MARTAGON, mär'ta-gon, _n._ the Turk's-cap lily.
MARTEL, mär'tel, _v.t._ (_Spens_.) to hammer, to strike. [Fr. _marteler_,
It. _martello_. See MARTELLO.]
MARTELLO, mar-tel'o, _n._ a circular fort erected to protect a coast. [It.
_martello_, a hammer--L. _martulus_, _marculus_, dim. of _marcus_, a
hammer; or from _Mortella_ Point in Corsica, where a tower of this kind
withstood an English cannonade in 1794.]
MARTEN, mär'ten, _n._ a destructive kind of weasel valued for its fur. [Fr.
_martre_, also _marte_--Low L. _marturis_, from a Teut. root seen in Ger.
_marder_, and A.S. _mearð_, a marten.]
MAR-TEXT, mär'-tekst, _n._ an ignorant preacher.
MARTIAL, mär'shal, _adj._ belonging to Mars, the god of war, or to the
planet Mars: of or belonging to war, or to the army and navy: warlike:
brave.--_ns._ MAR'TIALISM; MAR'TIALIST.--_adv._ MAR'TIALLY.--MARTIAL LAW,
law enforced during a state of war for the proper government of armies, and
for the punishment of those who break the laws of war. [Fr.,--L.
_martialis_--_Mars_, _Martis_.]
MARTIN, mär'tin, _n._ a bird of the swallow kind.--Also MAR'TINET. [The
name _Martin_; cf. _robin_, &c.]
MARTINET, mär'tin-et, _n._ a strict disciplinarian.--_n._ MARTINET'ISM.
[From _Martinet_, a very strict officer in the army of Louis XIV. of
France.]
MARTINGALE, mär'tin-g[=a]l, _n._ a strap passing between a horse's
forelegs, fastened to the girth and to the bit, to keep his head down: in
ships, a short spar under the bowsprit.--Also MAR'TINGAL. [Fr., from a kind
of breeches worn at _Martigues_ in Provence.]
MARTINMAS, mär'tin-mas, _n._ the mass or feast of St _Martin_: 11th Nov., a
term-day in Scotland.
MARTLET, märt'let, _n._ the martin, the name of a bird: (_her._) a martin
or swallow without feet, used as a bearing, a crest, or a mark of cadency
to designate the fourth son. [From Fr. _martinet_, dim. of _martin_.]
MARTYR, mär't[.e]r, _n._ one who by his death bears witness to the truth:
one who suffers for his belief: one who suffers greatly from any
cause.--_v.t._ to put to death for one's belief.--_n._ MAR'TYRDOM, state of
being a martyr: the sufferings or death of a martyr: torment
generally.--_v.t._ MAR'TYRISE (_Browning_), to offer as a sacrifice: to
cause to suffer martyrdom.--_adj._ MARTYROLOG'ICAL.--_ns._ MARTYROL'OGIST;
MARTYROL'OGY, a history of martyrs: a discourse on martyrdom.
[A.S.,--L.,--Gr., a witness.]
MARVEL, mär'vel, _n._ a wonder: anything astonishing or wonderful:
astonishment.--_v.i._ to wonder: to feel astonishment:--_pr.p._
mar'velling; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ mar'velled.--_adj._ MAR'VELLOUS,
astonishing: almost or altogether beyond belief: improbable.--_adv._
MAR'VELLOUSLY.--_n._ MAR'VELLOUSNESS. [Fr. _merveille_--L. _mirabilis_,
wonderful--_mir[=a]ri_, to wonder.]
MARYBUD, m[=a]'ri-bud, _n._ the marigold.
MASCLE, mas'kl, _n._ (_her._) a bearing, lozenge-shaped and perforated: a
plate of steel in the form of a lozenge, used in making
scale-armour.--_adjs._ MAS'CLED, MASCULE', MAS'CULY. [Fr. _macle_--L.
_macula_, the mesh of a net.]
MASCOT, mas'kot, _n._ a luck-penny or talisman: a person whose presence
brings good luck. [Fr. _mascotte_.]
MASCULINE, mas'k[=u]-lin, _adj._ of the male sex: having the qualities of a
man: resembling a man, or suitable to a man: robust: of a woman, bold,
forward, unwomanly: denoting nouns which are names of males.--_n._
(_gram._) the masculine gender.--_adv._ MAS'CULINELY.--_ns._
MAS'CULINENESS, MASCULIN'ITY. [Fr.,--L. _masculinus_--_masculus_,
male--_mas_, a male.]
MASH, mash, _v.t._ to beat into a mixed mass: to bruise: in brewing, to mix
malt and hot water together.--_v.i._ to act violently.--_n._ a mixture of
ingredients beaten or stirred together, as of bran, meal, &c., or bran and
boiled turnips, &c., for feeding cattle or horses: in brewing, a mixture of
crushed malt and hot water.--_ns._ MASH'ING; MASH'-TUB, MASH'ING-TUB, a tub
in which the mash in breweries is mixed.--_adj._ MASH'Y, produced by
mashing; of the nature of a mash. [The noun is older than the verb, and
seems to be connected with _mix_ (A.S. _miscian_); cf. _Mish-mash_.]
MASHER, mash'[.e]r, _n._ a fellow who dresses showily to attract the
attention of silly young women, a fop.--_v.t._ MASH, to gain the affections
of one of the opposite sex, to treat as a sweetheart.--BE MASHED ON
(_slang_), to be struck with love for another.
MASHIE, MASHY, mash'i, _n._ a kind of golf-club.
MASJID, mas'jid, _n._ a Mohammedan mosque.
MASK, MASQUE, mask, _n._ anything disguising or concealing the face:
anything that disguises: a pretence: a masquerade: a former kind of
dramatic spectacle, in which actors personified mythological deities,
shepherdesses, &c.: a representation or impression of a face in any
material, as in marble, plaster, &c.: a fox's head.--_v.t._ to cover the
face with a mask: to hide.--_v.i._ to join in a mask or masquerade: to be
disguised in any way: to revel.--_n._ MAS'CARON (_archit._), a grotesque
face on door-knockers, spouts, &c.--_adj._ MASKED, wearing a mask,
concealed.--_ns._ MASKED'-BALL, a ball in which the dancers wear masks;
MASK'ER, one who wears a mask.--MASKED BATTERY (see BATTERY). [Fr.
_masque_--Sp. _mascara_--Ar. _maskharat_, a jester, man in masquerade.]
MASK, mask, _v.t._ (_Scot._) to steep, infuse.--_v.i._ to be infusing. [A
form of _mash_.]
MASLIN, mas'lin, _n._ mixed grain, esp. rye and wheat.--Also MASH'LIN,
MASH'LIM, MASH'LUM.
MASON, m[=a]'sn, _n._ one who cuts, prepares, and lays stones: a builder in
stone: a member of the society of freemasons.--_v.t._ to build.--_adjs._
MASON'IC, relating to freemasonry; M[=A]'SONRIED, constructed of
masonry.--_n._ M[=A]'SONRY, the skill or practice of a mason: the work of a
mason: the art of building in stone: freemasonry.--_adj._ consisting of
mason-work.--_n._ MAS'TER-M[=A]'SON (see under MASTER). [O. Fr. _masson_
(Fr. _maçon_)--Low L. _macion-em_; prob. Teut.; cf. Mid. High Ger. _mezzo_,
a mason, whence _steinmetz_, a stone-mason, cog. with Old High Ger.
_meizan_, to hew, whence Ger. _meissel_, a chisel.]
MASOOLAH-BOAT, ma-s[=oo]'la-b[=o]t, _n._ a high many-oared East Indian
surf-boat.--Also MASU'LA-BOAT.
MASQUE. See MASK.
MASQUERADE, mask-[.e]r-[=a]d', _n._ an assembly of persons wearing masks,
generally at a ball: disguise.--_v.i._ to wear a mask: to join in a
masquerade: to go in disguise.--_n._ MASQUERAD'ER, a person wearing a mask:
a person or thing disguised in any manner. [Fr. _mascarade_. See MASK.]
MASS, mas, _n._ a lump of matter: a quantity: a collected body: the main
body: magnitude: the principal part or main body: quantity of matter in any
body, weight being proportional to mass: (_pl._) the lower classes of the
people.--_v.t._ to form into a mass: to bring together in masses.--_v.i._
to assemble in masses.--_adj._ MASS'IVE, bulky: weighty: not separated into
parts or elements: without crystalline form, geologically
homogeneous.--_adv._ MASS'IVELY.--_ns._ MASS'IVENESS, MASS'INESS;
MASS'-MEETING, a public meeting of persons of all classes to discuss some
matter of general interest.--_adj._ MASS'Y, massive, made up of masses.
[Fr. _masse_--L. _massa_--Gr. _maza_--_massein_, to squeeze together.]
MASS, mas, _n._ the celebration of the Lord's Supper or Eucharist in R.C.
churches, also the office for the same: a musical setting of certain parts
of the R.C. liturgy: a church festival or feast-day, as in _Candlemas_,
_Christmas_, _Martinmas_, &c.--_ns._ MASS'-BELL, or _Sacring-bell_, a bell
rung during the celebration of mass, at the elevation of the host;
MASS'-BOOK, the R.C. missal or service-book; MASS'-PRIEST, formerly a R.C.
secular priest, as distinct from those living under a rule--later, a priest
retained in chantries, &c., to say masses for the dead: a R.C. priest
generally.--MASS FOR THE DEAD, a funeral mass for the faithful in Christ,
to hasten their release from purgatory; CONVENTUAL MASS, a mass for the
general community of a religious house: a mass at which special remembrance
is made of pious founders and benefactors; DRY MASS, or SERVICE, a rite in
which there is neither consecration nor communion; HIGH MASS, a mass
celebrated with music, ritual, ceremonies, and incense; LOW MASS, the
ordinary mass celebrated without music and incense; MIDNIGHT MASS, that
mass which is said at midnight on Christmas-eve; PRIVATE MASS, any mass
where only the priest communicates, esp. in a private oratory; SOLEMN MASS,
a mass resembling a high mass, but without some of its special ceremonies;
VOTIVE MASS, a special mass over and above those ordinarily said for the
day, for some particular grace or purpose, and provided by some individual.
[A.S. _mæsse_--Low L. _missa_--L. _missus_, _mitt[)e]re_, to send away,
from the phrase at the close of service, _Ite, missa est (ecclesia)_, 'Go,
the congregation is dismissed.']
MASSA, mas'ä, _n._ a negro corruption of _master_.
MASSACRE, mas'a-k[.e]r, _n._ indiscriminate slaughter, esp. with cruelty:
carnage.--_v.t._ to kill with violence and cruelty: to slaughter. [Fr.;
from the Teut., as in Low Ger. _matsken_, to cut; cf. Ger. _metz-ger_, a
butcher.]
MASSAGE, ma-säzh', _n._ in medicine, a system of treatment in which the
manipulation and exercise of parts (_passive movement_) are employed for
the relief of morbid conditions--by stroking, pressing, tapping, kneading,
friction with kneading, &c.--_v.t._ to subject to massage.--_ns._
MASSA'GIST, MASSEUR':--_fem._ MASSEUSE'. [Fr., from Gr. _massein_, to
knead.]
MASSE, ma-s[=a]', _n._ in billiards, a sharp stroke made with the cue
perpendicular or nearly so. [Fr.]
MASSETER, mas-[=e]'t[.e]r, _n._ a muscle which raises the under jaw, and
thus closes the mouth. [Gr. _mas[=e]t[=e]r_--_masasthai_, to chew.]