Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Māin'te-nançe, n. p. 802The act of maintaining, supporting, upholding, defending, or keeping up; sustenance; support; defense; vindication. Whatever is granted to the church for God's honor and the maintenance of his…Cap of maintenance p. 802a cap formerly worn by a duke as a part of the insignia appropriate to his rank; also, a fur cap worn by the lord mayor of London on state occasions. [Eng.]Māin'tŏp, n. p. 802(Naut.) The top of the mainmast of a ship or brig.Māin'yārd, n. p. 802(Naut.) The yard on which the mainsail is extended, supported by the mainmast.Māis'ter, n. p. 802Master. [Obs.] Spenser.Māis'tress, n. p. 802Mistress. [Obs.] Chaucer.Māize, n. p. 802(Bot.) A plant and its fruit, of the genus Zea (Z. mays); Indian corn.Māj'es-tāt'ic or Māj'es-tāt'ic-al p. 802(a. Of majestic appearance; having dignity. [Obs.] Pococke.Ma-jēs'tic, a. p. 802Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; princely; noble. In his face Sat meekness, heightened with majestic grace. Milton. 2. Splendid; grand.…Ma-jēs'tie-al, a. p. 802Majestic. [Rare.] If I were ever to fall in love again (which is a great passion, and therefore I hope I have done with it), it would be, I think, with prettiness, rather than with majestical beauty.…Ma-jēs'tie-al-ly, adv. p. 802With majesty; with dignity or grandeur; with a lofty air or appearance.Ma-jēs'tie-al-ness, n. p. 802State or manner of being majestic.Māj'es-ty, n. p. 802Grandeur; 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…Ma-jōl'i-că, n. p. 802A kind of fine pottery or earthen ware with painted figures, first made in Italy in the sixteenth century. The term is said to be derived from Majorca, which was an early seat of this manufacture.…Mā'jor, a. p. 802Greater 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. My major vow lies…Mā'jor, n. p. 802(Mil.) An officer next in rank above a captain and below a lieutenant-colonel; the lowest field officer. 2. (Civil Law.) A person of full age. 3. The mayor of a town. See MAYOR. 4. (Logic.) That…Majorat, n. p. 802The right of succession to property according to age;—so termed in some of the countries of continental Europe. 2. (Fr. Law.) Property, landed or funded, so attached to an hereditary title of honor…Ma'jor-ate, n. p. 802The office or rank of a major.Māj'or-ā'tion, n. p. 802Increase; enlargement. [Obs.] Bacon.Ma-jōr'can, n. p. 802(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Majorca.Ma-jōr'can, a. p. 802(Geog.) Of or pertaining to Majorca, or its inhabitants.Mā'jor-dō'mo, n. p. 802A man who holds the place of master of the house; a steward; also, a chief minister.Mā'jor-gĕn'er-al, n. p. 802See GENERAL.Ma-jōr'i-ty, n. p. 802The quality or condition of being major or greater; superiority; high rank; specifically, (a.) The military rank of a major. (b.) The condition of being of full age, or authorized by law to manage…Māj'oun, n. p. 802See MADJOUN.Ma-jūs'cu-læ, n. pl. p. 802(Diplomatica.) Capital letters, as they are found in Latin manuscripts of the sixth century and earlier.Ma-jūs'cūle, n. p. 802A capital letter used in ancient Latin manuscripts. See MAJUSCULÆ.Māk'a-ble, a. p. 802Capable of being made or done; feasible. [Obs.]Māke, v. t. p. 802To cause to exist; to bring into being; to produce; to frame; to fashion; to create; hence, in various specific uses or applications, (a.) To form of materials; to cause to exist in a certain form…Māke, v. i. p. 803To tend; to proceed; to move; as, he made toward home; the tiger made at the sportsmen. ☞ Formerly, authors used to make away, to make on, to make forth, to make about; but these phrases are…Māke, n. p. 803Structure, texture, constitution of parts; construction; shape; form. Is our perfection of so frail a make As every plot can undermine and shake? Dryden.Māke, n. p. 803A companion; a mate. [Obs.] Spenser. B. Jonson.Māke'-bāte, n. p. 803One who excites contentions and quarrels.Māke'-be-līeve', n. p. 803A mere pretense.Māke'less, a. p. 803Matchless. [Obs.] Chaucer. 2. Without a mate. Shak.Māke'-pēace, n. p. 803A peace-maker; one who reconciles persons at variance. Shak.Māk'er, n. p. 803One who makes, forms, shapes, or molds; a manufacturer; often, especially, the Creator. The universal Maker we may praise. Milton. 2. (Law.) The person who signs or makes a promissory note. Bouvier.…Māke'-shĭft, n. p. 803That with which one makes shift; that which answers a need with the best means at hand; a temporary expedient. “Make-shifts preferred.” Dickens.Māke'-weight, n. p. 803That which is thrown into a scale to make weight; something of little account added to supply a deficiency or fill a gap.Mā'kĭ, n. p. 803(Zool.) The lemur. See LEMUR.Māk'ing, n. p. 803Workmanship; fabrication; construction; as, this is cloth of your own making. 2. Composition, or structure. 3. A poem. [Obs.]Mak'ing-ī'ron, n. p. 803A tool somewhat resembling a chisel with a groove in it, used by calkers of ships to finish the seams after the oakum has been driven in.Māk'ing-ūp, n. p. 803The act of bringing spirits to a certain degree of strength called proof. 2. The act of becoming reconciled or friendly.Măl. p. 803A prefix in composition denoting ill, or evil, Fr. mal, Lat. male, adv., from malus, bad, ill. In some words it has the form male, as in malediction, malevolent. ☞ The form male is chiefly used in…Măl'a-bār', a. p. 803(Geog.) Pertaining to the west coast of India, or to its inhabitants.Malabar plum p. 803See JAMBOS.Māl'a-ca-tūne', n. p. 803See MELOCOTON.Ma-lac'ca Cane p. 803A cane obtained from a species of palm of the genus Calamus (C. scipionum), and of a brown mottled or clouded color. It is brought from Sumatra. Griffith.Măl'a-chīte, n. p. 803(Min.) Native carbonate of copper. ☞ Green malachite occurs in green mammillary masses, consisting of concentric layers having a fibrous structure. It admits of a high polish, and is sometimes used…Măl'a-cis'sant, a. p. 803Softening; relaxing; making tender. [Obs.]Māl'a-cis-sā'tion, n. p. 803Act of making soft or supple, or of mollifying. [Obs.] “Malacissation, or suppling of the body.” Bacon.Măl'a-co-dĕn'drōn, n. p. 803(Bot.) A genus of beautiful shrubs or trees found in Asia and America.Măl'a-co-dẽrm, n. p. 803(Entom.) One of a tribe of beetles having serrated antennæ, including those having a soft and flexible body. Brande.Măl'a-co-līte, n. p. 803(Min.) A variety of pyroxene.Măl'a-cŏl'o-ġĭst, n. p. 803One versed in the science of malacology.Măl'a-cŏl'o-ġy, n. p. 803The science which relates to the structure and habits of mollusks.Māl'a-cōp'ter-ŷg'i-an, n. p. 803(Ichth.) One of the order of malacopterygous fishes.Māl'a-cŏp'ter-ŷg'i-oŭs, a. p. 803(Ichth.) Having fins whose rays, except the anterior ray of the pectoral and dorsal fins, are closely jointed, and not spiny;—said of certain kinds of fishes, as the carp, pike, salmon, shad, &c.Māl'a-cōs'te-on, n. p. 803(Med.) A peculiar disease of the bones, in consequence of which they become softened and capable of being bent without breaking.Māl'a-cŏs'to-moŭs, a. p. 803Having soft jaws without teeth, as a fish.