Mor"dant, n. [F., originally, biting.] 1. Any corroding substance used
in etching.
2. (Dyeing & Calico Printing) Any substance, as alum or copperas,
which, having a twofold attraction for organic fibers and coloring
matter, serves as a bond of union, and thus gives fixity to, or bites
in, the dyes.
3. (Gilding) Any sticky matter by which the gold leaf is made to
adhere.
Mor"dant (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mordanted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Mordanting.] To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant; as,
to mordant goods for dyeing.
Mor"dant*ly, adv. In the manner of a mordant.
||Mor*den"te (?), n. [It.] (Mus.) An embellishment resembling a trill.
Mor"di*can*cy (?), n. A biting quality; corrosiveness. [R.] Evelyn.
Mor"di*cant (?), a. [L. mordicans, p. pr. of mordicare to bite, fr.
mordere: cf. F. mordicant.] Biting; acrid; as, the mordicant quality of
a body. [R.] Boyle.
Mor`di*ca"tion (?), n. [L. mordicatio.] The act of biting or corroding;
corrosion. [R.] Bacon.
Mor"di*ca*tive (?), a. [L. mordicativus.] Biting; corrosive. [R.]
Holland.
More (mr), n. [AS. mr. See Moor a waste.] A hill. [Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
More, n. [AS. more, moru; akin to G. möhre carrot, OHG. moraha, morha.]
A root. [Obs.] Chaucer.
More, a., compar. [Positive wanting; superl. Most (mst).] [OE. more,
mare, and (orig. neut. and adv.) mo, ma, AS. mra, and (as neut. and
adv.) m; akin to D. meer, OS. mr, G. mehr, OHG. mro, mr, Icel. meiri,
meirr, Dan. meere, meer, Sw. mera, mer, Goth. maiza, a., mais, adv.,
and perh. to L. major greater, compar. of magnus great, and magis,
adv., more. √103. Cf. Most, uch, Major.] 1. Greater; superior;
increased; as: (a) Greater in quality, amount, degree, quality, and the
like; with the singular.
He gat more money.
Chaucer.
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.
Milton.
More, in this sense, was formerly used in connection with some other
qualifying word, -- a, the, this, their, etc., -- which now requires
the substitution of greater, further, or the like, for more.
Whilst sisters nine, which dwell on Parnasse height, Do make them
music for their more delight.
Spenser.
The more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Acts xix. 32.
Wrong not that wrong with a more contempt.
Shak.
(b) Greater in number; exceeding in numbers; -- with the plural.
The people of the children of Israel are more and mighter than we.
Ex. i. 9.
2. Additional; other; as, he wept because there were no more worlds to
conquer.
With open arms received one poet more.
Pope.
More, n. 1. A greater quantity, amount, or number; that which exceeds
or surpasses in any way what it is compared with.
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some
less.
Ex. xvi. 17.
2. That which is in addition; something other and further; an
additional or greater amount.
They that would have more and more can never have enough.
L'Estrange.
O! That pang where more than madness lies.
Byron.
Any more. (a) Anything or something additional or further; as, I do not
need any more. (b) Adverbially: Further; beyond a certain time; as, do
not think any more about it. -- No more, not anything more; nothing in
addition. -- The more and less, the high and low. [Obs.] Shak. "All
cried, both less and more." Chaucer.
More, adv. 1. In a greater quantity; in or to a greater extent or
degree. (a) With a verb or participle.
Admiring more The riches of Heaven's pavement.
Milton.
(b) With an adjective or adverb (instead of the suffix -er) to form the
comparative degree; as, more durable; more active; more sweetly.
Happy here, and more happy hereafter.
Bacon.
Double comparatives were common among writers of the Elizabeth period,
and for some time later; as, more brighter; more dearer.
The duke of Milan And his more braver daughter.
Shak.