Mirliton Mir"li·ton noun [ French] 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.

Mirror Mir"ror noun [ Middle English mirour , French miroir , Old French also mireor , from (assumed) Late Latin miratorium , from mirare to look at, Latin mirari to wonder. See Marvel , and confer 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. (Zoology) See Speculum .

Mirror carp (Zoology) , 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.

Mirror Mir"ror transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mirrored ; present participle & verbal noun Mirroring .] To reflect, as in a mirror.

Mirrorscope Mir"ror·scope noun [ Mirror + -scope .] See Projector , below.

Mirth Mirth noun [ Middle English mirthe , murthe , merthe , Anglo-Saxon myrð , myrgð , merhð , mirhð . See Merry .]

1. Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity.

Then will I cause to cease . . . from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth .

Jer. vii. 34.

2. That which causes merriment. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Syn. -- Merriment; joyousness; gladness; fun; frolic; glee; hilarity; festivity; jollity. See Gladness .

Mirthful Mirth"ful adjective 1. Full of mirth or merriment; merry; as, mirthful children.

2. Indicating or inspiring mirth; as, a mirthful face.

Mirthful , comic shows.

Shak.

-- Mirth"ful*ly , adverb -- Mirth"ful*ness , noun

Mirthless Mirth"less adjective Without mirth. -- Mirth"less*ness , noun

Miry Mir"y adjective [ From 2d Mire .] Abounding with deep mud; full of mire; muddy; as, a miry road.

Miryachit Mir"ya·chit` noun [ Written also myriachit .] [ Yakoot merjäk epileptic, from imerek jerk, rage.] (Medicine) A nervous disease in which the patient involuntarily imitates the words or action of another.

Mirza Mir"za noun [ Persian mīrzā , abbrev. from mīrzādeh son of the prince; mīr prince (Ar. amīr , emīr ) + zādeh son.] The common title of honor in Persia, prefixed to the surname of an individual. When appended to the surname, it signifies Prince .

Mis Mis (mĭs) adjective & adverb [ See Amiss .] Wrong; amiss. [ Obsolete] "To correcten that [ which] is mis ." Chaucer.

Mis- Mis- (mĭs-). [ In words of Teutonic origin, from Anglo-Saxon mis- ; akin to Dutch mis- , German miss- , Old High German missa- , missi- , Icelandic & Danish mis- , Swedish miss- , Goth. missa- ; orig., a past participle from the root of German meiden to shun, Old High German mīdan , Anglo-Saxon mīðan (√100. Confer Miss to fail of). In words from the French, from Old French mes- , French mé- , mes- , from Latin minus less (see Minus ). In present usage these two prefixes are commonly confounded.] A prefix used adjectively and adverbially in the sense of amiss, wrong, ill, wrongly, unsuitably; as, mis deed, mis lead, mis chief, mis creant.

Misacceptation Mis·ac`cep·ta"tion noun Wrong acceptation; understanding in a wrong sense.

Misaccompt Mis`ac·compt" transitive verb To account or reckon wrongly. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Misadjust Mis`ad·just" transitive verb To adjust wrongly of unsuitably; to throw of adjustment. I. Taylor.

Misadjustment Mis`ad·just"ment noun Wrong adjustment; unsuitable arrangement.

Misadventure Mis`ad·ven"ture noun [ Middle English mesaventure , French mésaventure .] Mischance; misfortune; ill luck; unlucky accident; ill adventure. Chaucer.

Homicide by misadventure (Law) , homicide which occurs when a man, doing a lawful act, without any intention of injury, unfortunately kills another; -- called also excusable homicide . See Homicide . Blackstone.

Syn. -- Mischance; mishap; misfortune; disaster; calamity.

Misadventured Mis`ad·ven"tured adjective Unfortunate. [ Obsolete]

Misadventurous Mis`ad·ven"tur·ous adjective Unfortunate.

Misadvertence Mis`ad·vert"ence noun Inadvertence.

Misadvice Mis`ad·vice" noun Bad advice.

Misadvise Mis`ad·vise" transitive verb To give bad counsel to.

Misadvised Mis`ad·vised" adjective Ill advised. -- Mis`ad*vis"ed*ly adverb

Misaffect Mis`af·fect" transitive verb To dislike. [ Obsolete]

Misaffected Mis`af·fect"ed adjective Ill disposed. [ Obsolete]

Misaffection Mis`af·fec"tion noun An evil or wrong affection; the state of being ill affected. [ Obsolete] Bp. Hall.

Misaffirm Mis`af·firm" transitive verb To affirm incorrectly.

Misaimed Mis·aimed" adjective Not rightly aimed. Spenser.

Misallegation Mis·al`le·ga"tion noun A erroneous statement or allegation. Bp. Hall.

Misallege Mis`al·lege" transitive verb To state erroneously.

Misalliance Mis`al·li"ance noun [ French mésalliance .] A marriage with a person of inferior rank or social station; an improper alliance; a mesalliance.

A Leigh had made a misalliance , and blushed
A Howard should know it.

Mrs. Browning.

Misallied Mis`al·lied" adjective Wrongly allied or associated.

Misallotment Mis`al·lot"ment noun A wrong allotment.

Misalter Mis·al"ter transitive verb To alter wrongly; esp., to alter for the worse. Bp. Hall.

Misanthrope Mis"an·thrope (mĭs"ăn*thrōp) noun [ Greek misa`nqrwpos ; misei^n to hate + 'a`nqrwpos a man; confer French misanthrope . Confer Miser .] A hater of mankind; a misanthropist.

Misanthropic, Misanthropical Mis`an·throp"ic, Mis`an·throp"ic·al adjective [ Confer French misanthropique .] Hating or disliking mankind.

Misanthropist Mis·an"thro·pist noun A misanthrope.

Misanthropos Mis·an"thro·pos noun [ New Latin See Misanthrope .] A misanthrope. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Misanthropy Mis·an"thro·py noun [ Greek ...: confer French misanthropie .] Hatred of, or dislike to, mankind; -- opposed to philanthropy . Orrery.

Misapplication Mis·ap`pli·ca"tion noun A wrong application. Sir T. Browne.

Misapply Mis`ap·ply" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Misapplied ; present participle & verbal noun Misapplying .] To apply wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose; as, to misapply a name or title; to misapply public money.

Misappreciated Mis`ap·pre"ci·a`ted adjective Improperly appreciated.

Misapprehend Mis·ap`pre·hend" transitive verb To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand. Locke.

Misapprehension Mis·ap`pre·hen"sion noun A mistaking or mistake; wrong apprehension of one's meaning of a fact; misconception; misunderstanding.

Misapprehensively Mis·ap`pre·hen"sive·ly adverb By, or with, misapprehension.

Misappropriate Mis`ap·pro"pri·ate transitive verb To appropriate wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose.

Misappropriation Mis`ap·pro`pri·a"tion noun Wrong appropriation; wrongful use.

Misarcribe Mis`ar·cribe" transitive verb To ascribe wrongly.

Misarrange Mis`ar·range" transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Misarranged ; present participle & verbal noun Misarranging .] To place in a wrong order, or improper manner.

Misarrangement Mis`ar·range"ment noun Wrong arrangement.

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 72 of 126.
« Previous ¦64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 ¦ Next »