Middle, mid′l,adj.equally distant from the extremes: intermediate: intervening: (gram.) intermediate between active and passive, reflexive.—n.the middle point or part: midst: central portion, waist.—adjs.Midd′le-aged, of or about the middle period of life (from about 35 to 50);Midd′le-class, pertaining to, or included in, the middle class.—ns.Midd′le-earth(Shak.), the earth, considered as placed between the upper and lower regions;Midd′leman, one who stands in the middle between two persons: an agent who does business between two parties: in Ireland, one who rents land in large tracts, and lets it in small portions to the peasantry.—adjs.Midd′lemost,Mid′most(B.), nearest the middle;Midd′le-sized, of middle or average size.—ns.Midd′le-watch, the period between midnight and 4 A.M.;Midd′le-weight, a boxer or jockey of intermediate weight, between light and heavy weight.—adj.Midd′ling, of middle rate, state, size, or quality: about equally distant from the extremes: moderate: (Scot.) not in very good health: fairly well or prosperous.—adv.moderately.—n.Midd′lingness, mediocrity.—n.pl.Midd′lings, the coarser part of ground wheat.—Middle Ages, the time between the downfall of the western Roman empire, about 476A.D., and the Reformation in the first quarter of the 16th century, or even earlier—in the later half of the preceding century, when printing was invented, America discovered, and the revival of learning took place;Middle class, that part of the people which comes between the nobility and the working-class;Middle distance(same asMiddle ground);Middle English, English as spoken and written from 1350 to 1500 or 1550;Middle ground, the central portion of a picture—that is, between the foreground and background;Middle Kingdom, China;Middle passage, the voyage across the Atlantic from Africa to the West Indies, which was a time of horror on board a slave-ship;Middle States, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware;Middle term(logic), that term of a syllogism which appears both in the major premise and the minor, but not in the conclusion.—Middle-class schools, schools for the higher education of the middle class, intermediate between the primary schools and the large public schools or the universities. [A.S.middel—mid; Dut.middel, Ger.mittel.]
Middy, mid′i,n.for midshipman.
Midgard, mid′gārd,n.(Scand. myth.) the abode of men, midway between heaven and hell. [Ice.midhgardhr=mid-yard.]
Midge, mij,n.the common name of several species of small two-winged insects, like gnats, but with a shorter proboscis.—n.Midg′et, a little midge: something very small of its kind: a very small person. [A.S.micge; Ger.mücke, a gnat.]
Midrash, mid′rash,n.the Hebrew exposition of the Old Testament—its two divisions,HaggadaandHalakha:—pl.Midrashim(mid-rä′shēm),commentaries to individual books or sections of the Old Testament. [Heb., 'exposition.']
Midrib, mid′rib,n.(bot.) the continuation of the leaf-stalk to the point of a leaf.
Midriff, mid′rif,n.the diaphragm. [A.S.mid, middle,hrif, the belly.]
Midst, midst,n.the middle.—adv.in the middle.—prep.amidst. [From the M. E. phrasein middle-s, in the midst, with excrescentt(cf.whil-s-t).]
Midwife, mid′wīf,n.a woman who assists others in childbirth:—pl.Midwives(mid′wīvz).—n.Mid′wifery, art or practice of a midwife or accoucheuse: assistance at childbirth. [A.S.mid, together with (Ger.mit, Gr.met-a),wíf, woman.]
Mien, mēn,n.the look or appearance of a person: the expression of the face: manner: bearing. [Fr.mine—It.mina, deportment—Low L.mināre, to conduct—L.mināri, to threaten.]
Miff, mif,n.(coll.) a slight feeling of resentment. [Akin to Ger.muffen, to sulk.]
Might, mīt,pa.t.of may.
Might, mīt,n.power: ability: strength: energy or intensity of purpose or feeling.—adj.Might′ful(Shak.), mighty: powerful.—adv.Might′ily.—n.Might′iness, state of being mighty: power: greatness: great amount: a title of dignity: excellency.—adj.Might′y, having greater power: strong: valiant: very great: important: exhibiting might: wonderful.—Might and main, utmost strength. [A.S.meaht,miht; Ger.macht; cf.May.]
Mignonette, min-yo-net′,n.an annual with sweet-scented flowers. [Fr.,—mignon, darling.]
Migraine, mi-grān′,n.Same asMegrim.
Migrate, mī′grāt,v.i.to pass from one place to another: to remove for residence from one country, college, &c. to another.—adjs.Mī′grant,Mī′grātory, migrating or accustomed to migrate: wandering.—ns.Migrā′tion, a change of abode: a removal from one country or climate to another: a number removing together;Migrā′tionist,Migrā′tor.—Migratory animals, animals that remove from one region to another as the seasons change. [L.migrāre,-ātum; cf.meāre, to go.]
Mikado, mi-kä′dō,n.a title of the Emperor of Japan. [Jap., 'exalted gate.']
Mil, mil,n.a unit of length in measuring the diameter of wire. [L.mille, a thousand.]
Miladi, mi-lā′di,n.my lady. [It.]
Milch, milch,adj.giving milk: yielding liquid, tender. [Milk.]
Mild, mīld,adj.gentle in temper and disposition: not sharp or bitter: acting gently: gently and pleasantly affecting the senses: soft: calm.—v.t.Mild′en, to render mild.—v.i.to become mild.—adv.Mild′ly.—n.Mild′ness.—adj.Mild′-spok′en, having a mild manner of speech.—Mild ale, ale newly brewed, which has not got the taste that comes from keeping. [A.S.milde, mild; cf. Ger.mild, Ice.mildr, gracious, &c.]
Mildew, mil′dū,n.a disease on plants, caused by the growth of minute fungi.—v.t.to taint with mildew.—v.i.to become so tainted. [A.S.meledeáw,mele, honey,deáw, dew.]
Mile, mīl,n.1760 yards.—ns.Mile′age, length in miles: (U.S.) compensation for expense of travel reckoned by the mile;Mil′er, something the length of a mile;Mile′stone, a stone set up to mark the distance of a mile. [A.S.mil; Fr.mille; both a contr. of L.mille passuum, a thousand paces.]
Milesian, mi-lē′zhan,adj.of or pertaining to Ireland or to the Irish race.—n.an Irishman. [Milesius, a fabulous king of Spain, whose sons seized Ireland.]
Milfoil, mil′foil,n.the herb yarrow, remarkable for the numerous divisions of its leaf. [L.millefolium—mille, thousand,folium, a leaf.]
Miliary, mil′yar-i,adj.like a millet-seed: having formations of the size of millet-seeds, as miliary glands. [L.milium, millet.]
Militant, mil′i-tant,adj.fighting: engaged in warfare.—n.Mil′itancy, the state of being militant.—adv.Mil′itantly.—ns.Mil′itarism, an excess of the military spirit;Mil′itarist(Shak.), a military man.—adj.Mil′itary, pertaining to soldiers or to warfare: warlike: becoming a soldier: engaged in the profession of arms: derived from service as a soldier—(obs.)Mil′itar.—n.soldiery: the army.—v.i.Mil′itate, to contend: to stand opposed: to have force for or against.—Church militant(see Church). [L.militans,-antis, pr.p. ofmilitāre.]
Militia, mi-lish′a,n.a body of men enrolled and drilled as soldiers, but only liable to home service: (U.S.) the whole body of citizens capable of bearing arms.—n.Milit′iaman, a man or soldier in the militia force. [L.militia—miles,militis.]
Milk, milk,v.t.to squeeze or draw milk from: to supply with milk.—n.a white liquid secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young: a milk-like juice of certain plants.—adj.Milk′en, consisting of milk, or like milk.—ns.Milk′en-way(Bacon), the milky-way, the galaxy;Milk′er, one who milks: a machine for milking cows: a cow that gives milk;Milk′-fē′ver, a fever accompanying the secretion of milk shortly after childbirth.—adv.Milk′ily.—ns.Milk′iness;Milk′ing, the amount of milk drawn at one time;Milk′ing-stool, a stool on which the milker sits while milking;Milk′ing-time;Milk′ing-tube, a perforated tube inserted in a cow's teat to let the milk flow without pressing the udder;Milk′-kin′ship, the kinship arising from fostering.—adj.Milk′-liv′ered(Shak.), white-livered: cowardly.—ns.Milk′maid, a woman who milks: a dairymaid;Milk′man, a man who sells milk, esp. from door to door;Milk′-mō′lar, one of the grinders or back teeth in young animals, early shed and replaced by another;Milk′-porr′idge, porridge made with milk instead of water;Milk′-punch, an excellent but very heady drink made of milk, rum or whisky, sugar, and nutmeg;Milk′-sick′ness(U.S.), a kind of malignant fever affecting cattle, also men;Milk′sop, a piece of bread sopped or soaked in milk: an effeminate, silly fellow;Milk′-this′tle, the lady's thistle;Milk′-tooth, one of the first fore-teeth of a foal: one of the first teeth of a child;Milk′-tree, a tree yielding a milk-like, nourishing juice, as the cow-tree of South America;Milk′-vetch, a plant sometimes cultivated as food for cattle;Milk′-walk, a milkman's route.—adj.Milk′-warm, warm as new milk.—ns.Milk′-weed, a general name for plants of the genus Asclepias, from their milky juice;Milk′-wort, a genus of handsome flowering plants, containing a milk-like juice.—adj.Milk′y, made of, full of, like, or yielding milk: soft: gentle.—n.Milk′y-way(astron.), the galaxy, a broad, luminous zone in the sky, caused by the light of innumerable fixed stars. [A.S.meolc, milk; Ger.milch, milk.]
Mill, mil,n.a machine for grinding any substance, as grain, by crushing it between two hard, rough surfaces: a place where corn is ground, or manufacture of some kind is carried on: a contest at boxing.—v.t.to grind: to press or stamp in a mill: to stamp or turn up the edge of coin, and put ridges and furrows on the rim: to put furrows and ridges on any edge: to clean, as cloth: to beat severely with the fists.—ns.Mill′-board, stout pasteboard, used esp. in binding books;Mill′cog, a cog of a mill-wheel;Mill′dam,Mill′pond, a dam or pond to hold water for driving a mill.—adj.Milled, prepared by a grinding-mill or a coining-press: transversely grooved: treated by machinery, esp. smoothed by calendering rollers in a paper-mill.—ns.Mill′-horse, a horse that turns a mill;Mill′ing, the act of passing anything through a mill: the act of fulling cloth: the process of turning up the edge of coin and of putting the rows of ridges and furrows on it: indenting coin on the edge;Mill′race, the current of water that turns a mill-wheel, or the channel in which it runs;Mill-six′pence(Shak.), a milled sixpence;Mill′stone, one of the two stones used in a mill for grinding corn;Mill′stone-grit(geol.), a hard gritty variety of sandstone suitable for millstones;Mill′-tooth, a molar;Mill′-wheel, the water-wheel used for driving a mill;Mill′-work, the machinery of a mill: the planning and putting up of machinery in mills;Mill′wright, a wright or mechanic who builds and repairs mills.—Go through the mill, to undergo suffering or experience sufficient to fit one for certain duties or privileges;See through a millstone, to see far into or through difficult questions. [A.S.miln—L.mola, a mill—molāre, to grind.]
Mill, mil,n.(U.S.) the thousandth part of a dollar. [L.mille, a thousand.]
Millennium, mil-len′i-um,n.a thousand years: the thousand years during which, as some believe, Christ will personally reign on the earth.—adj.Millenā′rian, lasting a thousand years: pertaining to the millennium.—n.one believing in the millennium.—ns.Millenā′rianism,Mil′lenarism, the doctrine of millenarians.—adj.Mill′enary, consisting of a thousand.—n.a thousand years.—adj.Millenn′ial, pertaining to a thousand years, or to the millennium.—ns.Millenn′ialist, a believer in the millennium;Millenn′ianism,Millenn′iarism, belief in the millennium. [L.mille, 1000,annus, a year.]
Milleped. SeeMilliped.
Millepore, mil′e-pōr,n.a species of branching coral, having a smooth surface with numerous minute, distinct pores or cells.—n.Mill′eporite, a fossil millepore. [Fr.; L.mille, 1000,porus, a pore.]
Miller, mil′ėr,n.one who has, or who attends to, a corn-mill.—ns.Mill′er's-thumb, a small fresh-water fish with a large, broad, and rounded head like a miller's thumb, the river bull-head.
Millesimal, mil-les′im-al,adj.thousandth: consisting of thousandth parts.—adv.Milles′imally. [L.millesimus—mille, a thousand.]
Millet, mil′et,n.a grass yielding grain which is used for food. [Fr.millet—L.milium.]
Milliard, mil′yard,n.a thousand millions. [Fr.,—L.mille, a thousand.]
Milliare, mil′yar,n.the one-thousandth part of an are.
Milliary, mil′i-ā-ri,adj.pertaining to a Roman mile.—n.a Roman milestone.
Millier, mēl-yā′,n.a weight of 1000 kilogrammes.
Milligram, mil′i-gram,n.the1⁄1000th part of a gramme.
Millilitre, mil′i-lē-tėr,n.the thousandth part of a litre.
Millimeter,Millimetre,mil′i-mē-tėr,n.the thousandth part of a metre.
Milliner, mil′in-ėr,n.one who makes head-dresses, bonnets, &c. for women.—n.Mill′inery, the articles made or sold by milliners: the industry of making these. [Prob. orig.Milaner, a trader in Milan wares, esp. silks and ribbons.]
Million, mil′yun,n.a thousand thousands (1,000,000): a very great number.—n.Mill′ionaire, a man worth a million of money or more.—adj.Mill′ionary, pertaining to, or consisting of, millions.—adj.andn.Mill′ionth, the ten hundred thousandth.—The million, the great body of the people generally. [Fr.,—Low L.millio—L.mille, 1000.]
Milliped,Milleped, mil′e-ped,n.a small worm-like animal, with a great number of legs.—AlsoMill′ipede,Mill′epede. [L.millepeda—mille, a thousand,pes, pedis, a foot.]
Millocrat, mil′ō-krat,n.a wealthy mill-owner.—n.Mill′ocratism.
Milord, mi-lord′,n.my lord: a rich Englishman on the Continent.
Milreis, mil′rēs,n.a thousand reals: a Portuguese coin worth about 4s. 5d.
Milsey, mil′si,n.(prov.) a milk-strainer.
Milt, milt,n.the soft roe of male fishes: (anat.) the spleen.—v.t.to impregnate, as the spawn of the female fish.—n.Milt′er, a male fish. [A corr. ofmilk, as in Sw.mjölke, milt of fishes.]
Miltonic, mil-ton′ik,adj.relating toMilton(1608-74), or to his poetry.
Milvine, mil′vin,adj.pertaining to, or like, birds of the kite family. [L.milvinus—milvus, a kite.]
Mim, mim,adj.(prov.) demure, precise.
Mimbar, mim′bar,n.the pulpit in a mosque.
Mime, mīm,n.a farce in which scenes from actual life were represented by gesture: an actor in such a farce.—n.Mim′esis, a mimicking of the speech, gestures, &c. of a person or a people: (biol.) mimicry.—adjs.Mimet′ic,-al, apt to imitate.—v.t.Mim′ic, to imitate: simulate:—pr.p.mim′icking;pa.p.mim′icked.—n.one who mimics: a buffoon: a servile imitator.—adjs.Mim′ic,-al, imitative: mock: miniature.—ns.Mim′icker;Mim′icry, act of mimicking: an imitative resemblance in one animal to another or to some inanimate object. [Gr.mimos.]
Mimeograph, mim′ē-ō-graf,n.an apparatus in which a thin fibrous paper coated with paraffin is used as a stencil for reproducing copies of written or printed matter.—v.t.to reproduce such by this means. [Gr.mimeisthai, to imitate,graphein, to write.]
Mimography, mim-og′ra-fi,n.the art of writing gesture-languages by means of pictorial symbols constituting ideographs.—n.Mimog′rapher.
Mimosa, mī-mō′za,n.a genus of leguminous plants, including the sensitive plant. [Gr.mimos.]
Mimulus, mim′ū-lus,n.a genus of figworts.
Mina, mī′na,n.a weight in silver at Athens=100 drachmas: (B.) a weight of money valued at fifty shekels. [L.mina—Gr.mna.]
Mina, mī′na,n.one of several different sturnoid passerine birds of India.
Minaret, min′a-ret,n.a turret on a Mohammedan mosque, from which the people are summoned to prayers. [Sp.minarete—Ar.manarat, lighthouse—nar, fire.]
Minatory, min′a-tor-i,adj.threatening, menacing.—AlsoMinā′cious. [L.mināri,-ātus, to threaten.]
Minauderie, min-ō′de-rē,n.a display of affectation. [Fr.]
Mince, mins,v.t.to cut into small pieces: to chop fine: to diminish or suppress a part in speaking: to pronounce affectedly.—v.i.to walk with affected nicety: to speak affectedly:—pr.p.minc′ing;pa.p.minced (minst).—ns.Mince′-meat, meat chopped small—hence anything thoroughly broken or cut to pieces;Mince′-pie, a pie made with minced meat, &c.—adj.Minc′ing, not speaking fully out: speaking or walking with affected nicety.—adv.Minc′ingly.—Mince matters, to speak of things with affected delicacy, or to soften an account unduly.—Minced collops(seeCollops). [A.S.minsian—min, small; prob. cog. with Fr.mince, thin, also Teut.]
Mind, mīnd,n.the faculty by which we think, &c.: the understanding: the whole spiritual nature: memory: choice: intention: thoughts or sentiments: belief: cast of thought and feeling: (B.) disposition.—v.t.to attend to: to obey: (orig.) to remind: (Scot.) to remember.—v.i.(B.) to intend.—adj.Mind′ed, having a mind: disposed: determined.—ns.Mind′edness, inclination toward anything;Mind′er, a care-taker: one taken care of, as a pauper child by a private person.—adj.Mind′ful, bearing in mind: taking thought or care: attentive: observant.—adv.Mind′fully.—n.Mind′fulness.—adj.Mind′less, without mind: stupid.—n.Mind′-trans′ference, thought-transference.—Mind one's p's and q's, to be accurate and precise;Mind your eye(slang), take care what you are about.—Absence of mind, inattention to what is going on at the time;Bear in mind, to remember;Be out of one's mind, to be forgotten: to be insane;Have a mind, to wish or to be inclined strongly;Have half a mind, to be somewhat inclined;Lose, orBe out of,one's mind, to become insane;Make up one's mind, to determine;Month's mind, continual prayer on a dead person's behalf for a month after death, with masses esp. on 3d, 7th, and 30th days (alsoA monthly mind): any very strong desire or inclination;Never mind, do not concern yourself;Of one mind, agreed; Of two minds, uncertain what to think or do;Presence of mind, a state of calmness in which all the powers of the mind are on the alert and ready for action;Put in mind, to warn or remind;Year's mind, a commemorative service of a similar kind to the month's mind, on the anniversary of a death. [A.S.ge-mynd—munan, to think; Ger.meinen, to think, L.mens, the mind.]
Mindererus spirit, min-der-ē′russpir′it,n.acetate of ammonia, much used in cases of fever.
Mine, mīn,adj. pron.belonging to me: my. [A.S.mín;Ger.mein.]
Mine, mīn,v.i.andv.t.to dig for metals: to excavate: to dig under a wall or building in order to overturn it: to ruin or destroy by secret means.—n.a place from which metals are dug: an excavation dug under a fortification to blow it up with gunpowder: a rich source of wealth.—ns.Mine′-cap′tain, the overseer of a mine;Mī′ner, one who digs in a mine.—adj.Mī′ny, rich in mines: like a mine.—See alsoSubmarine mine. [Low L.mināre,to lead, open a mine.]
Mineral, min′ėr-al,n.an inorganic substance found in the earth or at its surface: any substance containing a metal.—adj.relating to minerals: having the nature of minerals: impregnated with minerals, as water: denoting inorganic substances.—n.Mineralisā′tion.—v.t.Min′eralise, to make into a mineral: to give the properties of a mineral to: to impregnate with mineral matter.—v.i.to collect minerals.—ns.Min′eraliser, an element that combines with a metal to form an ore, as sulphur: a volatile or other substance, as water, which facilitates the recrystallisation of rocks;Min′eralist, one versed in or employed about minerals.—adj.Mineralog′ical, pertaining to mineralogy.—adv.Mineralog′ically.—v.i.Mineral′ogise, to collect or study minerals.—ns.Mineral′ogist, one versed in mineralogy;Mineral′ogy, the science which treats of minerals: the art of describing and classifying minerals.—Mineral acids, a name applied to sulphuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids;Mineral black, an impure carbon used as a pigment;Mineral caoutchouc, a variety of bitumen—alsoElaterite;Mineral kingdom, that department of nature which comprises substances that are neither animal nor vegetable;Mineral oil, oil which is forced up or pumped from the earth, as petroleum, naphtha, &c.;Mineral salt, a salt of a mineral acid;Mineral water, the water of certain springs having the taste of various kinds of minerals, and used as medicines. [Fr.,—miner, to mine—Low L.mināre;cf.Mine.]
Minerva, mi-nėr′va,n.the Roman goddess of wisdom, of the arts and sciences, and of war—identified with the Greek Athena.—Minerva Press, a printing-office in Leadenhall Street, London, whence were issued about the close of the 18th century a long series of highly sentimental novels. [L., prob. from root ofmens,mentis, the mind.]
Minever, min′e-vėr,n.Same asMiniver.
Ming, ming,v.t.to mix:—oldpa.t.andpa.p.meint, ment. [A.S.mengan;Ger.mengen.]
Mingle, ming′gl,v.t.to mix: to unite into one mass: to confuse: to join in mutual intercourse.—v.i.to become mixed or confused.—n.a medley.—n.Ming′le-mang′le, a medley, jumble.—v.t.to confuse, jumble together.—ns.Ming′lement;Ming′ler;Ming′ling, mixture: a mixing or blending together.—adv.Ming′lingly. [Freq. ofming.]
Miniature, min′i-a-tūr, ormin′i-tūr,n.a painting on a very small scale, on ivory, vellum, or thick paper: a small or reduced copy of anything.—adj.on a small scale: minute.—v.t.to represent on a small scale.—n.Min′iaturist, one who paints miniatures. [It.miniatura—miniare, to write with red lead—L.minium, vermilion.]
Minibus, min′i-bus,n.a small four-wheeled carriage.
Minié rifle. See Rifle.
Minify, min′i-fī,v.t.to make little or less: to depreciate.
Minikin, min′i-kin,n.a little darling: a small sort of pin: the treble string of a lute.—adj.small. [Old Dut., dim. ofminne, love, cog. with Old High Ger.minna, memory, love.]
Minim, min′im,n.(med.) the smallest liquid measure, a drop,1⁄60drachm: (mus.) a note (formerly the shortest) equal to two crotchets: (Milt.) a diminutive creature: one of an austere order of mendicant friars founded about the middle of the 15th century by St Francis of Paola in Calabria (1416-1507)—called Minims (L.minimi, the least) to humble them even below the Franciscans (Friars minor).—adj.Min′imal.—v.t.Min′imise, to reduce to the smallest possible proportions: to treat slightingly.—ns.Minim′itude,Minimisā′tion;Min′imum, the least quantity or degree possible—opp. ofMaximum: a trifle:—pl.Min′ima;Min′imus(Shak.), a being of the smallest size.—MinimumandMaximum thermometer(seeThermometer). [Fr.minime—L.minimus,minima, the smallest.]
Miniment, min′i-ment,n.obsolete form ofmuniment.
Mining, mī′ning,n.the art of forming or of working mines: the work of a miner.—adj.of or pertaining to mines: of burrowing habits.
Minion, min′yun,n.a darling, a favourite, esp. of a prince: a flatterer: a fawning favourite: (print.) a small kind of type, about 10½ lines to the inch, between nonpareil and brevier. [Fr.mignon, a darling—Old High Ger.minna,minne, love.]
Minish, min′ish,v.t.(B.) to make little or less: to diminish. [Fr.menuiser, to cut small, said of a carpenter—L.minutia, smallness.]
Minister, min′is-tėr,n.a servant: one who serves at the altar: a clergyman: one transacting business for another: the responsible head of a department of state affairs: the representative of a government at a foreign court.—v.i.to act as a servant: to perform duties: to supply or do things needful.—v.t.to furnish:—pr.p.min′istering;pa.p.min′istered.—adj.Ministē′rial, pertaining to the work of a servant: acting under superior authority: pertaining to the office of a minister: clerical: executive.—n.Ministē′rialist, one who supports ministers or the government in office.—adv.Ministē′rially.—adj.Min′istering, attending and serving.—n.Ministē′rium, the body of the ordained ministers in a district.—adj.Min′istrant, administering: attendant.—n.Ministrā′tion, the act of ministering or performing service: office or service of a minister.—adj.Min′istrātive, serving to aid or assist: ministering.—ns.Min′istress, a female minister;Min′istry, act of ministering: service: office or duties of a minister: the clergy: the clerical profession: the body of ministers who manage the business of the country. [L.,—minor, less.]
Minium, min′i-um,n.red oxide of lead.—adj.Min′iate, minium coloured.—v.t.to paint with minium. [Fr.,—L.,minium, red lead.]
Miniver, min′i-vėr,n.a mixed or variegated fur. [O. Fr.menu ver—menu, small—L.minutus,vair, fur—L.varius, changing, mottled.]
Mink, mingk,n.a small quadruped of the weasel kind, valued for its fur. [Perh. from Sw.mänk.]
Minnesinger, min′e-sing′ėr,n.one of a school of German amatory lyric poets in the 12th and 13th centuries, mostly of noble birth. [Ger.minne, love,singer, singer.]
Minnie, min′i,n.(Scot.) mother. [Dim. ofmin.]
Minnow, min′ō,n.a very small fresh-water fish of the same genus as the roach, chub, &c.: the young of larger fish. [A.S.myne, prob.min, less.]
Mino, mē′nō,n.a Japanese rain-coat of hemp, &c.
Minor, mī′nor,adj.smaller: less: inferior in importance, degree, bulk, &c.: inconsiderable: lower: (mus.) smaller by a semitone.—n.a person under age (21 years): (logic) the term of a syllogism which forms the subject of the conclusion.—n.Mī′norite, a Franciscan friar.—adj.belonging to the Franciscans.—n.Minor′ity, the state of being under age (alsoMī′norship): the smaller of two parts of a number: a number less than half:—opp. toMajority.—Minor canon, a canon of inferior grade who assists in performing the daily choral service in a cathedral;Minor modeorscale, the mode or scale in music which has the third note only three semitones above the key;Minor premise, the premise which contains the minor term;Minor prophets, the name given to the twelve prophets from Hosea to Malachi inclusive. [L., neut.minus.]
Minotaur, min′o-tawr,n.the bull of Minos, a fabulous monster, half-man, half-bull. [L.,—Gr., prob. fromMinos, king of Crete,taurus, a bull.]
Minster, min′stėr,n.the church of an abbey or priory, but often applied to a cathedral church without any monastic connection. [A.S.mynster—L.monasterium, a monastery.]
Minstrel, min′strel,n.one of an order of men who sang to the harp verses composed by themselves or others: a musician: one of a class of performers, with blackened faces, of negro songs.—n.Min′strelsy, the art or occupation of a minstrel: a company or body of minstrels: a collection of songs: (Chaucer) instrumental music. [O. Fr.menestrel—Low L.ministralis—L.minister.]
Mint, mint,n.the place where money is coined by government: a place where anything is invented or made: any source of abundant supply.—v.t.to coin: to invent.—ns.Mint′age, the money which is minted or coined: the duty paid for coining;Mint′er, one who mints or coins: an inventor;Mint′-man, one skilled in coining or coinage;Mint′-mark, a private mark put by the mint on coins for purposes of identification;Mint′-mas′ter, the master of a mint: one who invents. [A.S.mynet, money—L.monēta, a surname of Juno—monēreto remind.]
Mint, mint,n.an aromatic plant producing a highly odoriferous oil.—ns.Mint′-ju′lep, a spirituous drink flavoured with mint, and sucked through a straw or small tube;Mint′-sauce, chopped mint mixed with vinegar and sugar, used as a sauce for roast lamb. [A.S.minte—L.mentha—Gr.mintha.]
Mint, mint,v.i.(Scot.) to purpose, try: to hint. [A.S.myntan, to mean—munan, to think.]
Minuend, min′ū-end,n.the number from which another is to be subtracted. [L.minuendum—minuĕre, to lessen.]
Minuet, min′ū-et,n.a slow, graceful dance in triple measure, invented in Poitou about the middle of the 17th century: the music for such a dance. [Fr.menuet—menu, small—L.minutus, small.]
Minus, mī′nus,adj.less: less than nothing or less than zero: deficient in respect of, deprived of, without.—n.an amount less than nothing: the sign (-) before quantities requiring to be subtracted.—n.Minus′cūle, a semi-uncial cursive script, originated by the monks in the 7th-9th centuries: any small or lower-case letter as distinguished from a capital orMajuscule.—adj.small, of a letter: written in minuscule. [L., neuter ofminor, less.]
Minute, min-ūt′,adj.very small or slender: of small consequence: slight: attentive to small things: particular, exact.—adv.Minute′ly.—n.Minute′ness. [L.minūtus, pa.p. ofminuĕre, to lessen.]
Minute, min′it,n.the sixtieth part of an hour: the sixtieth part of a degree: an indefinitely small space of time: a brief jotting or note: (pl.) a brief summary of the proceedings of a meeting.—v.t.to make a brief jotting or note of anything.—adj.(Shak.) happening every minute.—ns.Min′ute-bell, a bell sounded at regular intervals of one minute, in morning;Min′ute-book, a book containing minutes or short notes;Min′ute-glass, a glass the sand of which measures a minute in running out;Min′ute-gun, a gun discharged every minute, as a signal of distress or mourning;Min′ute-hand, the hand that indicates the minutes on a clock or watch;Min′ute-jack(Shak.), a little figure that strikes the bell of the clock: a flighty, unstable person;Min′ute-man, a man ready to turn out at a minute's warning—the name taken by a body of militia in the American war of independence;Min′ute-watch, a watch that marks minutes;Min′ute-while(Shak.), a minute's time. [Same word as above.]
Minutiæ, mi-nū′shi-ē,n.pl.minute or small things: the smallest particulars or details.—adj.Minū′tiōse. [L., pl. ofminutia, smallness.]
Minx, mingks,n.a pert young girl: a jade: a she-puppy. [Contr. ofminikin, with addeds.]
Miocene, mī′o-sēn,adj.(geol.) less recent, applied by Lyell to the middle division of the Tertiary strata. [Gr.meiōn, less,kainos, recent.]
Miosis, mī-ō′sis,n.diminution: litotes. [Gr.]
Mir, mēr,n.a Russian commune or local community holding land which is redistributed from time to time. [Russ.mirŭ, union.]
Mirable, mīr′a-bl,adj.(Shak.) wonderful.
Miracle, mir′a-kl,n.anything wonderful: a prodigy: anything beyond human power, and away from the common action of the laws of nature: a supernaturalevent.—ns.Mir′acle-mong′er, one who pretends to work miracles;Mir′acle-play, a medieval form of drama founded on Old or New Testament history, or the legends of the saints.—adj.Mirac′ulous, of the nature of a miracle: done by supernatural power: very wonderful: able to perform miracles.—adv.Mirac′ulously.—n.Mirac′ulousness. [Fr.,—L.miraculum—mirāri,-ātus, to wonder.]
Mirador, mir-a-dōr′,n.a belvedere or gallery. [Sp.]
Mirage, mi-räzh′,n.an optical illusion by which objects are seen double, or as if suspended in the air. [Fr.—mirer—L.mirāri.]
Mirbane, mėr′bān,n.nitro-benzol. [SeeNitre.]
Mire, mīr,n.deep mud.—v.t.to plunge and fix in mire: to soil with mud.—v.i.to sink in mud.—n.Mī′riness.—adj.Mī′ry, consisting of mire: covered with mire. [Ice.mýri, marsh.]
Mirk, mėrk,adj.dark.—adj.Mirk′some, murky.
Mirror, mir′ur,n.a looking-glass: a reflecting surface, usually made of glass lined at the back with a brilliant metal: a pattern.—v.t.to reflect as in a mirror:—pr.p.mirr′oring;pa.p.mirr′ored.—n.Mag′ic-mirr′or, a mirror in which, by means of divination, a person sees scenes in his future life: a Japanese convex mirror, engraved on the back, by which bright light reflected from the polished surface on to a screen gives bright-lined images corresponding to the figures on the back. [O. Fr.mireor,miroir—L.mirāri,-ātus, to wonder at.]
Mirth, mėrth,n.merriness: pleasure: delight: noisy gaiety: jollity: laughter.—adj.Mirth′ful, full of mirth: causing mirth: merry: jovial.—adv.Mirth′fully.—n.Mirth′fulness.—adj.Mirth′less, joyless: cheerless.—n.Mirth′lessness, absence of mirth. [A.S.myrgð—merg, merry.]
Mirza, mir′za,n.a Persian title, equivalent to 'Prince' when following the surname—a common title of respect, like 'Mr,' when preceding it.
Misacceptation, mis-ak-sep-tā′shun,n.the act of accepting or understanding in a wrong sense.
Misadventure, mis-ad-vent′ūr,n.an unfortunate adventure: ill-luck: disaster.—adjs.Misadvent′ured(Shak.), unfortunate;Misadvent′urous.
Misadvertence, mis-ad-vert′ens,n.want of proper care or attention: inadvertence.
Misadvise, mis-ad-vīz′,v.t.to give bad advice to: to deceive.—adj.Misadvised′, ill-advised, ill-directed.—adv.Misadvī′sedly.—n.Misadvī′sedness.
Misaimed, mis-āmd′,adj.not rightly aimed.
Misallege, mis-al-lej′,v.t.to allege wrongly.
Misalliance, mis-al-lī′ans,n.a bad alliance, esp. marriage with one of a lower rank—the Fr.Mésalliance.—adj.Misallied′.
Misallotment, mis-al-lot′ment,n.a wrong allotment.
Misanthrope, mis′an-thrōp,n.a hater of mankind: one who distrusts every one else—alsoMisan′thropist.—adjs.Misanthrop′ic,-al, hating or distrusting mankind.—adv.Misanthrop′ically.—ns.Misan′thropos(Shak.), a misanthrope;Misan′thropy, hatred or distrust of mankind. [Fr.,—Gr.misanthrōpos—misein, to hate,anthrōpos, a man.]
Misapply, mis-ap-plī′,v.t.to apply wrongly: to use for a wrong purpose.—n.Misapplicā′tion.
Misappreciated, mis-ap-prē′shi-āt-ed,adj.not rightly or fully appreciated.—n.Misappreciā′tion.—adj.Misapprē′ciātive.
Misapprehend, mis-ap-pre-hend′,v.t.to apprehend wrongly: to take or understand in a wrong sense.—n.Misapprehen′sion.—adv.Misapprehen′sively, by or with misapprehension or mistake.
Misappropriate, mis-ap-prō′pri-āt,v.t.to put to a wrong use.—n.Misappropriā′tion.
Misarrange, mis-ar-rānj′,v.t.to arrange wrongly: to put in wrong order.—n.Misarrange′ment.
Misarray, mis-ar-rā′,n.want of proper order.
Misassign, mis-as-sīn′,v.t.to assign wrongly.
Misbecome, mis-be-kum′,v.t.not to suit or befit: to be unfitting.—adj.Misbecom′ing, unbecoming.—n.an impropriety.—n.Misbecom′ingness.
Misbegot,Misbegotten, mis-be-got′,-got′n,p.adj.(Shak.) unlawfully begotten: shapeless.
Misbehave, mis-be-hāv′,v.i.to behave ill or improperly.—adj.Misbehaved′(Shak.), badly behaved: ill-bred.—n.Misbehav′iour.
Misbelieve, mis-be-lēv′,v.t.to believe wrongly or falsely.—ns.Misbelief′, belief in false doctrine;Misbeliev′er.—adj.Misbeliev′ing.
Misbeseem, mis-be-sēm′,v.t.to suit ill.
Misbestow, mis-be-stō′,v.t.to bestow improperly, or on the wrong person.—n.Misbestow′al.
Misborn, mis′bawrn,adj.(Spens.) born to evil or misfortune—n.Misbirth′, an abortion.
Miscalculate, mis-kal′kū-lāt,v.t.to calculate wrongly.—n.Miscalculā′tion.
Miscall, mis-kawl′,v.t.to call by a wrong name: to abuse or revile.
Miscarriage, mis-kar′ij,n.the act of miscarrying: failure: ill-conduct: the act of bringing forth young prematurely.—v.i.Miscarr′y, to be unsuccessful: to fail of the intended effect: to bring forth, as young, before the proper time.
Miscast, mis-kast′,v.t.andv.i.to cast erroneously.
Miscegenation, mis-sē-jen-ā′shun,n.a mixture of races. [L.miscēre, to mix,genus, race.]
Miscellaneous, mis-sel-lān′i-us,adj.mixed or mingled: consisting of several kinds.—adj.Miscellanā′rian.—n.a writer of miscellanies.—adv.Miscellan′eously.—ns.Miscellan′eousness;Mis′cellānist, a writer of miscellanies;Mis′cellany, a mixture of various kinds: a collection of writings on different subjects—alson.pl.Miscellā′nea. [L.miscellaneus—miscēre, to mix.]
Mischallenge, mis-chal′enj,n.a false challenge.
Mischance, mis-chans′,n.ill-luck: mishap, misfortune: calamity.—v.i.to chance wrongly, come to ill-luck.—adj.Mischan′cy(Scot.), unlucky.
Mischarge, mis-chärj′,v.t.to charge wrongly: to make an error in an account.—n.a mistake in charging, as in an account.
Mischief, mis′chif,n.an ill consequence: evil: injury: damage, hurt: (coll.) the devil, as in 'What the mischief,' &c.—n.Mis′chief-mak′er, one who incites to mischief.—adjs.Mis′chief-mak′ing, causing mischief;Mis′chievous, causing mischief: injurious: prone to mischief.—adv.Mis′chievously.—n.Mis′chievousness.—Play the mischief with, to disturb anything greatly. [O. Fr.meschef, frommes-, ill,chef—L.caput, the head.]
Miscible, mis′si-bl,adj.that may be mixed.—n.Miscibil′ity. [Fr.,—L.miscēre, to mix.]
Miscollocation, mis-kol-lo-kā′shun,n.wrong collocation.
Miscolour, mis-kul′ur,v.t.to misrepresent.
Miscomprehend, mis-kom-pre-hend′,v.t.to misunderstand.—n.Miscomprehen′sion.
Miscomputation, mis-kom-pū-tā′shun,n.wrong computation: false reckoning.
Misconceit, mis-kon-sēt′,n.(Spens.) misconception.—v.i.to form a wrong opinion about.
Misconceive, mis-kon-sēv′,v.t.to conceive wrongly: to mistake.—v.i.to have a wrong conception of anything.—n.Misconcep′tion.
Misconduct, mis-kon′dukt,n.bad conduct: wrong management.—v.t.Misconduct′, to conduct badly.
Misconjecture, mis-kon-jek′tūr,n.a wrong conjecture or guess.—v.t.orv.i.to guess or conjecture wrongly.
Misconstruct, mis-kon-strukt′,v.t.to construct wrongly: to construe or interpret erroneously.—n.Misconstruc′tion, a mistaking of the true meaning.
Misconstrue, mis-kon′strōō,v.t.to construe or to interpret wrongly.
Miscontent, mis-kon-tent′,adj.not content—alsoMiscontent′ed.—n.Miscontent′ment.
Miscopy, mis-kop′i,v.t.to copy wrongly or imperfectly.—n.an error in copying.
Miscounsel, mis-kown′sel,v.t.(Spens.) to counsel or advise wrongly.
Miscount, mis-kownt′,v.t.to count wrongly: to misjudge.—n.a wrong counting.
Miscreant, mis′krē-ant,n.a vile wretch, a detestable scoundrel: a misbeliever, an infidel.—adj.unbelieving.—n.Mis′creance(Spens.), unbelief, belief in a false religion. [O. Fr.mescreant—mes-, L.credens,-entis, pr.p. ofcredĕre, to believe.]
Miscreate,-d, mis-krē-āt′, -ed,adj.wrongly created: deformed: (Shak.) illegitimate.—n.Miscreā′tion.—adj.Miscreā′tive, inclining towards wrong creation.
Miscredit, mis-krēd′it,v.t.to disbelieve.
Miscreed, mis-krēd′,n.a false creed.
Miscue, mis-kū′,n.at billiards, a stroke spoiled by the slipping off of the cue.
Misdate, mis-dāt′,n.a wrong date.—v.t.to date wrongly or erroneously.
Misdeal, mis-dēl′,n.a wrong deal, as at cards.—v.t.to deal wrongly: to divide improperly.—v.i.to make a wrong distribution.
Misdecision, mis-de-sizh′un,n.act of deciding wrongly: a wrong decision.
Misdeed, mis-dēd′,n.a bad deed: fault: crime.
Misdeem, mis-dēm′,v.t.to deem or think wrongly: to make a mistake in judging.
Misdemean, mis-de-mēn′,v.t.to behave ill (with one's self).—v.i.to misbehave.—ns.Misdemean′ant, one who commits a misdemeanour or petty crime;Misdemean′our, bad conduct: a legal offence of less gravity than a felony.
Misdescribe, mis-des-krīb′,v.t.to describe falsely.—n.Misdescrip′tion.
Misdesert, mis-de-zėrt′,n.(Spens.) ill-desert.
Misdevotion, mis-de-vō′shun,n.ill-directed devotion.
Misdiet, mis-dī′et,n.(Spens.) improper diet or food.
Misdight, mis-dīt,adj.(Spens.) badly dressed.
Misdirect, mis-di-rekt′,v.t.to direct wrongly.—n.Misdirec′tion, act of directing wrongly, or state of being wrongly directed.
Misdistinguish, mis-dis-ting′gwish,v.t.to make wrong distinctions concerning.
Misdivide, mis-di-vīd′,v.t.to divide wrongly.—n.Misdivi′sion, wrong or unfair division.
Misdo, mis-dōō′,v.t.to do wrongly.—v.i.to act amiss, err—ns.Misdo′er;Misdo′ing.
Misdoubt, mis-dowt′,v.t.to have a doubt or suspicion regarding: to suspect.—n.suspicion: hesitation.—adj.Misdoubt′ful(Spens.), misgiving.
Misdraw, mis-draw′,v.t.to draw or draft badly.—v.i.to fall apart.—n.Misdraw′ing.
Misdread, mis-dred′,n.(Shak.) dread of evil to come.—v.t.to regard with dread.
Mise, mīz,n.expenditure, outlay: a gift of money to a superior, prince, &c.: in a writ of right, a traverse by which both parties put the cause directly upon the question as to which had the better right: the adjustment of a dispute by arbitration and compromise, as the 'Mise of Lewes' in 1264. [Fr.,—L.mittĕre,missum.]
Miseducation, mis-ed-ū-kā′shun,n.improper or imperfect education.
Misemploy, mis-em-ploi′,v.t.to employ wrongly or amiss: to misuse.—n.Misemploy′ment, ill-employment: improper application: misuse.
Misentry, mis-en′tri,n.a wrong entry, as in an account.—v.t.Misen′ter, to make such.
Miser, mī′zėr,n.a miserable person: an extremely covetous person: a niggard: one whose chief pleasure is in hoarding wealth.—adj.like a miser.—adj.Mī′serly, excessively covetous: sordid: niggardly. [L.miser, wretched.]
Miser, mīz′ėr,n.a tubular well boring-bit, with valved opening for the earth passing up.
Miserable, miz′ėr-a-bl,adj.wretched, exceedingly unhappy: causing misery: very poor or mean: worthless: despicable: barren.—n.Mis′erableness.—adv.Mis′erably. [Fr.,—L.miserabilis—miser.]
Misereatur, miz-ėr-ē-ā′tur,n.the first part of the absolution service in the R.C. liturgy, beginning 'Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus.'