Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Mär'a-bou',, n. p. 811(Ornith.) A kind of stork of two species which produce delicate white feathers much used as ornaments by ladies. Simmonia.Mār'a-bōut', n. p. 811A Moorish saint, or combatant against the Infidels.Mār'a-can, n. p. 811(Ornith.) A species of parrot in Brazil.Mār'a-cōck, n. p. 811(Bot.) A plant of the genus Passiflora.Ma-rāi', n. p. 811A sacred inclosure or temple among the islanders of the Pacific Ocean.Mār’a-nāth’ā or Mār-a-nā’thā, n. p. 811The Lord comes, or has come; a word used by the apostle Paul in expressing a curse. This word was used in anathenating persons for great crimes; as much as to say, “May the Lord come quickly to take…Ma-răn’tă, n. p. 811(Bot.) A genus of plants found in tropical America, and some species also in India. They have tuberous roots containing a large amount of starch, and from one species (M. arundinacea) arrow-root is…Mār'as-chī'no, n. p. 811A delicate spirit distilled from cherries.Ma-rā'smus, n. p. 811(Med.) A wasting of flesh without fever or apparent disease; a kind of consumption; atrophy; phthisis. Pining atrophy, Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence. Shak. Marasmus senilis (Med.)…Ma-raud', v. i. p. 811To rove in quest of plunder; to make an excursion for booty; to plunder.Ma-raud', n. p. 811An excursion for plundering.Ma-raud’er, n. p. 811A rover in quest of booty or plunder; a plunderer. The pirates had been a troublesome enemy, because, as flying marauders, lurking, and watching their opportunities, they could seldom be brought to…Mār'/a-vē'di, n. p. 811(Numis.) A small copper coin of Spain, equal to three mills American money, less than a farthing sterling.Mār'ble, n. p. 811Any species of calcareous stone or mineral, of a compact texture, and of a beautiful appearance, susceptible of a good polish; any firm limestone, fitted, either when polished or otherwise, for…Mär'ble, v. t. p. 811To stain or vein like marble; to variegate in color; to cloud; as, to marble the edges of a book, or the surface of paper.Mär'ble-ēdged, a. p. 811Having the edges covered with different colors, arranged in various peculiar patterns.Mär'ble-ize, v. t. p. 811To stain or paint in imitation of marble.Măr'ble-pā'per, n. p. 811Paper the surface of which is covered with colors in imitation of variegated marble.Mär'bler, n. p. 811One who works upon marble or other stone. [Rare.] Fuller. 2. One who paints or stains in imitation of marble.Mär'bling, n. p. 811The art or practice of variegating in color, in imitation of marble. 2. An intermixture of fat and lean in meat, giving it a marbled appearance.Mär'bly, adv. p. 811In the manner of marble.Märe, n. p. 811The refuse matter which remains after the pressure of fruit, particularly of grapes.Märe, n. p. 811A weight of several different commodities, especially of gold and silver, used in different European countries. In France and Holland it was equal to eight ounces. 2. A money of account, equal in…Mär'ea-sīte, n. p. 811(Min.) A variety of iron pyrites, often containing a small proportion of arsenic; white iron pyrites.Mär'ca-sit'ic or Mär'ca-sit'ic-al, a. p. 811Pertaining to, or containing, marcasite; of the nature of marcasite.Mar-căs'sin, n. p. 811(Her.) A young wild boar.Mär'çel-ïne, n. p. 811A thin silk tissue used for linings, &c., in ladies' dresses. Simmons.Mar-çĕs'çent, a. p. 811(Bot.) Withering without falling off; fading; decaying.Mar-çĕs'çi-ble, a. p. 811Liable to wither or decay.Märch, n. p. 811The third month of the year. ☞ The phrase as mad as a March hare, is an old English saying derived from the fact that March is the rutting time of hares, when they are excitable and violent. Wright.Märch, v. i. p. 811To move by steps and in order, as soldiers; to move in a military manner. 2. To walk in a grave, deliberate, or stately manner; to advance steadily. Like thee, great son of Jove, like thee, When clad…Märch, v. t. p. 811To cause to move in military array; to push forward, as troops; to cause to advance in a steady, regular, or stately manner.Märch, n. p. 811A movement of soldiers from one stopping-place to another; military progress; advance of troops. In our third march we found an unexpected supply of food, the hills being full of hares. De Foe. 2.…Märch, v. i. p. 812To border; to be contiguous. [Obs.] That was in a strange land Which marcheth upon Chimerie. Gower.Märch, n. p. 812A frontier of a territory; a border; a confine;—used chiefly in the plural, and in English history applied to the frontiers between England and Scotland and England and Wales. Geneva is situated in…Märch'er, n. p. 812One who marches. 2. The lord or officer who defended the marches or borders of a territory.Märch'ing, a. p. 812Pertaining to a march. Marching regiment (Mil.), a regiment in active service.Mär'chion-ess, n. p. 812The wife or widow of a marquis; a female having the rank and dignity of a marquis. Spelman.Märch'-mād, a. p. 812Rash to an extreme; fool-hardy. See MARCH. W. Scott.Märch'pāne, n. p. 812A kind of sweet bread or biscuit; spice cakes of sugar, nuts, poppy seeds, and Indian corn. Mayne. Sidney.Märch'-ward, n. p. 812A warden of the marches;—same as MARCHER.Mär'çid, a. p. 812Pining; wasted away; lean; withered. Dryden.Mar-cĭd'i-ty, n. p. 812State of great leanness.Mär'cion-ite, n. p. 812(Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Marcion, a Gnostic of the second century, who adopted the Oriental notion of the two conflicting principles, and imagined that between them there existed a third power…Mär'çite, n. p. 812(Eccl. Hist.) One of a certain religious sect which arose in the second century, the members of which called themselves the Perfecti, and professed to do every thing with great liberty and without…Măr'cōr, n. p. 812The state of withering or wasting; leanness; waste of flesh. [Obs.]Mar-cō'sian, n. p. 812(Eccl. Hist.) One of a sect of the early Christians, who had a large number of apocryphal books which they believed to be canonical. They were a branch of the Gnostics, and were so called from an…Māre or Mare's-nest or Mare's-tail, n. p. 812The female of the horse, or equine genus of quadrupeds. Mare's-nest, any thing very absurd or ludicrous; as, a person is said to find a mare's-nest, when he chuckles over the discovery of something…Māre, n. p. 812(Med.) Sighing, suffocative panting, intercepted utterance, with a sense of pressure across the chest, occurring during sleep; the incubus;—used almost exclusively in the compound night-mare.Ma-rē'nā, n. p. 812(Ichth.) A kind of fish, somewhat like a pilchard.Măre'schal, n. p. 812A military officer of very high rank; a marshal.Mär'ga-rate, n. p. 812(Chem.) A compound of margaric acid with a base.Mar·gär'ie, a. p. 812Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; as, margarie acid, an acid obtained by digesting soap in water with an acid;—so called because it appears in the form of pearly scales.Măr'ga-rīne, n. p. 812(Chem.) A peculiar, pearl-like substance extracted from some vegetable oils, and also from the fat of some animals. [Written also margarin.]Măr'gä-ri-tā'ce-æ, n. pl. p. 812(Zool.) The pearl oyster tribe.Mar-găr'i-tā'ceoŭs, a. p. 812Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; pearly.Mär'gä-rite, n. p. 812A pearl. [Obs.] Peacham.Mär'gar-it'ic, a. p. 812Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl. Margaritic acid (Chem.), one of the fatty acids which result from the saponification of castor-oil. Brande.Mär'ga-ri-tif'er-oüs, a. p. 812Producing pearls.Mär'ga-rōn or Mär'ga-rōne, n. p. 812(Chem.) A peculiar fatty substance, crystallizing in pearly scales, produced by the distillation of a mixture of margaric acid and quicklime. Brande.