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.
Mi'ca-schist or Mi'ca-slāte, n. p. 835(Geol.) A schistose rock, consisting of mica and quartz, with, usually, some feldspar. Dana.Mice, n. p. 835pl. of mouse. See MOUSE.Mi'cha-el-ite, n. p. 835(Min.) A white, pearly, fibrous variety of opal; — so called from the Island of St. Michael's, Azores, where it is found. Dana.Mich'ael-mas, n. p. 835The feast of St. Michael, a festival of the Roman Catholic church, celebrated September 29th. 2. Hence, autumn. [Colloq.]Mich, v. i. p. 835Miche p. 835To lie hid; to skulk; to retire or shrink from view; to loiter out of sight of others; hence, to play truant. [Obs.] Or miche in corners among their friends idly. Spenser. To miche, or secretly to…Mich'er, n. p. 835One who miches, or skulks, lies hid, or keeps out of sight; hence, a loiterer, a truant, an idler. [Obs.] Shall the blessed sun of heaven turn micher, and eat blackberries? Shak. 2. Hence, one who…Mich'er-y, n. p. 836Theft; cheating. [Obs.] Gower.Mich'ing, p. a. p. 836Retiring; skulking; creeping from sight; mean; cowardly. [Colloq.] [Written also meaching and meeching.]Mick'le, a. p. 836Much; great. [Obsolete, but retained in the Scottish language.] “A man of mickle might.” Spenser.Mī'co, n. p. 836(Zoöl.) A small, South American monkey, allied to the marmoset (Jacchus argentatus), with hair shining and entirely white, the tail black, and the face and hands of a deep flesh-color.Mi'cro-cĕph'a-loūs, n. p. 836Having a small or imperfectly developed cranium; having a small head.Mī'cro-cōsm, n. p. 836A little world; a miniature society or institution. “More judicious politicians of this micro-cosm.” W. Scott. 2. Hence, man, supposed to be an epitome of the universe or great world. Since God…Mi'cro-cōs'mic or Mi'cro-cōs'mic-al, a. p. 836Pertaining to the microcosm. Microcosmic salt (Chem.), a triple salt of soda, ammonia, and phosphoric acid;—so called in reference to man as the microcosm, it having been originally obtained from…Mī'cro-cos-mōg'ra-phy, n. p. 836The description of man as a little world.Mī'cro-cous'tic, n. p. 836An instrument to augment small sounds, and assist in hearing.Mī'cro-eous'tic, a. p. 836Serving to augment small or weak sounds; pertaining to instruments for increasing the intensity of feeble sounds.Mī'cro-dōn, n. p. 836(Paleon.) A genus of extinct fishes, belonging to the thick-toothed family. Brande.Mī'cro-ge-o-lōg'ie-al, a. p. 836Pertaining or belonging to micro-geology;—said of a class of facts in geology, made known by microscopic investigations.Mī'cro-ge-ōl'o-gy, n. p. 836The part of geological facts ascertained by means of the microscope, especially that relating to microscopic organisms.Mī'cro-grāph'ic, a. p. 836Pertaining to micrography.Mī-crōg'ra-phy, n. p. 836The description of microscopic objects.Mī'cro-līte, n. p. 836(Min.) A mineral, so called on account of the small size of its crystals; pyrochlore. See PYROCHLORE.Mī-crōl'o-gy, n. p. 836That part of science which pertains to microscopic objects. 2. Hence, undue attention to small, unimportant matters. “The micrology of the Pharisees.” W. Adams.Mī-crōm'e-ter, n. p. 836An instrument, used with a telescope or microscope, for measuring very small distances, or the apparent diameters of objects which subtend very small angles. The measurement given directly is that of…Mi'cro-mĕt'rĭc-al, a. p. 836Belonging to the micrometer; made by the micrometer.Mi'cro-mēt'ric-al-ly, adv. p. 836By means of a micrometer.Mi-crôm'e-try, n. p. 836The art of measuring minute objects, or small angular distances, with a micrometer. Dana.Mi'cro-phōne, n. p. 836An instrument to augment small sounds; a microacoustic.Mi'cro-phōn'ies, n. sing. p. 836The science which treats of the means of increasing the intensity of low or weak sounds. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]Mi-crŏph'o-noüs, a. p. 836Serving to augment the intensity of weak sounds; microacoustic.Mi-crōph'o-ny, n. p. 836Weakness of voice.Mi-crōph'thal-my, n. p. 836An unnatural smallness of the eyes, occurring as the result of disease or of imperfect development.Mī-crōph'y'l-lōus or Mī'cro-phȳl'lōus, a. p. 836(Bot.) Having small leaves.Mi'cro-pȳle, n. p. 836(Bot.) The nearly or quite closed orifice or foramen, as it exists in the ripened seed.Mi'cro-scōpe, n. p. 836An optical instrument, consisting of a lens, or combination of lenses, for examining objects which are too minute to be viewed by the naked eye. Compound microscope, an instrument consisting of one…Mi'cro-scōp'ic or Mi'cro-scōp'ic-al, a. p. 836Made by the aid of a microscope; as, microscopic observation. 2. Resembling a microscope; capable of seeing very minute objects. “Evading even the microscopic eye.” Thomson. “Why has not man a…Mi'cro-scop'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 836By the microscope; with minute inspection.Mī-crōs'co-pīst or Mī'cro-scō'pīst, n. p. 836One skilled in microscopy.Mi-crōs'e-o-py, n. p. 836The use of the microscope; investigations with the microscope.Mi'cro-sthēne, n. p. 836(Zoöl.) One of a group of mammals having a typically small size. See MAMMAL.Mī′e-ros-thēn′ie, a. p. 836(Zoöl.) Having a typically small size; pertaining to the microsthenes.Mi'cro-tōme, n. p. 836An instrument for making very thin sections for microscopical examination.Mie'tu-ri'tion, n. p. 836(Med.) The act of making water; a too frequent passing of the urine, in consequence of disease.Mid, a. p. 836Situated between extremes; middle; intervening;—often written as a compound with the words to which it belongs; as, mid-day, mid-air, &c. No more the mountain larks, while Daphne sings, Shall…Mid, n. p. 836Central part; middle; midst. [Obs.] In the mid he had the habit of a monk. Fuller.Mi'dá, n. p. 836A worm, from which comes the bean-fly. Chambers.Mid'-âge, n. p. 836The middle of life, or persons of that age. [Obs.] Shak.Mi'das's-ēar, n. p. 836(Zoöl.) A mollusk of the genus Auricula (A. Mida), having organs fitted for breathing air.Mid'dāy, a. p. 836Pertaining to noon; meridional; as, the midday sun.Mid'dāy, n. p. 836The middle of the day; noon.Mid’den, n. p. 836A dunghill. [Prov. Eng.]Mid'den-crōw, n. p. 836The common crow. [Prov. Eng.]Mid’dest, a. p. 836superl. of mid. Situated most nearly in the middle; middlemost; midmost. [Obs.] “Among the middest crowd.” Spencer.Mid'dest, n. p. 836Midst; middle. [Obs.] “About the middest of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.” Fuller.Mid'ding, n. p. 836The same as MIDDEN.Mid'dle, a. p. 836Equally distant from the extremes; mean; medial; mid. These are flowers of middle summer, and I think they are given to men of middle age. Shak. 2. Intermediate; intervening. Will, seeking good…Mid'dle, n. p. 836The point or part equally distant from the extremities; an intervening point in space, time, or order of series; midst; central portion. But in this, as in most questions of state, there is a middle.…Mid'dle-āge, a. p. 836Of, or pertaining to, the middle ages; mediæval.Mid'dle-āged, a. p. 836Being about the middle of the ordinary age of man. A middle-aged man is so called from the age of thirty-five or forty to forty-five or fifty.