, before a noun beginning with a vowel., To dig a mine or pit in the earth; to get ore, metals, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; to dig in the earth for minerals; to dig a passage or cavity under anything in order to overthrow it by explosives or otherwise., To form subterraneous tunnel or hole; to form a burrow or lodge in the earth; as, the mining cony., To dig away, or otherwise remove, the substratum or foundation of; to lay a mine under; to sap; to undermine; hence, to ruin or destroy by slow degrees or secret means., To dig into, for ore or metal., To get, as metals, out of the earth by digging., A subterranean cavity or passage, A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic ores, precious stones, coal, or other mineral substances are taken by digging; — distinguished from the pits from which stones for architectural purposes are taken, and which are called quarries., A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the superstructure with some explosive agent., Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine., Fig.: A rich source of wealth or other good. |
mink |
noun |
A carnivorous mammal of the genus Putorius, allied to the weasel. The European mink is Putorius lutreola. The common American mink (P. vison) varies from yellowish brown to black. Its fur is highly valued. Called also minx, nurik, and vison. |
mint |
noun |
The name of several aromatic labiate plants, mostly of the genus Mentha, yielding odoriferous essential oils by distillation. See Mentha., A place where money is coined by public authority., Any place regarded as a source of unlimited supply; the supply itself., To make by stamping, as money; to coin; to make and stamp into money., To invent; to forge; to fabricate; to fashion. |
minx |
noun |
A pert or a wanton girl., A she puppy; a pet dog., The mink; — called also minx otter. |
miny |
adjective |
Abounding with mines; like a mine. |
mira |
noun |
A remarkable variable star in the constellation Cetus (/ Ceti). |
mire |
noun |
An ant., Deep mud; wet, spongy earth., To cause or permit to stick fast in mire; to plunge or fix in mud; as, to mire a horse or wagon., To soil with mud or foul matter., To stick in mire. |
mirk |
adjective |
Dark; gloomy; murky., Darkness; gloom; murk. |
miry |
adjective |
Abounding with deep mud; full of mire; muddy; as, a miry road. |
mis- |
|
A prefix used adjectively and adverbially in the sense of amiss, wrong, ill, wrongly, unsuitably; as, misdeed, mislead, mischief, miscreant. |
mise |
noun |
The issue in a writ of right., Expense; cost; disbursement., A tax or tallage; in Wales, an honorary gift of the people to a new king or prince of Wales; also, a tribute paid, in the country palatine of Chester, England, at the change of the owner of the earldom. |
migo |
verb i. |
To go astray. |
miss |
noun |
A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a girl or a woman who has not been married. See Mistress, 5., A young unmarried woman or a girl; as, she is a miss of sixteen., A kept mistress. See Mistress, 4., In the game of three-card loo, an extra hand, dealt on the table, which may be substituted for the hand dealt to a player., To fail of hitting, reaching, getting, finding, seeing, hearing, etc.; as, to miss the mark one shoots at; to miss the train by being late; to miss opportunites of getting knowledge; to miss the point or meaning of something said., To omit; to fail to have or to do; to get without; to dispense with; — now seldom applied to persons., To discover the absence or omission of; to feel the want of; to mourn the loss of; to want., To fail to hit; to fly wide; to deviate from the true direction., To fail to obtain, learn, or find; — with of., To go wrong; to err., To be absent, deficient, or wanting., The act of missing; failure to hit, reach, find, obtain, etc., Loss; want; felt absence., Mistake; error; fault., Harm from mistake. |
mist |
noun |
Visible watery vapor suspended in the atmosphere, at or near the surface of the earth; fog., Coarse, watery vapor, floating or falling in visible particles, approaching the form of rain; as, Scotch mist., Hence, anything which dims or darkens, and obscures or intercepts vision., To cloud; to cover with mist; to dim., To rain in very fine drops; as, it mists. |
misy |
noun |
An impure yellow sulphate of iron; yellow copperas or copiapite. |
mite |
noun |
A minute arachnid, of the order Acarina, of which there are many species; as, the cheese mite, sugar mite, harvest mite, etc. See Acarina., A small coin formerly circulated in England, rated at about a third of a farthing. The name is also applied to a small coin used in Palestine in the time of Christ., A small weight; one twentieth of a grain., Anything very small; a minute object; a very little quantity or particle. |
mitt |
noun |
A mitten; also, a covering for the wrist and hand and not for the fingers. |
mitu |
noun |
A South American curassow of the genus Mitua. |
mity |
adjective |
Having, or abounding with, mites. |
mixt |
|
of Mix |
moan |
verb i. |
To make a low prolonged sound of grief or pain, whether articulate or not; to groan softly and continuously., To emit a sound like moan; — said of things inanimate; as, the wind moans., To bewail audibly; to lament., To afflict; to distress., A low prolonged sound, articulate or not, indicative of pain or of grief; a low groan., A low mournful or murmuring sound; — of things. |
moat |
noun |
A deep trench around the rampart of a castle or other fortified place, sometimes filled with water; a ditch., To surround with a moat. |
mock |
verb t. |
To imitate; to mimic; esp., to mimic in sport, contempt, or derision; to deride by mimicry., To treat with scorn or contempt; to deride., To disappoint the hopes of; to deceive; to tantalize; as, to mock expectation., To make sport contempt or in jest; to speak in a scornful or jeering manner., An act of ridicule or derision; a scornful or contemptuous act or speech; a sneer; a jibe; a jeer., Imitation; mimicry., Imitating reality, but not real; false; counterfeit; assumed; sham. |
moco |
noun |
A South American rodent (Cavia rupestris), allied to the Guinea pig, but larger; — called also rock cavy. |
mode |
noun |
Manner of doing or being; method; form; fashion; custom; way; style; as, the mode of speaking; the mode of dressing., Prevailing popular custom; fashion, especially in the phrase the mode., Variety; gradation; degree., Any combination of qualities or relations, considered apart from the substance to which they belong, and treated as entities; more generally, condition, or state of being; manner or form of arrangement or manifestation; form, as opposed to matter., The form in which the proposition connects the predicate and subject, whether by simple, contingent, or necessary assertion; the form of the syllogism, as determined by the quantity and quality of the constituent proposition; mood., Same as Mood., The scale as affected by the various positions in it of the minor intervals; as, the Dorian mode, the Ionic mode, etc., of ancient Greek music., A kind of silk. See Alamode, n. |
modi |
plural |
of Modus |
mody |
adjective |
Fashionable. |
moff |
noun |
A thin silk stuff made in Caucasia. |
moha |
noun |
A kind of millet (Setaria Italica); German millet. |
moho |
noun |
A gallinule (Notornis Mantelli) formerly inhabiting New Zealand, but now supposed to be extinct. It was incapable of flight. See Notornis. |
mohr |
noun |
A West African gazelle (Gazella mohr), having horns on which are eleven or twelve very prominent rings. It is one of the species which produce bezoar. |
moil |
verb t. |
To daub; to make dirty; to soil; to defile., To soil one’s self with severe labor; to work with painful effort; to labor; to toil; to drudge., A spot; a defilement. |
moke |
noun |
A donkey., A mesh of a net, or of anything resembling a net. |
moky |
adjective |
Misty; dark; murky; muggy. |
mola |
noun |
See Sunfish, 1. |
mold |
noun |
A spot; a blemish; a mole., Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould, Alt. of Mould |
mole |
noun |
A spot; a stain; a mark which discolors or disfigures., A spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body; esp., a spot which is dark-colored, from which commonly issue one or more hairs., A mass of fleshy or other more or less solid matter generated in the uterus., A mound or massive work formed of masonry or large stones, etc., laid in the sea, often extended either in a right line or an arc of a circle before a port which it serves to defend from the violence of the waves, thus protecting ships in a harbor; also, sometimes, the harbor itself., Any insectivore of the family Talpidae. They have minute eyes and ears, soft fur, and very large and strong fore feet., A plow of peculiar construction, for forming underground drains., To form holes in, as a mole; to burrow; to excavate; as, to mole the earth., To clear of molehills. |
moll |
adjective |
Minor; in the minor mode; as, A moll, that is, A minor. |
molt |
|
imp. of Melt., Alt. of Moult, Alt. of Moult, Alt. of Moult |
moly |
noun |
A fabulous herb of occult power, having a black root and white blossoms, said by Homer to have been given by Hermes to Ulysses to counteract the spells of Circe., A kind of garlic (Allium Moly) with large yellow flowers; — called also golden garlic. |
mome |
noun |
A dull, silent person; a blockhead. |
mon- |
|
Same as Mono-., A prefix signifying one, single, alone; as, monocarp, monopoly; (Chem.) indicating that a compound contains one atom, radical, or group of that to the name of which it is united; as, monoxide, monosulphide, monatomic, etc. |
mona |
noun |
A small, handsome, long-tailed West American monkey (Cercopithecus mona). The body is dark olive, with a spot of white on the haunches. |
mone |
noun |
The moon., A moan. |
monk |
noun |
A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a religious community of men inhabiting a monastery, and bound by vows to a life of chastity, obedience, and poverty., A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused by the ink not being properly distributed. It is distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a deficiency of ink., A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine., A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus., The European bullfinch. |
mono |
noun |
The black howler of Central America (Mycetes villosus). |
mont |
noun |
Mountain. |
mood |
noun |
Manner; style; mode; logical form; musical style; manner of action or being. See Mode which is the preferable form)., Manner of conceiving and expressing action or being, as positive, possible, hypothetical, etc., without regard to other accidents, such as time, person, number, etc.; as, the indicative mood; the infinitive mood; the subjunctive mood. Same as Mode., Temper of mind; temporary state of the mind in regard to passion or feeling; humor; as, a melancholy mood; a suppliant mood. |
moon |
noun |
The celestial orb which revolves round the earth; the satellite of the earth; a secondary planet, whose light, borrowed from the sun, is reflected to the earth, and serves to dispel the darkness of night. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles, its mean distance from the earth is 240,000 miles, and its mass is one eightieth that of the earth. See Lunar month, under Month., A secondary planet, or satellite, revolving about any member of the solar system; as, the moons of Jupiter or Saturn., The time occupied by the moon in making one revolution in her orbit; a month., A crescentlike outwork. See Half-moon., To expose to the rays of the moon., To act if moonstruck; to wander or gaze about in an abstracted manner. |
moor |
noun |
One of a mixed race inhabiting Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripoli, chiefly along the coast and in towns., Any individual of the swarthy races of Africa or Asia which have adopted the Mohammedan religion., An extensive waste covered with patches of heath, and having a poor, light soil, but sometimes marshy, and abounding in peat; a heath., A game preserve consisting of moorland., To fix or secure, as a vessel, in a particular place by casting anchor, or by fastening with cables or chains; as, the vessel was moored in the stream; they moored the boat to the wharf., Fig.: To secure, or fix firmly., To cast anchor; to become fast. |
moot |
verb |
See 1st Mot., A ring for gauging wooden pins., To argue for and against; to debate; to discuss; to propose for discussion., Specifically: To discuss by way of exercise; to argue for practice; to propound and discuss in a mock court., To argue or plead in a supposed case., A meeting for discussion and deliberation; esp., a meeting of the people of a village or district, in Anglo-Saxon times, for the discussion and settlement of matters of common interest; — usually in composition; as, folk-moot., A discussion or debate; especially, a discussion of fictitious causes by way of practice., Subject, or open, to argument or discussion; undecided; debatable; mooted., of Mot |
mope |
verb i. |
To be dull and spiritless., To make spiritless and stupid., A dull, spiritless person. |
mora |
noun |
A game of guessing the number of fingers extended in a quick movement of the hand, — much played by Italians of the lower classes., A leguminous tree of Guiana and Trinidad (Dimorphandra excelsa); also, its timber, used in shipbuilding and making furniture., Delay; esp., culpable delay; postponement. |
more |
noun |
A hill., A root., Greater; superior; increased, Greater in quality, amount, degree, quality, and the like; with the singular., Greater in number; exceeding in numbers; — with the plural., Additional; other; as, he wept because there were no more words to conquer., A greater quantity, amount, or number; that which exceeds or surpasses in any way what it is compared with., That which is in addition; something other and further; an additional or greater amount., In a greater quantity; in or to a greater extent or degree., With a verb or participle., With an adjective or adverb (instead of the suffix -er) to form the comparative degree; as, more durable; more active; more sweetly., In addition; further; besides; again., To make more; to increase. |
morn |
noun |
The first part of the day; the morning; — used chiefly in poetry. |
moro |
noun |
A small abscess or tumor having a resemblance to a mulberry. |
mort |
noun |
A great quantity or number., A woman; a female., A salmon in its third year., Death; esp., the death of game in the chase., A note or series of notes sounded on a horn at the death of game., The skin of a sheep or lamb that has died of disease. |
mosk |
noun |
See Mosque. |
moss |
noun |
A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so discharging the spores. There are many species, collectively termed Musci, growing on the earth, on rocks, and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water., A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border., To cover or overgrow with moss. |
most |
adjective |
Consisting of the greatest number or quantity; greater in number or quantity than all the rest; nearly all., Greatest in degree; as, he has the most need of it., Highest in rank; greatest., In the greatest or highest degree. |
mote |
|
of Mot, of Mot, of Mot, See 1st Mot., A meeting of persons for discussion; as, a wardmote in the city of London., A body of persons who meet for discussion, esp. about the management of affairs; as, a folkmote., A place of meeting for discussion., The flourish sounded on a horn by a huntsman. See Mot, n., 3, and Mort., A small particle, as of floating dust; anything proverbially small; a speck. |
moth |
noun |
A mote., Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth., Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth. See these terms under Clothes, Grain, etc., Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvae of several species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larvae of Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet, Dermestes, Anthrenus., Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing. |
moto |
noun |
Movement; manner of movement; particularly, movement with increased rapidity; — used especially in the phrase con moto, directing to a somewhat quicker movement; as, andante con moto, a little more rapidly than andante, etc. |
moun |
verb |
pl. of Mow, may., of Mow |
move |
verb t. |
To cause to change place or posture in any manner; to set in motion; to carry, convey, draw, or push from one place to another; to impel; to stir; as, the wind moves a vessel; the horse moves a carriage., To transfer (a piece or man) from one space or position to another, according to the rules of the game; as, to move a king., To excite to action by the presentation of motives; to rouse by representation, persuasion, or appeal; to influence., To arouse the feelings or passions of; especially, to excite to tenderness or compassion; to touch pathetically; to excite, as an emotion., To propose; to recommend; specifically, to propose formally for consideration and determination, in a deliberative assembly; to submit, as a resolution to be adopted; as, to move to adjourn., To apply to, as for aid., To change place or posture; to stir; to go, in any manner, from one place or position to another; as, a ship moves rapidly., To act; to take action; to stir; to begin to act; as, to move in a matter., To change residence; to remove, as from one house, town, or state, to another., To change the place of a piece in accordance with the rules of the game., The act of moving; a movement., The act of moving one of the pieces, from one position to another, in the progress of the game., An act for the attainment of an object; a step in the execution of a plan or purpose. |
mowe |
pl. |
of Mow, See 4th Mow., See 1st & 2d Mow. |
mown |
|
of Mow, Cut down by mowing, as grass; deprived of grass by mowing; as, a mown field. |
moxa |
noun |
A soft woolly mass prepared from the young leaves of Artemisia Chinensis, and used as a cautery by burning it on the skin; hence, any substance used in a like manner, as cotton impregnated with niter, amadou., A plant from which this substance is obtained, esp. Artemisia Chinensis, and A. moxa. |
moya |
noun |
Mud poured out from volcanoes during eruptions; — so called in South America. |
mrs. |
|
The customary abbreviation of Mistress when used as a title of courtesy, in writing and printing. |
muce |
noun |
See Muse, and Muset. |
much |
compar. & superl. wanting, but supplied by |
Great in quantity; long in duration; as, much rain has fallen; much time., Many in number., High in rank or position., A great quantity; a great deal; also, an indefinite quantity; as, you have as much as I., A thing uncommon, wonderful, or noticeable; something considerable., To a great degree or extent; greatly; abundantly; far; nearly. |
muck |
|
abbreviation of Amuck., Dung in a moist state; manure., Vegetable mold mixed with earth, as found in low, damp places and swamps., Anything filthy or vile., Money; — in contempt., Like muck; mucky; also, used in collecting or distributing muck; as, a muck fork., To manure with muck. |
muff |
noun |
A soft cover of cylindrical form, usually of fur, worn by women to shield the hands from cold., A short hollow cylinder surrounding an object, as a pipe., A blown cylinder of glass which is afterward flattened out to make a sheet., A stupid fellow; a poor-spirited person., A failure to hold a ball when once in the hands., The whitethroat., To handle awkwardly; to fumble; to fail to hold, as a ball, in catching it. |
mule |
noun |
A hybrid animal; specifically, one generated between an ass and a mare, sometimes a horse and a she-ass. See Hinny., A plant or vegetable produced by impregnating the pistil of one species with the pollen or fecundating dust of another; — called also hybrid., A very stubborn person., A machine, used in factories, for spinning cotton, wool, etc., into yarn or thread and winding it into cops; — called also jenny and mule-jenny. |
mull |
noun |
A thin, soft kind of muslin., A promontory; as, the Mull of Cantyre., A snuffbox made of the small end of a horn., Dirt; rubbish., To powder; to pulverize., To work (over) mentally; to cogitate; to ruminate; — usually with over; as, to mull over a thought or a problem., An inferior kind of madder prepared from the smaller roots or the peelings and refuse of the larger., To heat, sweeten, and enrich with spices; as, to mull wine., To dispirit or deaden; to dull or blunt. |
mumm |
verb i. |
To sport or make diversion in a mask or disguise; to mask. |
mump |
verb i. |
To move the lips with the mouth closed; to mumble, as in sulkiness., To talk imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly; to chatter unintelligibly., To cheat; to deceive; to play the beggar., To be sullen or sulky., To utter imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly., To work over with the mouth; to mumble; as, to mump food., To deprive of (something) by cheating; to impose upon. |
mund |
noun |
See Mun. |
mung |
noun |
Green gram, a kind of pulse (Phaseolus Mungo), grown for food in British India. |
mure |
noun |
A wall., To inclose in walls; to wall; to immure; to shut up. |
murk |
adjective |
Dark; murky., Darkness; mirk., The refuse of fruit, after the juice has been expressed; marc. |
murr |
noun |
A catarrh. |
musa |
noun |
A genus of perennial, herbaceous, endogenous plants of great size, including the banana (Musa sapientum), the plantain (M. paradisiaca of Linnaeus, but probably not a distinct species), the Abyssinian (M. Ensete), the Philippine Island (M. textilis, which yields Manila hemp), and about eighteen other species. See Illust. of Banana and Plantain. |
muse |
noun |
A gap or hole in a hedge, hence, wall, or the like, through which a wild animal is accustomed to pass; a muset., One of the nine goddesses who presided over song and the different kinds of poetry, and also the arts and sciences; — often used in the plural., A particular power and practice of poetry., A poet; a bard., To think closely; to study in silence; to meditate., To be absent in mind; to be so occupied in study or contemplation as not to observe passing scenes or things present; to be in a brown study., To wonder., To think on; to meditate on., To wonder at., Contemplation which abstracts the mind from passing scenes; absorbing thought; hence, absence of mind; a brown study., Wonder, or admiration. |
mush |
noun |
Meal (esp. Indian meal) boiled in water; hasty pudding; supawn., To notch, cut, or indent, as cloth, with a stamp. |
musk |
noun |
A substance of a reddish brown color, and when fresh of the consistence of honey, obtained from a bag being behind the navel of the male musk deer. It has a slightly bitter taste, but is specially remarkable for its powerful and enduring odor. It is used in medicine as a stimulant antispasmodic. The term is also applied to secretions of various other animals, having a similar odor., The musk deer. See Musk deer (below)., The perfume emitted by musk, or any perfume somewhat similar., The musk plant (Mimulus moschatus)., A plant of the genus Erodium (E. moschatum); — called also musky heron’s-bill., A plant of the genus Muscari; grape hyacinth., To perfume with musk. |
muss |
noun |
A scramble, as when small objects are thrown down, to be taken by those who can seize them; a confused struggle., A state of confusion or disorder; — prob. variant of mess, but influenced by muss, a scramble., To disarrange, as clothing; to rumple., A term of endearment. |
must |
verb i. / auxiliary |
To be obliged; to be necessitated; — expressing either physical or moral necessity; as, a man must eat for nourishment; we must submit to the laws., To be morally required; to be necessary or essential to a certain quality, character, end, or result; as, he must reconsider the matter; he must have been insane., The expressed juice of the grape, or other fruit, before fermentation., Mustiness., To make musty; to become musty. |
mute |
verb t. |
To cast off; to molt., To eject the contents of the bowels; — said of birds., The dung of birds., Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent., Incapable of speaking; dumb., Not uttered; unpronounced; silent; also, produced by complete closure of the mouth organs which interrupt the passage of breath; — said of certain letters. See 5th Mute, 2., Not giving a ringing sound when struck; — said of a metal., One who does not speak, whether from physical inability, unwillingness, or other cause., One who, from deafness, either congenital or from early life, is unable to use articulate language; a deaf-mute., A person employed by undertakers at a funeral., A person whose part in a play does not require him to speak., Among the Turks, an officer or attendant who is selected for his place because he can not speak., A letter which represents no sound; a silent letter; also, a close articulation; an element of speech formed by a position of the mouth organs which stops the passage of the breath; as, p, b, d, k, t., A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument, in order to deaden or soften the tone. |
muxy |
adjective |
Soft; sticky, and dirty. |
myna |
noun |
Any one of numerous species of Asiatic starlings of the genera Acridotheres, Sturnopastor, Sturnia, Gracula, and allied genera. In habits they resemble the European starlings, and like them are often caged and taught to talk. See Hill myna, under Hill, and Mino bird. |
myo- |
|
A combining form of Gr. /, /, a muscle; as, myograph, myochrome. |
myth |
noun |
A story of great but unknown age which originally embodied a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; an ancient legend of a god, a hero, the origin of a race, etc.; a wonder story of prehistoric origin; a popular fable which is, or has been, received as historical., A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose actual existence is not verifiable. |
myxa |
noun |
The distal end of the mandibles of a bird. |