Mär'tial, a.
(mär'shal), a. [Lat. martialis, from Mars, the god of war; Fr. martial, Sp. marcial, It. marziale, Pr. marcis.]
Sense 1. Pertaining to war; suited to war; military; as, martial music; a martial appearance.
See his thousands, in what martial equipage They issue forth. Milton.
Sense 2. Given to war; warlike; brave; as, a martial nation or people.
Sense 3. Belonging to war, or to an army and navy; — opposed to civil; as, martial law; a court-martial.
Sense 4. Pertaining to, or resembling, Mars. [Obs.]
The natures of the fixed stars are esteemed martial or jovial, according to the colors by which they answer to those planets. Brown.
Sense 5. Pertaining to iron, called by the old chemists Mars.
Martial flowers (Med.), a reddish crystalline salt of iron; the ammonico-chloride of iron. — Martial law, an arbitrary kind of law, proceeding directly from the military power, and having no immediate constitutional or legislative sanction. When it is imposed upon any specified district, all the inhabitants, and all their actions, are brought within its dominion. It is founded on paramount necessity, extends to matters of civil as well as of criminal jurisdiction, and is proclaimed only in times of war, insurrection, rebellion, or other great emergency. It is quite distinct from military law. See LAW.
Warren's Blackstone. New Am. Cyc. Greenleaf.
Synonyms—MARTIAL, WARLIKE. Martial refers more to war in action, its array, its attendants, &c.; as, martial music, a martial appearance, a martial array, courts-martial, &c. Warlike describes the feeling or temper which leads to war, and the adjuncts connected with it; as, a warlike nation, warlike preparations, a warlike indication of things, &c. The two words thus approach each other very nearly, and are often interchanged.
When our country's cause provokes to arms, How martial music every bosom warms! Pope.
The great archangel from his warlike toil Surceased. Milton.