Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Mint'age, n. p. 841That which is minted, coined, or stamped. “Stamped in clay, a heavenly mintage.” Sterling. 2. The duty paid to the mint for coining.Mint'er, n. p. 841One who mints; a coiner. 2. An inventor.Mint'-jū'lep, n. p. 841A drink consisting of brandy, sugar, and pounded ice, flavored with sprigs of mint. [U. S.]Mint'-man, n. p. 841One skilled in coining, or in coins; a coiner.Mint'-mās'ter, n. p. 841The master or superintendent of a mint. Boyle. 2. One who invents; the chief fabricator or inventor. “Sole mint-master of current words.” Fuller.Mint'-sauce, n. p. 841Mint chopped up with vinegar and sugar, as a flavoring for lamb. Simmonds.Min’ū-ēnd, n. p. 841(Arith.) The number from which another number is to be subtracted.Min'ū-et, n. p. 841A slow, graceful dance, consisting of a coupee, a high step, and a balance. 2. A tune or air to regulate the movements in the dance so called.Min'um, n. p. 841A small kind of printing types; minion; minim. 2. (Mus.) A note of slow time, containing two crotchets; a minim.Mi'nus, a. p. 842(Math.) Less; also, requiring to be subtracted; negative; as, a minus quantity. Minus sign (Math.), the sign [−] denoting minus, or less, prefixed to negative quantities, or quantities to be…Mi-nŭs'cule, n. p. 842Any very small, minute object; especially, a small letter.Min'ū-ta-ry, a. p. 842Pertaining to, or consisting of, minutes. [Obs.] “Their clock gathering up the least crumb of time, presenting the minutary fractions thereof.” Fuller.Mi-nūte', a. p. 842Very small, little, or slender; of inferior bulk, size, or consequence; slight. 2. Attentive to small things; critical; particular; as, minute observation; minute philosophy. Syn.—Little; diminutive…Mĭn′ute, n. p. 842Something very small; a very slight portion; a jot; a mite; minutia. [Obs.] Who would have dreamt Of a young morsel now? things come in minutes. Beau. & Fl. The smallest minute of his expense shall…Min'ute, v. t. p. 842To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a brief summary of. The Empress of Russia, with her own hand, minuted an edict for universal tolerance. Bancroft.Mĭn'ute-bĕll, n. p. 842A bell sounded regularly at intervals of one minute.Mĭn'ute-book, n. p. 842A book of short hints.Min'ute-glāss, n. p. 842A glass, the sand of which measures a minute in running.Mĭn'ute-gūn, n. p. 842A gun discharged every minute, as a signal of distress or mourning.Mĭn'ute-hānd, n. p. 842The hand that points to the minutes on a clock or watch.Mĭn'ute-jăck, n. p. 842A figure which strikes the hour of a clock; — called also jack of the clock-house.Mi-nūte'ly, adv. p. 842In a minute manner; to a small point of time, space, or matter; exactly; nicely.Min’ute-ly, a. p. 842Happening every minute. [Obs.] “Throwing themselves absolutely upon God’s minutely providence.” Hammond.Min'ute-ly, adv. p. 842Every minute; with very little time intervening. What is it but a continued, perpetuated voice from heaven, resounding forever in our ears? as if it were minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven.…Min'ute-măn, n. p. 842A man enlisted for service wherever required, and ready to march at a moment's notice; — a term used in the American revolution.Mi-nūte'ness, n. p. 842The quality of being minute; exiguity; extreme smallness, fineness, or slenderness. 2. Attention to small things; critical exactness; as, the minuteness of observation or distinction.Mĭn'ute-watch, n. p. 842A watch that distinguishes minutes of time, or on which minutes are marked. Boyle.Mĭ-nū'ti-ă or MĪ-NŪ'TI-Æ, n. p. 842A minute particular; smallest detail; — used chiefly in the plural.Minx, n. p. 842A pert, wanton girl. 2. A she puppy. 3. A kind of animal; the mink. See MINK.Min'y, a. p. 842Abounding with mines; subterraneous.Mĭ'o-cēne, a. p. 842(Geol.) Less recent; — a term applied to the middle division of the tertiary strata.Miq'ue-lēt, n. p. 842(Mil.) An irregular or partisan soldier. Smart.Mi-rāb'i-la-ry, n. p. 842One who narrates wonderful things; one who writes of wonders. [Obs.] The use of this work . . . is nothing less than to give contentment to the appetite of curious and vain will, as the manner of…Mi'ra-ble, a. p. 842Wonderful; admirable. [Obs.] Shak.Mir'a-cle, n. p. 842A wonder or wonderful thing. 2. Specifically, an event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event. “A…Mi'rā-cle, v. t. p. 842To make wonderful. [Obs.] Shak.Mir'a-cle-mōn'ger, n. p. 842An impostor who pretends to work miracles.Mī-răc'ū-līze, v. t. p. 842To cause to seem to be a miracle; to render miraculous. [Obs. and rare.] Shaftesbury.Mī-rāe'ū-lōŭs, a. p. 842Of the nature of a miracle; performed supernaturally; effected by the direct agency of almighty power, and not by natural causes. 2. Extraordinarily wonderful; supernatural.Mi-rā'cū-lou's-ly, adv. p. 842In a miraculous manner; by miracle; supernaturally. Æneas, wounded as he was, could not have engaged him in single combat, unless his hurt had been miraculously healed. Dryden. 2. By extraordinary…Mi-rā'cū-lōus-ness, n. p. 842The quality of being miraculous.Mi'ra-dōr', n. p. 842(Arch.) A balcony or gallery commanding an extensive view.