MORA, m[=o]'ra, _n._ an ancient game played from China to Peru, the aim
being to guess the number of fingers held out by a player. [It.]
MORAINE, mo-r[=a]n', _n._ a continuous line of rocks and gravel along the
edges of glaciers.--_adj._ MORAIN'IC. [Fr.--Ger. (Bavarian) _mur_.]
MORAL, mor'al, _adj._ of or belonging to the manners or conduct of men:
conformed to right, ethical, virtuous: capable of knowing right and wrong:
subject to the moral law: instructing with regard to morals: supported by
evidence of reason or probability--opp. to _Demonstrative_: belonging to
the mind, or to the will: (_Shak._) moralising.--_n._ in _pl._ manners: the
doctrine or practice of the duties of life: moral philosophy or ethics:
conduct, esp. sexual conduct: in _sing._ the practical lesson given by
anything: an emblem or allegory: (_slang_) a certainty, an exact
counterpart.--_v.i._ to moralise.--_ns._ MOR'ALER (_Shak._), a moraliser;
MORALIS[=A]'TION, act of moralising, explanation in a moral sense.--_v.t._
MOR'ALISE, to apply to a moral purpose: to explain in a moral
sense.--_v.i._ to speak or write on moral subjects: to make moral
reflections.--_ns._ MOR'ALISER; MOR'ALISM, a moral maxim; moral counsel:
morality as distinct from religion; MOR'ALIST, one who teaches morals, or
who practises moral duties: a merely moral as distinguished from a
religious man: one who prides himself on his morality.--_adj._
MORALIST'IC.--_n._ MORAL'ITY, quality of being moral: that in an action
which renders it right or wrong: the practice of moral duties apart from
religion: virtue: the doctrine which treats of actions as being right or
wrong: ethics: a kind of drama which grew out of mysteries and
miracle-plays, and continued in fashion till Elizabeth's time, in which
allegorical representations of the virtues and vices were introduced as
_dramatis personæ_.--_adv._ MOR'ALLY, in a moral manner: uprightly: to all
intents and purposes, practically.--MORAL AGENT, one who acts under a
knowledge of right and wrong; MORAL CERTAINTY, a likelihood so great as to
be safely acted on, although not capable of being certainly proved; MORAL
DEFEAT (see MORAL VICTORY); MORAL FACULTY (see MORAL SENSE); MORAL LAW, a
law or rules for life and conduct, founded on what is right and wrong: the
law of conscience; MORAL PHILOSOPHY, the science which treats of the
qualities of actions as being right or wrong, and the duty of mankind with
regard to such actions; MORAL SENSE, that power of the mind which knows or
judges actions to be right or wrong, and determines conduct accordingly;
MORAL THEOLOGY, ethics treated with reference to a divine source; MORAL
VICTORY, a defeat in appearance, but in some important sense a real
victory. [Fr.,--L. _moralis_--_mos_, _moris_, custom.]
MORALE, mo-räl', _n._ the state of a person's morals: mental state as
regards spirit and confidence, esp. of a body of soldiers, &c. [Fr.]
MORASS, mo-ras', _n._ a tract of soft, wet ground: a marsh.--_adj._
MORASS'Y.--MORASS ORE, bog-iron ore. [Dut. _moeras_, a marsh.]
MORAT, m[=o]'rat, _n._ a drink made of honey and mulberry juice. [It.
_morato_--_moro_--L. _morum_.]
MORATORIUM, mo-ra-t[=o]'ri-um, _n._ an emergency act allowing a government
bank to suspend payments in specie for a given time.
MORAVIAN, mo-r[=a]'vi-an, _adj._ pertaining to _Moravia_ or the
Moravians.--_n._ one of a Christian denomination entitled _Unitas Fratrum_
of _United Brethren_, a small body of Protestants of extraordinary
missionary energy, founded in the 15th century.--_n._ MOR[=A]'VIANISM, the
doctrines of the Moravians.
MORAY, m[=o]'r[=a], _n._ an apodal eel-like fish of the Muræna
family.--Also MA'RAY, MU'RAY, MUR'RY.
MORBID, mor'bid, _adj._ diseased, sickly: not healthful.--_n._ MORBID'ITY,
the quality of being morbid: disease: the ratio of sickness in a
community.--_adv._ MOR'BIDLY.--_n._ MORBIDNESS, sickliness.--_adjs._
MORBIF'ERAL, MORBIF'EROUS; MORBIF'IC, causing disease.--_n._ MORBIL'L[=I],
measles.--_adjs._ MORBIL'LIFORM, like measles; MORBIL'LOUS, pertaining to
measles; MORBOSE', proceeding from disease: morbid: not healthy.--_n._
MOR'BUS, disease. [Fr.,--L. _morbidus_--_morbus_, disease.]
MORBIDEZZA, mor-bi-det'za, _n._ that quality of flesh-painting which gives
the impression of life. [It.]
MORCEAU, mor's[=o], _n._ a small bit: a dainty morsel:--_pl._ MOR'CEAUX
(-s[=o]z). [Fr.]
MORDACIOUS, mor-d[=a]'shus, _adj._ given to biting: biting: (_fig._)
sarcastic: severe.--_adv._ MORD[=A]'CIOUSLY.--_n._ MORDAC'ITY, quality of
being mordacious: biting severity.--_adj._ MOR'DANT, biting, sarcastic,
severe: serving to fix colours.--_n._ any substance, as alum, used to give
permanency or brilliancy to dyes: a glutinous size as a ground for gilding,
matter to make gold-leaf adhere: any corrosive liquid by which the biting
in etching is effected.--_v.t._ to treat with a mordant.--_adv._
MOR'DANTLY.--_ns._ MOR'DICANCY, MORDIC[=A]'TION. [Fr.,--L. _mordax_,
_mordacis_--_mord[=e]re_, to bite.]
MORDENT, mor'dent, _n._ a kind of trill in music, or the character
indicating it. [It. _mordente_.]
MORE, m[=o]r, _adj._ (serves as _comp._ of MANY and MUCH) additional: other
besides: greater (so in _B._).--_adv._ to a greater degree: again:
longer.--_n._ a greater thing: something further or in addition:--_superl._
MOST (m[=o]st).--_adj._ M[=O]'RISH. insufficient: such that one wants
more.--MORE AND MORE, continually increasing; MORE BY TOKEN, in proof of
this, besides; MORE OR LESS, about: in round numbers.--ANY MORE, something
additional: further; BE NO MORE, to have died; NO MORE, nothing in
addition. [Including both M.E. _mo_, more in number--A.S. _má_, more in
number, and M. E. _more_, larger--A.S. _mára_, greater.]
MORE, m[=o]r, _n._ (_Spens._) a root. [A.S. _moru_, _more_, a carrot; Ger.
_möhre_.]