Chapter 1003

&hand; The letter e is required analogically after the second g in order to soften it; but the spelling mortgagor is in fact the prevailing form. When the word is contradistinguished from mortgagee it is accented on the last syllable (<?/).

Mortgager <Xpage=946>

Mort"ga*ger (?) , n. (Law) gives a mortgage.

Mortiferous <Xpage=946>

Mor"tif"er*ous (?) , a. [L. mortifier ; mors , mortis , death + ferre to bring: cf. F. mortif\'8are .] Bringing or producing death; deadly; destructive; as, a mortiferous herb .

Gov. of Tongue.

Mortification <Xpage=946>

Mor`ti*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [F., fr. L. mortificatio a killing. See Mortify .] 1. The act of mortifying, or the condition of being mortified ; especially: (a) (Med.) The death of one part of an animal body, while the rest continues to live; loss of vitality in some part of a living animal; gangrene . Dunglison . (b) (Alchem. & Old Chem.) Destruction of active qualities; neutralization . [Obs.] Bacon . (c) Subjection of the passions and appetites, by penance, absistence, or painful severities inflicted on the body.

The mortification of our lusts has something in it that is troublesome, yet nothing that is unreasonable. Tillotson.

(d) Hence: Deprivation or depression of self-approval; abatement or pride; humiliation; chagrin; vexation .

We had the mortification to lose sight of Munich, Augsburg, and Ratisbon. Addison.

2. That which mortifies; the cause of humiliation, chagrin, or vexation.

It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts discovered by a tedious visit. L'Estrange.

3. (Scots Law) A gift to some charitable or religious institution; -- nearly synonymous with mortmain .

Syn. -- Chagrin; vexation; shame. See Chagrin .

Mortified <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fied (?) , imp. & p. p. of Mortify .

Mortifiedness <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fied*ness (?) , n. The state of being mortified; humiliation; subjection of the passions. [R.]

Mortifier <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fi`er (?) , n. One who, or that which, mortifies.

Mortify <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mortified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortifying (?) .] [OE. mortifien , F. mortifier , fr. L. mortificare ; L. mors , mortis , death + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Mortal , and -fy .] 1. To destroy the organic texture and vital functions of; to produce gangrene in.

2. To destroy the active powers or essential qualities of; to change by chemical action. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Quicksilver is mortified with turpentine. Bacon.

He mortified pearls in vinegar. Hakewill.

3. To deaden by religious or other discipline, as the carnal affections, bodily appetites, or worldly desires; to bring into subjection; to abase; to humble.

With fasting mortified , worn out with tears. Harte.

Mortify thy learned lust. Prior.

Mortify , rherefore, your members which are upon the earth. Col. iii. 5.

4. To affect with vexation, chagrin, or humiliation; to humble; to depress.

The news of the fatal battle of Worcester, which exceedingly mortified our expectations. Evelyn.

How often is the ambitious man mortified with the very praises he receives, if they do not rise so high as he thinks they ought! Addison.

Mortify <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fy , v. i. 1. To lose vitality and organic structure, as flesh of a living body; to gangrene.

2. To practice penance from religious motives; to deaden desires by religious discipline.

This makes him ... give alms of all that he hath, watch, fast, and mortify . Law.

3. To be subdued; to decay, as appetites, desires, etc.

Mortifying <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fy`ing (?) , a. 1. Tending to mortify; affected by, or having symptoms of, mortification; as, a mortifying wound; mortifying flesh.

2. Subduing the appetites, desires, etc.; as, mortifying penances .

3. Tending to humble or abase; humiliating; as, a mortifying repulse .

Mortifyingly <Xpage=946>

Mor"ti*fy`ing*ly , adv. In a mortifying manner.

Mortise <Xpage=946>

Mor"tise (?) , n. [F. mortaise ; cf. Sp. mortaja , Ar. murtazz fixed, or W. mortais , Ir. mortis , moirtis , Gael. moirteis .] A cavity cut into a piece of timber, or other material, to receive something (as the end of another piece) made to fit it, and called a tenon .

Mortise and tenon (Carp.) , made with a mortise and tenon; joined or united by means of a mortise and tenon; -- used adjectively. -- Mortise joint , a joint made by a mortise and tenon. -- Mortise lock . See under Lock . -- Mortise wheel , a cast-iron wheel, with wooden clogs inserted in mortises on its face or edge; -- also called mortise gear , and core gear .

Mortise <Xpage=946>

Mor"tise , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mortised (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mortising .] 1. To cut or make a mortisein.

2. To join or fasten by a tenon and mortise; as, to mortise a beam into a post, or a joist into a girder .

Mortling <Xpage=946>

Mort"ling (?) , n. [See Morling .] 1. An animal, as a sheep, dead of disease or privation; a mortling. [Eng.]

2. Wool plucked from a dead sheep; morling.

Mortmain <Xpage=946>

Mort"main` (?) , n. [F. mort , morte , dead + main hand; F. main-morte . See Mortal , and Manual .] (Law) Possession of lands or tenements in, or conveyance to, dead hands, or hands that cannot alienate.

&hand; The term was originally applied to conveyance of land made to ecclesiastical bodies; afterward to conveyance made to any corporate body.

Burrill.

Mortmal <Xpage=946>

Mort"mal (?) , n. See Mormal . [Obs.]

B. Jonson.

Mortpay <Xpage=946>

Mort"pay` (?) , n. [F. mort dead + E. pay .] Dead pay; the crime of taking pay for the service of dead soldiers, or for services not actually rendered by soldiers. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Mortress, Mortrew <Xpage=946>

Mor"tress (?) , Mor"trew (?) , n. [See Mortar .] A dish of meats and other ingredients, cooked together; an ollapodrida.

Chaucer. Bacon.

Mortuary <Xpage=946>

Mor"tu*a*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Mortuaries (#) . [LL. mortuarium . See Mortuary , a. ] 1. A sort of ecclesiastical heriot, a customary gift claimed by, and due to, the minister of a parish on the death of a parishioner. It seems to have been originally a voluntary bequest or donation, intended to make amends for any failure in the payment of tithes of which the deceased had been guilty.

2. A burial place; a place for the dead.

3. A place for the reception of the dead before burial; a deadhouse; a morgue. <-- a funeral home -->

Mortuary <Xpage=946>

Mor"tu*a*ry (?) , a. [L. mortuarius , fr. mortuus dead: cf. F. mortuaire . See Mortal .] Of or pertaining to the dead; as, mortuary monuments .

Mortuary urn , an urn for holding the ashes of the dead.

Morula <Xpage=946>

Mor"u*la (?) , n. ; pl. Morul\'91 (#) . [NL., dim. of L. morum a mulberry.] (Biol.) The sphere or globular mass of cells ( blastomeres ), formed by the clevage of the ovum or egg in the first stages of its development; -- called also mulberry mass , segmentation sphere , and blastosphere . See Segmentation .

Morulation <Xpage=946>

Mor`u*la"tion (?) , n. (Biol.) The process of cleavage, or segmentation, of the ovum, by which a morula is formed.

Morus <Xpage=946>

Mo"rus (?) , n. [L., mulberry tree. See Mulberry .] (Bot.) A genus of trees, some species of which produce edible fruit; the mulberry. See Mulberry .

&hand; Morus alba is the white mulberry, a native of India or China, the leaves of which are extensively used for feeding silkworms, for which it furnishes the chief food. -- Morus multicaulis , the many-stemmed or Chinese mulberry, is only a form of white mulberry, preferred on account of its more abundant leaves. -- Morus nigra , the black mulberry, produces a dark-colored fruit, of an agreeable flavor.

Morwe <Xpage=946>

Mor"we (?) , n. See Morrow . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Morwening <Xpage=946>

Mor"wen*ing (?) , n. Morning. [Obs.]

Mosaic <Xpage=946>

Mo*sa"ic (?) , n. [F. mosa\'8bque ; cf. Pr. mozaic , musec , Sp. & Pg. mosaico , It. mosaico , musaico , LGr. <?/, <?/, L. musivum ; all fr. Gr. <?/ belonging to the Muses. See Muse the goddess.] 1. (Fine Arts) A surface decoration made by inlaying in patterns small pieces of variously colored glass, stone, or other material; -- called also mosaic work .

2. A picture or design made in mosaic; an article decorated in mosaic.

Mosaic <Xpage=946>

Mo*sa"ic , a. Of or pertaining to the style of work called mosaic; formed by uniting pieces of different colors; variegated; tessellated; also, composed of various materials or ingredients.

A very beautiful mosaic pavement. Addison.

Florentine mosaic . See under Florentine . -- Mosaic gold . (a) See Ormolu . -- (b) Stannic sulphide, SnS2 , obtained as a yellow scaly crystalline powder, and used as a pigment in bronzing and gilding wood and metal work. It was called by the alchemists aurum musivum , or aurum mosaicum . Called also bronze powder . -- Mosaic work . See Mosaic , n.

Mosaic <Xpage=946>

Mo*sa"ic , a. [From Moses .] Of or pertaining to Moses, the leader of the Israelites, or established through his agency; as, the Mosaic law, rites, or institutions .

Mosaical <Xpage=946>

Mo*sa"ic*al (?) , a. Mosaic (in either sense). "A mosaical floor."

Sir P. Sidney.

Mosaically <Xpage=946>

Mo*sa"ic*al*ly , adv. In the manner of a mosaic.

Mosaism <Xpage=946>

Mo"sa*ism (?) , n. Attachment to the system or doctrines of Moses; that which is peculiar to the Mosaic system or doctrines.

Mosasaur, Mosasaurian <Xpage=946>

Mos"a*saur (?) , Mos`a*sau"ri*an (?) , n. (Paleon.) One of an extinct order of reptiles, including Mosasaurus and allied genera. See Mosasauria .

Mosasauria <Xpage=946>

Mos`a*sau"ri*a (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Mosasaurus .] (Paleon.) An order of large, extinct, marine reptiles, found in the Cretaceous rocks, especially in America. They were serpentlike in form and in having loosely articulated and dilatable jaws, with large recurved tteth, but they had paddlelike feet. Some of them were over fifty feet long. They are, essentially, fossil sea serpents with paddles. Called also Pythonomarpha , and Mosasauria .

Mosasaurus <Xpage=946>

Mos`a*sau"rus (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. Mosa the River Meuse (on which Meastricht is situated) + Gr. <?/ a lizard.] (Paleon.) A genus of extinct marine reptiles allied to the lizards, but having the body much elongated, and the limbs in the form of paddles. The first known species, nearly fifty feet in length, was discovered in Cretaceous beds near Maestricht, in the Netherlands. [Written also Mososaurus .]

Moschatel <Xpage=946>

Mos"cha*tel` (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ musk: cf. F. moscatelline . See Muscadel , Musk .] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Adoxa ( A. moschatellina ), the flowers of which are pale green, and have a faint musky smell. It is found in woods in all parts of Europe, and is called also hollow root and musk crowfoot .

Loudon.

Moschine <Xpage=946>

Mos"chine (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Moschus , a genus including the musk deer.

Mosel <Xpage=946>

Mos"el (?) , n. & v. See Muzzle . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Moselle <Xpage=946>

Mo*selle" (?) , n. A light wine, usually white, produced in the vicinity of the river Moselle.

Moses <Xpage=946>

Mo"ses (?) , n. A large flatboat, used in the West Indies for taking freight from shore to ship.

Mosk <Xpage=946>

Mosk (?) , n. See Mosque .

Moslem <Xpage=946>

Mos"lem (?) , n. ; pl. Moslems (#) , or collectively Moslem . [Ar. muslim a true believer in the Mohammedan faith, fr. salama to submit to God, to resign one's self to the divine will. Cf. Islam , Mussulman .] A Mussulman; an orthodox Mohammedan. [Written also muslim .] "Heaps of slaughtered Moslem ."

Macaulay.

They piled the ground with Moslem slain. Halleck.

<page="947"> Page 947

Moslem <Xpage=947>

Mos"lem (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the Mohammedans; Mohammedan; as, Moslem lands; the Moslem faith.

Moslings <Xpage=947>

Mos"lings (?) , n. pl. Thin shreds of leather shaved off in dressing skins.

Simmonds.

Mososaurus <Xpage=947>

Mos`o*sau"rus (?) , n. [NL.] (Paleon.) Same as Mosasaurus .

Mosque <Xpage=947>

Mosque (?) , n. [F. mosqu\'82e , Sp. mezquita , Ar. masjid , from sajada to bend, adore.] A Mohammedan church or place of religious worship. [Written also mosk .]

Mosquito <Xpage=947>

Mos*qui"to (?) , n. ; pl. Mosquitoes (#) . [Sp. mosquito , fr. mosca fly, L. musca . Cf. Musket .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of various species of gnats of the genus Culex and allied genera. The females have a proboscis containing, within the sheathlike labium, six fine, sharp, needlelike organs with which they puncture the skin of man and animals to suck the blood. These bites, when numerous, cause, in many persons, considerable irritation and swelling, with some pain. The larv\'91 and pup\'91, called wigglers , are aquatic. [Written also musquito .]

Mosquito bar , Mosquito net , a net or curtain for excluding mosquitoes, -- used for beds and windows. -- Mosquito fleet , a fleet of small vessels. -- Mosquito hawk (Zo\'94l.) , a dragon fly; -- so called because it captures and feeds upon mosquitoes. -- Mosquito netting , a loosely-woven gauzelike fabric for making mosquito bars.

Moss <Xpage=947>

Moss (?) , n. [OE. mos ; akin to AS. me\'a2s , D. mos , G. moos , OHG. mos , mios , Icel. mosi , Dan. mos , Sw. mossa , Russ. mokh' , L. muscus . Cf. Muscoid .] 1. (Bot.) A cryptogamous plant of a cellular structure, with distinct stem and simple leaves. The fruit is a small capsule usually opening by an apical lid, and so discharging the spores. There are many species, collectively termed Musci , growing on the earth, on rocks, and trunks of trees, etc., and a few in running water.

&hand; The term moss is also popularly applied to many other small cryptogamic plants, particularly lichens , species of which are called tree moss , rock moss , coral moss , etc. Fir moss and club moss are of the genus Lycopodium . See Club moss , under Club , and Lycopodium .

2. A bog; a morass; a place containing peat; as, the mosses of the Scottish border .

&hand; Moss is used with participles in the composition of words which need no special explanation; as, moss -capped, moss -clad, moss -covered, moss -grown, etc.

Black moss . See under Black , and Tillandsia . -- Bog moss . See Sphagnum . -- Feather moss , any moss branched in a feathery manner, esp. several species of the genus Hypnum . -- Florida moss , Long moss , &or; Spanish moss . See Tillandsia . -- Iceland moss , a lichen. See Iceland Moss . -- Irish moss , a seaweed. See Carrageen . -- Moss agate (Min.) , a variety of agate, containing brown, black, or green mosslike or dendritic markings, due in part to oxide of manganese. Called also Mocha stone . -- Moss animal (Zo\'94l.) , a bryozoan. -- Moss berry (Bot.) , the small cranberry ( Vaccinium Oxycoccus ). -- Moss campion (Bot.) , a kind of mosslike catchfly ( Silene acaulis ), with mostly purplish flowers, found on the highest mountains of Europe and America, and within the Arctic circle. -- Moss land , land produced accumulation of aquatic plants, forming peat bogs of more or less consistency, as the water is grained off or retained in its pores. -- Moss pink (Bot.) , a plant of the genus Phlox ( P. subulata ), growing in patches on dry rocky hills in the Middle United States, and often cultivated for its handsome flowers. Gray . -- Moss rose (Bot.) , a variety of rose having a mosslike growth on the stalk and calyx. It is said to be derived from the Provence rose. -- Moss rush (Bot.) , a rush of the genus Juncus ( J. squarrosus ). -- Scale moss . See Hepatica .

Moss <Xpage=947>

Moss , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mossed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mossing .] To cover or overgrow with moss.

An oak whose boughs were mossed with age. Shak.

Mossback <Xpage=947>

Moss"back` (?) , n. A veteran partisan; one who is so conservative in opinion that he may be likened to a stone or old tree covered with moss. [Political Slang, U.S.]

Mossbanker, Mossbunker <Xpage=947>

Moss"bank`er (?) , Moss"bunk`er (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The menhaded.

Moss-grown <Xpage=947>

Moss"-grown` (?) , a. Overgrown with moss.

Mossiness <Xpage=947>

Moss"i*ness (?) , n. The state of being mossy.

Mosstrooper <Xpage=947>

Moss"troop`er (?) , n. [ Moss + trooper .] One of a class of marauders or bandits that formerly infested the border country between England and Scotland; -- so called in allusion to the mossy or boggy character of much of the border country.

Mossy <Xpage=947>

Moss"y (?) , a. [ Compar. Mossier (?) ; superl. Mossiest .] 1. Overgrown with moss; abounding with or edged with moss; as, mossy trees; mossy streams.

Old trees are more mossy far than young. Bacon.

2. Resembling moss; as, mossy green .

Most <Xpage=947>