Note: The term mimosa is also applied in commerce to several kinds bark imported from Australia, and used in tanning; — called also wattle bark. Tomlinson.
MIMOTANNICMi`mo*tan"nic, a. Etym: [Mimosa + tannic.] (Chem.)
Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a variety of tannin or tannic acid found in Acacia, Mimosa, etc.
MINAMi"na, n.; pl. L. Minæ, E. Minas. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.
Defn: An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value.The Attic mina was valued at a hundred drachmas.
MINAMi"na, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Myna.
MINABLEMin"a*ble, a.
Defn: Such as can be mined; as, minable earth. Sir T. North.
MINACIOUSMi*na"cious, a. Etym: [L. minax, -acis. See Menace.]
Defn: Threatening; menacing. [R.]
MINACITYMi*nac"i*ty, n.
Defn: Disposition to threaten. [R.]
MINARET Min"a*ret, n. Etym: [Sp. minarete, Ar. manarat lamp, lantern, lighthouse, turret, fr. nar to shine.] (Arch.)
Defn: A slender, lofty tower attached to a mosque and surrounded by one or more projecting balconies, from which the summon to prayer is cried by the muezzin.
MINARGENT Min*ar"gent, n. Etym: [Prob. contr. from aluminium + L. argentum silver.]
Defn: An alloy consisting of copper, nickel, tungsten, and aluminium; — used by jewelers.
MINATORIALLY; MINATORILYMin`a*to"ri*al*ly, Min"a*to*ri*ly, adv.
Defn: In a minatory manner; with threats.
MINATORYMin"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. minatorius, fr. minari to threaten. SeeMenace.]
Defn: Threatening; menacing. Bacon.
MINAULMi*naul", n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Same as Manul.
MINCEMince, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minced; p. pr. & vb. n. Minging.] Etym:[AS. minsian to grow less, dwindle, fr. min small; akin to G. minderless, Goth. minniza less, mins less, adv., L. minor, adj. (cf.Minor); or more likely fr. F. mincer to mince, prob. from (assumed)LL. minutiare. Minish.]
1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat. Bacon.
2. To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half and keep back half of. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say — "I love you." Shak. Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with a phrase. Dryden. If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. Dryden.
3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] Shak.
MINCEMince, v. i.
1. To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner. The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes,… mincing as they go. Is. iii. 16. I 'll… turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride. Shak.
2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.
MINCEMince, n.
Defn: A short, precise step; an affected manner.
MINCE-MEATMince"-meat`, n.
Defn: Minced meat; meat chopped very fine; a mixture of boiled meat, suet, apples, etc., chopped very fine, to which spices and raisins are added; — used in making mince pie.
MINCE PIEMince" pie`.
Defn: A pie made of mince-meat.
MINCERMin"cer, n.
Defn: One who minces.
MINCINGMin"cing, a.
Defn: That minces; characterized by primness or affected nicety.
MINCINGLYMin"cing*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mincing manner; not fully; with affected nicety.
MIND Mind, n. Etym: [AS. mynd, gemynd; akin to OHG. minna memory, love, G. minne love, Dan. minde mind, memory, remembrance, consent, vote, Sw. minne memory, Icel. minni, Goth. gamunds, L. mens, mentis, mind, Gr. manas mind, man to think. Comment, Man, Mean, v., 3d Mental, Mignonette, Minion, Mnemonic, Money.]
1. 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. By the mind of man we understand that in him which thinks, remembers, reasons, wills. Reid. What we mean by mind is simply that which perceives, thinks, feels, wills, and desires. Sir W. Hamilton. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Rom. xiv. 5. The mind shall banquet, though the body pine. Shak.
2. 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. A fool uttereth all his mind. Prov. xxix. 11. Being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Shak.
(b) Choice; inclination; liking; intent; will. If it be your minds, then let none go forth. 2 Kings ix. 15.
(c) Courage; spirit. Chapman.
3. Memory; remembrance; recollection; as, to have or keep in mind, to call to mind, to put in mind, etc. To have a mind or great mind, to be inclined or strongly inclined in purpose; — used with an infinitive. "Sir Roger de Coverly… told me that he had a great mind to see the new tragedy with me." Addison. — To lose one's mind, to become insane, or imbecile. — To make up one's mind, to come to an opinion or decision; to determine. — To put in mind, to remind. "Regard us simply as putting you in mind of what you already know to be good policy." Jowett (Thucyd. ).
MINDMind, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minded; p. pr. & vb. n. Minding.] Etym:[AS. myndian, gemyndian to remember. See Mind, n.]
1. To fix the mind or thoughts on; to regard with attention; to treat as of consequence; to consider; to heed; to mark; to note. "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." Rom. xii. 16. My lord, you nod: you do not mind the play. Shak.
2. To occupy one's self with; to employ one's self about; to attend to; as, to mind one's business. Bidding him be a good child, and mind his book. Addison.
3. To obey; as, to mind parents; the dog minds his master.
4. To have in mind; to purpose. Beaconsfield. I mind to tell him plainly what I think. Shak.
5. To put in mind; to remind. [Archaic] M. Arnold.He minded them of the mutability of all earthly things. Fuller.I do thee wrong to mind thee of it. Shak.Never mind, do not regard it; it is of no consequence; no matter.
Syn.— To notice; mark; regard; obey. See Attend.
MINDMind, v. i.
Defn: To give attention or heed; to obey; as, the dog minds well.
MINDEDMind"ed, a.
Defn: Disposed; inclined; having a mind.Joseph… was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19.If men were minded to live virtuously. Tillotson.
Note: Minded is much used in composition; as, high-minded, feeble- minded, sober-minded, double-minded.
MINDERMind"er, n.
1. One who minds, tends, or watches something, as a child, a machine, or cattle; as, a minder of a loom.
2. One to be attended; specif., a pauper child intrusted to the care of a private person. [Eng.] Dickens.
MINDFULMind"ful, a.
Defn: Bearing in mind; regardful; attentive; heedful; observant.What is man, that thou art mindful of him Ps. viii. 4.I promise you to be mindful of your admonitions. Hammond.— Mind"ful*ly, adv.— Mind"ful*ness, n.
MINDINGMind"ing, n.
Defn: Regard; mindfulness.
MINDLESSMind"less, a.
1. Not indued with mind or intellectual powers; stupid; unthinking.
2. Unmindful; inattentive; heedless; careless. Cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth. Shak.
MINEMine, n. Etym: [F.]
Defn: See Mien. [Obs.]
MINEMine, pron. & a. Etym: [OE. min, fr. AS. min; akin to D. mijn, OS.,OFries., & OHG. min, G. mein, Sw. & Dan. min, Icel. minn, Goth. meinsmy, mine, meina of me, and E. me. Me, and cf. My.]
Defn: 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. I kept myself from mine iniquity. Ps. xviii. 23.
Note: Mine is often used absolutely, the thing possessed being understood; as, his son is in the army, mine in the navy. When a man deceives me once, says the Italian proverb, it is his fault; when twice, it is mine. Bp. Horne. This title honors me and mine. Shak. She shall have me and mine. Shak.
MINE Mine, v. i. Etym: [F. miner, L. minare to drive animals, in LL. also, to lead, conduct, dig a mine (cf. E. lode, and lead to conduct), akin to L. minari to threaten; cf. Sp. mina mine, conduit, subterraneous canal, a spring or source of water, It. mina. See Menace, and cf. Mien.]
1. 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.
2. To form subterraneous tunnel or hole; to form a burrow or lodge in the earth; as, the mining cony.
MINEMine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mined; p. pr. & vb. n. Mining.]
1. 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. They mined the walls. Hayward. Too lazy to cut down these immense trees, the spoilers… had mined them, and placed a quantity of gunpowder in the cavity. Sir W. Scott.
2. To dig into, for ore or metal. Lead veins have been traced… but they have not been mined. Ure.
3. To get, as metals, out of the earth by digging. The principal ore mined there is the bituminous cinnabar. Ure.
MINEMine, n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. mina. See Mine, v. i.]
1. A subterranean cavity or passage; especially: (a) 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. (b) (Mil.) A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the superstructure with some explosive agent.
2. Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine.gold mine
3. Fig.: A rich source of wealth or other good. Shak. Mine dial, a form of magnetic compass used by miners. — Mine pig, pig iron made wholly from ore; in distinction from cinder pig, which is made from ore mixed with forge or mill cinder. Raymond.
MINERMin"er, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mineur.]
1. One who mines; a digger for metals, etc.; one engaged in the business of getting ore, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; one who digs military mines; as, armies have sappers and miners.
2. (Zoöl.) (a) Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies. (b) The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula). Miner's elbow (Med.), a swelling on the black of the elbow due to inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon; — so called because of frequent occurrence in miners. — Miner's inch, in hydraulic mining, the amount of water flowing under a given pressure in a given time through a hole one inch in diameter. It is a unit for measuring the quantity of water supplied.
MINERALMin"er*al, n. Etym: [F. minéral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. SeeMine, v. i.]
1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals.
2. A mine. [Obs.] Shak.
3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).
MINERALMin"er*al, a.
1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.
2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. Mineral acids(Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric,hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids.— Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when reduced toan impalpable powder for coloring purposes.— Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine.— Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety ofbitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. SeeCaoutchouc, and Elaterite.— Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon.— Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal.— Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below).— Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite.— Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three granddivisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, asdistinguished from plants or animals.— Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum.— Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineralsubstance, as red or yellow iron ocher.— Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt.— Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land.— Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid.— Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fattyor spermaceti-like appearance.— Mineral water. See under Water.— Mineral wax. See Ozocerite.— Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing apowerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poorconductor of heat.
MINERALISTMin"er*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliste.]
Defn: One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [R.]
MINERALIZATIONMin`er*al*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralisation.]
1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant.
2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water.
3. (Bot.)
Defn: The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature.
MINERALIZEMin"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mineralized; p. pr. & vb. n.Mineralizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliser.]
1. To transform into a mineral. In these caverns the bones are not mineralized. Buckland.
2. To impregnate with a mineral; as, mineralized water.
MINERALIZEMin"er*al*ize, v. i.
Defn: To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize.
MINERALIZERMin"er*al*i`zer, n.
Defn: An element which is combined with a metal, thus forming an ore. Thus, in galena, or lead ore, sulphur is a mineralizer; in hematite, oxygen is a mineralizer.
MINERALOGICALMin`er*al*og"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogique. See Mineralogy.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to mineralogy; as, a mineralogical table.
MINERALOGICALLYMin`er*al*og"ic*al*ly, adv.
Defn: According to the principles of, or with reference to, mineralogy.
MINERALOGISTMin`er*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogiste.]
1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A carrier shell (Phorus).
MINERALOGIZEMin`er*al"o*gize, v. i.
Defn: To study mineralogy by collecting and examining minerals. MissEdgeworth.
MINERALOGY Min`er*al"o*gy, n.; pl. Mineralogies. Etym: [Mineral + -logy: cf. F. minéralogie.]
1. The science which treats of minerals, and teaches how to describe, distinguish, and classify them.
2. A treatise or book on this science.
MINERVAMi*ner"va, n. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Myth.)
Defn: The goddess of wisdom, of war, of the arts and sciences, of poetry, and of spinning and weaving; — identified with the Grecian Pallas Athene.
MINETTEMi*nette", n.
Defn: The smallest of regular sizes of portrait photographs.
MINEVERMin"e*ver, n.
Defn: Same as Miniver.
MINGEMinge, v. t. Etym: [AS. myngian; akin to E. mind.]
Defn: To mingle; to mix. [Obs.]
MINGEMinge, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. midge.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small biting fly; a midge. [Local, U. S.]
MINGLEMin"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mingled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mingling.]Etym: [From OE. mengen, AS. mengan; akin to D. & G. mengen, Icel.menga, also to E. among, and possibly to mix. Cf. Among, Mongrel.]
1. To mix; intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product; to confuse; to confound. There was… fire mingled with the hail. Ex. ix. 24.
2. To associate or unite in society or by ties of relationship; to cause or allow to intermarry; to intermarry. The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. Ezra ix. 2.
3. To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate. A mingled, imperfect virtue. Rogers.
4. To put together; to join. [Obs.] Shak.
5. To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of. [He] proceeded to mingle another draught. Hawthorne.
MINGLEMin"gle, v. i.
Defn: To become mixed or blended.
MINGLEMin"gle, n.
Defn: A mixture. [Obs.] Dryden.
MINGLEABLEMin"gle*a*ble, a.
Defn: That can be mingled. Boyle.
MINGLEDLYMin"gled*ly, adv.
Defn: Confusedly.
MINGLE-MANGLEMin"gle-man`gle, v. t. Etym: [Reduplicated fr. mingle.]
Defn: To mix in a disorderly way; to make a mess of. [Obs.] Udall.
MINGLE-MANGLEMin"gle-man`gle, n.
Defn: A hotchpotch. [Obs.] Latimer.
MINGLEMENTMin"gle*ment, n.
Defn: The act of mingling, or the state of being mixed.
MINGLERMin"gler, n.
Defn: One who mingles.
MINGLINGLYMin"gling*ly, adv.
Defn: In a mingling manner.
MINIACEOUS; MINACEOUSMin`i*a"ceous, a.
Defn: Of the color of minium or red lead; miniate.
MINIARDMin"iard, a.
Defn: Migniard. [Obs.]
MINIARDIZEMin"iard*ize, v. t.
Defn: To render delicate or dainty. [Obs.] Howell.
MINIATEMin"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Miniated; p. pr. & vb. n. Miniating.]Etym: [L. miniatus, p. p. of miniare. See Minium.]
Defn: To paint or tinge with red lead or vermilion; also, to decorate with letters, or the like, painted red, as the page of a manuscript. T. Wharton.
MINIATEMin"i*ate, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to the color of red lead or vermilion; painted with vermilion.
MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, n. Etym: [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.]
1. Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.
2. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
3. Lettering in red; rubric distinction. [Obs.]
4. A particular feature or trait. [Obs.] Massinger.
MINIATUREMin"i*a*ture, a.
Defn: Being on a small; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.
MINIATUREMin"i*a*ture, v. t.
Defn: To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.
MINIATURISTMin"i*a*tur`ist, n.
Defn: A painter of miniatures.
MINIBUSMin"i*bus, n. Etym: [L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus.]
Defn: A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying four persons.
MINIE BALLMin"ie ball`. Etym: [From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.]
Defn: A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.
MINIE RIFLEMin"ie ri"fle.
Defn: A rifle adapted to minie balls.
MINIFYMin"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minified; p. pr. & vb. n. Minifying.]Etym: [L. minor less + -fly.]
1. To make small, or smaller; to diminish the apparent dimensions of; to lessen.
2. To degrade by speech or action.
MINIKIN Min"i*kin, n. Etym: [OD. minneken a darling, dim. of minne love; akin to G. minne, and to E. mind.]
1. A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.
2. A little pin. [Obs.]
MINIKINMin"i*kin, a.
Defn: Small; diminutive. Shak.
MINIMMin"im, n. Etym: [F. minime, L. minimus the least, smallest, asuperl. of minor: cf. It. minima a note in music. See Minor, and cf.Minimum.]
1. Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; — applied to animalcula; and the like.
2. The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.]
4. A little man or being; a dwarf. [Obs.] Milton.
5. (Eccl. Hist.)
Defn: One of an austere order of mendicant hermits of friars founded in the 15th century by St. Francis of Paola.
6. (Mus.)
Defn: A time note, formerly the shortest in use; a half note, equal to half a semibreve, or two quarter notes or crotchets.
7. A short poetical encomium. [Obs.] Spenser.
MINIMMin"im, a.
Defn: Minute. "Minim forms." J. R. Drake.
MINIMALMin"i*mal, a.
Defn: Of, pertaining to, or having a character of, a minim or minimum; least; smallest; as, a minimal amount or value.
MINIMENTMin"i*ment, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. of moniment.]
Defn: A trifle; a trinket; a token. [Obs.] Spenser.
MINIMIZATIONMin`i*mi*za"tion, n.
Defn: The act or process of minimizing. Bentham.
MINIMIZEMin"i*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minimized; p. pr. & vb. n.Minimizimg.]
Defn: To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum. Bentham.
MINIMUMMin"i*mum, n.; pl. Minima. Etym: [L., fr. minimus. See Minim.]
Defn: The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; — opposed to Ant: maximum.
MINIMUM THERMOMETERMinimum thermometer
Defn: , a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment.
MINIMUSMin"i*mus, n.; pl. Minimi. Etym: [L. See Minim.]
1. A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.
2. (Anat.)
Defn: The little finger; the fifth digit, or that corresponding to it, in either the manus or pes.
MININGMin"ing, n. Etym: [See Mine, v. i.]
Defn: The act or business of making mines or of working them.
MININGMin"ing, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to mines; as, mining engineer; mining machinery; a mining region. Mining engineering. See the Note under Engineering.
MINIONMin"ion, n.
Defn: Minimum. [Obs.] Burton.
MINIONMin"ion, n. Etym: [F. mignon, fr. OHG. minni love, G. minne; akin toE. mind. See Mind, and cf. Mignonette.]
1. A loved one; one highly esteemed and favored; — in a good sense.[Obs.]God's disciple and his dearest minion. Sylvester.Is this the Athenian minion whom the world Voiced so regardfullyShak.
2. An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.
3. (Print.)
Defn: A small kind of type, in size between brevier and nonpareil.This line is printed in minion type.
4. An ancient form of ordnance, the caliber of which was about three inches. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
MINIONMin"ion, a. Etym: [See 2d Minion.]
Defn: Fine; trim; dainty. [Obs.] "Their… minion dancing." Fryth.
MINIONETTEMin`ion*ette", a.
Defn: Small; delicate. [Obs.] "His minionette face." Walpole.
MINIONETTEMin"ion*ette, n. (Print.)
Defn: A size of type between nonpareil and minion; — used in ornamental borders, etc.
MINIONINGMin"ion*ing, n.
Defn: Kind treatment. [Obs.]
MINIONIZEMin"ion*ize, v. t.
Defn: To flavor. [Obs.]
MINIONLIKE; MINIONLYMin"ion*like`, Min"ion*ly, a. & adv.
Defn: Like a minion; daintily. Camden.
MINIONSHIPMin"ion*ship, n.
Defn: State of being a minion. [R.]
MINIOUSMin"ious, a. Etym: [L. minium red lead.]
Defn: Of the color of red or vermilion. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
MINISH Min"ish, v. t. Etym: [OE. menusen, F. menuiser to make small, cut small, fr. (assumed) LL. minutiare, for minutare, fr. L. minutus small. See Minute, a., and cf. Diminish, Minge.]
Defn: To diminish; to lessen.The living of poor men thereby minished. Latimer.
MINISHMENTMin"ish*ment, n.
Defn: The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [Obs.]
MINISTER Min"is*ter, n. Etym: [OE. ministre, F. ministre, fr. L. minister, orig. a double comparative from the root of minor less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st Minor, and cf. Master, Minstrel.]
1. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument. Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. I chose Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes. Shak.
2. An officer of justice. [Obs.] I cry out the on the ministres, quod he, That shoulde keep and rule this cité. Chaucer.
3. One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs. Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon.
4. A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business.
Note: Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. "The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, — ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident." Abbott.
5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Addison.
Syn.— Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest.
MINISTERMin"is*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ministered; p. pr. & vb. n.Ministering.] Etym: [OE. ministren, OF. ministrer, fr. L. ministrare.See Minister, n.]
Defn: To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer.He that ministereth seed to the sower. 2 Cor. ix. 10.We minister to God reason to suspect us. Jer. Taylor.
MINISTERMin"is*ter, v. i.
1. To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Matt. xx. 28.
2. To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies. Matt. xxv. 44. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased Shak.
MINISTERIALMin`is*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. ministerialis: cf. F. ministériel. SeeMinister, and cf. Minstrel.]
1. Of or pertaining to ministry or service; serving; attendant. Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames. Prior.
2. Of or pertaining to the office of a minister or to the ministry as a body, whether civil or sacerdotal. "Ministerial offices." Bacon. "A ministerial measure." Junius. "Ministerial garments." Hooker.
3. Tending to advance or promote; contributive. "Ministerial to intellectual culture." De Quincey. The ministerial benches, the benches in the House of Commons occupied by members of the cabinet and their supporters; — also, the persons occupying them. "Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches." Burke.
Syn.— Official; priestly; sacerdotal; ecclesiastical.
MINISTERIALISTMin`is*te"ri*al*ist, n.
Defn: A supporter of the ministers, or the party in power.
MINISTERIALLYMin`is*te"ri*al*ly, adv.
Defn: In a ministerial manner; in the character or capacity of a minister.
MINISTERYMin"is*ter*y, n.
Defn: See Ministry. Milton.
MINISTRACYMin"is*tra*cy, n.
Defn: Ministration. [Obs.]
MINISTRALMin"is*tral, a.
Defn: Ministerial. [Obs.] Johnson.
MINISTRANT Min"is*trant, a. Etym: [L. ministrans, -antis, of ministrare to minister.]
Defn: Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command; subordinate. "Princedoms and dominations ministrant." Milton. — n.
Defn: One who ministers.
MINISTRATIONMin`is*tra"tion, n. Etym: [L. ministratio, fr. ministrare.]
Defn: The act of ministering; service; ministry. "The days of his ministration." Luke i. 23.
MINISTRATIVEMin"is*tra*tive, a.
Defn: Serving to aid; ministering.
MINISTRESSMin"is*tress, n. Etym: [Cf. L. ministrix.]
Defn: A woman who ministers. Akenside.
MINISTRY Min"is*try, n.; pl. Ministries. Etym: [L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade.]
1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. "With tender ministry." Thomson.
2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality. The ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. The wicked ministry of arms. Dryden.
3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession.
4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body.
5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt.
MINISTRYSHIPMin"is*try*ship, n.
Defn: The office of a minister. Swift.
MINIUM Min"i*um, n. Etym: [L. minium, an Iberian word, the Romans getting all their cinnabar from Spain; cf. Basque armineá.] (Chem.)
Defn: A heavy, brilliant red pigment, consisting of an oxide of lead, Pb3O4, obtained by exposing lead or massicot to a gentle and continued heat in the air. It is used as a cement, as a paint, and in the manufacture of flint glass. Called also red lead.
MINIVERMin"i*ver, n. Etym: [See Meniver.]
Defn: A fur esteemed in the Middle Ages as a part of costume. It is uncertain whether it was the fur of one animal only or of different animals.
MINIVETMin"i*vet, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A singing bird of India of the family Campephagidæ.
MINKMink, n. Etym: [Cf. 2d Minx.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: 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.
MINNESINGERMin"ne*sing`er, n. Etym: [G., fr. minne love + singen to sing.]
Defn: A love-singer; specifically, one of a class of German poets and musicians who flourished from about the middle of the twelfth to the middle of the fourteenth century. They were chiefly of noble birth, and made love and beauty the subjects of their verses.
MINNOW Min"now, n. Etym: [OE. menow, cf. AS. myne; also OE. menuse, OF. menuise small fish; akin to E. minish, minute.] [Written also minow.]
1. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Phoxinus lævis, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; — called also minim and minny. The name is also applied to several allied American species, of the genera Phoxinus, Notropis, or Minnilus, and Rhinichthys.
2. (Zoöl.)
Defn: Any of numerous small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and related genera. They live both in fresh and in salt water. Called also killifish, minny, and mummichog.mummichog
MINNYMin"ny, n. (Zoöl.)
Defn: A minnow.
MINO BIRDMi"no bird". Etym: [Hind. maina.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: An Asiatic bird (Gracula musica), allied to the starlings. It is black, with a white spot on the wings, and a pair of flat yellow wattles on the head. It is often tamed and taught to pronounce words.
MINOR Mi"nor, a. Etym: [L., a comparative with no positive; akin to AS. min small, G. minder less, OHG. minniro, a., min, adv., Icel. minni, a., minnr, adv., Goth. minniza, a., mins, adv., Ir. & Gael. min small, tender, L. minuere to lessen, Gr. mi to damage. Cf. Minish, Minister, Minus, Minute.]
1. Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third. Asia Minor (Geog.), the Lesser Asia; that part of Asia which lies between the Euxine, or Black Sea, on the north, and the Mediterranean on the south. — Minor mode (Mus.), that mode, or scale, in which the third and sixth are minor, — much used for mournful and solemn subjects. — Minor orders (Eccl.), the rank of persons employed in ecclesiastical offices who are not in holy orders, as doorkeepers, acolytes, etc. — Minor scale (Mus.) The form of the minor scale is various. The strictly correct form has the third and sixth minor, with a semitone between the seventh and eighth, which involves an augmented second interval, or three semitones, between the sixth and seventh, as, 6/F, 7/G#, 8/A. But, for melodic purposes, both the sixth and the seventh are sometimes made major in the ascending, and minor in the descending, scale, thus: —See Major. — Minor term of syllogism (Logic), the subject of the conclusion.
MINORMi"nor, n.
1. A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age.
Note: In hereditary monarchies, the minority of a sovereign ends at an earlier age than of a subject. The minority of a sovereign of Great Britain ends upon the completion of the eighteenth year of his age.
2. (Logic)
Defn: The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.
3. A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.
MINORATMi`no*rat", n. [G. Cf. Minor, a.] (Law)
Defn: A custom or right, analogous to borough-English in England, formerly existing in various parts of Europe, and surviving in parts of Germany and Austria, by which certain entailed estates, as a homestead and adjacent land, descend to the youngest male heir.
MINORATE Mi"nor*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. minoratus; p. p. of minorare to diminish, fr. minor, a. See 1st Minor.]
Defn: To diminish. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
MINORATIONMi`nor*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. minoratio: cf. F. minoration.]
Defn: A diminution. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
MINORESSMi"nor*ess, n.
Defn: See Franciscan Nuns, under Franciscan, a.
MINORITEMi"nor*ite, n. Etym: [L. minor less. Cf. 2d Minor, 3.]
Defn: A Franciscan friar.
MINORITY Mi*nor"i*ty, n.; pl. Minorities. Etym: [Cf. F. minorité. See Minor, a. & n.]
1. The state of being a minor, or under age.
2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
3. The smaller number; — opposed to Ant: majority; as, the minority must be ruled by the majority.
MINOSMi"nos, n. Etym: [Gr. (Class. Myth.)
Defn: A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa. After death he was made a judge in the Lower Regions.
MINOTAURMin"o*taur, n. Etym: [L. Minotaurus, Gr. Mi`nos, the husband ofPasiphaë + tay^ros a bull, the Minotaur being the offspring ofPasiphaë and a bull: cf. F. minotaure.] (Class. Myth.)
Defn: A fabled monster, half man and half bull, confined in the labyrinth constructed by Dædalus in Crete.
MINOWMin"ow, n.
Defn: See Minnow.
MINSTERMin"ster, n. Etym: [AS. mynster, fr. L. monasterium. See Monastery.](Arch.)
Defn: A church of a monastery. The name is often retained and applied to the church after the monastery has ceased to exist (as Beverly Minster, Southwell Minster, etc.), and is also improperly used for any large church. Minster house, the official house in which the canons of a cathedral live in common or in rotation. Shipley.
MINSTREL Min"strel, n. Etym: [OE. minstrel, menestral, OF. menestrel, fr. LL. ministerialis servant, workman (cf. ministrellus harpist), fr. L. ministerium service. See Ministry, and cf. Ministerial.]
Defn: In the Middle Ages, one of an order of men who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music, and sang verses to the accompaniment of a harp or other instrument; in modern times, a poet; a bard; a singer and harper; a musician. Chaucer.
MINSTRELSYMin"strel*sy, n.
1. The arts and occupation of minstrels; the singing and playing of a minstrel.
2. Musical instruments. [Obs.] Chaucer.
3. A collective body of minstrels, or musicians; also, a collective body of minstrels' songs. Chaucer. "The minstrelsy of heaven." Milton.
MINTMint, n. Etym: [AS. minte, fr. L. mentha, Gr. (Bot.)
Defn: The name of several aromatic labiate plants, mostly of the genus Mentha, yielding odoriferous essential oils by distillation. See Mentha.
Note: Corn mint is Mentha arvensis.— Horsemint is M. sylvestris, and in the United States Monardapunctata, which differs from the true mints in several respects.— Mountain mint is any species of the related genus Pycnanthemum,common in North America.— Peppermint is M. piperita.— Spearmint is M. viridis.— Water mint is M. aquatica. Mint camphor. (Chem.) See Menthol.— Mint julep. See Julep.— Mint sauce, a sauce flavored with spearmint, for meats.
MINT Mint, n. Etym: [AS. mynet money, coin, fr. L. moneta the mint, coined money, fr. Moneta, a surname of Juno, in whose at Rome money was coined; akin to monere to warn, admonish, AS. manian, and to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Money, Monition.]
1. A place where money is coined by public authority.
2. Hence: Any place regarded as a source of unlimited supply; the supply itself. A mint of phrases in his brain. Shak.
MINTMint, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minted; p. pr. & vb. n. Minting.] Etym:[AS. mynetian.]
1. To make by stamping, as money; to coin; to make and stamp into money.
2. To invent; to forge; to fabricate; to fashion. Titles… of such natures as may be easily minted. Bacon. Minting mill, a coining press.
MINTAGEMint"age, n.
1. The coin, or other production, made in a mint. Stamped in clay, a heavenly mintage. Sterling.
2. The duty paid to the mint for coining.
MINTERMint"er, n.
Defn: One who mints.
MINTMANMint"man, n.; pl. Mintmen (.
Defn: One skilled in coining, or in coins; a coiner.
MINT-MASTERMint"-mas`ter, n.
Defn: The master or superintendent of a mint. Also used figuratively.
MINT SAUCEMint sauce.
1. A sauce of vinegar and sugar flavored with spearmint leaves.
2. Money. [Slang, Eng.]
MINUEND Min"u*end, n. Etym: [L. minuendus to be diminished, fr. minuere to lessen, diminish. See Minish.] (Arith.)
Defn: The number from which another number is to be subtracted.
MINUET Min"u*et, n. Etym: [F., fr. menu small, L. minutus small. So called on account of the short steps of the dance. See 4th Minute.]
1. A slow graceful dance consisting of a coupee, a high step, and a balance.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A tune or air to regulate the movements of the dance so called; a movement in suites, sonatas, symphonies, etc., having the dance form, and commonly in 3-4, sometimes 3-8, measure.
MINUMMin"um, n. Etym: [See 2d Minion, Minum, 6.] [Obs.]
1. A small kind of printing type; minion.
2. (Mus.)
Defn: A minim.
MINUSMi"nus, a. Etym: [L. See Minor, and cf. Mis- pref. from the French.](Math.)
Defn: Less; requiring to be subtracted; negative; as, a minus quantity. Minus sign (Math.), the sign [-] denoting minus, or less, prefixed to negative quantities, or quantities to be subtracted. See Negative sign, under Negative.
MINUSCULE Mi*nus"cule, n. Etym: [L. minusculus rather small, fr. minus less: cf. F. minuscule.]
1. Any very small, minute object.
2. A small Roman letter which is neither capital nor uncial; a manuscript written in such letters. — a.
Defn: Of the size and style of minuscules; written in minuscules.These minuscule letters are cursive forms of the earlier uncials. I.Taylor (The Alphabet).
MINUTARYMin"u*ta*ry, a.
Defn: Pertaining to, or consisting of, minutes. [Obs.] Fuller.
MINUTE Min"ute, n. Etym: [LL. minuta a small portion, small coin, fr. L. minutus small: cf. F. minute. See 4th Minute.]
1. The sixtieth part of an hour; sixty seconds. (Abbrev. m.; as, 4 h. 30 m.) Four minutes, that is to say, minutes of an hour. Chaucer.
2. The sixtieth part of a degree; sixty seconds (Marked thus (`); as, 10º 20`.)
3. A nautical or a geographic mile.
4. A coin; a half farthing. [Obs.] Wyclif (Mark xii. 42)
5. A very small part of anything, or anything very small; a jot; a tittle. [Obs.] Minutes and circumstances of his passion. Jer. Taylor.
6. A point of time; a moment. I go this minute to attend the king. Dryden.
7. The memorandum; a record; a note to preserve the memory of anything; as, to take minutes of a contract; to take minutes of a conversation or debate.
8. (Arch.)
Defn: A fixed part of a module. See Module.
Note: Different writers take as the minute one twelfth, one eighteenth, one thirtieth, or one sixtieth part of the module.
MINUTEMin"ute, a.
Defn: Of or pertaining to a minute or minutes; occurring at or marking successive minutes. Minute bell, a bell tolled at intervals of a minute, as to give notice of a death or a funeral. — Minute book, a book in which written minutes are entered. — Minute glass, a glass measuring a minute or minutes by the running of sand. — Minute gun, a discharge of a cannon repeated every minute as a sign of distress or mourning. — Minute hand, the long hand of a watch or clock, which makes the circuit of the dial in an hour, and marks the minutes.
MINUTEMin"ute, v. t. Etym: [imp. & p. p. Minuted; p. pr. & vb. n.Minuting.]
Defn: To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a minute or a brief summary of. The Empress of Russia, with her own hand, minuted an edict for universal tolerance. Bancroft.
MINUTEMi*nute", a. Etym: [L. minutus, p. p. of minuere to lessen. SeeMinish, Minor, and cf. Menu, Minuet.]
1. Very small; little; tiny; fine; slight; slender; inconsiderable. "Minute drops." Milton.
2. Attentive to small things; paying attention to details; critical; particular; precise; as, a minute observer; minute observation.
Syn. — Little; diminutive; fine; critical; exact; circumstantial; particular; detailed. — Minute, Circumstantial, Particular. A circumstantial account embraces all the leading events; a particular account includes each event and movement, though of but little importance; a minute account goes further still, and omits nothing as to person, time, place, adjuncts, etc.
MINUTE-JACKMi*nute"-jack`, n.
1. A figure which strikes the hour on the bell of some fanciful clocks; — called also jack of the clock house.
2. A timeserver; an inconstant person. Shak.
MINUTELYMi*nute"ly, adv. Etym: [From 4th Minute.]
Defn: In a minute manner; with minuteness; exactly; nicely.
MINUTELYMin"ute*ly, a. Etym: [From 1st Minute.]
Defn: Happening every minute; continuing; unceasing. [Obs.]Throwing themselves absolutely upon God's minutely providence.Hammond.
MINUTELYMin"ute*ly, adv.
Defn: At intervals of a minute; very often and regularly. J. Philips.Minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven. Hammond.
MINUTEMANMin"ute*man, n.; pl. Minutemen (.
Defn: A militiaman who was to be ready to march at a moment's notice; — a term used in the American Revolution.
MINUTENESSMi*nute"ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being minute.
MINUTIA Mi*nu"ti*a, n.; pl. Minutiæ (-e). Etym: [L., fr. minutus small, minute. See 4th Minute.]
Defn: A minute particular; a small or minor detail; — used chiefly in the plural.
MINX Minx, n. Etym: [Prob. of Low German origin; cf. LG. minsk wench, jade, hussy, D. mensch; prop. the same word as D. & G. mensch man, human being, OHG. mennisco, AS. mennisc, fr. man. See Man.]
1. A pert or a wanton girl. Shak.
2. A she puppy; a pet dog. [Obs.] Udall.
MINXMinx, n. Etym: [See Mink.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: The mink; — called also minx otter. [Obs.]
MINYMin"y, a.
Defn: Abounding with mines; like a mine. "Miny caverns." Thomson.
MINYANMin*yan", n. (Jewish Relig.)
Defn: A quorum, or number necessary, for conducting public worship.
MIOCENEMi"o*cene, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)
Defn: Of or pertaining to the middle division of the Tertiary.— n.
Defn: The Miocene period. See Chart of Geology.
MIOHIPPUSMi`o*hip"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)
Defn: An extinct Miocene mammal of the Horse family, closely related to the genus Anhithecrium, and having three usable hoofs on each foot.
MIQUELETMiq"ue*let, n. Etym: [Sp. miquelete.] (Mil.)
Defn: An irregular or partisan soldier; a bandit.
MIRMir, n.
Defn: A Russian village community. D. M. Wallace.
MIRMir, n. Etym: [Per. mir.]
Defn: Same as Emir.
MIRAMi"ra, n. Etym: [NL., from L. mirus wonderful.] (Astron.)
Defn: A remarkable variable star in the constellation Cetus (o Ceti).
MIRABILARYMi*rab"i*la*ry, n.; pl. Mirabilaries (.
Defn: One who, or a work which, narrates wonderful things; one who writes of wonders. [Obs.] Bacon.
MIRABILISMi*rab"i*lis, n. Etym: [L., wonderful.] (Bot.)
Defn: A genus of plants. See Four-o'clock.
MIRABILITEMi*rab"i*lite, n. (Min.)
Defn: Native sodium sulphate; Glauber's salt.
MIRABLE Mi"ra*ble, a. Etym: [L. mirabilis, fr. mirari to wonder: cf. OF. mirable. See Marvel.]
Defn: Wonderful; admirable. [Obs.] Shak.
MIRACLEMir"a*cle, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. miraculum, fr. mirari to wonder. SeeMarvel, and cf. Mirror.]
1. A wonder or wonderful thing. That miracle and queen of genus. Shak.
2. Specifically: An event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event, or one transcending the ordinary laws by which the universe is governed. They considered not the miracle of the loaves. Mark vi. 52.
3. A miracle play.
4. A story or legend abounding in miracles. [Obs.] When said was all this miracle. Chaucer. Miracle monger, an impostor who pretends to work miracles. — Miracle play, one of the old dramatic entertainments founded on legends of saints and martyrs or (see 2d Mystery, 2) on events related in the Bible.
MIRACLEMir"a*cle, v. t.
Defn: To make wonderful. [Obs.] Shak.
MIRACULIZEMi*rac"u*lize, v. t.
Defn: To cause to seem to be a miracle. [R.] Shaftesbury.
MIRACULOUSMi*rac"u*lous, a. Etym: [F. miraculeux. See Miracle.]
1. Of the nature of a miracle; performed by supernatural power; effected by the direct agency of almighty power, and not by natural causes.
2. Supernatural; wonderful.
3. Wonder-working. "The miraculous harp." Shak.— Mi*rac"u*lous*ly, adv.— Mi*rac"u*lous*ness, n.
MIRADORMir`a*dor", n. Etym: [Sp., fr. mirar to behold, view. See Mirror.](Arch.)
Defn: Same as Belvedere.
MIRAGEMi`rage", n. Etym: [F., fr. mirer to look at carefully, to aim, semirer to look at one's self in a glass, to reflect, to be reflected,LL. mirare to look at. See Mirror.]
Defn: An optical effect, sometimes seen on the ocean, but more frequently in deserts, due to total reflection of light at the surface common to two strata of air differently heated. The reflected image is seen, commonly in an inverted position, while the real object may or may not be in sight. When the surface is horizontal, and below the eye, the appearance is that of a sheet of water in which the object is seen reflected; when the reflecting surface is above the eye, the image is seen projected against the sky. The fata Morgana and looming are species of mirage. By the mirage uplifted the land floats vague in the ether, Ships and the shadows of ships hang in the motionless air. Longfellow.
MIRBANEMir"bane, n.
Defn: See Nitrobenzene.
MIREMire, n. Etym: [AS. mire, m; akin to D. mier, Icel. maurr, Dan. myre,Sw. myra; cf. also Ir. moirbh, Gr.
Defn: An ant. [Obs.] See Pismire.
MIRE Mire, n. Etym: [OE. mire, myre; akin to Icel. m swamp, Sw. myra marshy ground, and perh. to E. moss.]
Defn: Deep mud; wet, spongy earth. Chaucer.He his rider from the lofty steed Would have cast down and trod indirty mire. Spenser.Mire crow (Zoöl.), the pewit, or laughing gull. [Prov. Eng.] — Miredrum, the European bittern. [Prov. Eng.]
MIREMire, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mired; p. pr. & vb. n. Miring.]
1. To cause or permit to stick fast in mire; to plunge or fix in mud; as, to mire a horse or wagon.
2. To soil with mud or foul matter. Smirched thus and mired with infamy. Shak.
MIREMire, v. i.
Defn: To stick in mire. Shak.
MIRIFIC; MIRIFICAL Mi*rif"ic, Mi*rif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mirificus; mirus wonderful + - ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]
Defn: Working wonders; wonderful.
MIRIFICENTMi*rif"i*cent, a.
Defn: Wonderful. [Obs.]
MIRINESSMir"i*ness, n.
Defn: The quality of being miry.
MIRKMirk, a. Etym: [See Murky.]
Defn: Dark; gloomy; murky. Spenser. Mrs. Browning.
MIRKMirk, n.
Defn: Darkness; gloom; murk. "In mirk and mire." Longfellow.
MIRKSOMEMirk"some, a.
Defn: Dark; gloomy; murky. [Archaic] Spenser.— Mirk"some*ness, n. [Archaic]
MIRKYMirk"y, a.
Defn: Dark; gloomy. See Murky.
MIRLITONMir"li*ton, n. [F.]
Defn: A kind of musical toy into which one sings, hums, or speaks, producing a coarse, reedy sound.
Trilby singing "Ben Bolt" into a mirliton was a thing to be remembered, whether one would or no! Du Maurier.
MIRRORMir"ror, n. Etym: [OE. mirour, F. miroir, OF. also mireor, fr.(assumed) LL. miratorium, fr. mirare to look at, L. mirari to wonder.See Marvel, and cf. Miracle, Mirador.]
1. A looking-glass or a speculum; any glass or polished substance that forms images by the reflection of rays of light. And in her hand she held a mirror bright, Wherein her face she often viewèd fair. Spenser.
2. That which gives a true representation, or in which a true image may be seen; hence, a pattern; an exemplar. She is mirour of all courtesy. Chaucer. O goddess, heavenly bright, Mirror of grace and majesty divine. Spenser.
3. (Zoöl.)
Defn: See Speculum. Mirror carp (Zoöl.), a domesticated variety of the carp, having only three or fur rows of very large scales side. — Mirror plate. (a) A flat glass mirror without a frame. (b) Flat glass used for making mirrors. — Mirror writing, a manner or form of backward writing, making manuscript resembling in slant and order of letters the reflection of ordinary writing in a mirror. The substitution of this manner of writing for the common manner is a symptom of some kinds of nervous disease.
MIRRORMir"ror, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mirrored; p. pr. & vb. n. Mirroring.]
Defn: To reflect, as in a mirror.