Meteorograph Me`te·or"o·graph noun [ Meteor + -graph .] An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions.

Meteorographic Me`te·or`o·graph"ic adjective Of or pertaining to meteorography.

Meteorography Me`te·or·og"ra·phy noun [ Meteor + -graphy .] The registration of meteorological phenomena.

Meteoroid Me"te·or·oid (mē"te*ẽr*oid) noun [ Meteor + -oid .] (Astron.) A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor.

These bodies [ small, solid bodies] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids .

H. A. Newton.

Meteoroidal Me`te·or·oid"al adjective Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids.

Meteorolite Me`te·or"o·lite noun [ Meteor + -lite : confer French météorolithe .] A meteoric stone; an aërolite; a meteorite.

Meteorologic, Meteorological Me`te·or`o·log"ic, Me`te·or`o·log"ic·al adjective [ Greek ...: confer French météorologique .] Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology.

Meteorological table , Meteorological register , a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc.

Meteorologist Me`te·or·ol"o·gist noun [ Confer French météorologiste .] A person skilled in meteorology.

Meteorology Me`te·or·ol"o·gy noun [ Greek ...; ... + lo`gos discourse: confer French météorologie . See Meteor .] The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc.

Meteoromancy Me`te·or"o·man`cy noun [ Meteor + -mancy : confer French météoromancie .] A species of divination by meteors, chiefly by thunder and lightning, which was held in high estimation by the Romans.

Meteorometer Me`te·or·om"e·ter noun [ Meteor + -meter .] An apparatus which transmits automatically to a central station atmospheric changes as marked by the anemometer, barometer, thermometer, etc.

Meteoroscope Me`te·or"o·scope noun [ Greek ..., from ... observing the heavenly bodies; ... + ... to view: confer French météoroscope . See Meteor .] (Astron.) (a) An astrolabe; a planisphere. [ Obsolete] (b) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction, of the apparent path of a shooting star.

Meteorous Me·te"o·rous adjective [ See Meteor .] Of the nature or appearance of a meteor.

Meter Me"ter noun [ From Mete to measure.] 1. One who, or that which, metes or measures. See Coal-meter .

2. An instrument for measuring, and usually for recording automatically, the quantity measured.

Dry meter , a gas meter having measuring chambers, with flexible walls, which expand and contract like bellows and measure the gas by filling and emptying. -- Wet meter , a gas meter in which the revolution of a chambered drum in water measures the gas passing through it.

Meter Me"ter noun A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.

Meter, Metre Me"ter, Me"tre noun [ Middle English metre , French mètre , Latin metrum , from Greek ...; akin to Sanskrit mā to measure. See Mete to measure.] 1. Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements; as, the Horatian meters ; a dactylic meter .

The only strict antithesis to prose is meter .

Wordsworth.

2. A poem. [ Obsolete] Robynson (More's Utopia).

3. A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See Metric system , under Metric .

Common meter (Hymnol.) , four iambic verses, or lines, making a stanza, the first and third having each four feet, and the second and fourth each three feet; -- usually indicated by the initials C.M. -- Long meter (Hymnol.) , iambic verses or lines of four feet each, four verses usually making a stanza; -- commonly indicated by the initials Latin M. -- Short meter (Hymnol.) , iambic verses or lines, the first, second, and fourth having each three feet, and the third four feet. The stanza usually consists of four lines, but is sometimes doubled. Short meter is indicated by the initials S. M.

Meterage Me"ter·age noun [ See 1st Meter .] The act of measuring, or the cost of measuring.

Metergram Me"ter·gram` noun (Mech.) A measure of energy or work done; the power exerted in raising one gram through the distance of one meter against gravitation.

Metewand Mete"wand` noun [ Mete to measure + wand .] A measuring rod. Ascham.

Meteyard Mete"yard` noun [ Anglo-Saxon metgeard . See Mete to measure, and Yard stick.] A yard, staff, or rod, used as a measure. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Meth Meth noun See Meathe . [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Methal Meth"al noun [ M yristic + eth er + al cohol.] (Chemistry) A white waxy substance, found in small quantities in spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

Methane Meth"ane noun [ See Methal .] (Chemistry) A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH ₄ ; marsh gas. See Marsh gas , under Gas .

Methane series (Chemistry) , a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series . The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.

Methanometer Meth`a·nom"e·ter noun [ Methane + -meter .] An instrument, resembling a eudiometer, to detect the presence and amount of methane, as in coal mines.

Metheglin Me·theg"lin noun [ W. meddyglyn ; medd mead + llyn liquor, juice. See Mead a drink.] A fermented beverage made of honey and water; mead. Gay.

Methene Meth"ene noun [ Meth yl + ethyl ene .] (Chemistry) See Methylene .

Methenyl Meth"e·nyl noun [ Methene + -yl .] (Chemistry) The hypothetical hydrocarbon radical CH, regarded as an essential residue of certain organic compounds.

Methide Meth"ide noun [ See Methyl .] (Chemistry) A binary compound of methyl with some element; as, aluminium methide , Al ₂ (CH ₃ ) ₆ .

Methinks Me·thinks" v. impers. [ imperfect Methought .] [ Anglo-Saxon þyncan to seem, mē þynceð , mē þūhte , Middle English me thinketh , me thoughte ; akin to German dünken to seem, denken to think, and English think . See Me , and Think .] It seems to me; I think. See Me . [ R., except in poetry.]

In all ages poets have been had in special reputation, and, methinks , not without great cause.

Spenser.

Methionate Me·thi"on·ate noun (Chemistry) A salt of methionic acid.

Methionic Meth`i·on"ic adjective [ Me thyl + thionic .] (Chemistry) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic ( thionic ) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH ₂ .(SO ₃ H) ₂ , which forms well defined salts.

Method Meth"od noun [ French méthode , Latin methodus , from Greek meqodos method, investigation following after; meta` after + "odo`s way.] 1. An orderly procedure or process; regular manner of doing anything; hence, manner; way; mode; as, a method of teaching languages; a method of improving the mind. Addison.

2. Orderly arrangement, elucidation, development, or classification; clear and lucid exhibition; systematic arrangement peculiar to an individual.

Though this be madness, yet there's method in it.

Shak.

All method is a rational progress, a progress toward an end.

Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Nat. Hist.) Classification; a mode or system of classifying natural objects according to certain common characteristics; as, the method of Theophrastus; the method of Ray; the Linnæan method .

Syn. -- Order; system; rule; regularity; way; manner; mode; course; process; means. -- Method , Mode , Manner . Method implies arrangement; mode , mere action or existence. Method is a way of reaching a given end by a series of acts which tend to secure it; mode relates to a single action, or to the form which a series of acts, viewed as a whole, exhibits. Manner is literally the handling of a thing, and has a wider sense, embracing both method and mode . An instructor may adopt a good method of teaching to write; the scholar may acquire a bad mode of holding his pen; the manner in which he is corrected will greatly affect his success or failure.

Methodic, Methodical Me·thod"ic, Me·thod"ic·al adjective [ Latin methodicus , Greek ...: confer French méthodique .] 1. Arranged with regard to method; disposed in a suitable manner, or in a manner to illustrate a subject, or to facilitate practical observation; as, the methodical arrangement of arguments; a methodical treatise. " Methodical regularity." Addison.

2. Proceeding with regard to method; systematic. "Aristotle, strict, methodic , and orderly." Harris.

3. Of or pertaining to the ancient school of physicians called methodists. Johnson.

-- Me*thod"ic*al*ly , adverb -- Me*thod"ic*al*ness , noun

Methodios Me·thod"ios noun The art and principles of method.

Methodism Meth"o·dism noun (Eccl.) The system of doctrines, polity, and worship, of the sect called Methodists. Bp. Warburton.

Methodist Meth"o·dist noun [ Confer French méthodiste . See Method .] 1. One who observes method. [ Obsolete]

2. One of an ancient school of physicians who rejected observation and founded their practice on reasoning and theory. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Theol.) One of a sect of Christians, the outgrowth of a small association called the "Holy Club," formed at Oxford University, A.D. 1729, of which the most conspicuous members were John Wesley and his brother Charles; -- originally so called from the methodical strictness of members of the club in all religious duties.

4. A person of strict piety; one who lives in the exact observance of religious duties; -- sometimes so called in contempt or ridicule.

Methodist Meth"o·dist adjective Of or pertaining to the sect of Methodists; as, Methodist hymns; a Methodist elder.

Methodistic, Methodistical Meth`o·dis"tic, Meth`o·dis"tic·al adjective Of or pertaining to methodists, or to the Methodists. -- Meth`o*dis"tic*al*ly , adverb

Methodization Meth`od·i·za"tion noun The act or process of methodizing, or the state of being methodized.

Methodize Meth"od·ize transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Methodized ; present participle & verbal noun Methodizing .] To reduce to method; to dispose in due order; to arrange in a convenient manner; as, to methodize one's work or thoughts. Spectator.

Methodizer Meth"od·i`zer noun One who methodizes.

Methodological Meth`od·o·log"ic·al adjective Of or pertaining to methodology.

Methodology Meth`od·ol"o·gy noun [ Greek ... method + -logy .] The science of method or arrangement; a treatise on method. Coleridge.

Methol Meth"ol noun [ Greek ... wine + - ol .] (Chemistry) The technical name of methyl alcohol or wood spirit; also, by extension, the class name of any of the series of alcohols of the methane series of which methol proper is the type. See Methyl alcohol , under Methyl .

Methought Me·thought" imperfect of Methinks .

Methoxyl Meth·ox"yl noun [ Meth yl + hydr oxyl .] (Chemistry) A hypothetical radical, CH ₃ O, analogous to hydroxyl.

Methyl Meth"yl noun [ See Methylene .] (Chemistry) A hydrocarbon radical, CH ₃ , not existing alone but regarded as an essential residue of methane, and appearing as a component part of many derivatives; as, methyl alcohol, methyl ether, methyl amine, etc. [ Formerly written also methule , methyle , etc.]

Methyl alcohol (Chemistry) , a light, volatile, inflammable liquid, CH ₃ .OH, obtained by the distillation of wood, and hence called wood spirit ; -- called also methol , carbinol , etc. -- Methyl amine (Chemistry) , a colorless, inflammable, alkaline gas, CH ₃ .NH ₂ , having an ammoniacal, fishy odor. It is produced artificially, and also occurs naturally in herring brine and other fishy products. It is regarded as ammonia in which a third of its hydrogen is replaced by methyl, and is a type of the class of substituted ammonias . -- Methyl ether (Chemistry) , a light, volatile ether CH ₃ .O.CH ₃ , obtained by the etherification of methyl alcohol; -- called also methyl oxide . -- Methyl green . (Chemistry) See under Green , noun -- Methyl orange . (Chemistry) See Helianthin . -- Methyl violet (Chemistry) , an artificial dye, consisting of certain methyl halogen derivatives of rosaniline.

Methylal Meth"yl·al noun [ Methyl ene + al cohol.] (Chemistry) A light, volatile liquid, H ₂ C(OCH ₃ ) ₂ , regarded as a complex ether, and having a pleasant ethereal odor. It is obtained by the partial oxidation of methyl alcohol. Called also formal .

Methylamine Meth`yl·am"ine noun (Chemistry) See Methyl amine , under Methyl .

Methylate Meth"yl·ate noun [ Methyl + alcohol ate .] (Chemistry) An alcoholate of methyl alcohol in which the hydroxyl hydrogen is replaced by a metal, after the analogy of a hydrate; as, sodium methylate , CH ₃ ONa.

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 58 of 126.
« Previous ¦50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 ¦ Next »