MARS, märz, _n._ the Roman god of war: the planet next to the earth in the
order of distance from the sun. [L. _Mars_, _Martis_.]
MARSALA, mar'sä-la, _n._ a light wine resembling sherry, from _Marsala_ in
Sicily.
MARSEILLAISE, mär-se-ly[=a]z', or mär-se-l[=a]z', _n._ the French
revolutionary hymn composed by Rouget de Lisle in 1792, sung by the
volunteers of _Marseilles_ as they entered Paris, 30th July, and when they
marched to the storming of the Tuileries.
MARSH, märsh, _n._ a tract of low wet land: a morass, swamp, or
fen.--_adj._ pertaining to wet or boggy places.--_ns._ MARSH'-GAS,
fire-damp; MARSH'-HARR'IER, a harrier of genus _Circus_ frequenting
marshes; MARSH'INESS; MARSH'-MALL'OW, a species of mallow common in meadows
and marshes; MARSH'-MAR'IGOLD, a genus of plants of the _Ranunculus_ order,
having large yellow flowers like those of a buttercup.--_adj._ MARSH'Y,
pertaining to, or produced in, marshes: abounding in marshes. [A.S.
_mersc_, for _mer-isc_, as if 'mere-ish,' full of _meres_. Cf. _mere_, a
pool.]
MARSHAL, mär'shal, _n._ an officer charged with the regulation of
ceremonies, preservation of order, points of etiquette, &c.: the chief
officer who regulated combats in the lists: a pursuivant or harbinger: a
herald: in France, an officer of the highest military rank: (_U.S._) the
civil officer of a district, corresponding to the sheriff of a county in
England.--_v.t._ to arrange in order: to lead, as a herald:--_pr.p._
mar'shalling; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ mar'shalled.--_ns._ MAR'SHALLER, one who
marshals; MAR'SHALLING, act of arranging in due order; MAR'SHALSEA, till
1842 a prison in Southwark, under the marshal of the royal household;
MAR'SHALSHIP, office of marshal. [O. Fr. _mareschal_ (Fr. _maréchal_); from
Old High Ger. _marah_, a horse, _schalh_ (Ger. _schalk_), a servant.]
MARSIPOBRANCHIATE, mar-si-po-brang'ki-[=a]t, _adj._ having pursed gills, as
lampreys, hags, &c.--Also MAR'SIPOBRANCH.
MARSUPIAL, mär-s[=u]'pi-al, _adj._ carrying young in a pouch.--_n._ a
marsupial animal, as the opossum or the kangaroo.--_n._ MARS[=U]'PIUM, a
brood-pouch. [L. _marsupium_--Gr. _marsipion_, a pouch.]