MINNOW, min'[=o], _n._ a very small fresh-water fish of the same genus as
the roach, chub, &c.: the young of larger fish. [A.S. _myne_, prob. _min_,
less.]
MINO, m[=e]'n[=o], _n._ a Japanese rain-coat of hemp, &c.
MINOR, m[=i]'nor, _adj._ smaller: less: inferior in importance, degree,
bulk, &c.: inconsiderable: lower: (_mus._) smaller by a semitone.--_n._ a
person under age (21 years): (_logic_) the term of a syllogism which forms
the subject of the conclusion.--_n._ M[=I]'NORITE, a Franciscan
friar.--_adj._ belonging to the Franciscans.--_n._ MINOR'ITY, the state of
being under age (also M[=I]'NORSHIP): the smaller of two parts of a number:
a number less than half:--opp. to _Majority_.--MINOR CANON, a canon of
inferior grade who assists in performing the daily choral service in a
cathedral; MINOR MODE or SCALE, the mode or scale in music which has the
third note only three semitones above the key; MINOR PREMISE, the premise
which contains the minor term; MINOR PROPHETS, the name given to the twelve
prophets from Hosea to Malachi inclusive. [L., neut. _minus_.]
MINOTAUR, min'o-tawr, _n._ the bull of Minos, a fabulous monster, half-man,
half-bull. [L.,--Gr., prob. from _Minos_, king of Crete, _taurus_, a bull.]
MINSTER, min'st[.e]r, _n._ the church of an abbey or priory, but often
applied to a cathedral church without any monastic connection. [A.S.
_mynster_--L. _monasterium_, a monastery.]
MINSTREL, min'strel, _n._ one of an order of men who sang to the harp
verses composed by themselves or others: a musician: one of a class of
performers, with blackened faces, of negro songs.--_n._ MIN'STRELSY, the
art or occupation of a minstrel: a company or body of minstrels: a
collection of songs: (_Chaucer_) instrumental music. [O. Fr.
_menestrel_--Low L. _ministralis_--L. _minister_.]
MINT, mint, _n._ the place where money is coined by government: a place
where anything is invented or made: any source of abundant supply.--_v.t._
to coin: to invent.--_ns._ MINT'AGE, the money which is minted or coined:
the duty paid for coining; MINT'ER, one who mints or coins: an inventor;
MINT'-MAN, one skilled in coining or coinage; MINT'-MARK, a private mark
put by the mint on coins for purposes of identification; MINT'-MAS'TER, the
master of a mint: one who invents. [A.S. _mynet_, money--L. _mon[=e]ta_, a
surname of Juno--_mon[=e]re_ to remind.]
MINT, mint, _n._ an aromatic plant producing a highly odoriferous
oil.--_ns._ MINT'-JU'LEP, a spirituous drink flavoured with mint, and
sucked through a straw or small tube; MINT'-SAUCE, chopped mint mixed with
vinegar and sugar, used as a sauce for roast lamb. [A.S. _minte_--L.
_mentha_--Gr. _mintha_.]
MINT, mint, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to purpose, try: to hint. [A.S. _myntan_, to
mean--_munan_, to think.]
MINUEND, min'[=u]-end, _n._ the number from which another is to be
subtracted. [L. _minuendum_--_minu[)e]re_, to lessen.]
MINUET, min'[=u]-et, _n._ a slow, graceful dance in triple measure,
invented in Poitou about the middle of the 17th century: the music for such
a dance. [Fr. _menuet_--_menu_, small--L. _minutus_, small.]
MINUS, m[=i]'nus, _adj._ less: less than nothing or less than zero:
deficient in respect of, deprived of, without.--_n._ an amount less than
nothing: the sign (-) before quantities requiring to be subtracted.--_n._
MINUS'C[=U]LE, a semi-uncial cursive script, originated by the monks in the
7th-9th centuries: any small or lower-case letter as distinguished from a
capital or _Majuscule_.--_adj._ small, of a letter: written in minuscule.
[L., neuter of _minor_, less.]
MINUTE, min-[=u]t', _adj._ very small or slender: of small consequence:
slight: attentive to small things: particular, exact.--_adv._
MINUTE'LY.--_n._ MINUTE'NESS. [L. _min[=u]tus_, pa.p. of _minu[)e]re_, to
lessen.]
MINUTE, min'it, _n._ the sixtieth part of an hour: the sixtieth part of a
degree: an indefinitely small space of time: a brief jotting or note:
(_pl._) a brief summary of the proceedings of a meeting.--_v.t._ to make a
brief jotting or note of anything.--_adj._ (_Shak._) happening every
minute.--_ns._ MIN'UTE-BELL, a bell sounded at regular intervals of one
minute, in morning; MIN'UTE-BOOK, a book containing minutes or short notes;
MIN'UTE-GLASS, a glass the sand of which measures a minute in running out;
MIN'UTE-GUN, a gun discharged every minute, as a signal of distress or
mourning; MIN'UTE-HAND, the hand that indicates the minutes on a clock or
watch; MIN'UTE-JACK (_Shak._), a little figure that strikes the bell of the
clock: a flighty, unstable person; MIN'UTE-MAN, a man ready to turn out at
a minute's warning--the name taken by a body of militia in the American war
of independence; MIN'UTE-WATCH, a watch that marks minutes; MIN'UTE-WHILE
(_Shak._), a minute's time. [Same word as above.]
MINUTIÆ, mi-n[=u]'shi-[=e], _n.pl._ minute or small things: the smallest
particulars or details.--_adj._ MIN[=U]'TI[=O]SE. [L., pl. of _minutia_,
smallness.]
MINX, mingks, _n._ a pert young girl: a jade: a she-puppy. [Contr. of
_minikin_, with added _s_.]
MIOCENE, m[=i]'o-s[=e]n, _adj._ (_geol._) less recent, applied by Lyell to
the middle division of the Tertiary strata. [Gr. _mei[=o]n_, less,
_kainos_, recent.]