Mar"ry, interj. Indeed ! in truth ! -- a term of asseveration said to
have been derived from the practice of swearing by the Virgin Mary.
[Obs.] Shak.
Mars (?), n. [L. Mars, gen. Martis, archaic Mavors, gen. Mavortis.] 1.
(Rom. Myth.) The god of war and husbandry.
2. (Astron.) One of the planets of the solar system, the fourth in
order from the sun, or the next beyond the earth, having a diameter of
about 4,200 miles, a period of 687 days, and a mean distance of
141,000,000 miles. It is conspicuous for the redness of its light.
3. (Alchemy) The metallic element iron, the symbol of which was the
same as that of the planet Mars. [Archaic] Chaucer.
Mars brown, a bright, somewhat yellowish, brown.
Mar*sa"la (?), n. [It., fr. Marsala, in Sicyly.] A kind of wine
exported from Marsala in Sicily.
||Mars*de"ni*a (?), n. [NL. From W. Marsden, an English author.] (Bot.)
||A genus of plants of the Milkweed family, mostly woody climbers with
||fragrant flowers, several species of which furnish valuable fiber,
||and one species (Marsdenia tinctoria) affords indigo.
{ ||Mar`sei`llais" (?), a. m. ||Mar`sei`llaise" (?), a. f. }[F.] Of or
pertaining to Marseilles, in France, or to its inhabitants.
Marseillaise hymn, or The Marseillaise, the national anthem of France,
popularly so called. It was composed in 1792, by Rouget de l'Isle, an
officer then stationed at Strasburg. In Paris it was sung for the first
time by the band of men who came from Marseilles to aid in the
revolution of August 10, 1792; whence the name.
{ ||Mar`sei`llais", n. m. ||Mar`sei`llaise", n. f. }[F.] A native or
inhabitant of Marseilles.
Mar*seilles" (?), n. A general term for certain kinds of fabrics, which
are formed of two series of threads interlacing each other, thus
forming double cloth, quilted in the loom; -- so named because first
made in Marseilles, France.
Marsh (?), n. [OE. mersch, AS. mersc, fr. mere lake. See Mere pool, and
cf. Marish, Morass.] A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered
partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass. [Written also
marish.]
Marsh asphodel (Bot.), a plant (Nartheeium ossifragum) with linear
equitant leaves, and a raceme of small white flowers; -- called also
bog asphodel. -- Marsh cinquefoil (Bot.), a plant (Potentilla
palustris) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places;
marsh five- finger. -- Marsh elder. (Bot.) (a) The guelder-rose or
cranberry tree (Viburnum Opulus). (b) In the United States, a composite
shrub growing in salt marshes (Iva frutescens). -- Marsh five-finger.
(Bot.) See Marsh cinquefoil (above). -- Marsh gas. (Chem.) See under
Gas. -- Marsh grass (Bot.), a genus (Spartina) of coarse grasses
growing in marshes; - - called also cord grass. The tall S.
cynosuroides is not good for hay unless cut very young. The low S.
juncea is a common component of salt hay. -- Marsh harrier (Zoöl.), a
European hawk or harrier (Circus æruginosus); -- called also marsh
hawk, moor hawk, moor buzzard, puttock. -- Marsh hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A
hawk or harrier (Circus cyaneus), native of both America and Europe.
The adults are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also hen
harrier, and mouse hawk. (b) The marsh harrier. -- Marsh hen (Zoöl.), a
rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and R. longirostris
of salt-water marshes. -- Marsh mallow (Bot.), a plant of the genus
Althæa ( A. officinalis) common in marshes near the seashore, and whose
root is much used in medicine as a demulcent. -- Marsh marigold. (Bot.)
See in the Vocabulary. -- Marsh pennywort (Bot.), any plant of the
umbelliferous genus Hydrocotyle; low herbs with roundish leaves,
growing in wet places; -- called also water pennywort. -- Marsh quail
(Zoöl.), the meadow lark. -- Marsh rosemary (Bot.), a plant of the
genus Statice (S. Limonium), common in salt marshes. Its root is
powerfully astringent, and is sometimes used in medicine. Called also
sea lavender. -- Marsh samphire (Bot.), a plant (Salicornia herbacea)
found along seacoasts. See Glasswort. -- Marsh St. John's-wort (Bot.),
an American herb (Elodes Virginica) with small opposite leaves and
flesh-colored flowers. -- Marsh tea. (Bot.). Same as Labrador tea. --
Marsh trefoil. (Bot.) Same as Buckbean. -- Marsh wren (Zoöl.), any
species of small American wrens of the genus Cistothorus, and allied
genera. They chiefly inhabit salt marshes.
Mar"shal (?), n. [OE. mareschal, OF. mareschal, F. maréchal, LL.
mariscalcus, from OHG. marah-scalc (G. marschall); marah horse + scalc
servant (akin to AS. scealc, Goth. skalks). F. maréchal signifies, a
marshal, and a farrier. See Mare horse, and cf. Seneschal.]