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.
Mŏss'y, a. p. 861Overgrown with moss; abounding with moss. Old trees are more mossy than young. Bacon. 2. Bordered with moss; as, mossy brooks; mossy fountains. Pope. Cowley.Mōst, a. p. 861superl. of more. [Scot. mast, maist, A-S. mæst, Goth. maists, O. Sax., O. D., & Icel. mest, Dan. & D. meest, Sw. mast, O. & N. H. Ger. meist.] 1. Consisting of the greatest number or quantity…Mōst, adv. p. 861In the greatest or highest degree. Those nearest the king, and most his favorites, were courtiers and prelates. Milton. ☞ Placed before an adjective or adverb, most is used to form the superlative…Mōs'tic or Mōs'tick, n. p. 861A mahl-stick, or painter's staff or stick on which he rests his hand in painting.Mōs'ti-hī'bā, n. p. 861See MUSTAIBA.Mōst'ly, adv. p. 861For the greatest part; chiefly; in the main.Mōs'tra, n. p. 861(Mus.) A mark placed upon the staff at the end of a line to show what note the next line begins with; a direct. See DIRECT.Mōst'what, adv. p. 861For the most part. [Obs.] All the rest do mostwhat far amiss. Spencer.Mōt, n. p. 861A word; hence, a motto. [Obs.] Bp. Hall. 2. (Pron. mò.) A pithy or witty saying; a witticism. [A Gallicism.] Here and there turns up a . . . savage mot. North Brit. Rev. 3. A note or brief strain on…Mōt'a-çil, n. p. 861(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Motacilla.Mōt'a-çil'la, n. p. 861(Ornith.) A genus of passerine, dentirostral birds, including the wagtail. Baird.Mo-tā'tion, n. p. 861The act of moving; motion. [Obs.]Mōte p. 861A word used in composition, and signifying meeting, as in burgh-mote, folk-mote, and the like.Mōte, n. p. 861A small particle; any thing proverbially small; a spot; a speck. The little motes in the sun do ever stir, though there is no wind. Bacon. We are motes in the midst of generations. Lawlor. Mōte, for…Mo-tēl'la, n. p. 861(Ichth.) A genus of fishes, including the whistle-fish.Mo-tēt′, n. p. 861(Mus.) A musical composition adapted to sacred words in church style; an anthem.Mŏth, n. p. 861(Entom.) A lepidopterous insect, having antennæ that taper regularly to a point, chiefly of nocturnal habits. The clothes' moth is of several species of the genus Tinea. This breeds in yarn and…Mōth'eat, v. t. p. 861To eat or prey upon, as a moth eats a garment.Mōth'en, a. p. 861Full of moths. [Obs.] Fulke.Mōth'er, n. p. 861A female parent; especially, one of the human race; a woman who has borne a child; — correlate to son or daughter. 2. That which has produced any thing; source of birth or origin; that in which any…Mōth'er, a. p. 861Received by birth or from ancestors; native; natural; as, mother language; also, acting the part, or having the place, of a mother; originating. It is the mother falsehood from which all idolatry is…Mȯth'er, v. i. p. 862To become concreted, as the thick matter of liquors.Mȯth'er, v. t. p. 862To adopt as a son or daughter; to perform the duties of a mother to.Mȯth'er, n. p. 862A thick, slimy substance concreted in liquors, particularly in vinegar, but different from scum or common lees.Mōth'er-hōod, n. p. 862The state of being a mother; the character or office of a mother.Mōth'er-ing, n. p. 862A rural custom in England, practiced on Mid-lent Sunday, supposed to have been originally a visiting of the mother church to make offerings at the high altar, but now a friendly visit to a parent.…Mōth'er-in-law, n. p. 862The mother of one's husband or wife.Mōth'er-lānd, n. p. 862The land of one's mother or parents.Mōth’er-less, a. p. 862Destitute of a mother; having lost a mother; as, motherless children.Mōth'er-līq'uor, n. p. 862See MOTHER-WATER.Mŏth'er-ly, a. p. 862Pertaining to a mother; as, motherly power or authority. 2. Becoming a mother; tender; parental; as, motherly love or care. Syn. — Maternal; parental. — MOTHERLY, MATERNAL. Motherly, being…Mōth'ér-ly, adv. p. 862In the manner of a mother.Mōth'er-of-pēarl', n. p. 862The hard, silvery, brilliant, internal layer of several kinds of shells, particularly oysters, which is often variegated with changing purple and azure colors; nacre.Mōth'er-of-thŷme', n. p. 862(Bot.) A small aromatic plant (Thymus serpyllum);—called also wild-thyme. P. Cyc.Mōth'ér-queen, n. p. 862The mother of a reigning sovereign; queen-mother.Mōth'er-tōngue, n. p. 862A language from which another language has had its origin. 2. The language of one's native land; native language.Mōth'ér-wa/ter, n. p. 862The impure residue of a liquor or solution from which crystals have been obtained.Mōth'ér-wīt, n. p. 862Native wit; common sense.Mōth'er-wort, n. p. 862(Bot.) An herb of the genus Leonurus, of a bitter taste, used popularly in medicine.Mōth'er-y, a. p. 862Resembling or partaking of the nature of mother; concreted; as, the mothery substance in liquors.Mōth'-gnāt, n. p. 862(Entom.) A dipterous insect of the genus Bychoda.Mōth'-hūnt'er, n. p. 862(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Caprimulgus; the goat-sucker.Mōth'-mūl'lein or Mōth'-mūl'len, n. p. 862(Bot.) A plant of the genus Verbascum (V. blattaria), having flowers yellow or white tinged with purple. It is common by road-sides. Gray.Mōth'wort, n. p. 862A plant.Mōth'y, a. p. 862Full of moths; eaten by moths.Mō'tif, n. p. 862Motive. [Obs.] Chaucer.Mo-tif'ic, a. p. 862Producing motion. Good.Mō'tile, a. p. 862Having powers of self-motion, though unconscious; as, the motile spores of certain sea-weeds. Dana.Mo·til'i·ty, n. p. 862The faculty of moving; contractility. Dunglison.Mō'tion, n. p. 862The act or process of changing place; movement; alteration of position; the passing of a body from one place to another, whether by voluntary, organic, or mechanical action;—opposed to rest. 2.…Perpetual motion p. 862an incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without, or which has within itself the means, when once set in motion, of…Mō'tion, v. i. p. 862To make a significant movement or gesture, as with the hand; as, to motion to one to take a seat. 2. To make proposal; to offer plans. [R.] Milton.Mō'tion, v. t. p. 862To propose. [Rare.] See MOVE. O thou that, . . . when we were quite breathless, didst motion peace and terms of covenant with us. Milton.Mō'tion-er, n. p. 862A mover. [Obs.]Mō'tion-ist, n. p. 862One who makes a motion.Mō'tion-less, a. p. 862Wanting motion; being at rest.Mō'tive, a. p. 862Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power.Mō'tive, n. p. 862That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] Shak. 2. That which incites to action; any thing prompting or exciting to choice, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement. 3. (Mus.) The theme or subject; a…Mō'tive, v. t. p. 862To supply a motive to or for; to prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move. The divine punishments are motived by the divine wisdom acting for the good of some great whole. Wm. Smith.Mo-tiv'i-ty, n. p. 862The power of producing motion. 2. The quality of being influenced by motives.