Part 18
Meadow beauty. (Bot.) Same as Deergrass. -- Meadow foxtail (Bot.), a valuable pasture grass (Alopecurus pratensis) resembling timothy, but with softer spikes. -- Meadow grass (Bot.), a name given to several grasses of the genus Poa, common in meadows, and of great value for nay and for pasture. See Grass. -- Meadow hay, a coarse grass, or true sedge, growing in uncultivated swamp or river meadow; -- used as fodder or bedding for cattle, packing for ice, etc. [Local, U. S.] -- Meadow hen. (Zoöl.) (a) The American bittern. See Stake-driver. (b) The American coot (Fulica). (c) The clapper rail. -- Meadow lark (Zoöl.), any species of Sturnella, a genus of American birds allied to the starlings. The common species (S. magna) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. -- Meadow mouse (Zoöl.), any mouse of the genus Arvicola, as the common American species A. riparia; -- called also field mouse, and field vole. -- Meadow mussel (Zoöl.), an American ribbed mussel (Modiola plicatula), very abundant in salt marshes. -- Meadow ore (Min.), bog-iron ore , a kind of limonite. -- Meadow parsnip. (Bot.) See under Parsnip. -- Meadow pink. (Bot.) See under Pink. -- Meadow pipit (Zoöl.), a small singing bird of the genus Anthus, as A. pratensis, of Europe. -- Meadow rue (Bot.), a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum, having compound leaves and numerous white flowers. There are many species. -- Meadow saffron. (Bot.) See under Saffron. -- Meadow sage. (Bot.) See under Sage. -- Meadow saxifrage (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant of Europe (Silaus pratensis), somewhat resembling fennel. -- Meadow snipe (Zoöl.), the common or jack snipe.
<! p. 905 !>
{ Mead"ow*sweet` (?), Mead"ow*wort` (?), } n. (Bot.) The name of several plants of the genus Spiræa, especially the white- or pink-flowered S. salicifolia, a low European and American shrub, and the herbaceous S. Ulmaria, which has fragrant white flowers in compound cymes.
Mead"ow*y (?), a. Of or pertaining to meadows; resembling, or consisting of, meadow.
{ Mea"ger, Mea"gre } (?), a. [OE. merge, F. maigre, L. macer; akin to D. & G. mager, Icel. magr, and prob. to Gr. makro`s long. Cf. Emaciate, Maigre.]
1. Destitue of, or having little, flesh; lean.
Meager were his looks; Sharp misery had worn him to the bones.
Shak.
2. Destitute of richness, fertility, strength, or the like; defective in quantity, or poor in quality; poor; barren; scanty in ideas; wanting strength of diction or affluence of imagery. "Meager soil." Dryden.
Of secular habits and meager religious belief.
I. Taylor.
His education had been but meager.
Motley.
3. (Min.) Dry and harsh to the touch, as chalk.
Syn. -- Thin; lean; lank; gaunt; starved; hungry; poor; emaciated; scanty; barren.
{ Mea"ger, Mea"gre }, v. t. To make lean. [Obs.]
{ Mea"ger*ly, Mea"gre*ly }, adv. Poorly; thinly.
{ Mea"ger*ness, Mea"gre*ness }, n. The state or quality of being meager; leanness; scantiness; barrenness.
Mea"gre (?), n. [F. maigre.] (Zoöl.) A large European sciænoid fish (Sciæna umbra or S. aquila), having white bloodless flesh. It is valued as a food fish. [Written also maigre.]
Meak (?), n. [Cf. AS. mce sword, OS. mki, Icel. mækir.] A hook with a long handle. [Obs.] Tusser.
Meak"ing, n. [See Meak.] (Naut.) The process of picking out the oakum from the seams of a vessel which is to be recalked.
Meaking iron (Naut.), the tool with which old oakum is picked out of a vessel's seams.
Meal (ml), n. [OE. mele, AS. ml part, portion, portion of time; akin to E. meal a repast. Cf. Piecemeal.] A part; a fragment; a portion. [Obs.]
Meal, n. [OE. mel; akin to E. meal a part, and to D. maal time, meal, G. mal time, mahl meal, Icel. ml measure, time, meal, Goth. ml time, and to E. measure. See Measure.] The portion of food taken at a particular time for the satisfaction of appetite; the quantity usually taken at one time with the purpose of satisfying hunger; a repast; the act or time of eating a meal; as, the traveler has not eaten a good meal for a week; there was silence during the meal.
What strange fish Hath made his meal on thee ?
Shak.
Meal, n. [OE. mele, AS. melu, melo; akin to D. meel, G. mehl, OHG. melo, Icel. mjöl, SW. mjöl, Dan. meel, also to D. malen to grind, G. mahlen, OHG., OS., & Goth. malan, Icel. mala, W. malu, L. molere, Gr. my`lh mill, and E. mill. √108. Cf. Mill, Mold soil, Mole an animal, Immolate, Molar.]
1. Grain (esp. maize, rye, or oats) that is coarsely ground and unbolted; also, a kind of flour made from beans, pease, etc.; sometimes, any flour, esp. if coarse.
2. Any substance that is coarsely pulverized like meal, but not granulated.
Meal beetle (Zoöl.), the adult of the meal worm. See Meal worm, below. -- Meal moth (Zoöl.), a lepidopterous insect (Asopia farinalis), the larvæ of which feed upon meal, flour, etc. -- Meal worm (Zoöl.), the larva of a beetle (Tenebrio molitor) which infests granaries, bakehouses, etc., and is very injurious to flour and meal.
Meal, v. t. 1. To sprinkle with, or as with, meal. Shak.
2. To pulverize; as, mealed powder.
Meal"ies (?), n. pl. [From Mealy.] (Bot.) Maize or Indian corn; -- the common name in South Africa.
Meal"i*ness (?), n. The quality or state of being mealy.
Meal"-mouthed` (?), a. See Mealy-mouthed.
Meal"time` (?), n. The usual time of eating a meal.
Meal"y (?), a. [Compar. Mealier (?); superl. Mealiest.]
1. Having the qualities of meal; resembling meal; soft, dry, and friable; easily reduced to a condition resembling meal; as, a mealy potato.
2. Overspread with something that resembles meal; as, the mealy wings of an insect. Shak.
Mealy bug (Zoöl.), a scale insect (Coccus adonidum, and related species), covered with a white powderlike substance. It is a common pest in hothouses.
Meal"y-mouthed` (?), a. Using soft words; plausible; affectedly or timidly delicate of speech; unwilling to tell the truth in plain language. "Mealy-mouthed philanthropies." Tennyson.
She was a fool to be mealy-mouthed where nature speaks so plain.
L'Estrange.
-- Meal"y-mouth`ness (#), n.
Mean (mn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Meant (mnt); p. pr. & vb. n. Meaning.] [OE. menen, AS. mnan to recite, tell, intend, wish; akin to OS. mnian to have in mind, mean, D. meenen, G. meinen, OHG. meinan, Icel. meina, Sw. mena, Dan. mene, and to E. mind. √104. See Mind, and cf. Moan.] 1. To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?
What mean ye by this service ?
Ex. xii. 26.
Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.
Gen. 1. 20.
I am not a Spaniard To say that it is yours and not to mean it.
Longfellow.
2. To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.
What mean these seven ewe lambs ?
Gen. xxi. 29.
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth.
Matt. ix. 13.
Mean, v. i. To have a purpose or intention. [Rare, except in the phrase to mean well, or ill.] Shak.
Mean (mn), a. [Compar. Meaner (mn"r); superl. Meanest.] [OE. mene, AS. mne wicked; akin to mn, a., wicked, n., wickedness, OS. mn wickedness, OHG. mein, G. meineid perjury, Icel. mein harm, hurt, and perh. to AS. gemne common, general, D. gemeen, G. gemein, Goth. gamáins, and L. communis. The AS. gemne prob. influenced the meaning.]
1. Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble. "Of mean parentage." Sir P. Sidney.
The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself.
Is. ii. 9.
2. Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love ?
Dryden.
3. Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Cæsar found Our fathers no mean foes.
J. Philips.
4. Of poor quality; as, mean fare.
5. Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.
Mean is sometimes used in the formation of compounds, the sense of which is obvious without explanation; as, meanborn, mean-looking, etc.
Syn. -- Base; ignoble; abject; beggarly; wretched; degraded; degenerate; vulgar; vile; servile; menial; spiritless; groveling; slavish; dishonorable; disgraceful; shameful; despicable; contemptible; paltry; sordid. See Base.
Mean, a. [OE. mene, OF. meiien, F. moyen, fr. L. medianus that is in the middle, fr. medius; akin to E. mid. See Mid.] 1. Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.
Being of middle age and a mean stature.
Sir. P. Sidney.
2. Intermediate in excellence of any kind.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.
Milton.
3. (Math.) Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.
Mean distance (of a planet from the sun) (Astron.), the average of the distances throughout one revolution of the planet, equivalent to the semi-major axis of the orbit. -- Mean error (Math. Phys.), the average error of a number of observations found by taking the mean value of the positive and negative errors without regard to sign. -- Mean-square error, or Error of the mean square (Math. Phys.), the error the square of which is the mean of the squares of all the errors; -- called also, especially by European writers, mean error. -- Mean line. (Crystallog.) Same as Bisectrix. -- Mean noon, noon as determined by mean time. -- Mean proportional (between two numbers) (Math.), the square root of their product. -- Mean sun, a fictitious sun supposed to move uniformly in the equator so as to be on the meridian each day at mean noon. -- Mean time, time as measured by an equable motion, as of a perfect clock, or as reckoned on the supposition that all the days of the year are of a mean or uniform length, in contradistinction from apparent time, or that actually indicated by the sun, and from sidereal time, or that measured by the stars.
Mean, n. 1. That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.
But to speak in a mean, the virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude.
Bacon.
There is a mean in all things.
Dryden.
The extremes we have mentioned, between which the wellinstracted Christian holds the mean, are correlatives.
I. Taylor.
2. (Math.) A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the square root of the product of the quantities.
3. That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.
Their virtuous conversation was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.
Hooker.
You may be able, by this mean, to review your own scientific acquirements.
Coleridge.
Philosophical doubt is not an end, but a mean.
Sir W. Hamilton.
In this sense the word is usually employed in the plural form means, and often with a singular attribute or predicate, as if a singular noun.
By this means he had them more at vantage.
Bacon.
What other means is left unto us.
Shak.
4. pl. Hence: Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.
Your means are very slender, and your waste is great.
Shak.
5. (Mus.) A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part. [Obs.]
The mean is drowned with your unruly base.
Shak.
6. Meantime; meanwhile. [Obs.] Spenser.
7. A mediator; a go-between. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
He wooeth her by means and by brokage.
Chaucer.
By all means, certainly; without fail; as, go, by all means. -- By any means, in any way; possibly; at all.
If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.
Phil. iii. ll.
-- By no means, or By no manner of means, not at all; certainly not; not in any degree.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.
Addison.
Me*an"der (?), n. [L. Maeander, orig., a river in Phrygia, proverbial for its many windings, Gr. &?;: cf. F. méandre.] 1. A winding, crooked, or involved course; as, the meanders of the veins and arteries. Sir M. Hale.
While lingering rivers in meanders glide.
Sir R. Blackmore.
2. A tortuous or intricate movement.
3. (Arch.) Fretwork. See Fret.
Me*an"der, v. t. To wind, turn, or twist; to make flexuous. Dryton.
Me*an"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Meandered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Meandering.] To wind or turn in a course or passage; to be intricate.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion Through wood and dale the sacred river ran.
Coleridge.
Me*an"dri*an (?), a. [L. Maeandrius: cf. F. méandrien.] Winding; having many turns.
||Me`an*dri"na (?), n. [NL.: cf. F. méandrine.] (Zoöl.) A genus of ||corals with meandering grooves and ridges, including the brain ||corals.
{ Me*an"drous (?), Me*an"dry (?), } a. Winding; flexuous.
Mean"ing (?), n. 1. That which is meant or intended; intent; purpose; aim; object; as, a mischievous meaning was apparent.
If there be any good meaning towards you.
Shak.
2. That which is signified, whether by act lanquage; signification; sense; import; as, the meaning of a hint.
3. Sense; power of thinking. [R.]
-- Mean"ing*less, a. -- Mean"ing*ly, adv.
Mean"ly, adv. [Mean middle.] Moderately. [Obs.]
A man meanly learned himself, but not meanly affectioned to set forward learning in others.
Ascham.
Mean"ly, adv. [From Mean low.] In a mean manner; unworthily; basely; poorly; ungenerously.
While the heaven-born child All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies.
Milton.
Would you meanly thus rely On power you know I must obey ?
Prior.
We can not bear to have others think meanly of them [our kindred].
I. Watts.
Mean"ness, n. 1. The condition, or quality, of being mean; want of excellence; poorness; lowness; baseness; sordidness; stinginess.
This figure is of a later date, by the meanness of the workmanship.
Addison.
2. A mean act; as, to be guilty of meanness. Goldsmith.
Mean"-spir`it*ed (?), a. Of a mean spirit; base; groveling. -- Mean"-spir`it*ed*ness, n.
Meant (?), imp. & p. p. of Mean.
{ Mean"time` (?), Mean"while` (?), } n. The intervening time; as, in the meantime (or mean time).
{ Mean"time`, Mean"while`, } adv. In the intervening time; during the interval.
Mear (?), n. A boundary. See Mere. [Obs.]
Mease (?), n. [Cf. G. mass measure.] Five hundred; as, a mease of herrings. [Prov. Eng.]
Mea"sel*ry (?), n. [OE. meselrie, OF. mesellerie. See lst Measle.] Leprosy. [Obs.] R. of Brunne.
Mea"sle (?), n. [OE. mesel, OF. mesel, LL. misellus, L. misellus unfortunate, dim. of miser. See Miser.] A leper. [Obs.] [Written also meazel, and mesel.] Wyclif (Matt. x. 8. ).
Mea"sle, n. (Zoöl.) A tapeworm larva. See 2d Measles, 4.
Mea"sled (?), a. [See 2d Measles.] Infected or spotted with measles, as pork. -- Mea"sled*ness, n.
Mea"sles (?), n. [From lst Measle.] Leprosy; also, a leper. [Obs.]
Mea"sles, n.; pl. in form, but used as singular in senses 1, 2, & 3. [D. mazelen; akin to G. masern, pl., and E. mazer, and orig. meaning, little spots. See Mazer.]
1. (Med.) A contagious febrile disorder commencing with catarrhal symptoms, and marked by the appearance on the third day of an eruption of distinct red circular spots, which coalesce in a crescentic form, are slightly raised above the surface, and after the fourth day of the eruption gradually decline; rubeola.
Measles commences with the ordinary symptoms of fever.
Am. Cyc.
<! p. 906 !>
2. (Veter. Med.) A disease of cattle and swine in which the flesh is filled with the embryos of different varieties of the tapeworm.
3. A disease of trees. [Obs.]
4. pl. (Zoöl.) The larvæ of any tapeworm (Tænia) in the cysticerus stage, when contained in meat. Called also bladder worms.
Mea"sly (?), a. 1. Infected with measles.
2. (Zoöl.) Containing larval tapeworms; -- said of pork and beef.
Meas"ur*a*ble (?), a. [F. mesurable, L. mensurabilis. See Measure, and cf. Mensurable.]
1. Capable of being measured; susceptible of mensuration or computation.
2. Moderate; temperate; not excessive.
Of his diet measurable was he.
Chaucer.
-- Meas"ur*a*ble*ness, n. -- Meas"ur*a*bly, adv.
Yet do it measurably, as it becometh Christians.
Latimer.
Meas"ure (mzh"r; 135), n. [OE. mesure, F. mesure, L. mensura, fr. metiri, mensus, to measure; akin to metrum poetical measure, Gr. me`tron, E. meter. Cf. Immense, Mensuration, Mete to measure.] 1. A standard of dimension; a fixed unit of quantity or extent; an extent or quantity in the fractions or multiples of which anything is estimated and stated; hence, a rule by which anything is adjusted or judged.
2. An instrument by means of which size or quantity is measured, as a graduated line, rod, vessel, or the like.
False ells and measures be brought all clean adown.
R. of Gloucester.
3. The dimensions or capacity of anything, reckoned according to some standard; size or extent, determined and stated; estimated extent; as, to take one's measure for a coat.
The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
Job xi. 9.
4. The contents of a vessel by which quantity is measured; a quantity determined by a standard; a stated or limited quantity or amount.
It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal.
Luke xiii. 21.
5. Extent or degree not excessive or beyong bounds; moderation; due restraint; esp. in the phrases, in measure; with measure; without or beyond measure.
Hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure.
Is. v. 14.
6. Determined extent, not to be exceeded; limit; allotted share, as of action, influence, ability, or the like; due proportion.
Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days.
Ps. xxxix. 4.
7. The quantity determined by measuring, especially in buying and selling; as, to give good or full measure.
8. Undefined quantity; extent; degree.
There is a great measure of discretion to be used in the performance of confession.
Jer. Taylor.
9. Regulated division of movement: (a) (Dancing) A regulated movement corresponding to the time in which the accompanying music is performed; but, especially, a slow and stately dance, like the minuet. (b) (Mus.) (1) The group or grouping of beats, caused by the regular recurrence of accented beats. (2) The space between two bars. See Beat, Triple, Quadruple, Sextuple, Compound time, under Compound, a., and Figure. (c) (Poetry) The manner of ordering and combining the quantities, or long and short syllables; meter; rhythm; hence, a foot; as, a poem in iambic measure.
10. (Arith.) A number which is contained in a given number a number of times without a remainder; as in the phrases, the common measure, the greatest common measure, etc., of two or more numbers.
11. A step or definite part of a progressive course or policy; a means to an end; an act designed for the accomplishment of an object; as, political measures; prudent measures; an inefficient measure.
His majesty found what wrong measures he had taken in the conferring that trust, and lamented his error.
Clarendon.
12. The act of measuring; measurement. Shak.
13. pl. (Geol.) Beds or strata; as, coal measures; lead measures.
Lineal, or Long, measure, measure of length; the measure of lines or distances. -- Liquid measure, the measure of liquids. -- Square measure, the measure of superficial area of surfaces in square units, as inches, feet, miles, etc. -- To have hard measure, to have harsh treatment meted out to one; to be harshly or oppressively dealt with. -- To take measures, to make preparations; to provide means. -- To take one's measure, to measure one, as for a garment; hence, to form an opinion of one's disposition, character, ability, etc. -- To tread a measure, to dance in the style so called. See 9 (a).
Say to her, we have measured many miles To tread a measure with her on this grass.
Shak.
Meas"ure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Measured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Measuring.] [F. mesurer, L. mensurare. See Measure, n.] 1. To ascertain by use of a measuring instrument; to compute or ascertain the extent, quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by a certain rule or standard; to take the dimensions of; hence, to estimate; to judge of; to value; to appraise.
Great are thy works, Jehovah, infinite Thy power! what thought can measure thee?
Milton.
2. To serve as the measure of; as, the thermometer measures changes of temperature.
3. To pass throught or over in journeying, as if laying off and determining the distance.
A true devoted pilgrim is not weary To measure kingdoms with his feeble steps.
Shak.
4. To adjust by a rule or standard.
To secure a contented spirit, measure your desires by your fortunes, not your fortunes by your desires.
Jer. Taylor.
5. To allot or distribute by measure; to set off or apart by measure; -- often with out or off.
With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matt. vii. 2.
That portion of eternity which is called time, measured out by the sun.
Addison.
To measure swords with one, to try another's skill in the use of the sword; hence, figuratively, to match one's abilities against an antagonist's.
Meas"ure (?), v. i. 1. To make a measurement or measurements.
2. To result, or turn out, on measuring; as, the grain measures well; the pieces measure unequally.
3. To be of a certain size or quantity, or to have a certain length, breadth, or thickness, or a certain capacity according to a standard measure; as, cloth measures three fourths of a yard; a tree measures three feet in diameter.
Meas"ured (?), a. Regulated or determined by a standard; hence, equal; uniform; graduated; limited; moderated; as, he walked with measured steps; he expressed himself in no measured terms. -- Meas"ured*ly, adv.
Meas"ure*less (?), a. Without measure; unlimited; immeasurable. -- Meas"ure*less*ness, n.
Syn. -- Boundless; limitless; endless; unbounded; unlimited; vast; immense; infinite; immeasurable.
Meas"ure*ment (?), n. 1. The act or result of measuring; mensuration; as, measurement is required.
2. The extent, size, capacity, amount. or quantity ascertained by measuring; as, its measurement is five acres.
Meas"ur*er (?), n. One who measures; one whose occupation or duty is to measure commondities in market.
Meas"ur*ing, a. Used in, or adapted for, ascertaining measurements, or dividing by measure.
Measuring faucet, a faucet which permits only a given quantity of liquid to pass each time it is opened, or one by means of which the liquid which passes can be measured. - - Measuring worm (Zoöl.), the larva of any geometrid moth. See Geometrid.
Meat (?), n. [OE. mete, AS. mete; akin to OS. mat, meti, D. met hashed meat, G. mettwurst sausage, OHG. maz food, Icel. matr, Sw. mat, Dan. mad, Goth. mats. Cf. Mast fruit, Mush.] 1. Food, in general; anything eaten for nourishment, either by man or beast. Hence, the edible part of anything; as, the meat of a lobster, a nut, or an egg. Chaucer.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, . . . to you it shall be for meat.
Gen. i. 29.