MASSIF, ma-s[=e]f, _n._ a central mountain-mass; an orographic fault-block.
[Fr.]
MASSORAH, MASORA, mas'[=o]-rä, _n._ the tradition by which Jewish scholars
tried to preserve the text of the Old Testament--a collection of critical
notes on the text of the Old Testament, first committed to writing in
Tiberias between the 6th and 9th cent. A.D.--the _Great Massorah_ was
finally arranged about the 11th century; the _Small Massorah_ is an extract
therefrom.--_ns._ MASS'ORETE, MASS'ORITE.--_adjs._ MASSORET'IC,
MASORET'IC.--MASSORETIC POINTS and ACCENTS, the vowel-points in Hebrew
furnished by the Massorah. [Heb., 'tradition.']
MAST, mast, _n._ a long upright pole for bearing the yards, rigging, &c. in
a ship.--_v.t._ to supply with a mast or masts.--_adj._ MAST'ED.--_n._
MAST'-HEAD, the head or top of the mast of a ship.--_v.t._ to raise to the
mast-head: to punish by sending a sailor to the mast-head for a certain
time.--_n._ MAST'-HOUSE, the place in dockyards where masts are
made.--_adj._ MAST'LESS, having no mast. [A.S. _mæst_, the stem of a tree;
Ger. _mast_.]
MAST, mast, _n._ the fruit of the oak, beech, chestnut, and other forest
trees, on which swine feed: nuts, acorns.--_adjs._ MAST'FUL; MAST'LESS;
MAST'Y. [A.S. _mæst_; Ger. _mast_, whence _mästen_, to feed.]
MASTER, mas't[.e]r, _n._ one who commands: a lord or owner: a leader or
ruler: a teacher: an employer: the commander of a merchant-ship: formerly
the navigator or sailing-master of a ship-of-war: one eminently skilled in
anything: the common title of address to a young gentleman, &c.: a title of
dignity or office--a degree conferred by universities, as _Master of Arts_,
&c., the title of the eldest son of a Scotch viscount or baron, the head of
some corporations, as Balliol College, &c., of a lodge of freemasons, &c.:
a husband.--_adj._ the chief, predominant: belonging to a master, chief,
principal, as in _Master-builder_, &c.--_v.t._ to become master of: to
overcome: to become skilful in: to execute with skill.--_ns._
MAS'TER-BUILD'ER, a chief builder, one who directs or employs others;
MAS'TERDOM, power of control.--_adj._ MAS'TERFUL, exercising the authority
or power of a master: imperious: having the skill of a master.--_adv._
MAS'TERFULLY, in a masterful or imperious manner.--_ns._ MAS'TERFULNESS;
MAS'TER-HAND, the hand of a master: a person highly skilled; MAS'TERHOOD;
MAS'TER-JOINT, the most marked system of joints or divisional planes by
which a rock is intersected; MAS'TERKEY, a key that opens many locks: a
clue fitted to guide one out of many difficulties.--_adj._ MAS'TERLESS,
without a master or owner: ungoverned: unsubdued: beyond control.--_n._
MAS'TERLINESS, quality of being masterly: masterly skill.--_adj._
MAS'TERLY, like a master: with the skill of a master: skilful: excellent:
overbearing.--_adv._ with the skill of a master.--_ns._ MAS'TER-MAR'INER,
the captain of a merchant-vessel or fishing-vessel; MAS'TER-M[=A]'SON, a
freemason who has attained the third degree; MAS'TER-MIND;
MAS'TER-PASS'ION; MAS'TERPIECE, a piece of work worthy of a master: a work
of superior skill: chief excellence; MAS'TERSHIP, the office of master:
rule or dominion: superiority; MAS'TERSTROKE, a stroke or performance
worthy of a master: superior performance; MAS'TER-WHEEL, the wheel in a
machine which imparts motion to other parts; MAS'TER-WORK, work worthy of a
master: masterpiece; MAS'TERWORT, a perennial umbelliferous herb, native to
northern Europe, its root reputed as a stomachic, sudorific, diuretic, &c.;
MAS'TERY, the power or authority of a master: dominion: victory:
superiority: the attainment of superior power or skill.--MASTER OF
CEREMONIES, OF THE ROLLS, &c. (see CEREMONIES, ROLLS, &c.); MASTER OF THE
HORSE, the Roman _Magister Equitum_, an official appointed by the dictator
to act next under himself: an equerry, esp. the exalted official bearing
this name at the British court; MASTER OF THE TEMPLE, the preacher of the
Temple Church in London; MASTERS OF THE SCHOOLS, at Oxford, the conductors
of the first examination (_Responsions_) for the degree of B.A.--MASTERLY
INACTIVITY, the position or part of a neutral or a Fabian combatant,
carried out with diplomatic skill, so as to preserve a predominant
influence without risking anything.--PASSED, or PAST, MASTER, one who has
occupied the office of master, esp. among freemasons--hence any one known
to possess ample knowledge of some subject; THE LITTLE MASTERS, a 16th-17th
cent. group of followers of Dürer, notable for fine work on wood and
copper; THE OLD MASTERS, a term applied collectively to the great painters
about the time of the Renaissance, esp. the Italians.--BE MASTER OF ONE'S
SELF, to have one's passions or emotions under control. [O. Fr. _maistre_
(Fr. _maître_)--L. _magister_, from root of _magnus_, great.]
MASTIC, MASTICH, mas'tik, _n._ a species of gum-resin from the
lentisk-tree: a cement from mastic: the tree producing mastic. [Fr.,--L.
_mastiche_--Gr. _mastich[=e]_--_mas-tizein_, to chew.]
MASTICATE, mas'ti-k[=a]t, _v.t._ to chew: to grind with the teeth.--_adj._
MAS'TICABLE, that may be chewed.--_ns._ MASTIC[=A]'TION, act or process of
chewing; MASTIC[=A]'TOR, a machine for cutting up meat for people unable to
chew: a machine used in purifying india-rubber.--_adj._ MAS'TICATORY,
chewing: adapted for chewing.--_n._ a substance chewed to increase the
saliva. [L. _mastic[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_mastiche_, mastic.]
MASTICOT. Same as MASSICOT.
MASTIFF, mas'tif, _n._ a thick-set and powerful variety of dog much used as
a watch-dog. [Skeat follows Scheler and Diez in explaining _mastiff_ as
'house-dog,' from an assumed O. Fr. _mastif_, prob. a variant of O. Fr.
_mastin_ (Fr. _mâtin_)--Low L. _masnata_, a family--L. _mansion-em_, a
house. Others explain as O. Fr. _mestif_ (Fr. _métif_), of mixed breed,
mongrel, or O. Fr. _mestis_ (_métis_), mongrel, or even as the above O. Fr.
mastin (Fr. mâtin), all, through Low L. forms, from L. _mixtus_, _mistus_,
_misc[=e]re_, to mix.]
MASTITIS, mas-t[=i]'tis, _n._ inflammation of the mammary gland.--_n._
MASTODYN'IA, pain in the breast.--_adj._ MAS'TOID, like a nipple or teat:
denoting a part or process of the temporal bone.--_n._ MASTOL'OGY,
mammology. [Gr. _mastos_, a nipple.]
MASTODON, mas'to-don, _n._ a genus of extinct elephants, so named from the
mamillary cusps or teat-like prominences on the molar teeth. [Gr. _mastos_,
the breast, _odous_, _odontos_, a tooth.]
MASTURBATION, mas-tur-b[=a]'shun, _n._ self-defilement, onanism.--_v.i._
MAS'TURBATE, to commit self-abuse.--_n._ MAS'TURBATOR, one guilty of this.
[L. _masturb[=a]ri_.]
MAT, mat, _n._ a texture of sedge, rushes, straw, &c. for cleaning the feet
on: a web of rope-yarn: an ornamental border for a picture: a piece of
cloth, &c. put below dishes on a table: anything like a mat in appearance,
thick and closely set: any interwoven structure used as a revetment on
river-banks, &c.: a sack of matting used to cover tea and coffee chests,
such a sack containing a certain quantity of coffee: the closely-worked
portion of lace: any annular pad to protect the head in bearing
burdens.--_v.t._ to cover with mats: to interweave: to entangle:--_pr.p._
mat'ting; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ mat'ted. [A.S. _meatta_--L. _matta_, a mat.]
MAT, mat, _adj._ and _n._ having a dull or dead surface, without lustre: an
instrument by means of which such is produced.--_v.t._ to produce such a
surface on metal. [Ger. _matt_, dull.]
MATADOR, MATADORE, mat-a-d[=o]r', _n._ the man who kills the bull in
bull-fights: one of the three chief cards at ombre and quadrille. [Sp.
_matador_--_matar_, to kill--L. _mact[=a]re_, to kill, to honour by
sacrifice--_mactus_, honoured.]
MATAFUNDA, mat-a-fun'da, _n._ an old military engine which slung stones.
[Low L., prob. Sp. _matar_, to kill, L. _funda_, a sling.]
[Illustration]
MATCH, mach, _n._ a piece of inflammable material which easily takes or
carries fire: a prepared rope for firing a gun, &c.: a lucifer.--_ns._
MATCH'-BOX, a box for holding matches; MATCH'LOCK, the lock of a musket
containing a match for firing it: a musket so fired; MATCH'WOOD, wood cut
down to a size suitable for making matches: wood broken into small pieces;
QUICK'-MATCH, a match made of threads of cotton, and steeped in various
inflammable substances so as to burn a yard in thirteen seconds;
SAFE'TY-MATCH, a match which will only light when rubbed on a specially
prepared surface; SLOW'-MATCH, a match made to burn at the rate of from
four to five inches in an hour, for blasting, &c. [O. Fr. _mesche_ (Fr.
_mèche_)--Low L. _myxus_--Gr. _myxa_, the snuff or wick of a lamp.]
MATCH, mach, _n._ anything which agrees with or suits another thing: an
equal: one able to cope with another: a contest or game: a pairing, a
marriage: one to be gained in marriage.--_v.i._ to be of the same make,
size, &c., to correspond: to form a union with.--_v.t._ to be equal to, to
set a counterpart to anything: to be able to compete with: to find an equal
to: to set against as equal: to suit: to give in marriage.--_adj._
MATCH'ABLE.--_ns._ MATCH'BOARD, a board with a tongue cut along one edge
and a groove in the opposite edge, their joining being called a
MATCH'-JOINT; MATCH'ER.--_adj._ MATCH'LESS, having no match or equal:
superior to all: peerless: unpaired.--_adv._ MATCH'LESSLY.--_ns._
MATCH'LESSNESS; MATCH'-MAK'ER, one who makes matches: one who plans to
bring about marriages. [A.S. _gemæca_, _gemaca_, a mate, a wife.]
MATE, m[=a]t, _n._ a companion: an equal: one of a pair, the male or female
of animals that go in pairs: in a merchant-ship the first-mate is the
second in command--in the navy the term is now confined to petty-officers,
such as _boatswain's mate_, _gunner's mate_, &c.: an assistant,
deputy.--_v.t._ to be equal to: to become a companion to: to marry.--_adj._
MATE'LESS, without a mate or companion. [A.S. _ge-maca_; Ice. _maki_, an
equal, from the same root as _make_. Cf. _match_. Prob. _mate_ in its naut.
sense is Dutch--Old Dut. _maet_, mod. _maat_.]
MATE, m[=a]t, _n._ and _v.t._ in chess=_Checkmate_.
MATE, MATÉ, mä't[=a], _n._ a South American species of holly, the leaves
and green shoots of which, dried and roughly ground, furnish the _yerba de
mate_ of Paraguay and Brazil. [Sp. _mate_, orig. the vessel in which it was
infused for drinking.]
MATE, m[=a]t, _v.t._ (_Bacon_) to weaken, to confound, to crush. [O. Fr.
_mater_; cf. Sp. _matar_, to weaken.]
MATELASSE, mat-las'[=a], _adj._ and _n._ having a raised pattern on the
surface as if quilted, of silks. [Fr. _matelas_, a mattress.]
MATELOTE, mat'e-l[=o]t, _n._ fish stewed with wine-sauce, onions, &c. [Fr.
_matelot_, a sailor.]
MATEOLOGY, mat-[=e]-ol'o-ji, _n._ a foolish inquiry. [Gr. _mataios_, vain,
_mat[=e]_, folly, _logia_, discourse.]
MATER, m[=a]'t[.e]r, _n._ a mother: one of the two membranes of the brain,
outer and inner, separated by the arachnoid--the _dura mater_, or _dura_,
and _pia mater_, or _pia_.--M[=A]'TER DOLOR[=O]'SA, the Virgin Mary
represented as the sorrowing mother; M[=A]TERFAMIL'IAS, the mother of a
family. [L.,--Gr. _m[=e]t[=e]r_.]
MATERIAL, ma-t[=e]'ri-al, _adj._ consisting of matter: corporeal, not
spiritual: substantial: essential: important, esp. of legal importance:
(_phil._) pertaining to matter and not to form, relating to the object as
it exists.--_n._, esp. in _pl._, that out of which anything is to be
made.--_n._ MATERIALIS[=A]'TION.--_v.t._ MAT[=E]'RIAL[=I]SE, to render
material: to reduce to or regard as matter: to occupy with material
interests.--_ns._ MAT[=E]'RIALISM, the doctrine that denies the independent
existence of spirit, and maintains that there is but one substance--viz.
matter--thus professing to find in matter (_monistic_ or _philosophical
materialism_), or in material entities (_atomistic materialism_), or in
material qualities and forces (scientific or physical materialism), a
complete explanation of all life and existence whatsoever; MAT[=E]'RIALIST,
one who holds the doctrine of materialism: one absorbed in material
interests, who takes a low view of life and its responsibilities.--_adjs._
MATERIALIST'IC, -AL, pertaining to materialism.--_adv._
MAT[=E]'RIALLY.--_ns._ MAT[=E]'RIALNESS, MATERIAL'ITY.--MATERIAL BEING,
existence in the form of matter; MATERIAL CAUSE, that which gives being to
the thing; MATERIAL DISTINCTION, a distinction between individuals of the
same species; MATERIAL EVIDENCE, evidence tending to prove or to disprove
the matter under judgment; MATERIAL FALLACY, a fallacy in the matter or
thought, rather than in the logical form; MATERIAL FORM, a form depending
on matter; MATERIAL ISSUE (see ISSUE).--RAW MATERIAL, stuff as yet unworked
into anything useful. [Fr.,--L. _materialis_--_materia_.]
MATERIA MEDICA, ma-t[=e]'ri-a med'i-ka, _n._ the various substances used in
making up medicines: the science of the nature and use of substances used
as medicines. [L. _materia_, material, _medicus_, medical.]
MATÉRIEL, ma-t[=a]-re-el', _n._ the totality of materials or instruments
employed (as in an army), as distinguished from the _personnel_ or
men--applied esp. to military stores, arms, baggage, horses, &c. [Fr.]
MATERNAL, ma-t[.e]r'nal, _adj._ belonging to a mother: motherly.--_adv._
MATER'NALLY.--_n._ MATER'NITY, the state, character, or relation of a
mother: motherhood: a lying-in hospital. [Fr. _maternel_ (It.
_maternale_)--L. _maternus_--_mater_, mother.]
MATH, math, _n._ a mowing.
MATHEMATIC, -AL, math-e-mat'ik, -al, _adj._ pertaining to, or done by,
mathematics: very accurate.--_adv._ MATHEMAT'ICALLY.--_ns._ MATHEMATIC'IAN,
one versed in mathematics; MATHEMAT'ICS, the science of magnitude and
number, and of all their relations--usually divided into _Pure_, and
_Mixed_ or _Applied_, the first including all deductions from the abstract,
self-evident relations of magnitude and number--the second, the results
arrived at by applying the principles so established to certain relations
found by observation to exist among the phenomena of nature.--HIGHER
MATHEMATICS, a term applied generally to all the scientifically treated
branches of mathematics. [Fr. _mathématique_--L. _mathematica_--Gr.
_math[=e]matik[=e]_ (_epist[=e]m[=e]_, skill, knowledge), relating to
learning--_math[=e]ma_--_manthanein_, to learn.]