Thomas Davidson

“ Take one's measure, to find out what one is, and what he can or cannot do; Tread a measure, to dance; Use hard measures, to apply harsh treatment to; Within measure, moderately; Without measure, immoderately. [O. Fr. mesure—L. mensura, a measure—metīri, to measure.]
Meat, mēt, n. anything eaten as food, the edible part of anything: act of taking meat: (obs.) meal, flour: the flesh of animals used as food—sometimes beef, mutton, pork, veal, &c., as opposed to poultry, fish, &c.—ns. Meat′-bis′cuit, a preparation of meat, made with meal into a biscuit; Meat′iness, quality of being meaty ”

“ Matter, mat′ėr, n. that which occupies space, and with which we become acquainted by our bodily senses: that out of which anything is made: that which receiving a form becomes a substance: the subject or thing treated of: anything engaging the attention: that with which one has to do: cause of a thing: thing of consequence: something requiring remedy or explanation: any special allegation in law: importance: a measure, &c., of indefinite amount: (print.) material for work, type set up: mere dead substance, that which is thrown off by a living body, esp. ”

“ Mark, märk, n. a visible sign: any object serving as a guide: that by which anything is known: a badge: a trace, impression, proof: any visible effect: symptom: a thing aimed at or striven for: an attainable point: a character made by one who cannot write: any impressed sign or stamp: a physical peculiarity: distinction: a boundary, limit: in medieval times, a tract of common land belonging to a community.—v.t. to make a mark on anything: to impress with a sign: to take notice of: to regard.—v.i. ”

“ Matē′rialīse, to render material: to reduce to or regard as matter: to occupy with material interests.—ns. Matē′rialism, the doctrine that denies the independent existence of spirit, and maintains that there is but one substance—viz. matter—thus professing to find in matter (monistic or philosophical materialism) , or in material entities (atomistic materialism) , or in material qualities and forces (scientific or physical materialism) , a complete explanation of all life and existence whatsoever ”

“ Solemn mass, a mass resembling a high mass, but without some of its special ceremonies; Votive mass, a special mass over and above those ordinarily said for the day, for some particular grace or purpose, and provided by some individual. [A.S. mæsse—Low L. missa—L. missus, mittĕre, to send away, from the phrase at the close of service, Ite, missa est (ecclesia) , 'Go, the congregation is dismissed.']
Massa, mas′ä, n. a negro corruption of master.
Massacre, mas′a-kėr, n. indiscriminate slaughter, esp. with cruelty: carnage.—v.t. to kill with violence and cruelty: to slaughter. ”

“ Mathemat′ics, the science of magnitude and number, and of all their relations—usually divided into Pure, and Mixed or Applied, the first including all deductions from the abstract, self-evident relations of magnitude and number—the second, the results arrived at by applying the principles so established to certain relations found by observation to exist among the phenomena of nature.—Higher mathematics, a term applied generally to all the scientifically treated branches of mathematics. ”

“ Master, mas′tėr, n. one who commands: a lord or owner: a leader or ruler: a teacher: an employer: the commander of a merchant-ship: formerly the navigator or sailing-master of a ship-of-war: one eminently skilled in anything: the common title of address to a young gentleman, &c.: a title of dignity or office—a degree conferred by universities, as Master of Arts, &c., the title of the eldest son of a Scotch viscount or baron, the head of some corporations, as Balliol College, &c., of a lodge of freemasons, &c.: a husband.—adj. ”

“ Mash′ing; Mash′-tub, Mash′ing-tub, a tub in which the mash in breweries is mixed.—adj. Mash′y, produced by mashing; of the nature of a mash. [The noun is older than the verb, and seems to be connected with mix (A.S. miscian) ; cf. Mish-mash.]
Masher, mash′ėr, n. a fellow who dresses showily to attract the attention of silly young women, a fop.—v.t. Mash, to gain the affections of one of the opposite sex, to treat as a sweetheart.—Be mashed on (slang) , to be struck with love for another. ”

“ Meal, mēl, n. grain ground to powder.—v.i. to yield or be plentiful in meal.—ns. Meal′-ark (Scot.) , a large chest for holding meal; Meal′iness; Meal′-man, or Meal′-mong′er, one who deals in meal; Meal′-pock, or -poke, a beggar's meal-bag; Meal′worm, the larva of an insect abounding in granaries and flour-stores.—adj. Meal′y, resembling meal: covered with meal or with something like meal: whitish.—n. Meal′y-bug, a small species of cochineal insect covered with a while powdery substance resembling meal or flour.—adj. Meal′y-mouthed, smooth-tongued.—n. Meal′y-mouthedness. ”

“ Conventual mass, a mass for the general community of a religious house: a mass at which special remembrance is made of pious founders and benefactors; Dry mass, or service, a rite in which there is neither consecration nor communion; High mass, a mass celebrated with music, ritual, ceremonies, and incense; Low mass, the ordinary mass celebrated without music and incense; Midnight mass, that mass which is said at midnight on Christmas-eve; Private mass, any mass where only the priest communicates, esp. ”

“ Meat′-off′ering, a Jewish sacrificial offering of fine flour or first-fruits with oil and frankincense; Meat′-pie, a pie mainly made up of meat; Meat′-safe, a receptacle for storing meat, walled with perforated zinc or gauze; Meat′-sales′man, one who sells meat, esp. to the retail butchers; Meat′-tea, a high tea, at which meat is served; Meat′-tub, a pickling-tub.—adj. Meat′y, full of meat: fleshy: pithy.—Hang meat, to hang up meat before cooking; Sit at meat, to sit at table. ”

“ Marr′owy, full of marrow: strong: forcible: pithy. [A.S. mearg; Ger. mark.]
Marry, mar′i, v.t. to take for husband or wife: to give in marriage: to unite in matrimony.—v.i. to enter into the married state: to take a husband or a wife:—pr.p. marr′ying; pa.t. and pa.p. marr′ied. [Fr. marier—L. maritāre, to marry, maritus, a husband—mas, maris, a male.] ”

“ Matē′rialist, one who holds the doctrine of materialism: one absorbed in material interests, who takes a low view of life and its responsibilities.—adjs. Materialist′ic, -al, pertaining to materialism.—adv. Matē′rially.—ns. Matē′rialness, Material′ity.—Material being, existence in the form of matter; Material cause, that which gives being to the thing; Material distinction, a distinction between individuals of the same species; Material evidence, evidence tending to prove or to disprove the matter under judgment ”

“ Masticate, mas′ti-kāt, v.t. to chew: to grind with the teeth.—adj. Mas′ticable, that may be chewed.—ns. Masticā′tion, act or process of chewing; Masticā′tor, a machine for cutting up meat for people unable to chew: a machine used in purifying india-rubber.—adj. Mas′ticatory, chewing: adapted for chewing.—n. a substance chewed to increase the saliva. [L. masticāre, -ātum—mastiche, mastic.]
Masticot. Same as Massicot.
Mastiff, mas′tif, n. a thick-set and powerful variety of dog much used as a watch-dog. ”

“ Toe the mark, to stand to one's obligations, facing the consequences; Trade mark, a distinctive mark put on goods, &c., to show by whom they were made; Up to the mark, good enough, measured by a certain standard. [A.S. mearc, a boundary; Ger. mark, Goth. marka.]
Mark, märk, n. an obsolete English coin=13s. 4d.: a coin of the present German Empire=about one shilling: a silver coin of Hamburg=about 1s. 4d. [A.S. marc, another form of the above word.]
Market, mär′ket, n. a public place for the purposes of buying and selling: the time for the market: sale: rate of sale: value.—v.i. ”

“ Match′er.—adj. Match′less, having no match or equal: superior to all: peerless: unpaired.—adv. Match′lessly.—ns. Match′lessness; Match′-mak′er, one who makes matches: one who plans to bring about marriages. [A.S. gemæca, gemaca, a mate, a wife.]
Mate, māt, n. a companion: an equal: one of a pair, the male or female of animals that go in pairs: in a merchant-ship the first-mate is the second in command—in the navy the term is now confined to petty-officers, such as boatswain's mate, gunner's mate, &c.: an assistant, deputy.—v.t. to be equal to: to become a companion to: to marry.—adj. ”

“ Meas′uring, that measures, or fitted for measuring.—Measure one's length, to fall or be thrown down at full length; Measure strength, to engage in a contest; Measure swords, to fight with swords: to try one's skill against.—Above, or Beyond, measure, to an exceedingly great degree ”

“ Mask, mask, v.t. (Scot.) to steep, infuse.—v.i. to be infusing. [A form of mash.]
Maslin, mas′lin, n. mixed grain, esp. rye and wheat.—Also Mash′lin, Mash′lim, Mash′lum.
Mason, mā′sn, n. one who cuts, prepares, and lays stones: a builder in stone: a member of the society of freemasons.—v.t. to build.—adjs. Mason′ic, relating to freemasonry; Mā′sonried, constructed of masonry.—n. Mā′sonry, the skill or practice of a mason: the work of a mason: the art of building in stone: freemasonry.—adj. consisting of mason-work.—n. Mas′ter-mā′son (see under Master) . ”

“ Massage, ma-säzh′, n. in medicine, a system of treatment in which the manipulation and exercise of parts (passive movement) are employed for the relief of morbid conditions—by stroking, pressing, tapping, kneading, friction with kneading, &c.—v.t. to subject to massage.—ns. Massa′gist, Masseur′:—fem. Masseuse′. [Fr., from Gr. massein, to knead.]
Masse, ma-sā′, n. in billiards, a sharp stroke made with the cue perpendicular or nearly so. [Fr.]
Masseter, mas-ē′tėr, n. a muscle which raises the under jaw, and thus closes the mouth. [Gr. masētēr—masasthai, to chew.] ”

“ Mare's′-nest, a supposed discovery which turns out to be a hoax; Mare's-tail, a tall, erect marsh plant of the genus Hippuris: (pl.) long straight fibres of gray cirrus cloud; Shank's′-mare, a person's own legs, as a means of travelling.—The gray mare is the better horse, the wife rules her husband. [A.S. mere, fem. of mearh, a horse; cog. with Ger. mähre, Ice. marr, W. march, a horse.]
Mareschal, mär′shal. Same as Marshal.
Margarine, mär′gar-in, n. the solid ingredient of human fat, olive-oil, &c.—so called from its pearly lustre: oleo-margarine or imitation butter (see under Olein) .—adj. ”

“ Matico, ma-tē′ko, n. a Peruvian shrub, used in medicine as a styptic and astringent.
Matin, mat′in, adj. morning: used in the morning.—n. in pl. the daily morning service of the Church of England: one of the seven canonical hours, usually sung between midnight and daybreak.—adj. Mat′inal.—n. Matinée (mat-i-nā′) , a musical entertainment or reception held in the day-time, usually in the afternoon: a woman's dress for wear in the forenoon or before dinner. ”

“ Median, mē′di-an, adj. being in the middle, running through the middle: situated in the median plane, that dividing the body longitudinally into symmetrical halves.—adv. Med′ianly.—n. Med′iant (mus.) , the third tone of a diatonic scale. [L. medianus—medius, middle.]
Median, mē′di-an, adj. pertaining to Media or the Medes, an ancient Aryan race which became fused with the Persians under the victorious Cyrus about 550 B.C.—n. Mede, a member of this race.
Mediastinum, mē-di-as-tī′num, n. a membranous septum or cavity between two principal portions of an organ, esp. ”

“ Maugre, maw′gėr, prep. in spite of.—n. (obs.) ill-will: spite. [O. Fr. malgré—L. male gratum—male, badly, gratum, agreeable.]
Maul, mawl, v.t. to beat with a mall or a heavy stick: to injure greatly by beating.—n. a heavy wooden hammer: a struggle for the ball in football, when it has been carried across the goal-line, but has not yet been touched down. ”

“ Masculine, mas′kū-lin, adj. of the male sex: having the qualities of a man: resembling a man, or suitable to a man: robust: of a woman, bold, forward, unwomanly: denoting nouns which are names of males.—n. (gram.) the masculine gender.—adv. Mas′culinely.—ns. Mas′culineness, Masculin′ity. [Fr.,—L. masculinus—masculus, male—mas, a male.]
Mash, mash, v.t. to beat into a mixed mass: to bruise: in brewing, to mix malt and hot water together.—v.i. to act violently.—n. ”

“ Mark′er, one who marks the score at games, as at billiards: a counter used at card-playing, &c.: the soldier who forms the pivot round which a body of soldiers wheels; Mark′ing, act of making a mark: a mark made upon anything; Mark′ing-ink, indelible ink, used for marking clothes; Mark′ing-nut, the fruit of an East Indian tree of the cashew family, yielding a black juice used in marking cloths; Mark′man, one of the community owning a mark; Marks′man, one good at hitting a mark: one who shoots well.—Mark down, set down in writing, put a note of ”