Mort Mort noun [ French mort dummy, lit., dead.] A variety of dummy whist for three players; also, the exposed or dummy hand in this game.

Mortal Mor"tal adjective [ French mortel , Latin mortalis , from mors , mortis , death, from moriri 8die; akin to English murder . See Murder , and confer Filemot , Mere a lake, Mortgage .] 1. Subject to death; destined to die; as, man is mortal . 2. Destructive to life; causing or occasioning death; terminating life; exposing to or deserving death; deadly; as, a mortal wound; a mortal sin. 3. Fatally vulnerable; vital.

Last of all, against himself he turns his sword, but missing the mortal place, with his poniard finishes the work.

Milton. 4. Of or pertaining to the time of death.

Safe in the hand of one disposing Power,
Or in the natal or the mortal hour.

Pope. 5. Affecting as if with power to kill; deathly.

The nymph grew pale, and in a mortal fright.

Dryden. 6. Human; belonging to man, who is mortal; as, mortal wit or knowledge; mortal power.

The voice of God
To mortal ear is dreadful.

Milton. 7. Very painful or tedious; wearisome; as, a sermon lasting two mortal hours. [ Colloq.] Sir W. Scott. Mortal foe , Mortal enemy , an inveterate, desperate, or implacable enemy; a foe bent on one's destruction.

Mortal Mor"tal noun A being subject to death; a human being; man. "Warn poor mortals left behind." Tickell.

Mortality Mor·tal"i·ty noun [ Latin mortalitas : confer French mortalité .] 1. The condition or quality of being mortal; subjection to death or to the necessity of dying.

When I saw her die,
I then did think on your mortality .

Carew. 2. Human life; the life of a mortal being.

From this instant
There 's nothing serious in mortality .

Shak. 3. Those who are, or that which is, mortal; the human race; humanity; human nature.

Take these tears, mortality's relief.

Pope. 4. Death; destruction. Shak. 5. The whole sum or number of deaths in a given time or a given community; also, the proportion of deaths to population, or to a specific number of the population; death rate; as, a time of great, or low, mortality ; the mortality among the settlers was alarming. Bill of mortality . See under Bill . -- Law of mortality , a mathematical relation between the numbers living at different ages, so that from a given large number of persons alive at one age, it can be computed what number are likely to survive a given number of years. -- Table of mortality , a table exhibiting the average relative number of persons who survive, or who have died, at the end of each year of life, out of a given number supposed to have been born at the same time.

Mortalize Mor"tal·ize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mortalized ; present participle & verbal noun Mortalizing .] To make mortal. [ R.]

Mortally Mor"tal·ly adverb 1. In a mortal manner; so as to cause death; as, mortally wounded. 2. In the manner of a mortal or of mortal beings.

I was mortally brought forth.

Shak. 3. In an extreme degree; to the point of dying or causing death; desperately; as, mortally jealous.

Adrian mortally envied poets, painters, and artificers, in works wherein he had a vein to excel.

Bacon.

Mortalness Mor"tal·ness noun Quality of being mortal; mortality.

Mortar Mor"tar noun [ Middle English morter , Anglo-Saxon mortēre , Latin mortarium : confer French mortier mortar. Confer sense 2 (below), also 2d Mortar , Martel , Morter .] 1. A strong vessel, commonly in form of an inverted bell, in which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle. 2. [ French mortier , from Latin mortarium mortar (for trituarating).] (Mil.) A short piece of ordnance, used for throwing bombs, carcasses, shells, etc., at high angles of elevation, as 45°, and even higher; -- so named from its resemblance in shape to the utensil above described. Mortar bed (Mil.) , a framework of wood and iron, suitably hollowed out to receive the breech and trunnions of a mortar. -- Mortar boat or vessel (Nautical) , a boat strongly built and adapted to carrying a mortar or mortars for bombarding; a bomb ketch. -- Mortar piece , a mortar. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Mortar Mor"tar noun [ Middle English mortier , French mortier , Latin mortarium mortar, a large basin or trough in which mortar is made, a mortar (in sense 1, above). See 1st Mortar .] (Architecture) A building material made by mixing lime, cement, or plaster of Paris, with sand, water, and sometimes other materials; -- used in masonry for joining stones, bricks, etc., also for plastering, and in other ways. Mortar bed , a shallow box or receptacle in which mortar is mixed. -- Mortar board . (a) A small square board with a handle beneath, for holding mortar; a hawk . (b) A cap with a broad, projecting, square top; -- worn by students in some colleges. [ Slang]

Mortar Mor"tar transitive verb To plaster or make fast with mortar.

Mortar Mor"tar noun [ French mortier . See Mortar a vessel.] A chamber lamp or light. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Mortgage Mort"gage (môr"gaj; 48) noun [ French mort-gage ; mort dead (L. mortuus ) + gage pledge. See Mortal , and Gage .] 1. (Law) A conveyance of property, upon condition, as security for the payment of a debt or the preformance of a duty, and to become void upon payment or performance according to the stipulated terms; also, the written instrument by which the conveyance is made. » It was called a mortgage (or dead pledge ) because, whatever profit it might yield, it did not thereby redeem itself, but became lost or dead to the mortgager upon breach of the condition. But in equity a right of redemption is an inseparable incident of a mortgage until the mortgager is debarred by his own laches, or by judicial decree. Cowell. Kent. 2. State of being pledged; as, lands given in mortgage . Chattel mortgage . See under Chattel . -- To foreclose a mortgage . See under Foreclose . -- Mortgage deed (Law) , a deed given by way of mortgage.

Mortgage Mort"gage transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mortgaged ; present participle & verbal noun Mortgaging .] 1. (Law) To grant or convey, as property, for the security of a debt, or other engagement, upon a condition that if the debt or engagement shall be discharged according to the contract, the conveyance shall be void, otherwise to become absolute, subject, however, to the right of redemption. 2. Hence: To pledge, either literally or figuratively; to make subject to a claim or obligation.

Mortgaging their lives to covetise.

Spenser.

I myself an mortgaged to thy will.

Shak.

Mortgagee Mort`ga·gee" noun (Law) The person to whom property is mortgaged, or to whom a mortgage is made or given.

Mortgageor, Mortgagor Mort"gage·or, Mort"ga·gor noun (Law) One who gives a mortgage. » The letter e is required analogically after the second g in order to soften it; but the spelling mortgagor is in fact the prevailing form. When the word is contradistinguished from mortgagee it is accented on the last syllable (-jôr").

Mortgager Mort"ga·ger noun (Law) One who gives a mortgage.

Mortiferous Mor"tif"er·ous adjective [ Latin mortifier ; mors , mortis , death + ferre to bring: confer French mortifère .] Bringing or producing death; deadly; destructive; as, a mortiferous herb. Gov. of Tongue.

Mortification Mor`ti·fi·ca"tion noun [ French, from Latin mortificatio a killing. See Mortify .] 1. The act of mortifying, or the condition of being mortified ; especially: (a) (Medicine) The death of one part of an animal body, while the rest continues to live; loss of vitality in some part of a living animal; gangrene. Dunglison. (b) (Alchem. & Old Chem.) Destruction of active qualities; neutralization. [ Obsolete] Bacon. (c) Subjection of the passions and appetites, by penance, abstinence, or painful severities inflicted on the body.

The mortification of our lusts has something in it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is unreasonable.

Tillotson. (d) Hence: Deprivation or depression of self- approval; abatement of pride; humiliation; chagrin; vexation.

We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg, and Ratisbon.

Addison. 2. That which mortifies; the cause of humiliation, chagrin, or vexation.

It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts discovered by a tedious visit.

L'Estrange. 3. (Scots Law) A gift to some charitable or religious institution; -- nearly synonymous with mortmain . Syn. -- Chagrin; vexation; shame. See Chagrin .

Mortified Mor"ti·fied imperfect & past participle of Mortify .

Mortifiedness Mor"ti·fied·ness noun The state of being mortified; humiliation; subjection of the passions. [ R.]

Mortifier Mor"ti·fi`er noun One who, or that which, mortifies.

Mortify Mor"ti·fy transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mortified ; present participle & verbal noun Mortifying .] [ Middle English mortifien , French mortifier , from Latin mortificare ; Latin mors , mortis , death + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Mortal , and - fy .] 1. To destroy the organic texture and vital functions of; to produce gangrene in. 2. To destroy the active powers or essential qualities of; to change by chemical action. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Quicksilver is mortified with turpentine.

Bacon.

He mortified pearls in vinegar.

Hakewill. 3. To deaden by religious or other discipline, as the carnal affections, bodily appetites, or worldly desires; to bring into subjection; to abase; to humble.

With fasting mortified , worn out with tears.

Harte.

Mortify thy learned lust.

Prior.

Mortify , therefore, your members which are upon the earth.

Col. iii. 5. 4. To affect with vexation, chagrin, or humiliation; to humble; to depress.

The news of the fatal battle of Worcester, which exceedingly mortified our expectations.

Evelyn.

How often is the ambitious man mortified with the very praises he receives, if they do not rise so high as he thinks they ought!

Addison.

Mortify Mor"ti·fy intransitive verb 1. To lose vitality and organic structure, as flesh of a living body; to gangrene. 2. To practice penance from religious motives; to deaden desires by religious discipline.

This makes him . . . give alms of all that he hath, watch, fast, and mortify .

Law. 3. To be subdued; to decay, as appetites, desires, etc.

Mortifying Mor"ti·fy`ing adjective 1. Tending to mortify; affected by, or having symptoms of, mortification; as, a mortifying wound; mortifying flesh. 2. Subduing the appetites, desires, etc.; as, mortifying penances. 3. Tending to humble or abase; humiliating; as, a mortifying repulse.

Mortifyingly Mor"ti·fy`ing·ly adverb In a mortifying manner.

Mortise Mor"tise noun [ French mortaise ; confer Spanish mortaja , Arabic murtazz fixed, or W. mortais , Ir. mortis , moirtis , Gael. moirteis .] A cavity cut into a piece of timber, or other material, to receive something (as the end of another piece) made to fit it, and called a tenon . Mortise and tenon (Carp.) , made with a mortise and tenon; joined or united by means of a mortise and tenon; -- used adjectively. -- Mortise joint , a joint made by a mortise and tenon. -- Mortise lock . See under Lock . -- Mortise wheel , a cast-iron wheel, with wooden clogs inserted in mortises on its face or edge; -- also called mortise gear , and core gear .

Mortise Mor"tise transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mortised ; present participle & verbal noun Mortising .] 1. To cut or make a mortise in. 2. To join or fasten by a tenon and mortise; as, to mortise a beam into a post, or a joist into a girder.

Mortling Mort"ling noun [ See Morling .] 1. An animal, as a sheep, dead of disease or privation; a morling. [ Eng.] 2. Wool plucked from a dead sheep; morling.

Mortmain Mort"main` noun [ French mort , morte , dead + main hand; French main-morte . See Mortal , and Manual .] (Law) Possession of lands or tenements in, or conveyance to, dead hands, or hands that cannot alienate. » The term was originally applied to conveyance of land made to ecclesiastical bodies; afterward to conveyance made to any corporate body. Burrill.

Mortmal Mort"mal noun See Mormal . [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

Mortpay Mort"pay` noun [ French mort dead + English pay .] Dead pay; the crime of taking pay for the service of dead soldiers, or for services not actually rendered by soldiers. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Mortress, Mortrew Mor"tress, Mor"trew noun [ See Mortar .] A dish of meats and other ingredients, cooked together; an ollapodrida. Chaucer. Bacon.

Mortuary Mor"tu·a·ry noun ; plural Mortuaries . [ Late Latin mortuarium . See Mortuary , adjective ] 1. A sort of ecclesiastical heriot, a customary gift claimed by, and due to, the minister of a parish on the death of a parishioner. It seems to have been originally a voluntary bequest or donation, intended to make amends for any failure in the payment of tithes of which the deceased had been guilty. 2. A burial place; a place for the dead. 3. A place for the reception of the dead before burial; a deadhouse; a morgue.

Mortuary Mor"tu·a·ry adjective [ Latin mortuarius , from mortuus dead: confer French mortuaire . See Mortal .] Of or pertaining to the dead; as, mortuary monuments. Mortuary urn , an urn for holding the ashes of the dead.

Morula Mor"u·la noun ; plural Morulæ . [ New Latin , dim. of Latin morum a mulberry.] (Biol.) The sphere or globular mass of cells ( blastomeres ), formed by the clevage of the ovum or egg in the first stages of its development; -- called also mulberry mass , segmentation sphere , and blastosphere . See Segmentation .

Morulation Mor`u·la"tion noun (Biol.) The process of cleavage, or segmentation, of the ovum, by which a morula is formed.

Morus Mo"rus noun [ Latin , mulberry tree. See Mulberry .] (Botany) A genus of trees, some species of which produce edible fruit; the mulberry. See Mulberry . » Morus alba is the white mulberry, a native of India or China, the leaves of which are extensively used for feeding silkworms, for which it furnishes the chief food. -- Morus multicaulis , the many-stemmed or Chinese mulberry, is only a form of white mulberry, preferred on account of its more abundant leaves. -- Morus nigra , the black mulberry, produces a dark-colored fruit, of an agreeable flavor.

Morwe Mor"we noun See Morrow . [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Morwening Mor"wen·ing noun Morning. [ Obsolete]

Mos Mos noun , sing. of Mores .

Mosaic Mo·sa"ic noun [ French mosaïque ; confer Pr. mozaic , musec , Spanish & Portuguese mosaico , Italian mosaico , musaico , LGr. ..., ..., Latin musivum ; all from Greek ... belonging to the Muses. See Muse the goddess.] 1. (Fine Arts) A surface decoration made by inlaying in patterns small pieces of variously colored glass, stone, or other material; -- called also mosaic work . 2. A picture or design made in mosaic; an article decorated in mosaic.

Mosaic Mo·sa"ic adjective Of or pertaining to the style of work called mosaic; formed by uniting pieces of different colors; variegated; tessellated; also, composed of various materials or ingredients.

A very beautiful mosaic pavement.

Addison. Florentine mosaic . See under Florentine . -- Mosaic gold . (a) See Ormolu . (b) Stannic sulphide, SnS ₂ , obtained as a yellow scaly crystalline powder, and used as a pigment in bronzing and gilding wood and metal work. It was called by the alchemists aurum musivum , or aurum mosaicum . Called also bronze powder . -- Mosaic work . See Mosaic , noun

Mosaic Mo·sa"ic adjective [ From Moses .] Of or pertaining to Moses, the leader of the Israelites, or established through his agency; as, the Mosaic law, rites, or institutions.

Mosaical Mo·sa"ic·al adjective Mosaic (in either sense). "A mosaical floor." Sir P. Sidney.

Mosaically Mo·sa"ic·al·ly adverb In the manner of a mosaic.

Mosaism Mo"sa·ism noun Attachment to the system or doctrines of Moses; that which is peculiar to the Mosaic system or doctrines.

Mosasaur, Mosasaurian Mos"a·saur, Mos`a·sau"ri·an noun (Paleon.) One of an extinct order of reptiles, including Mosasaurus and allied genera. See Mosasauria .

Mosasauria Mos`a·sau"ri·a noun plural [ New Latin See Mosasaurus .] (Paleon.) An order of large, extinct, marine reptiles, found in the Cretaceous rocks, especially in America. They were serpentlike in form and in having loosely articulated and dilatable jaws, with large recurved teeth, but they had paddlelike feet. Some of them were over fifty feet long. They are, essentially, fossil sea serpents with paddles. Called also Pythonomarpha , and Mosasauria .

Mosasaurus Mos`a·sau"rus noun [ New Latin , from Latin Mosa the River Meuse (on which Meastricht is situated) + Greek ... a lizard.] (Paleon.) A genus of extinct marine reptiles allied to the lizards, but having the body much elongated, and the limbs in the form of paddles. The first known species, nearly fifty feet in length, was discovered in Cretaceous beds near Maestricht, in the Netherlands. [ Written also Mososaurus .]

Moschatel Mos"cha·tel` noun [ Greek ... musk: confer French moscatelline . See Muscadel , Musk .] (Botany) A plant of the genus Adoxa ( A. moschatellina ), the flowers of which are pale green, and have a faint musky smell. It is found in woods in all parts of Europe, and is called also hollow root and musk crowfoot . Loudon.