Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Molecule Mound

Molecule, mol′e-kūl, n. one of the minute particles of which matter is composed: the smallest mass of any substance which retains the properties of that substance.—adj. ', belonging to, or consisting of, molecules.—n. '.—Molecular attraction, attraction acting on the atoms or molecules of a body, as distinguished from attraction of gravitation. [Fr.,—L. moles, a mass.]

Molendinaceous, mō-len-di-nā′shi-us, adj. like a windmill.—adj. , relating to a mill. [Low L. molendinum, a mill—L. molĕre, to grind.]

Molest, mō-lest′, v.t. to trouble.—ns. ', state of being molested: annoyance; '.—adj. . [Fr. molester—L. molestāre—molestus—moles, mass, difficulty.]

Molimen, mō-lī′men, n. great effort, esp. of any periodic effort to discharge a natural function.—adj. . [L.,—molīri, to toil—moles.]

Moline, mō′lin, n. and adj. the crossed iron in the upper millstone for receiving the spindle in the lower stone, a millstone rynd: (her.) a moline cross. [L. mola, a mill.]

Molinism, mō′li-nizm, n. the doctrine of the Spanish Jesuit Luis Molina (1535-1600), that predestination is consequent on God's fore-knowledge of the free determination of man's will, that God gives to all men sufficient grace whereby to live virtuously and merit happiness, its efficaciousness depending on the voluntary co-operation of the will with it.—n. , one who holds the foregoing views.

Molinist, mō′li-nist, n. a Quietist, or follower of Miguel de Molinos (1640-97). [See Quietism.]

Moll, mol, n. a familiar form of Mary: a concubine.

Mollah, Molla, mol′a, n. a Mohammedan title of respect for a learned or religious person: a judge of Moslem law. [Turk. and Pers., from Ar. maulā.]

Mollie, mol′i, n. a meeting and carousal on board one ship of the sailors belonging to several whaling-ships ice-bound in company—an abbreviation of Mallemaroking, [Mallemuck, the fulmar petrel.]

Mollify, mol′i-fī, v.t. to make soft or tender: to assuage: to calm or pacify:—pa.p. —adjs. ', serving to soften: assuaging; '.—ns. ', act of mollifying: state of being mollified: mitigation; '; ', a base for ointments used in skin diseases, a soft soap mixed with excess of fat and glycerine.—adj. ', having soft plumage.—n. ', fleecines, fluffiness.—adj. ', luxurious.—n. . [Fr.,—L. mollificāre—mollis, soft, facĕre, to make.]

Mollusc, Mollusk, mol′usk, n. one of the Mollusca, a large division of invertebrate animals—bivalves or Lamellibranchs, snails or Gasteropods, and cuttlefish or Cephalopods:—pl. ', ', or '.—n. ', a mollusc.—adjs. ', ', . [Fr.,—L. molluscus, softish—mollis, soft.]

Molly, mol′i, n. dim. of Mary: the wagtail bird.—n. , an effeminate fellow.—Molly Maguire, one of the Ribbonmen of Ireland (1843), who perpetrated outrages by night in women's dress: one of a secret society which terrorised the coal regions of Pennsylvania (1867-77).

Moloch, mō′lok, n. a Phœnician god to which human sacrifices were offered: an exceedingly spiny Australian lizard—also '.—v.t. ', to sacrifice as to Moloch.

Molossus, mo-los′us, n. a metrical foot of three long syllables:—pl. . [L.—Gr.]

Molten, mōlt′n, adj. melted: made of melted metal.—adv. . [Old pa.p. of melt.]

Molto, mol′to, adv. (mus.) very, much. [It.]

Moly, mō′li, n. (Milt.) a magic herb given by Hermes to Odysseus as a counter-charm against the spells of Circe.

Molybdenum, mol-ib-dē′num, n. a rare metal of a silvery-white colour—also '.—ns. ', a compound of molybdic acid with a base; ', sulphide of molybdenum.—adjs. ', '.—n. ', lead-poisoning. [L.,—Gr.,—molybdos, lead.]

Mome, mōm, n. (obs.) a buffoon: a stupid person. [O. Fr.,—L.,—Gr. Mōmos, god of mirth.]

Moment, mō′ment, n. moving cause or force: importance in effect: value, consequence: the smallest portion of time in which a movement can be made: an instant: the precise point of time, the right opportunity: (math.) an increment or decrement, an infinitesimal change in a varying quantity: (mech.) the moment of a force about a point is the product of the force and the perpendicular on its line of action from the point.—adj. ' (Shak.), momentary.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', lasting for a moment: done in a moment: short-lived.—adv. ', for a moment: in a moment: every moment.—adj. ', of importance: of great consequence.—adv. '.—ns. '; ', the quantity of motion in a body, measured by the product of the mass and the velocity of the moving body:—pl. '. [Fr.,—L. momentum, for movimentum—movēre, to move.]

Momus, mō′mus, n. the god of raillery, &c.—Son, or Disciple, of Momus, a wag. [See Mome.]

Monachism, mon′ak-izm, n. monastic life: state of religious seclusion under vows.—adj. ', living alone: pertaining to monks or nuns, or to a monastic life.—n. ', the monk-seal genus. [Fr.,—L. monachus, a monk.]

Monad, mon′ad, n. an ultimate atom or simple unextended point: a simple, primary element, assumed by Leibnitz and other philosophers: (zool.) one of the simplest of animalcules.—adj. of or pertaining to monads.—adjs. ', capable of saturating a single molecule of a monobasic acid; ', single-rayed.—n. ', a plant whose stamens are united by their filaments into one set, generally into a tube or ring.—adjs. ', ' (bot.), having the stamens united into one body by the filaments; ', ', relating to monads: single; ', like a monad.—ns. ', ', the theory of monads.—adj. ' (bot.), producing but one flower.—n. ', a monad: a monadiform infusorian.—adj. ', simple, not compound or composite—also n.—adj. ', consisting of a single atom, as a molecule: (chem.) having a valence of one, as hydrogen. [L. monas, -adis—Gr. monas, -ados, a unit—monos, alone.]

Monandria, mon-an′dri-a. n. the first class in Linnæus's system of plants, including all genera having only one stamen.—n. '.—adjs. ',  (bot.), having only one stamen. [Gr. monos, single, anēr, andros, a male.]

Monandry, mō-nan′dri, n. the practice of having only one husband.

Monarch, mon′ark, n. a sole or supreme ruler: sovereign: the chief of its kind.—adj. supreme: superior to others.—adjs. ', pertaining to a monarch: regal; ', ', ', relating to a monarch or to monarchy: vested in a single ruler.—ns. ', a Christian who denied the personal independent subsistence of Christ—dynamic, when regarding the divinity of Christ as only a power (dynamis) communicated to Him; modalistic, when regarding Christ as God Himself incarnate, the Father who had assumed flesh, a mere modus of the Godhead; ', the doctrine of the Monarchians, in opposition to Subordinationalism.—adj. '.—v.t. ', to rule over, as a monarch: to convert into a monarchy.—ns. ', the principles of monarchy: love of monarchy; ', an advocate of monarchy: a believer in monarchy; ' (Shak.), a fantastic Englishman who assumed Italian airs, any fantastic person; ', a state or a people ruled over by one person: a kind of government of which the chief power is in the hands of a monarch: the territory of a monarch. [Fr. monarque, through L., from Gr. monarchēs—monos, alone, archein, to rule.]

Monastery, mon′as-tėr-i, n. a house for monks: an abbey: a convent.—adjs. ', ', ', pertaining to monasteries, monks, and nuns: recluse: solitary.—n. ', a monk.—adv. '.—ns. ', the corporate monastic life or system of living; , a book about monasteries and monks.—Monastic vows, the vows which a person takes when entering a monastery—of poverty, chastity, obedience. [L. monasterium—Gr. monastērion—monastēs, a monk—monos, alone.]

Monday, mun′dā, n. the second day of the week.—adj. , fagged—of preachers, after their Sunday exercitations.—Black Monday, Easter Monday, the 14th of April 1360: any Easter Monday; Handsel Monday, the first Monday of the year, when presents are given. [A.S. mónandæg, mónan, gen. of móna, moon, dæg, day.]

Mondayne, mun′dān, adj. an old form of mundane.

Monde, mond, n. the world (of fashion).—Beau monde, Demi-monde (see Beau and Demi). [Fr.]

Monera, mō-nē′ra, n.pl. a class of Protozoans of the simplest characters.—ns.sing. ', '.—adjs. ', '.

Monergism, mon′ėr-jizm, n. (theol.) the doctrine that regeneration is entirely the work of the Holy Spirit, the natural will being incapable of co-operation. [Gr. monos, alone, ergon, work.]

Monetary, mun′e-tar-i, adj. relating to money or moneyed affairs: consisting of money.—n. '.—v.t. ', to give the character of money to, to coin as money.—Monetary unit, the unit of currency—the pound sterling.

Money, mun′i, n. coin: pieces of stamped metal used in commerce: any currency used as the equivalent of money: wealth:—pl. '.—ns. ', a bill introduced into parliament or congress for raising revenue or otherwise dealing with money; ', ', ', a broker who deals in money or exchanges.—adj. ', having money: rich in money: consisting in money.—ns. ', ', one who coins money: a master of a mint.—adj. ', having no money.—ns. ', a coiner of counterfeit money; ', act of gaining wealth.—adj. lucrative, profitable.—ns. ', the market or field for the investment of money; ', an order for money deposited at one post-office, and payable at another; ', or ', a small spider of family Attidæ, supposed to bring luck; ', something as good as money: full value; , one who receives payments of money, esp. at an entrance-door.—Hard money, coin; Pot of money, a large amount of money; Ready money, money paid for a thing at the time at which it is bought: money ready for immediate payment. [O. Fr. moneie (Fr. monnaie)—L. moneta, a mint, Moneta being a surname of Juno, in whose temple at Rome money was coined.]

Monger, mung′gėr, n. a trader: a dealer, chiefly in composition, sometimes depreciatory.—v.t. to trade in. [A.S. mangere—mang, a mixture.]

Mongol, mong′gol, n. and adj. one of an Asiatic people belonging to the Ural-Altaic branch of the human family, mainly inhabiting Mongolia.—adjs. ', '.

Mongoose, mong′gōōs, n. a common ichneumon of India, often domesticated to destroy snakes.—Also [Marathi mangus.]

Mongrel, mung′grel, adj. of a mixed breed, impure.—n. an animal, esp. a dog, of a mixed breed.—v.t. '.—n. '. [A double dim. from A.S. mang, mixture.]

Monied, mun′id, adj. moneyed.

Moniliform, mō-nil′i-form, adj. like a string of beads. [L. monile, a necklace, forma, form.]

Moniment, mon′i-ment, n. (Spens.) a monument, memorial: superscription, image. [L. monimentum, monumentum, monument.]

Moniplies, mon′i-plīz. See Maniplies.

Monism, mon′izm, n. a philosophical theory that all being may ultimately be referred to one category; thus Idealism, Pantheism, Materialism are monisms—as opposed to the Dualism of matter and spirit.—n. '.—adjs. ', . [Gr. monos, alone, and -ism.]

Monition, mon-ish′un, n. a reminding or admonishing: warning: notice: (law) a summons to appear and answer.—adj. ', conveying admonition.—n. ', one who admonishes: an adviser: an instructor: a senior pupil who assists a schoolmaster: an ironclad steamship armed with heavy guns in revolving turrets: a raised part of a roof, with openings for light and ventilation: a kind of lizard:—fem. ', '.—adj. ', relating to a monitor: performed or taught by a monitor.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', giving admonition or warning. [L.,—monēre, -itum, to remind.]

Monk, mungk, n. formerly, one who retired alone to the desert to lead a religious life: one of a religious community living in a monastery: an inky blotch in print: a fuse for firing mines.—ns. ', the life of monks: monasticism; ', the angel-fish; ', the state or character of a monk.—adj. ', pertaining to a monk: like a monk: monastic.—ns. ', the aconite, a poisonous plant with a flower like a monk's hood; ' (naut.), a strong seam formed by laying the selvage-edges of two pieces of canvas over each other and stitching on each side and down the middle—also Middle-stitching. [A.S. munec—L. monachus—Gr. monachos—monos, alone.]

Monkey, mungk′i, n. a quadrumanous mammal of the order Primates—the term is loose, and may be conveniently restricted only to all the Primates exclusive of the Anthropoid Apes, thus including the Platyrrhini, or New-World monkeys, and the Catarrhiini, or Old-World monkeys: an ape: a name of contempt, esp. for a mischievous person, also of playful endearment: a heavy weight for driving piles: a large hammer for driving bolts: in betting slang, a sum of 500 pounds, or dollars in U.S.: a fluid consisting of chlor-hydric acid and zinc—generally called spirits of salt—used in the process of soldering:—pl. '.—v.i. to meddle with anything.—v.t. to imitate as a monkey does.—ns. ', a small money-bag, hung round the sailor's neck; ', a small swivel-block used in guiding running rigging; ', the omnibus conductor's foot-board; ', a narrow, half-decked river-boat; ', the baobab-tree or its fruit; ', a kind of pile-driver having a ram or monkey working in a wooden frame; ', a flower of the mimulus kind; ', a small gaff above the spanker-gaff for the flag; ', a coarse fibre yielded by the leaf-stalks of Attalea funifera, used for brooms, street sweeping-machine brushes, &c.; ', a drop-press with a ram, which is raised and let drop freely; ', the qualities of the monkey; ', a close-fitting jacket, generally made of some stout, coarse material; ', the seed-vessel of several species of Lecythis, having a round lid; ', a straw let through a gimlet-hole into a cask for the purpose of sucking the liquor; ', the Chili pine, Araucaria imbricata; ', a light rail above the quarter-rail; ' (U.S.), a piece of tomfoolery; ', a short lever for training carronades: a piece of knotted rope by which to attach a hook, to save the hand from jamming; ', a tackle-block over which runs a hoisting-rope; , a screw-key having a movable jaw.—Have, or Get, one's monkey up, to be angry; Suck the monkey, to drink liquor from a cask through an inserted tube: to drink from a coco-nut, filled surreptitiously with rum, &c. [Old It. monicchio, dim. of Old It. monna, nickname for an old woman, an ape, contr. of It. madonna, mistress.]

Monobasic, mon-ō-bā′sik, adj. having one base, of an acid combining with a univalent basic radical to form a neutral salt.

Monoblastic, mon-ō-blas′tik, adj. pertaining to that condition of the metazoic embryo in which a single germinal layer is alone represented.

Monoblepsis, mon-ō-blep′sis, n. a condition of vision more distinct when one eye only is used. [Gr. monos, single, blepsis, sight.]

Monocarbonate, mon-ō-kar′bō-nāt, n. a carbonate in which both hydrogen atoms of the acid are replaced by basic elements.

Monocardian, mon-ō-kär′di-an, adj. having a single heart, as fishes and reptiles. [Gr. monos, single, kardia, the heart.]

Monocarpous, mon-ō-kärp′us, adj. bearing fruit only once, as wheat, and all annual plants.—n. . [Gr. monos, single, karpos, fruit.]

Monocentric, mon-ō-sen′trik, adj. having a single centre only: unipolar.

Monocephalous, mon-ō-sef′al-us, adj. having but one head or capitulum.

Monoceros, mō-nos′ėr-os, n. a one-horned animal: the unicorn: (Spens.) perhaps the sword-fish.—adj. . [Gr. monos, single, keras, a horn.]

Monochlamydeous, mon-ō-kla-mid′ē-us, adj. (bot.) having a single instead of a double perianth. [Gr. monos, single, chlamys, a cloak.]

Monochord, mon′ō-kord, n. a musical instrument of one chord or string.

Monochromatic, mon-ō-kro-mat′ik, adj. of one colour only—also '.—ns. ', a painting in one colour only; , this art.

Monochronic, mon-ō-kron′ik, adj. contemporaneous.—adj. , monosemic.

Monocle, mon′o-kl, n. a one-eyed animal: a single eyeglass.

Monoclinal, mon′ō-klī-nal, adj. (geol.) dipping in one direction.

Monoclinic, mon′ō-klin-ik, adj. (mineral) crystallising in three unequal axes, two intersecting each other at an oblique angle, and at right angles to the third.—Also . [Gr. monos, single, klinein, to incline.]

Monoclinous, mon′ō-klī-nus, adj. (bot.) hermaphrodite.

Mono-compound, mon′ō-kom′pownd, n. (chem.) a compound containing one atom of any particular element.

Monocotyledon, mon-ō-kot-i-lē′don, n. a plant with only one cotyledon.—adj. .

Monocracy, mon-ok′ra-si, n. rule or government by a single person.—n. . [Gr. monos, single, kratos, strength.]

Monocular, mon-ok′ū-lar, adj. with one eye only: fitted only for one eye at a time.—Also .

Monodactylous, mon-ō-dak′ti-lus, adj. having only one toe or finger.

Monodelphia, mon-ō-del′fi-a, n.pl. one of the three primary divisions of mammals, the placental mammals.—adj. .

Monodon, mon′ō-don, n. a genus of delphinoid odontocete cetaceans, containing only the narwhal.

Monodrama, mon′ō-drä-ma, n. a dramatic piece for a single performer.—adj. .

Monody, mon′ō-di, n. a mournful ode or poem in which a single mourner bewails: a song for one voice: monotonous sound.—adjs. ', '.—n. , one who writes monodies.

Monœcious, mon-ē′shus, adj. having the stamens and pistils in separate flowers on the same individual plant.—n.pl. , the 21st class of plants of Linnæus. [Gr. monos, single, oikos, a house.]

Monogamy, mon-og′a-mi, n. marriage to one wife only: the state of such marriage.—adjs. ', '.—n. . [Gr. monos, one, gamos, marriage.]

Monogenesis, mon-ō-jen′e-sis, n. development of the ovum from a parent like itself.—adj. '.—ns. ', the descent of the whole human family from a single pair—also '; ', one who maintains this.—adjs. '; ', generating by fission, gemmation, &c.: pertaining to monogenism: (math.) having a single differential coefficient considered as a rule of generation.

Monogony, mō-nog′o-ni, n. a sexual reproduction.

Monogram, mon′ō-gram, n. a figure consisting of several letters interwoven or written into one.—adj. . [Gr. monos, alone, gramma, a letter.]

Monograph, mon′ō-graf, n. a treatise written on one particular subject or any branch of it.—v.t. to write a monograph upon.—ns. ', ', a writer of monographs.—adjs. ', ', pertaining to a monograph: drawn in lines without colours.—n. , a representation by one means only, as lines: an outline drawing. [Gr. monos, alone, graphein, to write.]

Monogynia, mon-ō-jin′i-a, n. an order of plants which have only one pistil or female organ.—n. ', a plant of this kind.—adjs. ', ' (bot.), having only one pistil or female organ.—n. ', a mating with only one female. [Gr. monos, alone, gynē, a female.]

Monohydric, mon-ō-hī′drik, adj. containing one atom of hydrogen.

Monoid, mon′oid, adj. and n. (pros.) containing but one kind of foot.

Monolatry, mō-nol′a-tri, n. the actual worship of but one divinity, not necessarily a disbelief in others.

Monolith, mon′ō-lith, n. a pillar, or column, of a single stone.—adjs. ', '. [Gr. monos, alone, lithos, a stone.]

Monologue, mon′ō-log, n. a speech uttered by one person: soliloquy: a poem, &c. for a single performer.—v.i. ', to indulge in this.—ns. ', one who talks in monologue; , the habit of doing so. [Fr.,—Gr. monos, alone, logos, speech.]

Monomachy, mō-nom′a-ki, n. a single combat: a duel.—Also . [Gr. monos, alone, machē, a fight.]

Monomania, mon-ō-mā′ni-a, n. madness confined to one subject, or to one faculty of the mind: an unreasonable interest in any particular thing.—n. ', one affected with monomania.—adjs. ', , affected with monomania. [Gr. monos, alone, mania, madness.]

Monomerous, mō-nom′e-rus, adj. having the tarsi single-jointed: (bot.) having but one member in each cycle. [Gr. monos, single, meros, part.]

Monometallic, mon-ō-me-tal′ik, adj. consisting of but one metal.—ns. ', the use of but one metal as a standard of value; ', one who upholds this theory.

Monometer, mō-nom′e-tėr, adj. and n. (pros.) consisting of one measure.—adjs. ', '.

Monomial, mon-ō′mi-al, n. an algebraic expression of one term only: a series of factors of single terms—also '.—adj. '. [Gr. monos, alone, L. nomen, name.]

Monomorphic, mon-ō-mor′fik, adj. of the same type of structure, or morphological character.—adj. . [Gr. monos, single, morphē, form.]

Monomyarian, mon-ō-mī-ā′ri-an, adj. having but one adductor muscle, as an oyster. [Gr. monos, single, mys, muscle.]

Mononym, mon′ō-nim, n. a name consisting of a single term.—adj. .

Monoöusious, mon-ō-ōō′si-us, adj. having the same substance. [Gr. monos, single, ousia, essence.]

Monopathy, mō-nop′a-thi, n. (pathol.) a disease affecting only one organ or function.—adj. . [Gr. monos, single, pathos, suffering.]

Monopetalous, mon-ō-pet′a-lus, adj. (bot.) having only one petal, or denoting a corolla, the petals of which so cohere as to form a tube.

Monophobia, mon-ō-fō′bi-a, n. morbid dread of being left alone. [Gr. monos, single, phobia, fear.]

Monophonous, mon-of′o-nus, adj. producing one sound at one time. [Gr. monos, single, phōnē, voice.]

Monophote, mon′ō-fōt, n. an electric arc-lamp regulator working in single series. [Gr. monos, single, phōs, phōtos, light.]

Monophthong, mon′of-thong, n. a simple vowel-sound.—adj. .

Monophyletic, mon-ō-fi-let′ik, adj. pertaining to a single phylum:—opp. to Polyphyletic.

Monophyllous, mon-ō-fil′us, adj. having a leaf of but one piece. [Gr. monos, alone, phyllon, a leaf.]

Monophyodont, mon-ō-fī′ō-dont, adj. having only one set of teeth.—n. such an animal.

Monophysite, mō-nof′i-sīt, n. one who holds that Christ had but one composite nature, instead of the orthodox doctrine that He united two complete natures without confusion or mutation in one person.—adj. '.—n. '. [Gr. monos, alone, physis, nature.]

Monoplast, mon′ō-plast, n. an organism consisting of a single cell. [Gr. monos, single, plastos, formed—plassein, to form.]

Monoplegia, mon-ō-plē′ji-a, n. paralysis limited to a single part. [Gr. monos, single, plēgē, stroke.]

Monopnoa, mo-nop′nō-a, n.pl. a class of reptiles breathing in one way only. [Gr. monos, single, pnoos, breathing—pnein, to breathe.]

Monopode, mon′ō-pōd, adj. and n. having but one foot.—adj. '—n. '.

Monopolise, mon-op′o-līz, v.t. to obtain possession of anything so as to be the only seller or sharer of it: in engross the whole of.—ns. ', '.—adj. '.—n. ', the sole power of dealing in anything: exclusive command or possession: (law) a grant from the crown to an individual for the sole right to deal in anything. [L. monopolium—Gr. monos, alone, pōlein, to sell.]

Monopteron, mō-nop′te-ron, n. a kind of temple or portico of columns grouped in a circle, and supporting a cupola. [Gr. monos, single, pteron, a wing.]

Monoptote, mon′op-tōt, n. a noun, &c., having but one case-form. [Gr. monos, alone, ptōsis, case.]

Monorchid, mo-nork′id, adj. having only one testicle.—n. .

Monorganic, mon-or-gan′ik, adj. of one organ.

Monorhine, mon′ō-rin, adj. having but one nasal passage.—Also . [Gr. monos, single, hris, hrinos, the nose.]

Monorhyme, mon′ō-rīm, n. a poem in which all the lines end with the same rhyme.

Monosemic, mon-ō-sē′mik, adj. (pros.) consisting in, or equal to, a single semeion (mora or unit of time).

Monosepalous, mon-ō-sep′a-lus, adj. (bot.) having the sepals all united: having a calyx of one piece.

Monospermous, mon-ō-spėrm′us, adj. (bot.) having one seed only.—n. . [Gr. monos, alone, sperma, seed.]

Monosporous, mon′ō-spōr-us, adj. of a single spore.

Monostich, mon′ō-stik, n. a poem complete in one verse.—adj. . [Gr. monos, alone, stichos, verse.]

Monostrophic, mon-ō-strof′ik, adj. having but one strophe: not varied in measure.—n. . [Gr. monos, alone, strophē, a strophe.]

Monostyle, mon′ō-stīl, adj. (archit.) consisting of a single shaft. [Gr. monos, alone, stylos, a pillar.]

Monosy, mon′ō-si, n. (bot.) an abnormal condition in which organs usually entire or united are found disunited. [Gr. monōsis—monos, single.]

Monosyllable, mon-ō-sil′la-bl, n. a word of one syllable.—adj. ', consisting of one syllable, or of words of one syllable.—n. ', an exclusive use of monosyllables, as in Chinese.

Monosymmetric, mon-ō-sim-et′rik, adj. having only one plane of symmetry in crystallisation.—adj.  (bot.), of flowers capable of being bisected into similar halves in only one plane.

Monotessaron, mon-ō-tes′a-ron, n. a harmony of the four gospels.

Monothalamous, mon-ō-thal′a-mus, adj. (bot.) single-chambered: with but one cavity. [Gr. monos, single, thalamos, a chamber.]

Monotheism, mon′ō-thē-izm, n. the belief in only one God.—n. ', one who believes that there is but one God.—adj. '. [Gr. monos, alone, theos, God.]

Monothelite, mon-oth′e-līt, n. one who holds that Christ had but one will and one operation or energy, as He had but one nature.—ns. ', '. [Gr. monos, alone, thelētēs, one who wills—thelein, to will.]

Monothetic, mon-ō-thet′ik, adj. assuming a single essential element. [Gr. monos, single, thetos, verbal adj. of tithenai, to put.]

Monotint, mon′ō-tint, n. drawing or painting in a single tint.

Monotocous, mō-not′o-kus, adj. having one only at a birth. [Gr. monos, single, tiktein, to bear.]

Monotone, mon′ō-tōn, n. a single, unvaried tone or sound: a succession of sounds having the same pitch: a piece of writing in one strain throughout.—v.t. and v.i. to intone, chant.—adjs. ', ', uttered in one unvaried tone: marked by dull uniformity.—adv. '.—n. ', dull uniformity of tone or sound: want of modulation in speaking or reading: (fig.) irksome sameness or want of variety. [Gr. monos, alone, tonos, a tone.]

Monotremata, mon-ō-trem′a-ta, n.pl. the lowest order of Mammalia, having a single opening for the genital and digestive organs.—adj. '—also '.—n. , a member of the Monotremata. [Gr. monos, alone, trēma, a hole.]

Monotype, mon′ō-tīp, n. and adj. having only one type or representative: a print transferred from a painting on a metal plate.—adj. .

Monoxide, mo-nok′sīd, n. an oxide containing a single oxygen atom in combination with two univalent atoms or one bivalent atom.

Monoxylon, mon-oks′i-lon, n. a canoe made from one log.—adj. , formed of a single piece of wood. [Gr. monos, single, xylon, wood.]

Monroeism, mon-rō′izm, n. more generally Monroe Doctrine, the principle of the non-intervention of Europe in matters relating to the American continent—from President Monroe's Message in Dec. 1823.

Monseigneur, mon-sā-nyer′, n. my lord: a title in France given to a person of high birth or rank, esp. to bishops, &c. (written Mgr.):—pl. Messeigneurs The corresponding Italian title is Monsignor  conferred on prelates and on the dignitaries of the papal household—also . [Fr., from L. meus, my, senior, older.]

Monsieur, mŏ-sye′, n. sir: a title of courtesy in France=Mr in English (written M. or Mons.): the eldest brother of the king of France: a Frenchman generally—usually mounseer: a French gentleman:—pl. Messieurs —Monsieur de Paris, the public executioner. [Fr.,—L. meus, my, senior.]

Monsoon, mon-sōōn′, n. a periodical wind of the Indian Ocean, which blows from the S.W. from April to October, and from the N.E. the rest of the year: similar winds elsewhere, returning periodically with the seasons.—adj.  [It. monsone—Malay mūsim—Ar. mawsim, a time, a season.]

Monster, mon′stėr, n. anything out of the usual course of nature: a prodigy, or fabulous animal: anything unusually large: anything horrible from ugliness or wickedness.—adj. unusually large, huge.—n. ', an unnatural production.—adj. ', out of the common course of nature: enormous: wonderful: horrible.—adv. '.—n. ', state or quality of being monstrous.—Gila monster, a large poisonous lizard of Arizona, &c., having tubercular scales. [Fr.,—L. monstrum, an omen, a monster—monēre, to warn.]



Monstrance, mon′strans, n. the utensil employed in R.C. churches for presenting the consecrated host for the adoration of the people, consisting of a stand and a repository or case with small semicircular holder (lunula).—Also Ostensory. [Fr.,—L. monstrāre, to show, monstrum, an omen.]

Montagnard, mong-ta-nyar′, n. one of the 'Mountain' or the extreme democratic wing of the French Legislative Assembly (1st Oct. 1791-21st Sept. 1792), so called because sitting on the topmost benches.

Montanic, mon-tan′ik, adj. pertaining to mountains: consisting in mountains. [L. montanus—mons, montis, a mountain.]

Montanism, mon′tan-izm, n. a heresy which grew up in the Christian Church in the second half of the 2d century, founded by the prophet and 'Paraclete,' Montanus of Phrygia—an ascetic reaction in favour of the old discipline and severity.—n. ', a supporter of Montanism.—adj. '.

Montant, mont′ant, adj. rising: (her.) increasing.—n. an upright rail or stile, as in a door, &c.: (Shak.) a contraction of montanto, a term in fencing, apparently for an upward blow: a two-handed sword. [Fr.,—monter, to mount—L. mons, montis, a mountain.]

Mont-de-piété, mong′-de-pē-ā-tā′, the Italian Monte di pietà, n. a pawnbroking shop set up by public authority. [Fr. and It., 'fund, bank, of piety.']

Monte, mon′te, n. a shrubby tract, a forest: a Spanish-American gambling game, played with a pack of forty cards.—Three-card monte, a Mexican gambling game, played with three cards, one usually a court-card. [Sp., 'a hill'—L. mons, montis, a mountain.]

Monteith, mon-tēth′, n. a large 18th-century punch-bowl, usually of silver, fluted and scalloped: a cotton handkerchief with white spots on a coloured ground.

Montem, mon′tem, n. a former custom of Eton boys to go every third Whit-Tuesday to a hillock on the Bath road and exact 'salt-money' from passers-by, for the university expenses of the senior scholar or school captain.

Montonegrine, mon-te-neg′rin, adj. and n. relating to Montenegro, or a native thereof: a close-fitting outer garment for women, braided and embroidered.

Montepulciano, mon-te-pul-chä′nō, n. a fine wine produced around Montepulciano, in central Italy.

Montero, mon-tā′ro, n. a huntsman: a horseman's cap. [Sp. montero, a huntsman—monte—L. mons, montis, a mountain.]

Montgolfier, mont-gol′fi-ėr, n. a balloon made by the brothers Montgolfier, Joseph Michel (1740-1810) and Jacques Etienne (1745-99), of Annonay, in 1783.

Month, munth, n. the period from new moon to new moon—a lunation, lunar, or synodic month (=29.5306 days): one of the twelve divisions of the year—a calendar month: one-twelfth part of a tropical year, the time the sun takes to pass through 30°—a solar month=30.4368 days.—n. ', that which is a month old or which lasts a month.—adj. ', performed in a month: happening or published once a month.—n. a monthly publication: (pl.) the menses.—adv. once a month: in every month.—Month of Sundays, a period that seems very long; Month's mind (see Mind).—Sidereal, or Stellar, month, the time in which the moon passes round the ecliptic to the same star=27.3217 days; Tropical, or Periodic, month, from the moon's passing the equinox till she again reaches it=27.3216 days. [A.S. mónð—móna, the moon.]

Monticulus, mon-tik′ū-lus, n. a little elevation—also ' and '.—adjs. ', ', having small projections.

Montoir, mon-twar′, n. a stone or block used in mounting a horse. [Fr., monter, to mount.]

Monton, mon′ton, n. a Mexican unit of weight for ore, varying from 1800 to 3200 Spanish pounds.

Montre, mon′tėr, n. a flue-stop the pipes of which show from without, usually the open diapason of the great organ: an opening in a kiln wall.

Monture, mon′tūr, n. a mounting, setting, frame. [Fr.]

Monument, mon′ū-ment, n. anything that preserves the memory of a person or an event, a building, pillar, tomb, &c.: a record or enduring example of anything: any distinctive mark.—v.t. to raise a monument in memory of.—adj. ', of or relating to a monument or tomb: memorial: impressive: amazing.—adv. '. [Fr.,—L. monumentum—monēre, to remind.]

Moo, mōō, v.i. to low like a cow. [Imit.]

Mood, mōōd, n. fashion, manner: (gram.) a. form of the verb to express the mode or manner of an action or of a state of being: (logic) the form of the syllogism as determined by the quantity and quality of its three constituent propositions: (mus.) the arrangement of the intervals in the scale, as major and minor (see Mode). [Mode.]

Mood, mōōd, n. disposition of mind: temporary state of the mind: anger, heat of temper.—adv. '.—n. ', gloominess, peevishness.—adjs. ', indulging in moods: out of humour: angry: sad: gloomy; ' (Shak.), mad with anger. [A.S. mód, mind; cf. Ger. muth, courage.]

Mooktar, mōōk′tar, n. a native lawyer in India. [Ar. mukhtār, chosen.]

Mool. A Scotch form of mould.

Moola(h). See Molla(h).

Moon, mōōn, n. the secondary planet or satellite which revolves round the earth monthly, shining with reflected light: a satellite revolving about any other planet; a month: anything in the shape of a moon or crescent: (fort.) a crescent-shaped outwork.—v.t. to adorn with moons or crescents.—v.i. to wander about or gaze vacantly at anything.—n. ', a beam of light from the moon.—adj. ', dim-sighted, purblind.—ns. ', a monster, a deformed creature: a dolt.—n.pl. ', times of culmination of the limb of the moon with certain neighbouring stars, formerly used in determining longitude.—adj. Mooned, of or like the moon: having the figure of the moon marked upon it.—ns. ', one who moons about; ', a disease affecting horses' eyes: a name of several American fishes; ', a full, round face—a point of beauty in the East.—adj. '.—ns. ', a name applied to various fishes; ', the ox-eye daisy; ', the track of moonlight on water.—adj. ', like the moon: variable: inconstant.—n. ', a crescent-shaped knife used by leather-workers in shaving off the fleshy parts of skins.—adj. ', destitute of moonlight.—n. ', the light of the moon—sunlight reflected from the moon's surface.—adj. lighted by the moon: occurring during moonlight.—ns. ', one of a band of cowardly ruffians in Ireland who committed agrarian outrages by night about 1880: a moonshiner; '.—adjs. ', lit or illumined by the moon; ', loved by the moon.—ns. ', lunacy, supposed to be caused by sleeping in full moonlight; ', a silly person; ', the following of crazy fancies; ', a small sail, sometimes carried above the sky-scraper; ', the setting of the moon; ', the shining of the moon: (fig.) show without reality: poached eggs with sauce: a month: (U.S.) smuggled spirits; ', a smuggler or illicit distiller of spirits.—adj. ', lighted by the moon: visionary, unreal.—n. ', a variety of feldspar presenting a pearly reflection from within.—adj. ', affected by the moon, lunatic, crazed.—n. ', any fern of the genus Botrychium.—adj. , relating to, or like, the moon or a crescent, bearing a crescent: round, as a shield: like moonlight, lighted by the moon: silly: sickly: tipsy.—n. a noodle.—Moonlight flitting, a removal of one's furniture, &c., during night, to prevent it being seized for rent or debt. [A.S. móna; cf. Ger. mond, L. mensis, Gr. mēnē.]

Moonshee, mōōn′shē, n. in India, a secretary, interpreter, teacher of languages. [Ar. munshi.]

Moop, mōōp, v.i. (Scot.) to nibble, browse.

Moor, mōōr, n. a large tract of untilled ground, often covered with heath, and having a poor, peaty soil: a heath.—ns. ', ', the red grouse or heathcock found in moors; ', the female moor-fowl: the water-hen; ' (Scot.), a kind of disease among cattle—also Red-water.—adjs. ', ', resembling a moor: sterile: marshy: boggy.—n. , a tract of moor. [A.S. mór; Ice. mór, peat.]

Moor, mōōr, v.t. to fasten a ship by cable and anchor: to fix firmly.—v.i. to be fastened by cables or chains.—ns. ', a place for mooring; ', act of mooring: that which serves to moor or confine a ship: in pl. the place or condition of a ship thus moored. [Prob. Dut. marren, to tie, allied to A.S. merran (in compound ámierran), Old High Ger. marrjan, to hinder.]

Moor, mōōr, n. a member of the dark mixed Mauretanian and Arab race inhabiting Morocco and the Barbary coast: one of the Arab and Berber conquerors and occupants of Spain from 711 to 1492—same as Arab or Saracen: a dark-coloured person generally, a negro.—n. ', a quarter inhabited by Moors.—adj. '. [Fr. more, maure—L. maurus—Gr. mauros, black.]

Moorva, mōōr′va, n. an East Indian silky fibre for cordage.—Also Marool, Bowstring-hemp.

Moose, mōōs, n. the largest deer of America, resembling the European elk. [Algonkin musu.]

Moot, mōōt, v.t. to propose for discussion: to discuss: argue for practice.—adj. discussed or debated.—n. in early English history, the meeting of the assembled freemen, or their representatives, to regulate the affairs of the village or tun, the hundred, or the kingdom—village- or town-moot, hundred-moot, folk-moot.—adj. ', that can be mooted or debated.—ns. ', ', a case, point, or question to be mooted or debated: an unsettled question; ', ', a meeting or court for arguing supposed cases; ', a hill of meeting on which the moot was held. [A.S. mótian—mót, gemót, an assembly, akin to métan, to meet.]

Mop, mop, n. a bunch of rags, &c., fixed, on a handle for washing floors, windows, or the like: anything at all like a mop: (prov.) a hiring-fair.—v.t. to rub or wipe with a mop:—pr.p. pa.t. and pa.p. mopped.—adj. , having a shaggy, unkempt head of hair. [O. Fr. mappe—L. mappa, a napkin.]

Mop, mop, n. a grimace.—v.i. to make such.

Mope, mōp, v.i. to be silent and dispirited: to be dull or stupid.—v.t. to make spiritless.—n. a listless person, a drone—also '.—adv. '.—adj. ', dull: spiritless.—adv. ', in a mopish manner.—n. . [Dut. moppen, to pout, sulk; Ger. muffen.]

Moppet, mop′et, n. a doll of rags: a young girl—also ', an untidy woman.—adj. ', short-sighted: stupid.

Moppy, mop′i, adj. (slang) tipsy.

Mops, mops, n. a pug-dog.

Mopstick, mop′stik, n. in an old pianoforte movement, a rod which raises the damper as the key is depressed.—Also .

Mopus, mop′us, n. (slang) money.

Moquette, mō-ket′, n. a material for carpets, with a loose velvety pile—the back thick canvas, &c. [Fr.]

Mora, mō′ra, n. (law) delay, esp. unjustifiable. [L.]

Mora, mō′ra, n. an ancient game played from China to Peru, the aim being to guess the number of fingers held out by a player. [It.]

Moraine, mo-rān′, n. a continuous line of rocks and gravel along the edges of glaciers.—adj. . [Fr.—Ger. (Bavarian) mur.]

Moral, mor′al, adj. of or belonging to the manners or conduct of men: conformed to right, ethical, virtuous: capable of knowing right and wrong: subject to the moral law: instructing with regard to morals: supported by evidence of reason or probability—opp. to Demonstrative: belonging to the mind, or to the will: (Shak.) moralising.—n. in pl. manners: the doctrine or practice of the duties of life: moral philosophy or ethics: conduct, esp. sexual conduct: in sing. the practical lesson given by anything: an emblem or allegory: (slang) a certainty, an exact counterpart.—v.i. to moralise.—ns. ' (Shak.), a moraliser; ', act of moralising, explanation in a moral sense.—v.t. ', to apply to a moral purpose: to explain in a moral sense.—v.i. to speak or write on moral subjects: to make moral reflections.—ns. '; ', a moral maxim; moral counsel: morality as distinct from religion; ', one who teaches morals, or who practises moral duties: a merely moral as distinguished from a religious man: one who prides himself on his morality.—adj. '.—n. ', quality of being moral: that in an action which renders it right or wrong: the practice of moral duties apart from religion: virtue: the doctrine which treats of actions as being right or wrong: ethics: a kind of drama which grew out of mysteries and miracle-plays, and continued in fashion till Elizabeth's time, in which allegorical representations of the virtues and vices were introduced as dramatis personæ.—adv. , in a moral manner: uprightly: to all intents and purposes, practically.—Moral agent, one who acts under a knowledge of right and wrong; Moral certainty, a likelihood so great as to be safely acted on, although not capable of being certainly proved; Moral defeat (see Moral victory); Moral faculty (see Moral sense); Moral law, a law or rules for life and conduct, founded on what is right and wrong: the law of conscience; Moral philosophy, the science which treats of the qualities of actions as being right or wrong, and the duty of mankind with regard to such actions; Moral sense, that power of the mind which knows or judges actions to be right or wrong, and determines conduct accordingly; Moral theology, ethics treated with reference to a divine source; Moral victory, a defeat in appearance, but in some important sense a real victory. [Fr.,—L. moralis—mos, moris, custom.]

Morale, mo-räl′, n. the state of a person's morals: mental state as regards spirit and confidence, esp. of a body of soldiers, &c. [Fr.]

Morass, mo-ras′, n. a tract of soft, wet ground: a marsh.—adj. .—Morass ore, bog-iron ore. [Dut. moeras, a marsh.]

Morat, mō′rat, n. a drink made of honey and mulberry juice. [It. morato—moro—L. morum.]

Moratorium, mo-ra-tō′ri-um, n. an emergency act allowing a government bank to suspend payments in specie for a given time.

Moravian, mo-rā′vi-an, adj. pertaining to Moravia or the Moravians.—n. one of a Christian denomination entitled Unitas Fratrum of United Brethren, a small body of Protestants of extraordinary missionary energy, founded in the 15th century.—n. , the doctrines of the Moravians.

Moray, mō′rā, n. an apodal eel-like fish of the Muræna family.—Also ', ', .

Morbid, mor′bid, adj. diseased, sickly: not healthful.—n. ', the quality of being morbid: disease: the ratio of sickness in a community.—adv. '.—n. Morbidness, sickliness.—adjs. ', '; ', causing disease.—n. ', measles.—adjs. ', like measles; ', pertaining to measles; ', proceeding from disease: morbid: not healthy.—n. ', disease. [Fr.,—L. morbidus—morbus, disease.]

Morbidezza, mor-bi-det′za, n. that quality of flesh-painting which gives the impression of life. [It.]

Morceau, mor′sō, n. a small bit: a dainty morsel:—pl.  (-sōz). [Fr.]

Mordacious, mor-dā′shus, adj. given to biting: biting: (fig.) sarcastic: severe.—adv. '.—n. ', quality of being mordacious: biting severity.—adj. ', biting, sarcastic, severe: serving to fix colours.—n. any substance, as alum, used to give permanency or brilliancy to dyes: a glutinous size as a ground for gilding, matter to make gold-leaf adhere: any corrosive liquid by which the biting in etching is effected.—v.t. to treat with a mordant.—adv. '.—ns. ', '. [Fr.,—L. mordax, mordacis—mordēre, to bite.]

Mordent, mor′dent, n. a kind of trill in music, or the character indicating it. [It. mordente.]

More, mōr, adj. (serves as comp. of Many and Much) additional: other besides: greater (so in B.).—adv. to a greater degree: again: longer.—n. a greater thing: something further or in addition:—superl. Most (mōst).—adj. . insufficient: such that one wants more.—More and more, continually increasing; More by token, in proof of this, besides; More or less, about: in round numbers.—Any more, something additional: further; Be no more, to have died; No more, nothing in addition. [Including both M.E. mo, more in number—A.S. má, more in number, and M. E. more, larger—A.S. mára, greater.]

More, mōr, n. (Spens.) a root. [A.S. moru, more, a carrot; Ger. möhre.]

More, mō′re, adv. after the manner of. [L., abl. of mos, a custom.]

Moreen, mo-rēn′, n. a stout woollen or cotton and woollen stuff, used for petticoats, curtains, &c. [Fr. moire, mohair.]

Morel, mor′el, or mō-rel′, n. any edible mushroom of the genus Morchella. [Fr. morille; prob. Old High Ger. morhela (Ger. morchel), a mushroom.]

Morello, mō-rel′o, n. a dark-red variety of cherry, much used in cooking and for cherry brandy.—Also ', or '. [It.,—Low L. morellus, blackish—L. maurus, a blackamoor, or perh. for morulus, blackish—morum, a mulberry.]

Moreover, mōr-ō′vėr, adv. more over or beyond what has been said: further: besides: also.

Moresque, mo-resk′, adj. done after the manner of the Moors.—n. a kind of ornamentation, same as arabesque—(obs.) . [Fr.,—It. moresco.]

Morgana (Fata). See Fata.

Morganatic, mor-gan-at′ik, adj. noting a marriage of a man with a woman of inferior rank, in which neither the latter nor her children enjoy the rank or inherit the possessions of her husband, though the children are legitimate—also Left-handed marriage.—adv. . [Low L. morganatica, a gift from a bridegroom to his bride—Teut.; cf. Ger. morgengabe, A.S. morgengifu, a morning gift.]

Morgay, mor′gā, n. the small spotted dogfish or bounce.

Morglay, mor′glā, n. a claymore—esp. that of the Arthurian hero Sir Bevis.

Morgue, morg, n. a place where bodies found dead are laid out for identification. [Fr.]

Morgue, morg, n. hauteur. [Fr.]

Morian, mō′ri-an, n. a Moor—also  (Pr. Bk.)

Moribund, mo′ri-bund, adj. about to die: in a dying state. [L. moribundus—mori, to die.]



Morion, Morrion, mō′ri-un, n. a open helmet without visor or beaver. [Fr., prob. from Sp. morrion—morra, crown of the head. Diez suggests Basque murua, a hill.]

Morisco, mo-ris′ko, n. the Moorish language: a Moorish dance or dancer: Moorish architecture: one of the Moors who remained in Spain after the fall of Granada in 1492.—adj. Moorish—(obs.) .

Morisonian, mor-i-sō′ni-an, n. a member of the Evangelical Union, formed in 1843 by the Rev. James Morison (1816-93), after his separation from the United Secession Church.—n. , the religious views of Morison and others—essentially a reaction from the Calvinistic doctrine of the Westminster Confession on predestination and unconditional election and reprobation.

Morkin, mor′kin, n. a beast that has died by accident.

Morling, mor′ling, n. a sheep dead of disease or its wool.

Morlop, mor′lop, n. a New South Wales jasper.

Mormo, mor′mō, n. a genus of noctuoid moths: a bugbear.

Mormon, mor′mon, n. one of a religious sect in Utah, U.S., openly polygamous till 1890, calling itself 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,' founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, whose supplement to the Bible, the Book of Mormon, was given out as translated from the golden plates of one &apos;Mormon,' but was really adapted from a MS. romance written about 1811 by Solomon Spaulding.—ns. '; ', .

Mormops, mor′mops, n. a genus of American phyllostomine bats, so called from their repulsive physiognomy. [Gr. mormō, a bugbear, ōps, face.]

Morn, morn, n. the first part of the day: morning.—The morn (Scot.), to-morrow; The morn's morning, to-morrow morning. [M. E. morwen—A.S. morgen; Ger. morgen.]

Morne, mōrn, n. the blunt head of a jousting-lance: a small, rounded hill.—adjs. Morné denoting a lion rampant without teeth or claws; Morned (her.), blunted. [Fr.]

Morning, morn′ing, n. the first part of the day: the early part of anything: the first dram of the day.—adj. pertaining to the morning: taking place or being in the morning.—ns. ', dress such as is usually worn in the morning, as opposed to Evening-dress; ', a gift made by the husband to the wife on the morning after marriage; Morning-gown, a gown for wearing in the morning; ', the east; ', a woman's morning boudoir or sitting-room in English country houses; ', nausea and vomiting in the morning, common in the early stages of pregnancy; ', any of the planets, esp. Venus, when it rises before the sun: a kind of flail with a star-like ball of metal at the end of a chain, formerly used as a weapon of war; ', the morning time: early part; ', the watch between 4 and 8 A.M. [Contr. of morwen-ing. Cf. Morn.]

Morocco, mo-rok′ō, n. a fine goat-skin leather, tanned with sumac, first brought from Morocco, afterwards from the Levant and elsewhere: a sheep-skin leather in imitation of this: a very strong ale, anciently brewed in Cumberland.—adj. consisting of Morocco.—French morocco, an inferior kind of Levant morocco, with small grain; Levant morocco, a fine quality of morocco, with large grain; Persian morocco, a morocco finished on the grain side.

Morology, mō-rol′o-ji, n. foolish talk. [Gr., mōros, a fool, logia—legein, to speak.]

Morose, mō-rōs′, adj. of a sour temper: gloomy: severe.—adv. '.—ns. ', quality of being morose—(obs.) . [L. morosus, peevish—mos, moris, manner.]

Morpheus, mor′fūs, n. a god of dreams: sleep.—adjs. ', '. [L.]

Morphia, mor′fi-a, n. the chief narcotic principle of opium: a drug which causes sleep or deadens pain—also '.—ns. '; '; '. [Coined from Gr. Morpheus, god of dreams—morphē, shape.]

Morphic, mor′fik, adj. relating to form, morphological.—n. ', the production of morphological characters.—adj. '.—ns. ', the genesis of form: morphology; '; ', descriptive morphology.—adjs. ', '.—ns. ', one who is versed in, or who writes upon, morphology; ', the science of organic form, of the development of the forms of living organisms; ', the laws of morphology; ', morphogenesis.—adj. '. [Gr. morphē, form.]

Morrhua, mor′ōō-a, n. the chief genus of gadoid fishes, including the cod (Gadus).

Morris, Morrice, mor′is, , n. a Moorish dance: a dance in which bells, rattles, tambours, &c. are introduced.—v.i. ', to perform by dancing.—ns. ';  (Shak.), a Moorish pike.—Nine men's morris, an old English game in which a figure of squares, one within another, was marked out on aboard or on the turf, and eighteen pieces or stones, nine for each side, were moved alternately as at draughts—also Nine men's merils. [Sp. morisco, Moorish—Sp. moro, a Moor.]

Morrow, mor′ō, n. the day following the present: to-morrow: the next following day: the time immediately after any event.—n. To-, next day—also adv. [M. E. morwe=morwen; cf. Morn.]

Morse, mors, n. the walrus or sea-horse. [Russ. morjŭ, a morse, prob. from more, the sea.]

Morse, mors, n. the metal fastening of the cope, generally of precious metal, ornamented with jewels—also Pectoral. [L. morsus, a bite.]

Morse, mors, n. (coll.) the Morse-code signalling of telegraph operators, from Sam. F. B. Morse (1791-1872).—Morse alphabet, a system of symbols to be used in telegraphic messages where Morse's indicator is used, consisting of dots and dashes combined in different ways to indicate the different letters.

Morsel, mor′sel, n. a bite or mouthful: a small piece of food: a small quantity of anything which is divided.—ns. ', the act of biting; ', a bite. [O. Fr. morsel (Fr. morceau, It. morsello), dim. from L. morsus—mordēre, morsum, to bite.]

Morsing-horn, mor′sing-horn, n. the small horn that used to hold the fine powder used for priming. [Fr. amorcer, to prime a gun.]

Mort, mort, n. death: a flourish sounded at the death of a buck, & c., in hunting.

Mort, mort, n. a great number or amount of anything.

Mort, mort, n. (slang) a woman.

Mortal, mor′tal, adj. liable to die: causing death: deadly: fatal: punishable with death: involving the penalty of spiritual death, as opposed to Venial: extreme, violent, implacable: human: (coll.) very great, very long, confounded, very drunk.—n. a human being.—v.t. ', to make mortal.—n. ', condition of being mortal: death: frequency or number of deaths, esp. in proportion to population: the human race.—adv. '—(coll.) '.—ns. ', a pall; ', a stone by the wayside on which the bearers lay the bier for a rest during a funeral procession.—Bills of mortality, lists of the numbers of those who have died in any place during any given time; Law of mortality, rules founded on experience or calculation, showing what average proportion of those living at the beginning of a given time will be surviving at its close. [Fr.,—L. mortalis—mori, to die.]

Mortar, mor′tar, n. a vessel in which substances are pounded with a pestle: a short and very thick piece of artillery of large calibre, firing a heavy shell at a fixed angle of 45° or thereabouts, so as to strike vertically: a cement of lime, sand, and water, used to bind together stones or bricks in building.—v.t. to close up or in as with mortar: to pound in a mortar.—n. , a square board with a handle beneath for holding mortar which the workman is using: a square-crowned academic cap. [A.S. mortere—L. mortarium, a mortar.]

Mortgage, mor′gāj, n. a conditional conveyance of or lien upon land or other property as security for the performance of some condition, as the payment of money, becoming void on the performance of the condition: the act of conveying, or the deed effecting it.—v.t. to pledge as security for a debt.—ns. ', one to whom a mortgage is made or given; '. [O. Fr., mort, dead, gage, a pledge.]

Mortier, mor′tye, n. a cap of state worn by legal functionaries in France.

Mortiferous, mor-tif′ėr-us, adj. death-bringing: fatal. [L. mors, death, ferre, to bring.]

Mortify, mor′ti-fī, v.t. to destroy the vital functions of: to subdue by severities and penance: to vex: to humble: (Scots law) to dispose of by mortification.—v.i. to lose vitality, to gangrene: to be subdued:—pa.t. and pa.p. —ns. ', act of mortifying or state of being mortified: the death of one part of an animal body: a bringing under of the passions and appetites by a severe or strict manner of living: humiliation: vexation: that which mortifies or vexes: (Scots law) a bequest to some charitable institution; ', subjugation of the passions; ', one who mortifies.—adj. ', tending to mortify or humble: humiliating: vexing. [Fr.,—Low L. mortificāre, to cause death to—mors death, facĕre, to make.]

Mortise, mor′tis, n. a cavity cut into a piece of timber to receive the tenon, a projection on another piece made to fit it: stability, power of adhesion—also .—v.t. to cut a mortise in: to join by a mortise and tenon. [Fr. mortaise; ety. unknown.]

Mortmain, mort′mān, n. the transfer of property to a corporation, which is said to be a dead hand, or one that can never part with it again.—Statutes of mortmain, acts of parliament restricting or forbidding the giving of property to religious houses. [Fr. mort, dead, main—L. manus, the hand.]

Mortuary, mort′ū-ar-i, n. adj. belonging to the burial of the dead.—n. a burial-place, place for the temporary reception of the dead: a gift claimed by the minister of a parish on the death of a parishioner. [Low L.,—L. mortuus, dead, mori, to die.]

Morula, mor′ū-la, n. condition of an ovum after complete segmentation: button-scurvy.

Morus, mō′rus, n. a genus of trees or shrubs of the nettle family—the mulberries. [L.]

Mosaic, mö-zā′ik, n. a kind of work in which designs are formed by small pieces of coloured marble, glass, &c. cemented on a ground of stucco, or inlaid upon metal.—adj. relating to, or composed of, mosaic.—adv. '.—n. '.—Mosaic gold, an alloy of copper and zinc—also Ormolu. [Fr.,—L. musæum or musivum (opus), mosaic (work)—Gr. mouseios—Mousa, a muse.]

Mosaic, mō-zā′ik, adj. pertaining to Moses, the great Jewish lawgiver.—n. .—Mosaic Law, the law of the Jews given by Moses at Mount Sinai.

Mosausaurus, mō-sa-saw′rus, n. the typical genus of a group of huge fossil marine reptiles, found in the Cretaceous strata of Europe and America. [L. Mosa, the river Meuse, Gr. sauros, a lizard.]

Moschatel, mos′ka-tel, n. a plant with pale-green flowers and a musky smell. [Fr. moscatelline—Low L. moschatellina—muscus, musk.]

Moschiferous, mos-kif′e-rus, adj. producing musk.

Mose, mōz, n. (Shak.) a disease of horses.—v.i. to have this. [Prob. Old High Ger. māsā, a spot.]

Moselle, mo-zel′, n. light wines from the district of the river Moselle, with an aromatic flavour.

Mosey, mō′zi, v.i. (Amer. slang) to go off quickly: to hurry up.

Moslem, moz′lem, n. a Mussulman or Mohammedan.—adj. of or belonging to the Mohammedans.—n. . [Ar. muslim, pl. muslimīn—salama, to submit (to God). Doublet Mussulman.]

Moslings, moz′lingz, n.pl. the thin shavings taken off by the currier in dressing skins. [Morsel.]

Mosque, mosk, n. a Mohammedan place of worship. [Fr.,—Sp. mezquita—Ar. masjid—sajada, to pray.]

Mosquito, mos-kē′to, n. a biting gnat, common in tropical countries:—pl. .—Mosquito canopy, curtain, net, an arrangement of netting set over a bed, in a window, &c., to keep out mosquitoes. [Sp., dim. of mosca, a fly—L. musca.]

Moss, mos, n. a family of flowerless plants with branching stems and narrow, simple leaves: popularly any small cryptogamic plant, esp. a lichen: a piece of ground covered with moss: a bog.—v.t. to cover with moss.—ns. ', an old fish: a person of antiquated views; ' (Scot.), the titlark.—adj. ', covered with moss.—ns. ' (Scot.), a pit or slough in a bog; '; ', land abounding in peat-bogs; ', a variety of rose having a moss-like growth on and below the calyx; ', one of the robbers that used to infest the mosses of the Border.—adj. , overgrown or abounding with moss.—Iceland moss (see Iceland). [A.S. meós; Dut. mos, Ger. moos.]

Moss-bunker, mos′-bung-kėr, n. the menhaden. [Dut. mars-banker, the scad or horse-mackerel.]

Most, mōst, adj. (superl. of More), greatest in age, position or rank, number, degree, &c.—adv. in the highest degree.—n. the greatest number or quantity.—advs. '; ' (Spens.), for the most part, mostly.—At (the) most, to the utmost extent; For the most part, chiefly; Make the most of (see Make). [A.S. mǽst; cog. with Ger. meist.]

Mot, mō, n. a pithy or witty saying.—Mot d'ordre, word of command. [Fr.]

Mot, mot, n. a note on the bugle, &c., or its mark in musical notation. [Fr.,—L. muttum, a murmur.]

Motatorious, mō-ta-tō′ri-us, adj. vibratory, excessively mobile—of long-legged spiders and crane-flies, &c. [L. motāre, -ātum to keep moving, freq. of movēre, to move.]

Mote, mōt, n. an archaism for might or must.

Mote, mōt, n. a particle of dust: a speck: a stain or blemish: anything very small.—adjs. ', ', containing motes. [A.S. mot; Dut. mot.]

Motet, mo-tet′, n. a sacred cantata of several unconnected movements, as a solo, trio, chorus, fugue, &c.: a choral composition having a biblical or similar prose text.—n. , a composer of such. [Fr.,—It. mottetto—motto, saying.]

Moth., moth, n. a family of insects like butterflies, seen mostly at night: the larva of this insect which gnaws cloth: that which eats away gradually and silently.—v.t. ', to prey upon, as a moth eats a garment.—adj. ', eaten or cut by moths.—n. ', a little kind of swallow which hunts moths, &c., called also the Goatsucker.—adj. ', full of moths.—Death's-head moth, (see Death). [A.S. moþþe, mohþe; Ger. motte.]

Mother, muth′ėr, n. a female parent, esp. one of the human race: a woman in relation to her child: a matron: that which has produced anything: the female head of a religious house: a familiar term of address to an old woman.—adj. received by birth, as it were from one's mother: natural: acting the part of a mother: originating.—v.t. to adopt as a son or daughter.—ns. ', the church from which others have sprung; ', ', the country of one's birth: the country from which a colony has gone out; ', state of being a mother; ', a rural English custom of visiting one's parents on Mid-Lent Sunday; ', the mother of one's husband or wife.—adj. ', without a mother.—n. '.—adj. ', pertaining to, or becoming, a mother: like a mother: parental: tender.—ns. ', the nacreous internal layer of the shells of several molluscs, esp. of the pearl-oyster, so called because producing the pearl; ', a birth-mark; ', a person's native language: a language from which another has its origin; ', the residual liquid remaining after the chemical substances it contained have been crystallised or precipitated; ', native wit: common-sense; ', a labiate plant growing in waste places; ', the mother of a reigning sovereign.—Mother Carey's chicken, the stormy petrel, or other bird of the same family; Mother-Hubbard, a woman's loose flowing gown, like that proper to the nursery heroine.—Every mother's son, all, without exception. [A.S. móder; Dut. moeder, Ice. móðir, Ger. mutter, Ir. and Gael. mathair, L. mater, Gr. mētēr, Sans, mátá, mátri.]

Mother, muthėr, n. dregs or sediments, as of vinegar.—v.i. to become concreted.—adj. . [Mud.]

Motif, mō-tēf′, n. an old form of motive: a theme or ground for intellectual action, or a leading subject in a dramatic work: in a musical composition the principal subject on which the movement is constructed. [Fr.,—L. motus, moved.]

Motion, mō′shun, n. the act or state of moving: a single movement: change of posture: gait: power of moving or of being moved: angular velocity—direct when from west to east; retrograde when from east to west: excitement of the mind: any natural impulse, instigation: proposal made, esp. in an assembly: an application to a court, during a case before it, for an order or rule that something be done, esp. something incidental to the progress of the cause rather than its issue: evacuation of the intestine: (pl., B.) impulses.—v.i. to make a significant movement, to offer a proposal.—v.t. to guide by a gesture, &c.: to move.—adj. ', capable of spontaneous motion.—n. '.—adj. ', characterised by motions.—n. ', one who makes a motion.—adj. , without motion.—Absolute motion, change of absolute place; Accelerated motion, motion of which the velocity is continually increasing; Angular motion, motion regarded as measured by the increase of the angle made with some standard direction by a line drawn from the moving object to a fixed point; Laws of motion, Newton's three laws: (1) Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, except so far as it may be compelled by force to change that state; (2) Change of motion is proportional to force applied, and takes place in the direction of the straight line in which the force acts; (3) To every action there is always an equal and contrary reaction; Parallel motion (see Parallel); Perpetual motion (see Perpetual); Quantity of motion, momentum. [Fr.,—L.,—movēre, mōtum, to move.]

Motive, mō′tiv, adj. causing motion: having power to cause motion.—n. that which moves or excites to action: inducement: reason.—v.t. to act on as a motive, instigate.—v.t. ', to act on as a motive, induce.—n. '.—adj. Mōtiveless.—ns. '; ', or ', the force acting upon a body so as to cause it to move; ', power of producing motion: the quality of being influenced by motion. [Fr., through Low L., from movēre, mōtum to move.]

Motley, mot′li, adj. covered with spots of different colours: consisting of different colours: composed of various parts, heterogeneous.—n. clothes made of pieces of different colours: the dress of a jester: any mixture, esp. of colours.—adj.  (Shak.), having fickle and foolish thoughts and feelings.—Man of motley, a jester. [Skeat explains M. E. mottelee as through O. Fr. mattelé, clotted, curdled—Bavarian matte, curds.]

Motmot, mot′mot, n. a sawbill.

Motograph, mō′to-graf, n. a device of Edison's, used as a telephone receiver, &c., by which the variation of the friction between two conductors in relative motion is diminished periodically by the passage of a current of electricity from one to the other across the surface of contact.—adj. . [L. motus, motion, Gr. graphein, to write.]

Motophone, mō′to-fōn, n. a sound-engine of Edison's actuated by aerial sound-waves. [L. motus, motion, Gr. phōnē, a voice.]

Motor, mō′tor, n. a mover: that which gives motion: a machine by means of which steam or other sources of force can be used to give motion or produce work.—adj. giving or transmitting motion.—ns. ', a vehicle for the road impelled by steam, electricity, or petrol (petroleum spirit); ', a dynamo used as a motor.—adjs. ', ', giving motion.—n. , that part of the nervous organism instrumental in the exertion of motor influence:—opp. to Sensorium, that which feels or perceives.—adj. ', belonging to ' or the movement cure.—Motor nerve, any nerve which transmits impulse to the muscles.—Air-motor, a machine impelled by compressed air. [Cf. Motive.]

Mottle, mot′l, v.t. to mark with spots as if stained.—n. the arrangement of spots on any mottled surface, in marble, &c.—adjs. ', marked with spots of various colours or shades; le-faced.—n. '. [Motley.]

Motto, mot′ō, n. a short sentence or phrase prefixed in anything intimating the subject of it: a phrase attached to a coat-of-arms: a paper packet containing a sweetmeat, cracker, &c., together with a scrap of paper bearing a motto—a motto-kiss:—pl. Mottoes —adj. . [Low L. muttum—muttīre, to mutter.]

Moucharaby, mōō-shar′a-bi, n. a balcony enclosed with lattice-work: an embattled balcony with parapet and machicolations. [Fr.]

Mouchard, mōō-shär′, n. a police spy in France. [Mouche, a fly.]

Moucher, mow′chėr, n. one who idles about, a loafer, a beggar—same as Micher.—v.i. Mouch, to skulk or sneak about; to live a vagabond life. [O. Fr. muchier (Fr. musser), to hide.]

Mouchoir, mōō-shwor′, n. a pocket-handkerchief. [Fr.]

Moufflon, mōōf′lon, n. a wild sheep in the mountains of Corsica, Greece, &c. [Fr.]

Mought, mowt (Bacon), obsolete pa.t. of may.

Mouille, mōōl-lyā′, adj. sounded in a liquid manner, as certain consonants in many French words. [Fr.]

Mould, mōld, n. dust: soil rich in decayed matter: the matter of which anything is composed: a minute fungus which grows on bodies in a damp atmosphere, so named from often growing on mould: the earth, the ground, the grave, esp. in pl. Mools (Scot.).—v.t. to cover with mould or soil: to cause to become mouldy.—v.i. to become mouldy.—n. ', the curved plate in a plough which turns over the furrow.—v.i. ', to crumble to mould: to turn to dust: to waste away gradually.—v.t. to turn to dust.—ns. '; ', the mole, which casts up little heaps of mould.—adj. , overgrown with mould. [A.S. molde; Ger. mull, Goth. mulda.]

Mould, mōld, n. a hollow form in which anything is cast: a pattern; the form received from a mould, a former or matrix for jellies, &c., also a dish shaped in such: character.—v.t. to form in a mould: to knead, as dough.—adj. ', that may be moulded.—ns. ', a box in which molten steel is hydraulically compressed; '; ', a fine powder or wash applied to the face of a mould to ensure a smooth casting; ', the process of shaping, esp. any soft substance: anything formed by or in a mould: an ornamental edging on a picture-frame, &c., or (archit.) raised above or sunk below the surface of a wall, on cornices, jambs, lintels, &c.—the fillet or list, astragal or bead, ogee, cyma, &c.; ', a table on which a potter moulds his ware; , a large room in a shipbuilding yard in which the several parts of a ship's hull are laid off to full size from the construction drawings.—Moulding machine, a machine for making wood-mouldings; Moulding plane, a plane used in forming mouldings, a match-plane; Moulding sand, a mixture of sand and loam used by founders in making sand-moulds. [Fr. moule—L. modulus, a measure.]

Moulin, mōō-lang′, n. a cavity formed in a glacier by the running down of surface water, sometimes allowing a cascade to be formed. [Fr.]

Moulinage, mōō′lināj, n. the operation of reeling-off, twisting, and doubling raw silk.

Moulinet, mōō′li-net, n. the drum of a windlass, &c., on which the rope is wound: a machine for bending a crossbow. [Fr., 'a little mill.']

Moult, mōlt, v.i. to change or cast the feathers, &c., as birds, &c.—n. , the act or process of moulting or casting feathers, skin, &c. [L. mutāre, to change, with intrusive l.]

Mound, mownd, n. an artificial mount: a natural hillock, appearing as if thrown up by man's work: (fort.) a bank of earth or stone raised as a protection.—v.t. to fortify with a mound.—n.pl. ', a family of Australasian gallinaceous birds which build large mounds as incubators for their eggs.—n. ', one of the primitive race which built the vast so-called Indian mounds found in the United States, esp. east of the Mississippi River. [A.S. mund, a defence; cf. Old High Ger. munt, defence, and perh. L. mons, a mount.]



Mound, mownd, n. (her.) the representation of a globe encircled with bands, and surmounted by a cross.—Also Monde. [Fr. monde—L. mundus, the world.]