Page:A dictionarie of the French and English tongues - Cotgrave - 1611.djvu/597

 also, one that is of full yeares.  Nos maieurs. Our auncestors, or forefathers.  Le maieur d'un mestier. Th maister of a Companie of artificers.

Majeur. as La majeur partie; the more; the greater part, or side.

Maignan. as Magnan. ¶Rab. Maigne: com. Great; as, Charles le maigne. Maignen: m. A Copper-smith, or Kettle-maker.

Maigre: m. A great, and skalie fish, hauing a wattle on his chinne; two holes on the top of his beake, neere his eyes; and two stones within his head, of some vertue (as is supposed) against the cholicke: The French doe tearme him thus, not because he is leane, but because by the whitenesse of his flesh he seemes so; howsoeuer, and howsoeuer he be dressed, he is reasonable good meat.

Maigre: com. Meagar, leane, scraggie, fleshlesse; thin, slender, gaunt, lanke; hungrie, barren; poore.  Maigre chere. Cold, or heartleße intertainment.  Maigre mine. Small countenance, a respectleße looke, or scarce a good looke.  Maigre propos. Dry, barren, faint, shallow, or carelesse discourse; talke whereby the hearer can profit but little.  Iour maigre. A fish, or fasting, day.  Maigre en cuisse d'heron; &,   Maigres comme pies. As leane as Rakes (we say.)

Maigrelet: m. ette: f. Somewhat meagar, thin, slender, somewhat leane.

Maigrement. Meagarly, leanely, scraggily; thinly, lankly, slenderly; hungrily; barrenly; dryly; poorely.

Maigret. as Maigrelet. Maigreté: f. Meagarnesse, leannesse; thinnesse, lankenesse; hungrinesse, barrennesse; drynesse; poorenesse.

Maigue: m. Whey.

Mail: m. A Mall, Mallet, or Beetle; also, as Marne. Maille: f. A (French) halfepennie; the halfe of a pennie (in weight, or money;) also, looke the next marginall word.  La maille Billeron. A toll taken of euerie one that sells wares at certaine Fayres.  Maille de Lorraine. A coyne worth about iij s. Tour. Droict de maille d'or. Looke Droict. Faire la maille bonne de. To warrant, vndertake or answer for, make good.  Bonne la maille qui sauve le denier: Prov. Well is the halfe-pennie (spent) that saues a pennie.

Maille: f. Mayle, or a linke of mayle (whereof coats of mayle be made;) also, a Hauther; or, any little ring of mettall resembling a linke of mayle; also, a mash of a net, the square hole that is between thread and thread; also, a web in the eye.  Maille de boucle. The loope of a buckle; (through which the latchet passes.)  Maille à maille on fait les haubergeons: Pro. Looke Haubergeon. Maillé: m. ée: f. Armed with a coat of mayle, or priuie coat; also, marled, as ground.  Perdrix maillée. A maylde, menild, or spotted Partridge.

Mailler. To arme, or furnish with a coat of mayle; also, to marle a peece of ground.

Maillerie: f. A marle-pit, or marlie soyle; the place wherein marle is gotten.

Maillet: m. A mallet, or hammer; also, a battleax; also, as Encueur. Faire de son poing vn maillet. To make hard shift; or be ignorant of the right vse of things.  Pescher au maillet. Foolishly to talke much, or make a great bruit, of a proiect, thereby discouering, and disappointing it.

Mailleton: m. A small twig, or shoot springing from the staulke of a Vine, &c; a young branch fit to be planted.

Maillettes: f. Small mashes, or links of mayle.

Maillol: m. as Mailleton. Maillon: m. The knot a Gardener makes in binding, with willow-twigs, the stakes, and vine-branches of an arbour together.

Mailloque: f. as Tierce; or the 24 part of a Seconde; and the least weight that Jewellers, and Goldsmithes vse.

Maillot: m. A swadling clout, or swathe-band; (sometimes) also, a cradle; also, as Mailleton. Maillotant. Powning, bruizing, beating, or breaking with a mallet.

Mailloter. To powne, beat, bruize, or breake with a mallet.

Maillotins: m. A factious multitude, which, in old time, did much mischiefe in, and about, Paris; whence;

Maillotonnerie: f. Any factious crue, seditious companie, tumultuous rising of people.

Main: m. The name of a Saint; whence;  Mal S. Main. The wild scab.

Main. Pour Matin. The morning; whence, Demain.

Main: f. A hand; also, the forefoot of a horse; also, the graple of a ship; also, the yron hooke that holds the bucket of a Well; also, a certaine three-fold hooke vsed by Wine-preßers; also, a quire of paper; also (in Law) publicke authoritie, or power. Main basse. A bad hand, ill chance, course lucke, hard bargaine; whence; Faire main basse, & mener les mains basses. To put all vnto the sword. Main burnie. Ward, gard, custodie, &c; as Main-*bournie. Main ferme. A steadie hand; also, as Main-ferme. Les mains du foye. Certaine branches of the port-*veine, which conuey the iuice of concocted meat vnto the liuer. Main garnie. An armed hand; viz. that holds a stone, or weapon to strike withall; (Hence, Excez de main non garnie; a blow giuen with the (onely) hand; a cuffe, or dust with the fist;) also, as in, Garnir la main. Main de Iustice. The hand of Iustice; viz. the authoritie, iurisdiction, or power thereof in any kind of execution, or seisure; also, an yuorie hand in the top of a Rod; (a marke of Royaltie, or Soueraignetie, as well as the Scepter, Crowne, or Sword.) Main levée. A discharge, release, deliuerie from suit; also, a restoring, or giuing backe of things which were seised by order; a putting one in poßession of a thing become by accident, or order, cleerely his. Main mise. Seisure of the person or of possessions, by the Magistrate, or a Lord, vnto whom they are by law, or in right, or by the omission of duties, and due seruices, escheated, or forfeited. Main morte. is much like the Mortmaine of our Law; also, villenage, or a seruile tenure. Gens de main morte condition. Looke Main-morte. Main pleine. Sufficient goods taken, or land ynough seised, vpon an execution. Main souveraine. Authoritie royall; the Kings