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.
Mē'thol, n. p. 834(Chem.) A colorless liquid, obtained from wood by distillation.Me-thought', imp. p. 834of methinks. See METHINKS.Mēth'üle, n. p. 834(Chem.) See METHYL.Mēth'yl or Mēth'yle, n. p. 834(Chem.) A gas of an ethereal smell, consisting of two equivalents of carbon and three of hydrogen. It is contained in oil of winter-green combined with oxygen and salicylic acid. [Written also…Mĕth'yl-ēne, n. p. 834(Chem.) A highly volatile and inflammable liquid, procured by the destructive distillation of wood.Me-thŷl'ic, a. p. 834Of, or pertaining to, methyl. Methylic alcohol, alcohol obtained by the destructive distillation of wood.Mĕt'ic or Mē'tic, n. p. 834A sojourner; a resident stranger in a Grecian city or place. Mitford.Me-tĭc'ū-lous, a. p. 834Timid; fearful. [Obs.]Me-tic'ū-lous-ly, adv. p. 834Timidly; fearfully. [Obs.]Mē'tif, n. p. 834The offspring of a white and a quarteron.Mēt'o-chē, n. p. 834(Arch.) The space between two dentils.Mēt'o-lē'ie, a. p. 834(Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, oleic acid;—applied to an acid obtained by the action of sulphuric acid upon oleic acid.Me-tōn'ic, a. p. 834Pertaining to, or discovered by, Meton, the Athenian. Metonic cycle, or Metonic year (Astron.), the cycle of the moon, or period of nineteen years, in which the lunations of the moon return to the…Mēt'o-nŷm'ie or Mēt'o-nŷm'ie-al, a. p. 834Used by way of metonymy, by putting one word for another.Mēt'o-nŷm'ie-al-ly, adv. p. 834In a metonymical manner; by metonomy.Me-tōn'y-my or Mēt'o-nym'y, n. p. 834(Rhet.) A trope in which one word is put for another; a change of names which have some relation to each other; as when we say, a man keeps a good table, instead of good provisions; we read Virgil…Mĕt'o-pe, n. p. 835(Arch.) The space between the triglyphs of the Doric frieze, which, among the ancients, were often adorned with carved work.Mĕt'o-po-scŏp'ic or Mĕt'o-po-scŏp'ic-al, a. p. 835Relating to metoposcopy.Mĕt'o-pŏs'co-pĭst, n. p. 835One versed in physiognomy.Mēt'o-pōs'eo-py, n. p. 835The study of physiognomy; the art of discovering the character or the dispositions of men by their features, or the lines of the face.Mē'tre, n. p. 835See METER.Mĕt'rie, a. p. 835Noting a measurement of volumes; as, the metric method of analysis.Mĕt'rĭ-cal, a. p. 835Pertaining to measure, or due arrangement or combination of long and short syllables. 2. Consisting of verses; poetically measured; as, metrical compositions. 3. Pertaining to measure; employed in…Mĕt'rie-al-ly, adv. p. 835In a metrical manner; according to poetic measure.Me-tri'cian, n. p. 835A composer of verses. [Obs.]Mĕt'ri-fī'er, n. p. 835One who writes in meter; a versifier. [Rare.] Southey.Mét'ri-fÿ, v. i. p. 835To write in meter; to make verses. [Obs.] Skelton.Mē'trist, n. p. 835A metrifier; a poet. [Obs.] “Blind Popish poets and dirty metrists.” Bale.Mē'tro-chrōme, n. p. 835An instrument for measuring colors.Mĕt'ro-grāph, n. p. 835An instrument which records the speed of a railway train, and the hour of arrival and departure at each station. Simmonds.Me-trōl'o-gy, n. p. 835An account of measures, or the art and science of mensuration.Mēt'ro-mā'ni-ā, n. p. 835An insane eagerness to write verses.Mĕt′ro-nōme, n. p. 835An instrument, consisting of a short pendulum, with a sliding weight, set in motion by clock-work, which serves to measure time in music.Me-trōn'o-my, n. p. 835Measurement of time by an instrument.Mēt'ro-nŷm'ic, a. p. 835Derived from the name of one's mother, or other female ancestor; as, a metronymic name or appellation.Mĕt'ro-nŷm'ie, n. p. 835A name or appellation derived from the name of a mother or other female ancestor.Mĕt'ro-pōle, n. p. 835A metropolis. [Obs.] Those cities were chief and metropoles where the gospel was first planted. Hammond.Me-trŏp'o-lĭs, n. p. 835The mother city; the chief city or capital of a kingdom, state, or country. “The great metropolis and see of Rome.” Shak.Mĕt′ro-pŏl′i-tan, a. p. 835Belonging to a metropolis; residing in the chief city.Mĕt′ro-pŏl′i-tan, n. p. 835The bishop who presides over the other bishops of a province. 2. (Lat. Church.) An archbishop. 3. (Gr. Church.) A bishop whose see is really a civil metropolis. Hook.Me-trŏp'o-līte, n. p. 835A metropolitan. [Obs.]Mēt'ro-pōl'i-tie, a. p. 835The same as METROPOLITICAL. [Obs.]Mēt'ro-po-lit'ie-al, a. p. 835Pertaining to a metropolis; chief or principal of cities; pertaining to a metropolitan, or to his see.Mĕt'ro-sĭ-dē'rŏs, n. p. 835(Bot.) A genus of dicotyledonous plants, including a number of trees or shrubs, found in Australia and the South Sea Islands, and having very hard wood. M. vera is the true ironwood. [Written also…Mĕtt, v. t. & i. p. 835To think during sleep; to dream. [Obs.] The lover mett he hath his lady won. Chaucer.Mĕt'tle, n. p. 835That which goes to form any thing; element; material. Shak. 2. That temperament which is susceptible of high excitement; constitutional ardor; spirit. “Gentlemen of brave mettle.” Shak. “A spirit of…Mĕt'tled, a. p. 835Having mettle; high-spirited; ardent; full of fire.Mĕt'tle-sŏme, a. p. 835Full of spirit; possessing constitutional ardor; easily excited; fiery; brisk; as, a mettlesome horse.Mĕt'tle-sōme-ly, adv. p. 835In a mettlesome manner; with sprightliness, or high spirit.Mĕt'tle-sōme-ness, n. p. 835The state of being mettlesome.Meute, n. p. 835A place where hawks are confined; a mew. The cloisters became the camps of their retainers, the stables of their coursers, the kennels of their hounds, the meutes of their hawks. Milman.Mew, n. p. 835(Ornith.) A sea-fowl of the genus Larus; a gull.Mew, v. t. p. 835To shed or cast; to change; to molt, as a bird, its feathers; as, the hawk mewed his feathers. Nine times the moon had mewed her horns. Dryden.Mew, v. i. p. 835To cast the feathers; to molt; hence, to change; to put on a new appearance.Mew, v. t. p. 835To shut up; to inclose; to confine, as in a cage or other inclosure. “More pity that the eagle should be mewed.” Shak. “Close mewed in their sedans, for fear of air.” Dryden.Mew, n. p. 835A cage for hawks while mewing; hence, an inclosure; place of confinement. [Written also mews.] “Violets in their secret mews.” Wordsworth. 2. A place for inclosing or confining horses; a stable; —…Mew, v. i. p. 835To cry as a cat. [Written also meaw.] Thrice the brinded cat hath mewed. Shak.Mew, n. p. 835The cry of a cat. I'd rather be a kitten, and cry mew, Than one of these same meter-ballad-mongers. Shak.Mewl, v. i. p. 835To cry from uneasiness, as a child; to squall. [Written also meawl.]Mewl'er, n. p. 835One that mewls.