Mere | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Mēre, a.

adjective

a. [superl. MEREST. The regular comparative is rarely or never used.] [Written also meer.] [A-S. mere, Icel. mær, mærr, Lat. merus, It., Sp., & Pg. mero, Pr. mer, mier, O. Fr. mier.] 1. Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute. Then entered they the mere, main sea. Chapman. The sorrows of this world would be mere and unmixed. Bn. Taylor. 2. Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more; simple; bare. From mere success nothing can be concluded in favor of a nation. Atterbury. What if the head, the eye, or ear reigned To serve mere engines to the ruling mind? Pope.

Mēre, n.

noun

n. [Written also mar.] [A-S. mere, mǣre, O. Sax. meri, Goth. marei, Icel. mar, D. meer, meir, maar, mare, O. H. Ger. meri, mari, mare, N. H. Ger. meer, allied to Lat. mare, Russ. more, Pol. morze. Cf. Moor.] A pool or lake.

Like softened airs that, blowing, steal, When meres begin to uncongeal, The sweet church bells began to peal. Tennyson.

Mēre, n.

noun

n. [Written also meer and mear.] [A-S. mære, gemære, Icel. mæri, O. D. meer.] A boundary. Bacon.

Mēre, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [O. D. meerren, Prov. Ger. marren, abmarren. See supra.] To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.] Spencer.