M M (ĕm). 1. M, the thirteenth letter of the English alphabet, is a vocal consonant, and from the manner of its formation, is called the labio-nasal consonant. See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 178-180, 242.

The letter M came into English from the Greek, through the Latin, the form of the Greek letter being further derived from the Phœnician, and ultimately, it is believed, from the Egyptian. Etymologically M is related to n , in li me , li n den; emm et, a n t; also to b .

M is readily followed by b and p . the position of the lips in the formation of both letters being the same. The relation of b and m is the same as that of d and t to n . and that of g and k to ng .

2. As a numeral, M stands for one thousand, both in English and Latin.

M M noun 1. (Print.) A quadrat, the face or top of which is a perfect square; also, the size of such a square in any given size of type, used as the unit of measurement for that type: 500 m's of pica would be a piece of matter whose length and breadth in pica m's multiplied together produce that number. [ Written also em .]

2. (law) A brand or stigma, having the shape of an M, formerly impressed on one convicted of manslaughter and admitted to the benefit of clergy.

M roof (Architecture) , a kind of roof formed by the junction of two common roofs with a valley between them, so that the section resembles the letter M.

M'-Naught M'-Naught" (m a k*nat") transitive verb (Steam Engines) To increase the power of (a single- cylinder beam engine) by adding a small high-pressure cylinder with a piston acting on the beam between the center and the flywheel end, using high-pressure steam and working as a compound engine, -- a plan introduced by M'Naught, a Scottish engineer, in 1845.

Mœsogothic Mœ`so·goth"ic adjective Belonging to the Mœsogoths, a branch of the Goths who settled in Mœsia.

Mœsogothic Mœ`so·goth"ic noun The language of the Mœsogoths; -- also called Gothic .

Ma Ma (mä) noun [ Confer Mamma .] 1. A child's word for mother .

2. [ Hind.] In Oriental countries, a respectful form of address given to a woman; mother. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

Ma Ma conj. [ Italian ] (Mus.) But; -- used in cautionary phrases; as, "Vivace, ma non troppo presto" (i. e., lively, but not too quick). Moore (Encyc. of Music).

Ma'am Ma'am noun Madam; my lady; -- a colloquial contraction of madam often used in direct address, and sometimes as an appellation.

Maa Maa noun [ See New a gull.] (Zoology) The common European gull ( Larus canus ); -- called also mar . See New , a gull.

Maad Maad obsolete past participle of Make . Made. Chaucer.

Maalin Maa"lin noun (Zoology) (a) The sparrow hawk. (b) The kestrel.

Maara shell Ma"a·ra shell` (Zoology) A large, pearly, spiral, marine shell ( Turbo margaritaceus ), from the Pacific Islands. It is used as an ornament.

Maasha Ma·ash"a noun An East Indian coin, of about one tenth of the weight of a rupee.

Maat Maat adjective [ See Mate , adjective ] Dejected; sorrowful; downcast. [ Obsolete] "So piteous and so maat ." Chaucer.

Mab Mab (măb) noun [ Confer W. mad a male child, a boy.]

1. A slattern. [ Prov. Eng.]

2. The name of a female fairy, esp. the queen of the fairies; and hence, sometimes, any fairy. Shak.

Mabble Mab"ble transitive verb To wrap up. [ Obsolete]

Mabby Mab"by noun A spirituous liquor or drink distilled from potatoes; -- used in the Barbadoes.

Mabolo Ma·bo"lo noun (Botany) A kind of persimmon tree ( Diospyros discolor ) from the Philippine Islands, now introduced into the East and West Indies. It bears an edible fruit as large as a quince.

Mac Mac [ Gael., son.] A prefix, in names of Scotch origin, signifying son .

Macaco Ma·ca"co noun [ Confer Portuguese macaco .] (Zoology) Any one of several species of lemurs, as the ruffed lemur ( Lemur macaco ), and the ring- tailed lemur ( Latin catta ).

Macacus Ma·ca"cus noun [ New Latin , a word of African origin. Confer Macaco , Macaque .] (Zoology) A genus of monkeys, found in Asia and the East Indies. They have short tails and prominent eyebrows.

Macadam road Mac·ad"am road` [ See Macadamize .] A macadamized road.

Macadamization Mac·ad`am·i·za"tion noun The process or act of macadamizing.

Macadamize Mac·ad"am·ize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Macadamized ; present participle & verbal noun Macadamizing .] [ From John Loudon McAdam , who introduced the process into Great Britain in 1816.] To cover, as a road, or street, with small, broken stones, so as to form a smooth, hard, convex surface.

Macao Ma·ca"o noun (Zoology) A macaw.

Macaque Ma`caque" noun [ French See Macacus .] (Zoology) Any one of several species of short-tailed monkeys of the genus Macacus ; as, M. maurus , the moor macaque of the East Indies.

Macaranga gum Mac`a·ran"ga gum` A gum of a crimson color, obtained from a tree ( Macaranga Indica ) that grows in the East Indies. It is used in taking impressions of coins, medallions, etc., and sometimes as a medicine. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

Macarize Mac"a·rize transitive verb [ Greek ... to bless.] To congratulate. [ Oxford Univ. Cant] Whately.

Macaroni Mac`a·ro"ni noun ; plural Macaronis , or Macaronies . [ Prov. Italian macaroni , Italian maccheroni , from Greek ... happiness, later, a funeral feast, from ... blessed, happy. Prob. so called because eaten at such feasts in honor of the dead; confer Greek ... blessed, i. e., dead. Confer Macaroon .] 1. Long slender tubes made of a paste chiefly of wheat flour, and used as an article of food; Italian or Genoese paste.

» A paste similarly prepared is largely used as food in Persia, India, and China, but is not commonly made tubular like the Italian macaroni . Balfour (Cyc. of India).

2. A medley; something droll or extravagant.

3. A sort of droll or fool. [ Obsolete] Addison.

4. A finical person; a fop; -- applied especially to English fops of about 1775. Goldsmith.

5. plural (U. S. Hist.) The designation of a body of Maryland soldiers in the Revolutionary War, distinguished by a rich uniform. W. Irving.

Macaronian, Macaronic Mac`a·ro"ni·an, Mac`a·ron"ic adjective [ Confer Italian maccheronico , French macaronique .] 1. Pertaining to, or like, macaroni (originally a dish of mixed food); hence, mixed; confused; jumbled.

2. Of or pertaining to the burlesque composition called macaronic; as, macaronic poetry.

Macaronic Mac`a·ron"ic noun 1. A heap of thing confusedly mixed together; a jumble.

2. A kind of burlesque composition, in which the vernacular words of one or more modern languages are intermixed with genuine Latin words, and with hybrid formed by adding Latin terminations to other roots.

Macaroon Mac`a·roon" noun [ French macaron , Italian maccherone . See Macaroni .] 1. A small cake, composed chiefly of the white of eggs, almonds, and sugar.

2. A finical fellow, or macaroni. [ Obsolete]

Macartney Ma·cart"ney noun [ From Lord Macartney .] (Zoology) A fire-backed pheasant. See Fireback .

Macassar oil Ma·cas`sar oil" A kind of oil formerly used in dressing the hair; -- so called because originally obtained from Macassar , a district of the Island of Celebes. Also, an imitation of the same, of perfumed castor oil and olive oil.

Macauco Ma·cau"co noun (Zoology) Any one of several species of small lemurs, as Lemur murinus , which resembles a rat in size.

Macavahu Ma`ca·va"hu noun (Zoology) A small Brazilian monkey ( Callithrix torquatus ), -- called also collared teetee .

Macaw Ma·caw" noun [ From the native name in the Antilles.] (Zoology) Any parrot of the genus Sittace , or Macrocercus . About eighteen species are known, all of them American. They are large and have a very long tail, a strong hooked bill, and a naked space around the eyes. The voice is harsh, and the colors are brilliant and strongly contrasted.

Macaw bush (Botany) , a West Indian name for a prickly kind of nightshade ( Solanum mammosum ). -- Macaw palm , Macaw tree (Botany) , a tropical American palm ( Acrocomia fusiformis and other species) having a prickly stem and pinnately divided leaves. Its nut yields a yellow butter, with the perfume of violets, which is used in making violet soap. Called also grugru palm .

Maccabean Mac`ca·be"an adjective Of or pertaining to Judas Maccabeus or to the Maccabees; as, the Maccabean princes; Maccabean times.

Maccabees Mac"ca·bees noun plural 1. The name given in later times to the Asmonæans, a family of Jewish patriots, who headed a religious revolt in the reign of Antiochus IV., 168-161 B. C. , which led to a period of freedom for Israel. Schaff-Herzog.

2. The name of two ancient historical books, which give accounts of Jewish affairs in or about the time of the Maccabean princes, and which are received as canonical books in the Roman Catholic Church, but are included in the Apocrypha by Protestants. Also applied to three books, two of which are found in some MSS. of the Septuagint.

Maccaboy, Maccoboy Mac"ca·boy, Mac"co·boy noun [ From a district in the Island of Martinique where it is made: confer French macouba .] A kind of snuff.

Macco Mac"co noun A gambling game in vogue in the eighteenth century. Thackeray.

Mace Mace noun [ Jav. & Malay. mās , from Sanskrit māsha a bean.] A money of account in China equal to one tenth of a tael; also, a weight of 57.98 grains. S. W. Williams.

Mace Mace noun [ French macis , Latin macis , macir , Greek ...; confer Sanskrit makar anda the nectar or honey of a flower, a fragrant mango.] (Botany) A kind of spice; the aril which partly covers nutmegs. See Nutmeg .

» Red mace is the aril of Myristica tingens , and white mace that of M. Otoba , -- East Indian trees of the same genus with the nutmeg tree.

Mace Mace noun [ Old French mace , French masse , from (assumed) Latin matea , of which the dim. mateola a kind of mallet or beetle, is found.] 1. 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. Chaucer.

Death with his mace petrific . . . smote.

Milton.

2. Hence: A staff borne by, or carried before, a magistrate as an ensign of his authority. "Swayed the royal mace ." Wordsworth.

3. An officer who carries a mace as an emblem of authority. Macaulay.

4. A knobbed mallet used by curriers in dressing leather to make it supple.

5. (Billiards) A rod for playing billiards, having one end suited to resting on the table and pushed with one hand.

Mace bearer , an officer who carries a mace before persons in authority.

Macédoine Ma`cé`doine" noun [ French, apparently the same word as Macédoine Macedonia.] A kind of mixed dish, as of cooked vegetables with white sauce, sweet jelly with whole fruit, etc. Also, fig., a medley.

Macedonian Mac`e·do"ni·an adjective [ Latin Macedonius , Greek ....] (Geology) Belonging, or relating, to Macedonia. -- noun A native or inhabitant of Macedonia.

Macedonian Mac`e·do"ni·an noun (Eccl. Hist.) One of a certain religious sect, followers of Macedonius , Bishop of Constantinople, in the fourth century, who held that the Holy Ghost was a creature, like the angels, and a servant of the Father and the Son.

Macedonianism Mac`e·do"ni·an·ism noun The doctrines of Macedonius.

Macer Ma"cer noun [ French massier . See Mace staff.] A mace bearer; an officer of a court. P. Plowman.

Macerate Mac"er·ate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Macerated ; present participle & verbal noun Macerating .] [ Latin maceratus , past participle of macerare to make soft, weaken, enervate; confer Greek ... to knead.] 1. To make lean; to cause to waste away. [ Obsolete or R.] Harvey.

2. To subdue the appetites of by poor and scanty diet; to mortify. Baker.

3. To soften by steeping in a liquid, with or without heat; to wear away or separate the parts of by steeping; as, to macerate animal or vegetable fiber.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter M > Page 1 of 126.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ¦ Next »