Maimedness Maim"ed·ness noun State of being maimed. Bolton.

Main Main noun [ French main hand, Latin manus . See Manual .] 1. A hand or match at dice. Prior. Thackeray.

2. A stake played for at dice. [ Obsolete] Shak.

3. The largest throw in a match at dice; a throw at dice within given limits, as in the game of hazard.

4. A match at cockfighting. "My lord would ride twenty miles . . . to see a main fought." Thackeray.

5. A main-hamper. [ Obsolete] Ainsworth.

Main Main noun [ Anglo-Saxon mćgen strength, power, force; akin to Old High German magan , Icelandic megin , and to English may , v. .... See May , v. ] 1. Strength; force; might; violent effort. [ Obsolete, except in certain phrases.]

There were in this battle of most might and main .

R. of Gl.

He 'gan advance,
With huge force, and with importable main .

Spenser.

2. The chief or principal part; the main or most important thing. [ Obsolete, except in special uses.]

Resolved to rest upon the title of Lancaster as the main , and to use the other two . . . but as supporters.

Bacon.

3. Specifically: (a) The great sea, as distinguished from an arm, bay, etc. ; the high sea; the ocean. "Struggling in the main ." Dryden. (b) The continent, as distinguished from an island; the mainland. "Invaded the main of Spain." Bacon. (c) principal duct or pipe, as distinguished from lesser ones; esp. (Engineering) , a principal pipe leading to or from a reservoir; as, a fire main .

Forcing main , the delivery pipe of a pump. -- For the main , or In the main , for the most part; in the greatest part. -- With might and main , or With all one's might and main , with all one's strength; with violent effort.

With might and main they chased the murderous fox.

Dryden.

Main Main adjective [ From Main strength, possibly influenced by Old French maine , magne , great, Latin magnus . Confer Magnate .] 1. Very or extremely strong. [ Obsolete]

That current with main fury ran.

Daniel.

2. Vast; huge. [ Obsolete] "The main abyss." Milton.

3. Unqualified; absolute; entire; sheer. [ Obsolete] "It's a man untruth." Sir W. Scott.

4. Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc.

Our main interest is to be happy as we can.

Tillotson.

5. Important; necessary. [ Obsolete]

That which thou aright
Believest so main to our success, I bring.

Milton.

By main force , by mere force or sheer force; by violent effort; as, to subdue insurrection by main force .

That Maine which by main force Warwick did win.

Shak.

-- By main strength , by sheer strength; as, to lift a heavy weight by main strength . -- Main beam (Steam Engine) , working beam. -- Main boom (Nautical) , the boom which extends the foot of the mainsail in a fore and aft vessel. -- Main brace . (a) (Mech.) The brace which resists the chief strain. Confer Counter brace . (b) (Nautical) The brace attached to the main yard. -- Main center (Steam Engine) , a shaft upon which a working beam or side lever swings. -- Main chance . See under Chance . -- Main couple (Architecture) , the principal truss in a roof. -- Main deck (Nautical) , the deck next below the spar deck; the principal deck. -- Main keel (Nautical) , the principal or true keel of a vessel, as distinguished from the false keel.

Syn. -- Principal; chief; leading; cardinal; capital.

Main Main adverb [ See Main , adjective ] Very; extremely; as, main heavy. "I'm main dry." Foote. [ Obsolete or Low]

Main yard Main" yard` (Nautical) The yard on which the mainsail is extended, supported by the mainmast.

Main-gauche Main`-gauche" (măN`gōsh") noun [ French, the left hand.] (Ancient Armor) The dagger held in the left hand, while the rapier is held in the right; -- used to parry thrusts of the adversary's rapier.

Main-hamper Main"-ham`per noun [ French main hand (see Main a hand at dice) + English hamper .] A hamper to be carried in the hand; a hand basket used in carrying grapes to the press.

Maine Maine noun One of the New England States.

Maine law , any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.

Mainland Main"land` noun The continent; the principal land; -- opposed to island , or peninsula . Dryden.

After the two wayfarers had crossed from the peninsula to the mainland .

Hawthorne.

Mainly Main"ly adverb [ From main strong. See Main strength.] Very strongly; mightily; to a great degree. [ Obsolete] Bacon. Shak.

Mainly Main"ly adverb [ From main principal, chief.] Principally; chiefly.

Mainmast Main"mast` noun (Nautical) The principal mast in a ship or other vessel.

Mainor Main"or noun [ Anglo-Norm. meinoure , Old French manuevre . See Maneuver .] (O. Eng. Law) A thing stolen found on the person of the thief.

» A thief was said to be "taken with the mainor ," when he was taken with the thing stolen upon him, that is, in his hands . Wharton. Bouvier.

Mainpernable Main"per·na·ble adjective [ Old French main hand + pernable , for prenable , that may be taken, pregnable. See Mainpernor .] (Law) Capable of being admitted to give surety by mainpernors; able to be mainprised.

Mainpernor Main"per·nor noun [ Old French main hand + pernor , for preneor , a taker, French preneur , from prendre to take.] (Law) A surety, under the old writ of mainprise, for a prisoner's appearance in court at a day.

» Mainpernors differ from bail in that a man's bail may imprison or surrender him before the stipulated day of appearance; mainpernors can do neither; they are bound to produce him to answer all charges whatsoever. Blackstone.

Mainpin Main"pin noun (Vehicles) A kingbolt.

Mainprise Main"prise noun [ French main hand + prise a taking, from prendre , past participle pris to take, from Latin prehendere , prehensum .] (Law) (a) A writ directed to the sheriff, commanding him to take sureties, called mainpernors , for the prisoner's appearance, and to let him go at large. This writ is now obsolete. Wharton. (b) Deliverance of a prisoner on security for his appearance at a day.

Mainprise Main"prise transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Mainprised ; present participle & verbal noun Mainprising .] (Law) To suffer to go at large, on his finding sureties, or mainpernors, for his appearance at a day; -- said of a prisoner.

Mains Mains (mānz) noun [ Scot. See Manse .] The farm attached to a mansion house. [ Scot.]

Mainsail Main"sail` (mān"sāl`) noun (Nautical) The principal sail in a ship or other vessel.

[ They] hoised up the mainsail to the wind.

Acts xxvii. 40.

» The mainsail of a ship is extended upon a yard attached to the mainmast, and that of a sloop or schooner upon the boom.

Mainsheet Main"sheet` noun (Nautical) One of the ropes by which the mainsail is hauled aft and trimmed.

Mainspring Main"spring` noun The principal or most important spring in a piece of mechanism, especially the moving spring of a watch or clock or the spring in a gunlock which impels the hammer. Hence: The chief or most powerful motive; the efficient cause of action.

Mainstay Main"stay` noun 1. (Nautical) The stay extending from the foot of the foremast to the maintop.

2. Main support; principal dependence.

The great mainstay of the Church.

Buckle.

Mainswear Main"swear` intransitive verb [ Anglo-Saxon mānswerian to forswear; mān sin, crime + swerian to swear.] To swear falsely. [ Obsolete] Blount.

Maintain Main·tain transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Maintained ; present participle & verbal noun Maintaining .] [ Middle English maintenen , French maintenir , properly, to hold by the hand; main hand (L. manus ) + French tenir to hold (L. tenere ). See Manual , and Tenable.] 1. To hold or keep in any particular state or condition; to support; to sustain; to uphold; to keep up; not to suffer to fail or decline; as, to maintain a certain degree of heat in a furnace; to maintain a fence or a railroad; to maintain the digestive process or powers of the stomach; to maintain the fertility of soil; to maintain present reputation.

2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.

God values . . . every one as he maintains his post.

Grew.

3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.

Maintain talk with the duke.

Shak.

4. To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.

Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life.

Stirling.

What maintains one vice would bring up two children.

Franklin.

5. To affirm; to support or defend by argument.

It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to be maintained by it.

South.

Syn. -- To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert .

Maintainable Main·tain"a·ble adjective That may be maintained.

Maintainer Main·tain"er noun One who maintains.

Maintainor Main·tain"or noun [ Old French mainteneor , French mainteneur .] (Crim. Law) One who, not being interested, maintains a cause depending between others, by furnishing money, etc., to either party. Bouvier. Wharton.

Maintenance Main"te·nance noun [ Old French maintenance . See Maintain .] 1. The act of maintaining; sustenance; support; defense; vindication.

Whatsoever is granted to the church for God's honor and the maintenance of his service, is granted to God.

South.

2. That which maintains or supports; means of sustenance; supply of necessaries and conveniences.

Those of better fortune not making learning their maintenance .

Swift.

3. (Crim. Law) An officious or unlawful intermeddling in a cause depending between others, by assisting either party with money or means to carry it on. See Champerty . Wharton.

Cap of maintenance . See under Cap .

Maintop Main"top` noun (Nautical) The platform about the head of the mainmast in square-rigged vessels.

Maioid Mai"oid adjective [ Maia + - oid .] (Zoology) Of or pertaining to the genus Maia, or family Maiadeć .

Maister Mais"ter noun Master. [ Obsolete] Chaucer. Spenser.

Maister Mais"ter adjective Principal; chief. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Maistre, Maistrie Mais"tre, Mais"trie Mais"try noun Mastery; superiority; art. See Mastery . [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Maistress Mais"tress noun Mistress. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Maithes Mai"thes noun (Botany) Same as Maghet .

Maize Maize noun [ Spanish maiz . from mahiz or mahis , is the language of the Island of Hayti.] (Botany) A large species of American grass of the genus Zea ( Z. Mays ), widely cultivated as a forage and food plant; Indian corn. Also, its seed, growing on cobs, and used as food for men and animals.

Maize eater (Zoology) , a South American bird of the genus Pseudoleistes , allied to the troupials. -- Maize yellow , a delicate pale yellow.

Majestatic, Majestatal Maj`es·tat"ic, Maj`es·tat"·al adjective Majestic. [ Obsolete] E. Pocock. Dr. J. Scott.

Majestic Ma·jes"tic adjective [ From Majesty .] Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; noble; grand. "The majestic world." Shak. "Tethys' grave majestic pace." Milton.

The least portions must be of the epic kind; all must be grave, majestic , and sublime.

Dryden.

Syn. -- August; splendid; grand; sublime; magnificent; imperial; regal; pompous; stately; lofty; dignified; elevated.

Majestical Ma·jes"tic·al adjective Majestic. Cowley.

An older architecture, greater, cunninger, more majestical .

M. Arnold.

-- Ma*jes"tic*al*ly , adverb -- Ma*jes"tic*al*ness , noun

Majesticness Ma·jes"tic·ness noun The quality or state of being majestic. Oldenburg.

Majesty Maj"es·ty noun ; plural Majesties . [ Middle English magestee , French majesté , Latin majestas , from an old compar. of magnus great. See Major , Master .] The dignity and authority of sovereign power; quality or state which inspires awe or reverence; grandeur; exalted dignity, whether proceeding from rank, character, or bearing; imposing loftiness; stateliness; -- usually applied to the rank and dignity of sovereigns.

The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty .

Ps. xciii. 1.

No sovereign has ever represented the majesty of a great state with more dignity and grace.

Macaulay.

2. Hence, used with the possessive pronoun, the title of an emperor, king or queen; -- in this sense taking a plural; as, their majesties attended the concert.

In all the public writs which he [ Emperor Charles V.] now issued as King of Spain, he assumed the title of Majesty , and required it from his subjects as a mark of respect. Before that time all the monarchs of Europe were satisfied with the appellation of Highness or Grace .

Robertson.

3. Dignity; elevation of manner or style. Dryden.

Majolica Ma·jol"i·ca noun [ Italian ] A kind of pottery, with opaque glazing and showy decoration, which reached its greatest perfection in Italy in the 16th century.

» The term is said to be derived from Majorca, which was an early seat of this manufacture. Heyse.

Major Ma"jor [ Latin major , compar. of magnus great: confer French majeur . Confer Master , Mayor , Magnitude , More , adjective ] 1. Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory.

2. Of greater dignity; more important. Shak.

3. Of full legal age. [ Obsolete]

4. (Mus.) Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone.

Major axis (Geom.) , the greater axis. See Focus , noun , 2. -- Major key (Mus.) , a key in which one and two, two and three, four and five, five and six and seven, make major seconds, and three and four, and seven and eight, make minor seconds. -- Major offense (Law) , an offense of a greater degree which contains a lesser offense, as murder and robbery include assault. -- Major premise (Logic) , that premise of a syllogism which contains the major term. -- Major scale (Mus.) , the natural diatonic scale, which has semitones between the third and fourth, and seventh and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees; the scale of the major mode, of which the third is major. See Scale , and Diatonic . -- Major second (Mus.) , a second between whose tones is a difference in pitch of a step. -- Major sixth (Mus.) , a sixth of four steps and a half step. In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from minors, are more cheerful. -- Major term (Logic) , that term of a syllogism which forms the predicate of the conclusion. -- Major third (Mus.) , a third of two steps.

Major Ma"jor noun [ French major . See Major , adjective ] 1. (Mil.) An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer.

2. (Law) A person of full age.

3. (Logic) That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [ the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [ minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [ conclusion or inference].

» In hypothetical syllogisms, the hypothetical premise is called the major .

4. [ Late Latin See Major .] A mayor. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Major general Ma"jor gen"er·al An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps.

Major-domo Ma`jor-do"mo noun [ Spanish mayordomo , or Italian maggiordomo ; both from Late Latin majordomus ; Latin major greater + domus house.] A man who has authority to act, within certain limits, as master of the house; a steward; also, a chief minister or officer.

Majorat Ma`jo`rat" noun [ French majorat , Late Latin majoratus . See Major , adjective , and confer Majorate .] 1. The right of succession to property according to age; -- so termed in some of the countries of continental Europe.

2. (French Law) Property, landed or funded, so attached to a title of honor as to descend with it.

Majorate Ma"jor·ate noun The office or rank of a major.

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 9 of 126.
« Previous ¦1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ¦ Next »