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.
Min'i-a-tūre, n. p. 840A painting in colors; especially, and now exclusively, a painting or other representation on a reduced scale, or much smaller than the object represented; hence, reduced scale; greatly diminished…Mīn'i-a-tūre or Mīn'ia-tūre, v. t. p. 840To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.Min'i-a-tūre or Min'ia-tūre, a. p. 840On a small scale; much reduced from the reality; as, miniature representation.Min'i-a-tūr'ist or Min'ia-tūr'ist, n. p. 840A painter of miniatures.Min′i-bŭs, n. p. 840A light, covered vehicle, for the expeditious conveyance of passengers for short distances. Craig.Min'ie-ball, n. p. 840A ball, or bullet, of peculiar construction. It is cast hollow for nearly two thirds of its length, and into the opening of the internal cylinder there is introduced a small concave piece of iron…Min'ie-rī'fle, n. p. 840A rifle used to fire minie-balls.Min'i-kīn, a. p. 840Small; diminutive.Min'i-kīn, n. p. 840A small sort of pin. 2. A darling; a favorite. See MINION.Mĭn′ĭm, n. p. 840Any thing very minute; as, the minims of existence;—applied to animalcula, and the like. 2. The smallest liquid measure; a single drop. 3. A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.] 4. A little man or…Min'im, a. p. 840Exceedingly small; minute; wee. “Their little minim forms arrayed.” Drake.Mĭn'i-ment, n. p. 840Proof; testimony. [Obs.] Spenser.Min'i-mize, v. t. p. 840To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible.Mĭn'i-mŭm, n. p. 840The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; a trifle.Min'i-mŭs, n. p. 841A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.Min'ion, n. p. 841A kind of red pigment; vermilion. [Obs.] “Let them paint their faces with minion.” Burton.Min'ion, a. p. 841Fine; trim; dainty. [Obs.]Min’ion, n. p. 841A favorite; a darling; particularly, the favorite of a prince, on whom he lavishes his favors; one who gains favors by flattery or mean adulation. “The drowsy tyrant by his minions led.” Swift.…Mĭn’ion-ing, n. p. 841Kind treatment. [Obs.]Mĭn'ion-līke or Mĭn'ion-ly, adv. p. 841Finely; daintily.Mĭn'ion-shĭp, n. p. 841State of being a minion. [Obs.]Mĭn'ioŭs, a. p. 841Of the color of red lead or vermilion. [Obs.] “A red and minious tincture.” Browne.Mĭn'ish, v. t. p. 841To lessen; to diminish. [Obs.] See DIMINISH. “The living of poor men thereby minished and taken away.” Latimer.Min'ish-ment, n. p. 841The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [Obs.]Min'is-ter, n. p. 841An underling; a servant; a subordinate; an assistant of inferior rank; an agent. Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.…Min'is-ter, v. t. p. 841To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer. “He that ministereth seed to the sower.” 2 Cor. ix. 10. “That it may minister grace to the hearers.” Eph. iv. 29. We are so willing to…Min'is-ter, v. i. p. 841To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. I will sanctify, also, both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's…Mĭn'is-tē'ri-al, a. p. 841Pertaining to ministry, or to the performance of service, or of executive office; attending for service; attendant; acting at command. “Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames.” Prior. 2.…Min'is-tē'ri-al-ĭst, n. p. 841A supporter of ministers, or a party in power. [Eng.]Min'is-tē'ri-al-ly, adv. p. 841In a ministerial manner or character.Min'is-ter-y, n. p. 841See MINISTRY.Min'is-tra-cy, n. p. 841Ministration. [Obs.]Min'is-tral, a. p. 841Pertaining to a minister; ministerial. [Obs.] Johnson.Min'is-trant, a. p. 841Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command. “Princedoms and dominations ministrant.” Milton.Min'is-trā'tion, n. p. 841The act of performing service as a subordinate agent; intervention for aid or service; ministry; agency. Their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Acts vi. 1. 2. Office of a minister…Min'is-trā'tive, a. p. 841Serving to aid or assist; ministering.Min'is-tress, n. p. 841A female that ministers.Min'is-try, n. p. 841The act of ministering; ministration; agency; service; instrumentality. He directs the affairs of this world by the ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. 2. The office, duties, or functions…Min'is-try-ship, n. p. 841The state or occupation of a minister; ministry. [Obs.] Swift.Min'i-ūm, n. p. 841A pigment of a beautiful red color, consisting of two equivalents of the protoxide of lead, and one equivalent of the peroxide; red lead.Min'i-ver, n. p. 841The same as MINEVER.Mink, n. p. 841(Zoöl.) A carnivorous quadruped of the weasel tribe, that burrows in the earth on the side of a river or pond. It affords a valuable fur. A smaller, darker variety has sometimes Mountain-brook Mink.Min'ne-sing'er, n. p. 841A love-singer; specifically, one of a class of German poets and musicians who flourished between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. They were chiefly of noble birth, and made love and beauty the…Min'nock, n. p. 841A word used by Shakespeare, and supposed by Johnson to be the same as MINX. Others have supposed it to be a misprint for mimic.Min'nōw, n. p. 841(Ichth.) A very small fresh-water fish, of several species; — applied also sometimes to the young of larger kinds. ☞ The minnow of England, from which the term is derived, is a species of the…Mi′nor, a. p. 841Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, &c.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body. 2. (Mus.) Less or lower by a semitone; as, a minor third. Asia Minor (Geog.), the Lesser…Mĭ'nor, n. p. 841A person of either sex under age; one who has not yet arrived at the power of managing his own estate; in England and the United States, one not yet twenty-one years of age. Wharton. 2. (Logic.) The…Mi'nor-āte, v. t. p. 841To diminish. [Obs.]Mī'nor-ā'tion, n. p. 841A lessening; diminution. [Obs.] Browne.Mī′nor-ite, n. p. 841A Franciscan friar.Mi-nŏr'i-ty, n. p. 841The state of being a minor, or under age. See MINOR. 2. The smaller number; as, the minority of the Senate or House of Representatives; — opposed to majority; as, the minority was large or small; he…Mī'nos, n. p. 841(Anc. Myth.) A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa, and after death made supreme judge in the lower regions.Min'o-taur, n. p. 841(Antiq.) A fabled monster, half man and half bull.Min'ōw, n. p. 841See MINNOW.Min’ster, n. p. 841The church of a monastery, or one to which a monastery has been attached; sometimes, a cathedral church.Min'strel, n. p. 841One of an order of men, in the middle ages, who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music, and sang to the harp verses composed by themselves or others; a bard; a singer and harper; a musician.Min'strel-sy, n. p. 841The arts and occupation of minstrels; singing and playing. 2. A collective body of minstrels; singers and players; a number of musicians. “The minstrelsy of heaven.” Milton. Nodding their heads…Mint, n. p. 841The place where money is coined; a factory of coin. 2. A place of invention, fabrication, or production; source of unlimited supply; hence, colloquially, unlimited supply. He has a mint of reasons.…Mint, v. t. p. 841To make by stamping, as money; to coin; to make and stamp into money. 2. To invent; to forge; to fabricate; to fashion; to produce.Mint, n. p. 841(Bot.) An aromatic plant of the genus Mentha, of various species, producing, by distillation, a highly odoriferous and pungent essential oil.