There is no passion in the mind of man so weak but it mates and
masters the fear of death.
Bacon.
I, . . . in the way of loyalty and truth, . . . Dare mate a sounder
man than Surrey can be.
Shak.
Mate, v. i. To be or become a mate or mates, especially in sexual
companionship; as, some birds mate for life; this bird will not mate
with that one.
Mate"less, a. [Cf. Matchless.] Having no mate.
Mat"e*lote (mt"*lt), n. [F., fr. matelot a sailor; properly, a dish
such as sailors prepare.] A dish of food composed of many kinds of
fish.
Ma`te*ol"o*gy (m`t*l"*j), n. [Gr. mataiologi`a; ma`taios useless, vain
+ lo`gos discourse: cf. F. matéologie.] A vain, unprofitable discourse
or inquiry. [R.]
Ma`te*o*tech"ny (m`t**tk"n), n. [Gr. mataiotechni`a; ma`taios vain +
te`chnh art, science.] Any unprofitable science. [Obs.]
||Ma"ter (?), n. [L., mother. See Mother.] See Alma mater, Dura mater,
||and Pia mater.
Ma*te"ri*al (?), a. [L. materialis, fr. materia stuff, matter: cf. F.
matériel. See Matter, and cf. MatÉriel.]
1. Consisting of matter; not spiritual; corporeal; physical; as,
material substance or bodies.
The material elements of the universe.
Whewell.
2. Hence: Pertaining to, or affecting, the physical nature of man, as
distinguished from the mental or moral nature; relating to the bodily
wants, interests, and comforts.
3. Of solid or weighty character; not insubstantial; of consequence;
not be dispensed with; important.
Discourse, which was always material, never trifling.
Evelyn.
I shall, in the account of simple ideas, set down only such as are
most material to our present purpose.
Locke.
4. (Logic.) Pertaining to the matter, as opposed to the form, of a
thing. See Matter.
Material cause. See under Cause. -- Material evidence (Law), evidence
which conduces to the proof or disproof of a relevant hypothesis.
Wharton.
Syn. -- Corporeal; bodily; important; weighty; momentous; essential.
Ma*te"ri*al, n. The substance or matter of which anything is made or
may be made.
Raw material, any crude, unfinished, or elementary materials that are
adapted to use only by processes of skilled labor. Cotton, wool, ore,
logs, etc., are raw material.
Ma*te"ri*al, v. t. To form from matter; to materialize. [Obs.] Sir T.
Browne.