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.
Mōd'er-ate, a. p. 849Kept within due bounds; observing reasonable limits; not excessive, extreme, violent, or rigorous; limited; restrained; as, (a.) Limited in quantity; sparing; temperate; frugal; as, moderate in…Mōd'er-āte, v. t. p. 849To restrain from excess of any kind; to reduce from a state of violence; to keep within bounds; to make temperate; to lessen; to allay; to repress; to temper; to qualify; as, to moderate rage…Mŏd'er-āte, v. i. p. 849To become less violent, severe, rigorous, or intense. 2. To preside as a moderator. [U. S.] Syn.—To regulate; mitigate; temper; qualify; repress; abate; lessen; allay; still; appease; pacify; quiet.Mŏd'er-ate, n. p. 849(Eccl. Hist.) One of a certain party which arose in the church of Scotland in the early part of the eighteenth century, and who professed moderation in matters of church government, in discipline…Mŏd'er-ate-ly, adv. p. 849In a moderate manner; temperately; mildly; without violence. 2. In a middle degree; not excessively; as, water moderately warm. “Each nymph but moderately fair.” Waller.Mŏd’er-ate-ness, n. p. 849State or quality of being moderate; temperateness; a middle state between extremes; as, the moderateness of the weather.Mōd'er-ā'tion, n. p. 849The act of moderating, or of imposing due restraint. 2. The state or quality of being moderated or moderate; due restraint; freedom from excess of any kind; temperance; frugality. In moderation…Mŏd'er-a-tĭsm, n. p. 849Moderation in doctrines or opinions, especially in politics or religion.Mōd'e-rā'to p. 849(Mus.) With a moderate degree of quickness. Moore.Mŏd'er-ā'tor, n. p. 849One who, or that which, moderates or restrains. 2. Hence, the person who presides over a meeting or assembly of people to preserve order, propose questions, regulate the proceedings, and declare the…Mŏd'er-ā'tor-shĭp, n. p. 849The office of a moderator.Mŏd'er-ā'tress, n. p. 849A female moderator.Mōd'er-ā'trix p. 849Fuller. Massinger.Mōd'ern, a. p. 849Pertaining to the present time, or time not long past; late; not ancient or remote in past time; of recent period; as, modern days, ages, or time; modern authors; modern fashions; modern taste…Mōd’ern, n. p. 849A person of modern times; — opposed to ancient. ☞ The moderns are those of modern nations, or of nations which arose out of the ruins of the empires of Greece and Rome, the people of which are called…Mŏd’ern-ĭsm, n. p. 849Modern practice; a thing of recent date; a usage, mode of expression, or the like; origin not remote.Mŏd'ern-īst, n. p. 849One who admires the moderns.Mo-dĕrn'i-ty, n. p. 849Modernness. [Rare.]Mŏd'ern-i-zā'tion, n. p. 849The act of rendering modern in style; the act or process of causing to conform to modern modes of thinking or acting.Mōd'ern-īze, v. t. p. 849To render modern; to adapt to modern persons or things; to cause to conform to recent or present usage or taste.Mōd'ern-īz'er, n. p. 849One who modernizes or renders modern.Mŏd'ern-ly, adv. p. 849In modern times. [Obs.] Milton.Mōd'ern-ness, n. p. 850The quality of being modern; recentness; novelty.Mōd'est, a. p. 850Restrained within due limits of propriety or decency; not forward, bold, or presumptuous; rather retiring than pushing one's self forward; not obtrusive; as, a modest youth; a modest man. 2.…Mŏd'est-ly, adv. p. 850In a modest manner; not arrogantly or presumptuously; not loosely or wantonly; decently; not excessively; not extravagantly.Mŏd'est-y, n. p. 850The quality of being modest; that lowly temper which accompanies a moderate estimate of one's own worth and importance; absence of self-confidence, arrogance, and presumption; retiring disposition…Mōd'est-y-pièce, n. p. 850A narrow lace worn by women over the bosom.Mo-dĭc'i-ty, n. p. 850Moderateness; smallness; meanness. [Obs.]Mōd'i-cūm, n. p. 850A little; a small quantity; a scanty supply.Mōd'i-fi'a-bil'i-ty, n. p. 850Capability of being modified, or of being essentially altered in form or structure by growth. Dana.Mōd'i-fi'a-ble, a. p. 850Admitting of being modified or diversified by various forms and differences; as, modifiable matter.Mo-dif'i-ca-ble, a. p. 850Capable of being modified; modifiable. [Obs.]Mōd'i-fi-cāte, v. t. p. 850To qualify. [Obs.] Pearson.Mōd'i-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 850The act of modifying, or giving to any thing new forms, or differences of external qualities or modes, or that of receiving any such. If these powers of cogitation, volition, and sensation are not…Mōd'i-fi-cā'tive, n. p. 850That which modifies or qualifies, as a modifying word or clause.Mōd'i-fi-cā'to-ry, a. p. 850Tending or serving to modify; causing change of form or condition; modifying. In these roots, either the first or the last consonant is modificatory. M. Muller.Mŏd'i-fi'er, n. p. 850One who, or that which, modifies.Mōd'i-fy, v. t. p. 850To change the form or external qualities of; to shape; to give a new form to; to vary; as, to modify matter, light, or sound; to modify the terms of a contract. 2. To reduce in extent or degree; to…Mo-dill'ion, n. p. 850(Arch.) The enriched block or horizontal bracket generally found under the cornice of the Corinthian entablature, and sometimes, less ornamented, in the Ionic, Composite, and other orders; — so…Mō'di-o-lar or Mo-dī'o-lar, a. p. 850Shaped like a bushel measure.Mōd'ish, a. p. 850According to the mode, or customary manner; conformed to the extreme fashion; fashionable; hence, conventional; as, a modish dress; a modish feast. Dryden. It does not consist in modish forms of…Mōd'ish-ly, adv. p. 850In the customary mode; fashionably.Mōd'ish-ness, n. p. 850The state or quality of being modish; conformity to the fashion.Mōd'ist, n. p. 850One who follows the mode, or fashion.Mo-diste', n. p. 850A female dealer in articles of fashion, especially of the fashionable dress of ladies; a woman who gives direction to the style or mode of dress.Mō'dĭ-ŭs, n. p. 850(Rom. Antiq.) A dry measure, chiefly used for grain, and containing about a peck.Mōd'ū-lar, a. p. 850Of, or pertaining to, mode, modulation, module, or modius; as, modular arrangement; modular accent; modular measure.Mŏd′ū-lāte, v. t. p. 850To form, as sound, to a certain key, or to a certain proportion. 2. To vary or inflect in a natural, customary, or musical manner; as, the organs of speech modulate the voice in reading or speaking.…Mŏd'ū-lāte, v. i. p. 850(Mus.) To pass from one key into another.Mōd/ū-lā'tion, n. p. 850The act of modulating; or the state of being modulated; as, the modulation of the voice. 2. Sound modulated; melody. 3. (Mus.) The manner of ascertaining and managing the modes; or, more generally…Mŏd'ū-lā'tor, n. p. 850One who, or that which, modulates.Mŏd'ŭle, n. p. 850A model or representation. 2. (Arch.) The size of some one part, as the diameter or semi-diameter of the base of a shaft, taken as a unit of measure by which the proportions of the other parts of the…Mōd'ūle, v. t. p. 850To model; to shape; to modulate. [Obs.]Mōd'ŭ-lŭs, n. p. 850(Mech. & Physics.) A quantity or co-efficient, which expresses the measure of some specified force, property, or quality, as of elasticity, strength, efficiency, &c. Modulus of a machine, a formula…Mō'dus, n. p. 850(O. Law.) The arrangement or mode of expressing the terms of a contract or conveyance. 2. A qualification involving the idea of variation or departure from some general rule or form, in the way of…Modus operandi p. 850manner of operating.Mŭd'wall, n. p. 850(Cf. MUDWALL, 2.) A kind of bird that destroys bees.Mōe, n. p. 850A distorted mouth; a mow. See Mow. Shak.Mōe, v. i. p. 850To make a distortion of the face in ridicule; to mow. Shak.Mōe, a. or adv. p. 850More; mo. [Obs.] “If he that rhymeth now may scribble moe?” Byron.