Men"stru*um (?), n.; pl. E. Menstruums (#), L. Menstrua (#). [L.
menstruus. See Menstruous.] Any substance which dissolves a solid body;
a solvent.
The proper menstruum to dissolve metal.
Bacon.
All liquors are called menstruums which are used as dissolvents, or
to extract the virtues of ingredients by infusion or decoction.
Quincy.
The use is supposed to have originated in some notion of the old
chemists about the influence of the moon in the preparation of
dissolvents. Johnson.
Men`su*ra*bil"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. mensurabilité.] The quality of being
mensurable.
Men"su*ra*ble (?), a. [L. mensurabilis, fr. mensurare to measure, fr.
mensura measure: cf. F. mensurable. See Measurable, Measure.] Capable
of being measured; measurable.
Men"su*ra*ble*ness, n. The quality or state of being mensurable;
measurableness.
Men"su*ral (?), a. [L. mensuralis.] Of or pertaining to measure.
Men"su*rate (?), v. t. [L. mensuratus, p. p. of mensurare. See Measure,
v.] To measure. [Obs.]
Men`su*ra"tion (?), n. [L. mensuratio : cf. F. mensuration.] 1. The
act, process, or art, of measuring.
2. That branch of applied geometry which gives rules for finding the
length of lines, the areas of surfaces, or the volumes of solids, from
certain simple data of lines and angles.
-ment (?), [F. -ment, L. -mentum.] A suffix denoting that which does a
thing; an act or process; the result of an act or process; state or
condition; as, aliment, that which nourishes, ornament, increment;
fragment, piece broken, segment; abridgment, act of abridging,
imprisonment, movement, adjournment; amazement, state of being amazed,
astonishment.
Ment (?), p. p. of Menge.
||Men"ta*gra (?), n. [NL., fr. L. mentum chin + Gr. &?; a catching.]
||(Med.) Sycosis.
Men"tal (?), a. [L. mentum the chin.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the
chin; genian; as, the mental nerve; the mental region.
Men"tal, n. (Zoöl.) A plate or scale covering the mentum or chin of a
fish or reptile.
Men"tal, a. [F., fr. L. mentalis, fr. mens, mentis, the mind; akin to
E. mind. See Mind.] Of or pertaining to the mind; intellectual; as,
mental faculties; mental operations, conditions, or exercise.
What a mental power This eye shoots forth!
Shak.
Mental alienation, insanity. -- Mental arithmetic, the art or practice
of solving arithmetical problems by mental processes, unassisted by
written figures.
Men*tal"i*ty (?), n. Quality or state of mind. "The same hard
mentality." Emerson.
Men"tal*ly (?), adv. In the mind; in thought or meditation;
intellectually; in idea.
||Men"tha (?), n. [L. See Mint the plant.] (Bot.) A widely distributed
||genus of fragrant herbs, including the peppermint, spearmint, etc.
||The plants have small flowers, usually arranged in dense axillary
||clusters.
Men"thene (?), n. [Menthol + terpene.] (Chem.) A colorless liquid
hydrocarbon resembling oil of turpentine, obtained by dehydrating
menthol. It has an agreeable odor and a cooling taste.
Men"thol (?), n. [Mentha + - ol.] (Chem.) A white, crystalline,
aromatic substance resembling camphor, extracted from oil of peppermint
(Mentha); -- called also mint camphor or peppermint camphor.
Men"thyl (?), n. [Mentha + - yl.] (Chem.) A compound radical forming
the base of menthol.
Men`ti*cul"tur*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to mental culture; serving
to improve or strengthen the mind. [R.]
Men"tion (?), n. [OE. mencioun, F. mention, L. mentio, from the root of
meminisse to remember. See Mind.] A speaking or notice of anything, --
usually in a brief or cursory manner. Used especially in the phrase to
make mention of.