Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Mĕr'chet or Mer-chê'ta, n. p. 830(O. Eng. Law.) A compensation paid, in Scotland and England, by an inferior tenant to his lord, for the privilege of disposing of his daughters in marriage. [Obs.] ☞ The same practice was also…Měr'ci-a-ble, a. p. 830Merciful. [Obs.] Gower.Měr'çi-ful, a. p. 830Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity offenders and to forgive their offenses; unwilling to punish for injuries. The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the…Mĕr'çi-ful-ly, adv. p. 830In a merciful manner; with compassion or pity; tenderly; mildly.Měr'çi-ful-ness, n. p. 830The quality of being merciful; tenderness toward offenders; readiness to forgive.Měr'çi-fy, v. t. p. 830To pity. [Obs.] Spenser.Měr'ci-less, a. p. 830Destitute of mercy; unfeeling; pitiless; hard-hearted; as, a merciless tyrant. The foe is merciless, and will not pity. Shak. 2. Acting without mercy; unsparing; relentless; cruel; severe; as, the…Měr'çi-less-ly, adv. p. 830In a merciless manner; cruelly.Měr'çi-less-ness, n. p. 830Want of mercy or pity.Mer-cū'ri-al, a. p. 830Having the qualities fabled to belong to Mercury; active; sprightly; full of fire or vigor; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial nation. 2. Pertaining to Mercury, as god of trade; hence, money-making…Mer-cū'ri-al, n. p. 830A person of mercurial temperament; an active or sprightly person. [Obs.] 2. (Med.) A preparation containing mercury.Mer-cū'ri-al-ist, n. p. 830One under the influence of Mercury, or one resembling Mercury in variety of character. 2. (Med.) A physician addicted to the excessive use of mercury.Mer-cū'ri-al-ize, v. t. p. 830(Med.) To affect with mercury. 2. (Photography.) To treat with mercury; to expose to the vapor of mercury.Mer-cū'ri-al-ize, v. i. p. 830To be humorous or fantastic. [Obs.]Mer-cū'ri-al-ly, adv. p. 830In a mercurial manner.Mer-cū'ri-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 830(Metal.) The process or operation of obtaining the mercury from metallic minerals in its fluid form. 2. The act of mixing with quicksilver.Mer-cū'ri-fy, v. t. p. 830To obtain mercury from, as metallic minerals, which may be done by any application of intense heat that expels the mercury in fumes, which are afterward condensed. 2. To combine or mingle mercury…Měr'cu-rïsm, n. p. 830A communication of news; an announcement. [Obs.] Browne.Měr'cu-ry, n. p. 830(Rom. Myth.) The son of Jupiter and Maia, the messenger and interpreter of the gods, and the god of eloquence and of commerce; —called by the Greeks Hermes. 2. (Chem.) A certain metal, white like…Mèr'eu-ry, v. t. p. 830To wash with a preparation of mercury. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Mĕr'cu·ry's-fīn/ger, n. p. 830(Bot.) Wild saffron.Mĕr'cy, n. p. 830Disposition to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; inclination to forego justice, to remit penalty, or to forgive obligation, out of compassion for the offender or…Mēr'cy-sēat, n. p. 830The place of mercy or forgiveness; the propitiatory; the covering of the ark of the covenant, among the Jews.Mèrd, n. p. 830Ordure; dung. [Obs.] Burton.Mēre, a. p. 830Unmixed; 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…Mēre, n. p. 830A pool or lake. Like softened airs that, blowing, steal, When meres begin to uncongeal, The sweet church bells began to peal. Tennyson.Mēre, n. p. 830A boundary. Bacon.Mēre, v. t. p. 830To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.] Spencer.Mère'goutte, n. p. 830Wine, oil, &c., of the first running, before pressure. [Obs.] Holland.Mēre'ly, adv. p. 830Purely; unmixedly; absolutely; utterly; entirely. Ulysses was to force forth his access, Though merely naked. Chapman. 2. Not otherwise than; simply; barely; solely. Prize not your life for other…Mēre'stĕad, n. p. 830The land within the boundaries of a farm; farm. Busy with hewing and building, with garden-plot and with merestead. Busy with breaking the glebe, and mowing the grass in the meadows. Longfellow.Mère'-stōne, n. p. 830A stone designating a limit or boundary; a landmark. [Rare.] Bacon.Mĕr'e-tri'cious, a. p. 830Pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with harlots; lustful; as, meretricious arts. 2. Resembling the arts of a harlot; alluring by false show; gaudily and deceitfully ornamental; tawdry; showy…Mĕr'e-tri'ciōus-ly, adv. p. 830In a meretricious manner; with deceitful allurements.Mĕr'e-tri′cious-ness, n. p. 830The quality of being meretricious; the art of a prostitute.Mer-gân'ser, n. p. 830(Ornith.) A duck having a straight, narrow, and slender bill, wide at the base and hooked at the tip. These ducks form the genus Mergus. The hooded merganser is the Mergus (or Sophodytes) cucullatus.…Mèrge, v. t. p. 830To cause to be swallowed up; to immerse; to immerge; to sink. “To merge particular conspiracies in more general associations.” Burke. The plaintiff became the purchaser, and merged his term in the…Mèrge, v. i. p. 830To be sunk, swallowed up, or lost. This native irresolution had merged in stronger motives. I. Taylor.Mēr'ger, n. p. 830One who, or that which, merges or swallows up. 2. (Law.) A drowning, sinking, or absorption of one estate, or one contract, in another. Darvill.Mĕr'gus, n. p. 830(Ornith.) A genus of birds, including the merganser.Mĕr'i-cärp, n. p. 830(Bot.) One half of the seed or fruit of an umbelliferous plant. Gray.Me-rĭd′i-an, n. p. 830Midday; noon. 2. Hence, the highest point, as of success, prosperity, or the like; culmination; climax. I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, And from that full meridian of my glory I…Me-rid'i-an, a. p. 830Pertaining to the meridian, or to midday. The sun sat high in his meridian tower. Milton. 2. Pertaining to the highest point or culmination; as, the hero enjoyed his meridian glory.Me-rĭd'i-on-al, a. p. 831Pertaining to the meridian. 2. Having a southern aspect; southern; southerly. Wotton. Meridional distance, the distance or departure from the meridian; the easting or westing. — Meridional parts…Me-rĭd'i-on-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 831The state of being in the meridian. 2. Position in the south; aspect toward the south.Me-rĭd'i-on-al-ly, adv. p. 831In the direction of the meridian.Mĕr'ils, n. p. 831A boy's play, called also five-penny morris. See MORRIS.Me-rĭ'no, a. p. 831Of, or pertaining to, a variety of sheep of very fine wool, originally coming from Spain. 2. Made of the wool of the merino sheep.Me·ri'no, n. p. 831A thin fabric, of merino wool, for ladies' wear.Mē-ri-ō'nēs, n. p. 831(Zoöl.) A genus of rodent quadrupeds having long, slender, tapering tails, covered with short, slightly rigid hair. Baird.Mĕr'is-māt'ic, a. p. 831Taking place by separation, or division into cells or segments; as, merismatic growth, which occurs by a division of one cell into many.Mĕr'it, n. p. 831The quality or relation of deserving well or ill; desert. Had they no ground for hope but merit, that is, could they look for nothing more than what they should strictly deserve. Paley. 2. The…Mér'it, v. t. p. 831To earn by active service, or by any valuable performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to be entitled to; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense, to incur. This kindness merits…Mĕr'it, v. i. p. 831To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit. And if in my poor death fair France may merit, Give me a thousand blows. Beau. & Fl.Mĕr'it-a-ble, a. p. 831Deserving of reward. [Obs.]Mĕr'it-ed-ly, adv. p. 831By merit; deservedly.Mĕr'it-mŏn/gĕr, n. p. 831One who advocates the doctrine of human merit, as entitled to reward, or depends on merit for salvation. Milner.Mĕr'-i-tō'ri-oūs, a. p. 831Possessing merit or desert; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of recompense; valuable. And meritorious shall that hand be called, Canonized, and worshiped as a saint. Shak.Měr'i-tō'ri-oūs-ly, adv. p. 831In a meritorious manner.Mĕr'i-tō'ri-ous-ness, n. p. 831The state or quality of being meritorious, or of deserving reward.