MELANIC, me-lan'ik, _adj._ black.--_n._ MEL'ANISM, an undue development of
colouring matter in the skin and its appendages.--_adj._ MELANIS'TIC.--_n._
MEL'ANITE, a deep-black variety of garnet.--_adjs._ MELANOCHR[=O]'IC,
MELANOCH'R[=O]OUS, dark-coloured; MEL'ANOID, dark-looking.--_n._
MELAN[=O]'SIS, an abnormal deposition of pigmentary matter in such organs
as the spleen, liver, &c.: the condition of the system associated with
such, black degeneration.--_adjs._ MELANOT'IC; MEL'ANOUS,
dark-complexioned.--_n._ MELAN[=U]'RIA, the presence of a dark pigment in
the urine.--_adj._ MELAN[=U]'RIC.--_ns._ MEL'APHYRE, a pre-Tertiary basalt,
usually altered; MELAS'MA, a skin disease showing dark discolouration in
spots.
MÊLÉE, m[=a]-l[=a]', _n._ a fight in which the combatants are mingled
together: a confused conflict: an affray. [Fr.,--_mêler_, to mix.]
MELIBEAN, MELIBOEAN, mel-i-b[=e]'an, _adj._ in poetry, alternately
responsive--from the name of a shepherd in Virgil's first eclogue.
MELIC, mel'ik, _adj._ pertaining to song.
MELILOT, mel'i-lot, _n._ a genus of clover-like plants with white or yellow
flowers and a peculiar sweet odour. [Gr. _melil[=o]tos_--_meli_, honey,
_l[=o]tos_, lotus.]
MELINITE, m[=a]'lin-[=i]t, _n._ an explosive of great force obtained from
picric acid. [Fr.]
MELIORATE, m[=e]'lyo-r[=a]t, _v.t._ to make better.--_v.i._ to grow
better.--_ns._ MELIOR[=A]'TION, the act of making or becoming better;
MELIOR[=A]'TOR, an improver; M[=E]'LIORISM, the doctrine that the world is
capable of improvement, as opposed to _Optimism_ and _Pessimism_;
M[=E]'LIORIST, one who holds this doctrine; MELIOR'ITY, the state of being
better: betterness. [L. _melior[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, to make better.]
MELIPHAGOUS, mel-if'a-gus, _adj._ feeding upon honey. [Gr. _meli_, honey,
_phagein_, to eat.]
MELL, mel, _v.i._ (_Spens._) to mingle: to be concerned with: to meddle.
[_Meddle_.]
MELLAY, mel'[=a], _n._ another form of _mêlée_.
MELLIFEROUS, mel-if'[.e]r-us, _adj._ honey-producing.--_adj._ MELLIF'IC,
honey-making.--_ns._ MELLIFIC[=A]'TION, the production of honey;
MELLIF'LUENCE, a flow of sweetness: a smooth sweet flow.--_adjs._
MELLIF'LUENT, MELLIF'LUOUS, flowing with honey or sweetness:
smooth.--_advs._ MELLIF'LUENTLY, MELLIF'LUOUSLY.--_adj._ MELLIG'ENOUS,
producing honey.--_n._ MELL'ITE, honey stone.--_adjs._ MELLIT'IC;
MELLIV'OROUS, eating honey. [L. _mellifer_--_mel_, honey, _ferre_, to
bear.]
MELLOW, mel'[=o], _adj._ soft and ripe: well matured: soft to the touch,
palate, ear, &c.: genial: half-tipsy.--_v.t._ to soften by ripeness or age:
to mature.--_v.i._ to become soft: to be matured.--_adv._ MELL'OWLY.--_n._
MELL'OWNESS, softness: maturity.--_adj._ MELL'OWY, soft: friable. [A.S.
_mearu_, soft; Dut. _murw_, _mollig_, L. _mollis_, Gr. _malakos_.]
MELOCOTON, mel'[=o]-kot-on, _n._ (_Bacon_) a quince: a large kind of
peach.--Also MEL'OCOTOON. [Late L. _melum cotoneum_ (a corr. of
_Cydonium_), a quince, lit. apple of _Cydonia_, in Crete.]
MELODRAMA, mel-o-dram'a, _n._ a kind of romantic and sensational drama,
formerly largely intermixed with songs--also MEL'ODRAME.--_adj._
MELODRAMAT'IC, of the nature of melodrama: overstrained: sensational.--_n._
MELODRAM'ATIST, a writer of melodramas. [Gr. _melos_, a song, _drama_, a
play.]
MELODY, mel'o-di, _n._ an air or tune: music: an agreeable succession of
single musical sounds, as distinguished from _harmony_ or the concord of a
succession of simultaneous sounds.--_n._ MEL[=O]'DEON, a small reed organ:
an improved variety of the accordeon.--_adj._ MELOD'IC--_n.pl._ MELOD'ICS,
the branch of music concerned with melody.--_adj._ MEL[=O]'DIOUS, full of
melody: agreeable to the ear.--_adv._ MEL[=O]'DIOUSLY.--_n._
MEL[=O]'DIOUSNESS.--_v.t._ MEL'ODISE, to make melodious: to reduce to the
form of a melody.--_v.i._ to compose or sing melodies.--_n._ MEL'ODIST.
[Fr.,--Late L.--Gr. _mel[=o]dia_--_melos_, a song, _[=o]d[=e]_, a lay.]
MELON, mel'un, _n._ a kind of cucumber and its fruit, which in shape
resembles an apple. [Fr.,--L. _melo_, _-onis_--Gr. _m[=e]lon_, an apple.]
MELPOMENE, mel-pom'e-ne, _n._ the Muse of tragedy. [Gr. _melpom[)e]n[=e]_,
songstress.]
MELROSE, mel'r[=o]z, _n._ honey of roses.
MELT, melt, _v.t._ to make liquid, to dissolve: to soften: to waste
away.--_v.i._ to become liquid: to dissolve: to become tender or mild: to
lose distinct form: to be discouraged:--_pa.p._ melted, or molten.--_n._
MELT'ING, the act of making liquid or of dissolving: the act of softening
or rendering tender.--_adv._ MELT'INGLY.--_n._ MELT'ING-POT, a crucible.
[A.S. _meltan_; Ice. _melta_, Gr. _meldein_.]
MELTON, mel'ton, _n._ a strong cloth for men's wear, the surface without
nap, neither pressed nor finished.
MEMBER, mem'b[.e]r, _n._ an integral part of a whole, esp. a limb of an
animal: a clause: one of a society: a representative in a legislative
body.--_adj._ MEM'BERED, having limbs.--_n._ MEM'BERSHIP, the state of
being a member or one of a society: the members of a body regarded as a
whole.--_adj._ MEM'BRAL, pertaining to the limbs rather than the trunk.
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, a member of the House of Commons, M.P. [Fr.
_membre_--L. _membrum_.]
MEMBRANE, mem'br[=a]n, _n._ (_anat._) one of the thin textures which cover
the organs or line the cavities or canals of the body: the film containing
the seeds of a plant.--_adjs._ MEMBRAN'EOUS, MEM'BRANOUS,
MEMBRAN[=A]'CEOUS, relating to, consisting of, or like a membrane;
MEMBRANIF'EROUS; MEM'BRANIFORM.--MUCOUS MEMBRANE, the membrane lining the
various channels of the body which communicate with the outside. [Fr.,--L.
_membrana_--_membrum_.]
MEMENTO, me-men't[=o], _n._ something to awaken memory: a reminder of what
is past or of what is yet to come:--_pl._ MEMEN'TOS.--MEMENTO MORI,
remember death: an ornament by its form reminding one of death. [L., imper.
of _meminisse_, to remember.]
MEMNON, mem'non, _n._ a hero who fought for Troy against the Greeks: a
statue at Thebes in Egypt which gave out a musical sound at sunrise. [Gr.]
MEMOIR, mem'wor, or me-moir', _n._ a sketch or description of something as
remembered by the writer: a short biographical sketch of some one now dead:
a record of facts personally found out on any subject: the transactions of
a society.--_ns._ MEM'OIRISM, the act or art of writing memoirs;
MEM'OIRIST, a writer of memoirs. [Fr. _mémoire_--L. _memoria_,
memory--_memor_, mindful.]
MEMORY, mem'o-ri, _n._ the power of retaining and reproducing mental or
sensory impressions: a having or keeping in the mind: time within which
past things can be remembered: that which is remembered: commemoration:
remembrance.--_n.pl._ MEMORABIL'IA, things worth remembering: noteworthy
points.--_adj._ MEM'ORABLE, deserving to be remembered: remarkable.--_adv._
MEM'ORABLY.--_n._ MEMORAN'DUM, something to be remembered: a note to assist
the memory: (_law_) a brief note of some transaction: (_diplomacy_) a
summary of the state of a _question_:--_pl._ MEMORAN'DUMS,
MEMORAN'DA.--_adjs._ MEM'OR[=A]TIVE, pertaining to memory: aiding the
memory; MEM[=O]'RIAL, bringing to memory: contained in memory.--_n._ that
which serves to keep in remembrance: a monument: a note to help the memory:
a written statement forming the ground of a petition, laid before a
legislative or other body: (_B._) memory.--_v.t._ MEM[=O]'RIALISE, to
present a memorial to: to petition by a memorial.--_n._ MEM[=O]'RIALIST,
one who writes, signs, or presents a memorial.--_v.t._ MEM'ORISE, to commit
to memory: (_Shak._) to cause to be remembered.--_adv._ MEMOR'ITER, from
memory: by heart.
MEMPHIAN, mem'fi-an, _adj._ relating to _Memphis_, an ancient capital of
Egypt.--Also MEM'PHITE, MEMPHIT'IC.
MEN, plural of _man_.
MENACE, men'[=a]s, _v.t._ to threaten.--_v.i._ to act in a threatening
manner.--_n._ a threat or threatening: a show of an intention to do
harm.--_adj._ MEN'ACING, overhanging: threatening.--_adv._ MEN'ACINGLY.
[Fr.,--L. _minaciæ_, threats--_minæ_, the overhanging points of a wall.]
MENAGE, obsolete form of _manage_.
MENAGE, me-nazh', _n._ a household: the management of a house: a club of
working-men. [Fr. through Late L.,--L. _mansio_, _-onis_, a dwelling.]
MENAGERIE, men-aj'[.e]r-i, _n._ a place for keeping wild animals for
exhibition: a collection of such animals.--Also MENAG'ERY. [Fr., from
_ménage_.]
MENAGOGUE, men'a-gog, _n._ a medicine that promotes the menstrual flux.
MEND, mend, _v.t._ to remove a fault: to repair, as something broken or
worn: to make better: to correct, improve.--_v.i._ to grow better.--_ns._
MEND'ER, one who mends; MEND'ING, the act of repairing: things requiring to
be mended. [Short for _amend_.]
MENDACIOUS, men-d[=a]'shus, _adj._ given to lying: speaking falsely: of the
nature of a lie.--_adv._ MEND[=A]'CIOUSLY.--_n._ MENDAC'ITY, a tendency to
lying: a habit of lying: falsehood. [L. _mendax_, _-acis_, conn. with
_ment[=i]ri_, to lie.]
MENDICANT, men'di-kant, _adj._ in the condition of a beggar: practising
beggary.--_n._ one who is in extreme want: a beggar: a member of one of the
R.C. orders who live by begging: a begging friar.--_ns._ MEN'DICANCY,
MENDIC'ITY, the state of being a mendicant or beggar: the life of a
beggar.--MENDICANT ORDERS, religious bodies who depended on begging for
their support. [L. _mendicans_, _-antis_, pr.p. of _mendic[=a]re_, to
beg--_mendicus_, a beggar.]
MENDS, mendz, for _amends_.
MENHADEN, men-h[=a]'dn, _n._ a species of herring or shad, found off the
east coast of the United States.
MENHIR, men'h[=e]r, _n._ a tall, often massive, stone, set up on end as a
monument in ancient times, either singly or in groups, circles, &c. [W.
_maen_, a stone, _hir_, long.]
MENIAL, m[=e]'ni-al, _adj._ of or pertaining to a train of servants: doing
servile work: low.--_n._ a domestic servant: one performing servile work: a
person of servile disposition. [O. Fr., _mesnee_, a household. See
MANSION.]
MENINX, m[=e]'ningks, _n._ one of three membranes that envelop the
brain:--_pl._ MENINIGES (men-in'j[=e]z).--_adj._ MENING'EAL.--_ns._
MENINGITIS (-j[=i]'-), inflammation of the membranes investing the brain or
spinal cord; MENING'OCELE, hernia of those membranes. [Gr. _meninx_,
_meningos_, a membrane.]
MENISCUS, m[=e]-nis'kus, _n._ a crescent or a new moon: a lens hollow on
one side and bulging on the other.--_adjs._ MENIS'CAL; MENIS'CATE;
MENIS'CIFORM; MENIS'COID. [Gr. _m[=e]n[=e]_, the moon, _-iskos_, small.]
MENNONITE, men'on-[=i]t, _n._ one of a Protestant sect, combining some of
the distinctive characteristics of the Baptists and Friends. [From _Menno_
Simons (died 1559), their chief founder.]
MENOLOGY, m[=e]-nol'o-ji, _n._ a register of months: a list or calendar of
martyrs, with festivals celebrated, &c.
MENOPOME, men'o-p[=o]m, _n._ a large North American amphibian--from its
persistent gill-aperture. [Gr. _menein_, to remain, _p[=o]ma_, lid.]
MENSAL, men'sal, _adj._ occurring once in a month: monthly.--Also MEN'SUAL.