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.
Mōle, n. p. 851A spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body, from which often issue one or more hairs. To nourish hair upon the moles of the face, is the perpetuation of a very ancient custom.…Mōle, n. p. 851A mass of fleshy matter generated in the uterus.Mōle, n. p. 851A mound or massive work formed of large stones laid in the sea, extended either in a right line or an arc of a circle before a port, which it serves to defend from the violence of the waves, thus…Mōle, n. p. 851(Zoöl.) A small, insect-eating mammal, with minute eyes and very soft fur, belonging to the genera Talpa, Scalops, &c. The common mole of Europe is the Talpa Europæa; that of North America is Scalops…Mōle, v. t. p. 851To clear of mole-hills. [Prov. Eng.] Pegge. 2. To form holes in, as a mole; to burrow; to excavate; as, to mole the earth.Mōle'-băt, n. p. 851(Ichth.) A clumsy fish of the genus Orthagoriscus (O. mola); the short sun-fish.Mōle'-cȧst, n. p. 851A little elevation of earth made by a mole.Mōle'-crĭck'et, n. p. 851(Entom.) An insect of the genus Gryllatalpa (G. vulgaris), of a brown color, and having yellowish legs, which excavates subterranean galleries, and throws up mounds of earth resembling those of the…Mo-lĕc'ū-lar, a. p. 851Belonging to, consisting of, or residing in, molecules; as, molecular forces. Molecular attraction, attraction acting between the molecules of bodies, and at insensible distances. See AT-TRACTION.Mo-lēc'ū-lār'i-ty, n. p. 851The state of being molecular, or of consisting of molecules.Mŏl'e-cūle, n. p. 851One of the invisible particles supposed to constitute matter of any kind.Mōle'-eȳed, a. p. 851Having eyes like those of the mole; hence, of imperfect sight.Mōle'-hĭll, n. p. 851A little hillock or elevation of earth thrown up by moles working under ground; hence, a very small hill, or an insignificant obstacle or difficulty. Having leaped over such mountains, lie down…Mōle'-răt, n. p. 851(Zoöl.) (a.) A small rodent animal of the genus Spalax, which burrows in the earth, forming shallow galleries, in which it lives. (b.) A rodent animal of the genus Bathyergus, found at the Cape of…Mōle'-skĭn, n. p. 851A kind of silk fabric, having a thick, soft shag, like the fur of a mole; also, a kind of shaggy cotton fabric. Simmonds.Mo-lĕn'di-nā'ceoŭs or Mo-lĕn'di-nā'ri-oŭs, a. p. 851Resembling the sails of a wind-mill.Mo-lĕst', v. t. p. 851To trouble; to disturb; to render uneasy; to vex. They have molested the church with needless opposition. Hooker. Syn.—To trouble; disturb; incommode; inconvenience; annoy; vex; tease.Mŏl'es-tā'tion, n. p. 852The act of molesting, or the state of being molested; disturbance; annoyance; uneasiness given.Mo-lĕst'er, n. p. 852One who molests.Mo-lĕst'ful, a. p. 852Troublesome.Mo-lĕst'ie, n. p. 852Molestation; trouble; vexation. [Obs.] Chaucer.Mōle'-tree, n. p. 852(Bot.) A biennial plant of the genus Euphorbia.Mōle'wărp, n. p. 852A mole. See MOLE and MOLD-WARP.Mo-lim'i-noŭs, a. p. 852Of great bulk or consequence; very important. [Obs. and rare.]Mō'line, n. p. 852The crossed iron that supports the upper mill-stone.Mō'lin-ism, n. p. 852(Eccl. Hist.) The doctrines of the Molinists, somewhat resembling the tenets of the Arminians.Mō'lin-ist, n. p. 852(Eccl. Hist.) A follower of the opinions of Molina, a Spanish Jesuit, in respect to grace; an opposer of the Jansenists.Mōll, a. p. 852(Mus.) Minor; in the minor mode; as, A moll, that is, A minor.Mōl'lah, n. p. 852One of the higher order of Turkish ecclesiastical judges. [Written also moolah.]Mōl'le, a. p. 852(Mus.) Lower by a semitone; flat; as, E molle, that is, E flat.Mōl'le-bart, n. p. 852An agricultural implement used in Flanders, consisting of a kind of large shovel, drawn by a horse and guided by a man. [Written also mollebart and mouldebart.] Simmonds.Mōl'le-mōke', n. p. 852(Ornith.) A kind of petrel (the Procellaria glacialis), found in the arctic regions. [Written also mallenocke and mallenoke.] Kane.Mōl'li-ent or mōl'yent, a. p. 852Serving to soften; assuaging; emollient.Mōl'li-ent-ly, adv. p. 852Assuagingly.Mŏl'li-fī'a-ble, a. p. 852Capable of being mollified.Mŏl'li-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 852The act of mollifying, or the state of being mollified; mitigation.Mŏl'li-fi'er, n. p. 852One who, or that which, mollifies, softens, appeases, or mitigates.Mŏl'li-fy, v. t. p. 852To make soft or tender; as, to mollify the ground. 2. To assuage, as pain or irritation. 3. To appease, as excited feeling or passion; to pacify; to calm. “With sweet science mollified their stubborn…Mōl'li-nēt, n. p. 852A little mill, or one of smaller size than usual.Mol-li'ti-ēz, n. p. 852(Med.) The preternatural softness of any organ or part of an organ. Dunglison.Mŏl'li-tūde, n. p. 852Softness; effeminacy; weakness. [Rare.]Mol-lŭs'cȧ, n. pl. p. 852(Zoöl.) One of the animal sub-kingdoms. See ANIMAL KINGDOM. Its individuals are called mollusks. See MOLLUSK.Mol-lŭs'can, n. p. 852A mollusk; one of the mollusca.Mol-lŭs'can or Mol-lŭs'coŭs, a. p. 852Pertaining to the mollusks, or partaking of their properties.Mol-lŭs'cum, n. p. 852(Med.) A cutaneous disease consisting of numerous tumors, of various forms, filled with a thick matter; — so called from the resemblance of the tumors to some molluscous animals. Dunglison.Mōl'lusk, n. p. 852(Zoöl.) An invertebrate animal, having a soft, fleshy body (whence the name), which is inarticulate, and not radiate internally. See ANIMAL KINGDOM. There are two subdivisions, the Ordinary and the…Mō'loch, n. p. 852(Script.) The deity of the Ammonites, to whom human sacrifices were offered in the valley of Tophet. 2. (Zoöl.) A genus of lizards found in Australia. M. horridus, the moloch lizard, in its external…Mo-lŏsse’, n. p. 852See MOLOSSUS.Mo-lŏs'sus, n. p. 852(Gr. & Lat. Pros.) A foot of three long syllables. [Written also molosse.]Mōl'o-thrās, n. p. 852(Ornith.) A genus of conirostral birds, of which one species (M. pecoris), found in America, is often an attendant upon cattle in the fields. Baird.Mōlt, v. i. p. 852Mōult, p. pr. & vb. n. p. 852MOLTING, or MOULTING.] [O. Eng. mout, mowte, Prov. Ger. mutern, mütern, N. H. Ger. mausen, mauszen, mausern, mausern, M. H. Ger. mâzen, O. H. Ger. mâzôn, O. L. Ger. mûtôn, D. muiten, Pr., Sp., & Pg.…Mōlt or Mōult, v. t. p. 852To cast, as the hair, skin, feathers, and the like; to shed.Mōlt or Mōult, n. p. 852The act or process of changing the feathers, skin, &c.; molting.Mōlt'a-ble, a. p. 852Capable of assuming a molten state; meltable; fusible. [Obs. and rare.]Mōlt'en, p. a. p. 852Melted; made of melted metal; as, a molten image. See MELT.Mō'ly, n. p. 852(Bot.) A plant having a bulbous root; Allium moly, wild garlic. 2. A fabulous herb of secret power, having a black root and white blossom, said by Homer to have been given by Mercury to Ulysses, as a…Mo-lŷb'date, n. p. 852(Chem.) A compound of molybdic acid with a base.Mōl'yb-dē'mā, n. p. 852(Min.) An ore of a dark lead color, occurring in flexible laminae, like plumbago; sulphuret of molybdenum.Mo-lyb'de-nīte, n. p. 852(Min.) Sulphuret of molybdena. Dana.