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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Mēl'as, n. p. 826(Med.) A disease of the skin, characterized by livid or black spots.Me-lā'sma, n. p. 826(Med.) A black spot or ecchymosis on the lower extremities, especially on those of old people. Dunglison.Me-lās'ses, n. p. 826See MOLASSES. ☞ This is unquestionably the most correct mode of spelling the word, while molasses is more commonly used.Me-lās'sic, a. p. 826(Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, molasses.Melassic acid p. 826an acid obtained as the product of the simultaneous action of heat and alkalies on solutions of grape-sugar.Me-lās'to-mă, n. p. 826(Bot.) A genus of evergreen shrubs;—so called from the black berries of some species, which stain the mouth.Mēl'as-to-mā'ceōs, a. p. 826(Bot.) Belonging, or relating, to the genus Melastoma, or to plants of that genus.Mel-chis'e-di'cian, n. p. 826(Eccl. Hist.) One of a certain sect of the second century who believed Melchisedec to be a divine power, superior to Christ, and an intercessor in heaven for the angels. [Written also Melchizedecian.]Mēl'chite, n. p. 826(Eccl. Hist.) One of a certain religious sect in the East;—a term applied to the Greek Catholic church, or to such members of the Greek community as are Romanists. Eudic.Mel-chiz'e-dē'cian, n. p. 826See MELCHISEDECIAN.Mēl'e-ā'gris, n. p. 826(Ornith.) A genus of gallinaceous birds, including the common turkey (M. gallopavo). M. fera is the wild turkey.Mêlée, n. p. 826A fight in which the combatants are mingled in one confused mass;—a hand-to-hand conflict; an affray.Mēl'ic, a. p. 826Of, or pertaining to, song; lyric; tuneful. [Obs.]Mēl'i-ē'ris, n. p. 826(Med.) An encysted tumor, containing a substance resembling honey.Me-lĭg-er-ōīs, a. p. 826Consisting of matter like honey;—said of a tumor inclosed in a cyst.Mĕl'ic-grāss, n. p. 826(Bot.) A plant of the genus Melica: a species of perennial grass.Mĕl'i-co-tōn', n. p. 826See MELOCOTON.Me-lĭc'ra-to-ry, n. p. 826A mixture of honey, water, &c., forming a kind of mead.Mĕl'i-līte, n. p. 826(Min.) A mineral occurring in small yellow crystals, found in the lavas of Vesuvius. Dana.Mēl'i-lōt, n. p. 826(Bot.) A plant of the genus Melilotus (M. officinalis), having yellow flowers of a peculiar odor and flavor. It is now used in the manufacture of sapsago cheese. It is a native of Europe, but now…Mēl'ior-āte, v. t. p. 826To make better; to improve; to ameliorate; to soften; to render less acrid and offensive; as, to meliorate fruit by grafting, or soil by cultivation. Nature by art we nobly meliorate. Denham. The…Mēl'ior-āte, v. i. p. 826To grow better.Mēl'ior-ā'ter, n. p. 826The same as MELIORATOR.Mēl'ior-ā'tion, n. p. 826The act or operation of meliorating, or the state of being meliorated; improvement.Mēl'ior-ā'tor, n. p. 826One who meliorates.Mēl-iōr'i-ty, n. p. 826The state of being better. [Obs.] Bacon.Me-liph'a-gan, n. p. 827(Ornith.) One of a family of birds having long, slender beaks, and the end of the tongue composed of a great number of slender filaments, forming a sort of brush, by means of which they extract honey…Me-lĭph'a-goûs, a. p. 827Eating, or feeding upon, honey.Mēll, v. i. p. 827To mix; to meddle. [Obs.] Spenser.Mēlī, n. p. 827Honey. [Obs.] Warner.Mēl'late, n. p. 827(Chem.) A combination of mellic or mellitic acid with a base.Mēl'lay, n. p. 827The same as MELEE. [Rare.] He rode the mellay, lord of the ringing lists. Tennyson.Mēl'lie, a. p. 827See MELLITIC.Mel-lif'er-oûs or Mel-lif'ic, a. p. 827Producing honey.Mĕl'li-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 827The making or production of honey.Mel-lif'lu-ence, n. p. 827A flow of sweetness, or a sweet, smooth flow.Mel-lĭf'lu-ent, a. p. 827Flowing as with honey; smooth; mellifluous.Mel-lĭf'lu-ent-ly, adv. p. 827Smoothly; mellifluously.Mel-lĭf'lu-oŭs, a. p. 827Flowing as with honey; smooth; sweetly flowing; as, a mellifluous voice.Mel-lĭf'lu-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 827Smoothly; flowingly.Mel-lĭġ'e-noŭs, a. p. 827Having the qualities of honey.Mel-lī'go, n. p. 827Honey-dew.Mĕl'li-līte, n. p. 827(Min.) (a.) A yellowish or brownish mineral, consisting chiefly of the silicate of alumina, lime, and magnesia. (b.) The same as MELLITE. See MELLITE.Mel-lĭf'o-quent, a. p. 827Speaking sweetly or harmoniously.Mēl'īt, n. p. 827(Far.) A dry scab on the heel of a horse’s fore foot, cured by a mixture of honey and vinegar.Mēl'li-tate, n. p. 827(Chem.) A compound of mellitic acid with a base; a mellate. Graham.Mĕl'lĭte, n. p. 827(Min.) A mineral of a honey color, found in small octahedral crystals; honey-stone. It consists of mellitic acid and alumina. It is found with brown coal, and is partly the result of vegetable…Mel-lĭt'ic, a. p. 827(Chem.) (a.) Containing saccharine matter; marked by saccharine secretions; as, mellitic diabetes. (b.) Pertaining to, or derived from, honey-stone; as, mellitic acid. [Written also mellic.]Mĕl'lon, n. p. 827(Chem.) A lemon-yellow substance, consisting of carbon and nitrogen. Brande.Mĕl'lōw, a. p. 827Soft; not hard, harsh, tough, or unyielding; as, (a.) Soft with ripeness; ripe; as, a mellow apple. (b.) Well broken and lying lightly; easily penetrated; not indurated; as, a mellow soil. “Mellow…Mĕl'lōw, v. t. p. 827To make mellow; to ripen; to bring to maturity; to soften by ripeness or age; to make rich and delicate. On foreign mountains may the sun refine The grape's soft juice, and mellow it to wine.…Mĕl'lōw, v. i. p. 827To become soft; to be ripened, matured, or brought to perfection; as, fruit, when taken from the tree, soon mellows; wine mellows with age. So now prosperity begins to mellow And drop into the rotten…Mĕl'lōw-ly, adv. p. 827In a mellow manner.Mĕl'lōw-ness, n. p. 827The quality of yielding easily to pressure; ripeness, as of fruit; softness. 2. Maturity; softness or smoothness from age, as of wine.Mĕl'lōw-tōned, a. p. 827Having soft tones.Mĕl'lōw-y, a. p. 827Soft; unctuous. Drayton.Mĕl/o-co-toon' or Mĕl/o-co-toon, n. p. 827A quince; also, a large kind of peach. [Written also malacatune, and melicotoon.]Me-lō'de-on, n. p. 827(Mus.) A wind instrument, furnished with a key-board, and portable, the bellows being moved by means of pedals worked by the feet of the performer. 2. A music-hall.Me-lōd'ic, a. p. 827Of the nature of melody; relating to, containing, or made up of, melody.Me-lōd'ies, n. sing. p. 827The department of musical science which treats of the pitch of tones, and of the laws of melody. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]