Chapter 1006

Mountain anthelope (Zo\'94l.) , the goral. -- Mountain ash (Bot.) , an ornamental tree, the Pyrus (Sorbus) Americana , producing beautiful bunches of red berries. Its leaves are pinnate, and its flowers white, growing in fragrant clusters. The European species is the P. aucuparia , or rowan tree. -- Mountain barometer , a portable barometer, adapted for safe transportation, used in measuring the heights of mountains. -- Mountain beaver (Zo\'94l.) , the sewellel. -- Mountain blue (Min.) , blue carbonate of copper; azurite. -- Mountain cat (Zo\'94l.) , the catamount. See Catamount . -- Mountain chain , a series of contiguous mountain ranges, generally in parallel or consecutive lines or curves. -- Mountain cock (Zo\'94l.) , capercailzie. See Capercailzie . -- Mountain cork (Min.) , a variety of asbestus, resembling cork in its texture. -- Mountain crystal . See under Crystal . -- Mountain damson (Bot.) , a large tree of the genus Simaruba ( S. amarga ) growing in the West Indies, which affords a bitter tonic and astringent, sometimes used in medicine. -- Mountain dew , Scotch whisky, so called because often illicitly distilled among the mountains. [Humorous] -- Mountain ebony (Bot.) , a small leguminous tree ( Bauhinia variegata ) of the East and West Indies; -- so called because of its dark wood. The bark is used medicinally and in tanning. -- Mountain flax (Min.) , a variety of asbestus, having very fine fibers; amianthus. See Amianthus . -- Mountain fringe (Bot.) , climbing fumitory. See under Fumitory . -- Mountain goat . (Zo\'94l.) See Mazama . -- Mountain green . (Min.) (a) Green malachite, or carbonate of copper . (b) See Green earth , under Green , a. -- Mountain holly (Bot.) , a branching shrub ( Nemopanthes Canadensis ), having smooth oblong leaves and red berries. It is found in the Northern United States. -- Mountain laurel (Bot.) , an American shrub ( Kalmia latifolia ) with glossy evergreen leaves and showy clusters of rose-colored or white flowers. The foliage is poisonous. Called also American laurel , ivy bush , and calico bush . See Kalmia . -- Mountain leather (Min.) , a variety of asbestus, resembling leather in its texture. -- Mountain licorice (Bot.) , a plant of the genus Trifolium ( T. Alpinum ). -- Mountain limestone (Geol.) , a series of marine limestone strata below the coal measures, and above the old red standstone of Great Britain. See Chart of Geology . -- Mountain linnet (Zo\'94l.) , the twite. -- Mountain magpie . (Zo\'94l.) (a) The yaffle, or green woodpecker . (b) The European gray shrike. -- Mountain mahogany (Bot.) See under Mahogany . -- Mountain meal (Min.) , a light powdery variety of calcite, occurring as an efflorescence. -- Mountain milk (Min.) , a soft spongy variety of carbonate of lime. -- Mountain mint . (Bot.) See Mint . -- Mountain ousel (Zo\'94l.) , the ring ousel; -- called also mountain thrush and mountain colley . See Ousel . -- Mountain pride , ∨ Mountain green (Bot.) , a tree of Jamaica ( Spathelia simplex ), which has an unbranched palmlike stem, and a terminal cluster of large, pinnate leaves. -- Mountain quail (Zo\'94l.) , the plumed partridge ( Oreortyx pictus ) of California. It has two long, slender, plumelike feathers on the head. The throat and sides are chestnut; the belly is brown with transverse bars of black and white; the neck and breast are dark gray. -- Mountain range , a series of mountains closely related in position and direction. -- Mountain rice . (Bot.) (a) An upland variety of rice, grown without irrigation, in some parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States . (b) An American genus of grasses ( Oryzopsis ). -- Mountain rose (Bot.) , a species of rose with solitary flowers, growing in the mountains of Europe ( Rosa alpina ). -- Mountain soap (Min.) , a soft earthy mineral, of a brownish color, used in crayon painting; saxonite. -- Mountain sorrel (Bot.) , a low perennial plant ( Oxyria digyna with rounded kidney-form leaves, and small greenish flowers, found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in high northern latitudes. Gray . -- Mountain sparrow (Zo\'94l.) , the European tree sparrow. -- Mountain spinach . (Bot.) See Orach . -- Mountain tobacco (Bot.) , a composite plant ( Arnica montana ) of Europe; called also leopard's bane . -- Mountain witch (Zo\'94l.) , a ground pigeon of Jamaica, of the genus Geotrygon .

Mountaineer <Xpage=949>

Moun`tain*eer" (?) , n. [OF. montanier , LL. montanarius . See Mountain .] 1. An inhabitant of a mountain; one who lives among mountains.

2. A rude, fierce person. [Obs.]

No savage fierce, bandit, or mountaineer . Milton.

Mountaineer <Xpage=949>

Moun`tain*eer" , v. i. To lie or act as a mountaineer; to climb mountains.

You can't go mountaineering in a flat country. H. James.

Mountainer <Xpage=949>

Moun"tain*er (?) , n. A mountaineer. [Obs.]

Mountainet <Xpage=949>

Moun"tain*et (?) , n. A small mountain. [R.]

Mountainous <Xpage=949>

Moun"tain*ous (?) , a. [F. montagneux , L. montaniosus .] 1. Full of, or containing, mountains; as, the mountainous country of the Swiss .

2. Inhabiting mountains. [Obs.]

Bacon.

3. Large as, or resembling, a mountain; huge; of great bulk; as, a mountainous heap .

Prior.

Mountainousness <Xpage=949>

Moun"tain*ous*ness , n. The state or quality of being mountainous.

Mountance <Xpage=949>

Mount"ance (?) , n. [OF. montance .] Amount; sum; quantity; extent. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mountant <Xpage=949>

Mount"ant (?) , a. [F. montant , p.pr. of monter . See Mount , and cf. Montant .] Raised; high. [Obs.]

Mountebank <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank (?) , n. [It. montimbanco , montambanco ; montare to mount + in in, upon + banco bench. See Mount , and 4th Bank .] 1. One who mounts a bench or stage in the market or other public place, boasts of his skill in curing diseases, and vends medicines which he pretends are infalliable remedies; a quack doctor.

Such is the weakness and easy credulity of men, that a mountebank ... is preferred before an able physician. Whitlock.

2. Any boastful or false pretender; a charlatan; a quack.

Nothing so impossible in nature but mountebanks will undertake. Arbuthnot.

Mountebank <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank , v. t. To cheat by boasting and false pretenses; to gull. [R.]

Shak.

Mountebank <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank , v. i. To play the mountebank.

Mountebankery <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank`er*y (?) , n. The practices of a mountebank; quackery; boastful and vain pretenses.

Mountebankish <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank`ish , a. Like a mountebank or his quackery.

Howell.

Mountebankism <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*bank*ism (?) , n. The practices of a mountebank; mountebankery.

Mounted <Xpage=949>

Mount"ed , a. 1. Seated or serving on horseback or similarly; as, mounted police; mounted infantry.

2. Placed on a suitable support, or fixed in a setting; as, a mounted gun; a mounted map; a mounted gem.

Mountenaunce <Xpage=949>

Mount"e*naunce (?) , n. Mountance. [Obs.]

Mounter <Xpage=949>

Mount"er (?) , n. 1. One who mounts.

2. An animal mounted; a monture. [Obs.]

Mounting <Xpage=949>

Mount"ing , n. 1. The act of one that mounts.

2. That by which anything is prepared for use, or set off to advantage; equipment; embellishment; setting; as, the mounting of a sword or diamond .

Mountingly <Xpage=949>

Mount"ing*ly , adv. In an ascending manner.

Mountlet <Xpage=949>

Mount"let (?) , n. A small or low mountain. [R.]

Mounty <Xpage=949>

Mount"y (?) , n. [F. mont\'82e , fr. monter . See Mount , v. ] The rise of a hawk after prey.

Sir P. Sidney.

Mourn <Xpage=949>

Mourn (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Mourned (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mourning .] [AS. murnan ; akin to OS. mornian , OHG. mornen , Goth. ma\'a3rnan .] 1. To express or to feel grief or sorrow; to grieve; to be sorrowful; to lament; to be in a state of grief or sadness.

Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Gen. xxiii. 2.

2. To wear the customary garb of a mourner.

We mourn in black; why mourn we not in blood? Shak.

Grieve for an hour, perhaps, then mourn a year. Pope.

Mourn <Xpage=949>

Mourn , v. t. 1. To grieve for; to lament; to deplore; to bemoan; to bewail.

As if he mourned his rival's ill success. Addison.

And looking over the hills, I mourn The darling who shall not return. Emerson.

2. To utter in a mournful manner or voice.

The lovelorn nightingale Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well. Milton.

Syn. -- See Deplore .

Mourne <Xpage=949>

Mourne (?) , n. [See 2d Morne .] The armed or feruled end of a staff; in a sheephook, the end of the staff to which the hook is attached.

Sir P. Sidney.

Mourner <Xpage=949>

Mourn"er (?) , n. 1. One who mourns or is grieved at any misfortune, as the death of a friend.

His mourners were two hosts, his friends and foes. Byron.

2. One who attends a funeral as a hired mourner.

Mourners were provided to attend the funeral. L'Estrange.

Mournful <Xpage=949>

Mourn"ful (?) , a. Full of sorrow; expressing, or intended to express, sorrow; mourning; grieving; sad; also, causing sorrow; saddening; grievous; as, a mournful person; mournful looks, tones, loss. -- Mourn"ful*ly , adv. -- Mourn"ful*ness , n.

Syn. -- Sorrowful; lugubrious; sad; doleful; heavy; afflictive; grievous; calamitous.

Mourning <Xpage=949>

Mourn"ing , n. [AS. murnung .] 1. The act of sorrowing or expressing grief; lamentation; sorrow.

2. Garb, drapery, or emblems indicative of grief, esp. clothing or a badge of somber black.

The houses to their tops with black were spread, And ev'n the pavements were with mourning hid. Dryden.

Deep mourning . See under Deep .

Mourning <Xpage=949>

Mourn"ing , a. 1. Grieving; sorrowing; lamenting.

2. Employed to express sorrow or grief; worn or used as appropriate to the condition of one bereaved or sorrowing; as, mourning garments; a mourning ring; a mourning pin, and the like.

Mourning bride (Bot.) , a garden flower ( Scabiosa atropurpurea ) with dark purple or crimson flowers in flattened heads. -- Mourning dove (Zo\'94l.) , a wild dove ( Zenaidura macroura ) found throughout the United States; -- so named from its plaintive note. Called also Carolina dove . See Illust . under Dove . -- Mourning warbler (Zo\'94l.) , an American ground warbler ( Geothlypis Philadelphia ). The male has the head, neck, and chest, deep ash-gray, mixed with black on the throat and chest; other lower parts are pure yellow.

Mourningly <Xpage=949>

Mourn"ing*ly , adv. In a mourning manner.

Mournival <Xpage=949>

Mour"ni*val (?) , n. See Murnival .

Mouse <Xpage=949>

Mouse (mous) , n. ; pl. Mice (m&imac;s) . [OE. mous , mus , AS. m&umac;s , pl. m&ymac;s ; akin to D. muis , G. maus , OHG. & Icel. m&umac;s , Dan. muus , Sw. mus , Russ. muishe , L. mus , Gr. my^s , Skr. m&umac;sh mouse, mush to steal. \'fb277. Cf. Muscle , Musk .] 1. (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Murid\'91 . The common house mouse ( Mus musculus ) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed, or deer, mouse ( Hesperomys leucopus ) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse , Meadow mouse , under Meadow , and Harvest mouse , under Harvest .

2. (Naut.) (a) A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping. (b) Same as 2d Mousing , 2.

3. A familiar term of endearment.

Shak.

4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]

5. A match used in firing guns or blasting.

Field mouse , Flying mouse , etc. See under Field , Flying , etc. -- Mouse bird (Zo\'94l.) , a coly. -- Mouse deer (Zo\'94l.) , a chevrotain, as the kanchil. -- Mouse galago (Zo\'94l.) , a very small West American galago ( Galago murinus ). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel. -- Mouse hawk . (Zo\'94l.) (a) A hawk that devours mice . (b) The hawk owl; -- called also mouse owl . -- Mouse lemur (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus , found in Madagascar. -- Mouse piece (Cookery) , the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; -- called also mouse buttock .

Mouse <Xpage=949>

Mouse (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Moused (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mousing (?) .] 1. To watch for and catch mice.

2. To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.

Mouse <Xpage=949>

Mouse , v. t. 1. To tear, as a cat devours a mouse. [Obs.] "[Death] mousing the flesh of men."

Shak.

2. (Naut.) To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See Mouse , n. , 2.

Mouse-ear <Xpage=949>

Mouse"-ear` (?) , n. (Bot.) (a) The forget-me-not ( Myosotis palustris ) and other species of the same genus. (b) A European species of hawkweed ( Hieracium Pilosella ).

Mouse-ear chickweed , a name of two common species of chickweed ( Cerastium vulgarium , and C. viscosum ). -- Mouse-ear cress , a low cruciferous herb ( Sisymbrium Thaliana ). All these are low herbs with soft, oval, or obovate leaves, whence the name.

Mousefish <Xpage=949>

Mouse"fish` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Frogfish .

Mousehole <Xpage=949>

Mouse"hole` (?) , n. A hole made by a mouse, for passage or abode, as in a wall; hence, a very small hole like that gnawed by a mouse.

Mousekin <Xpage=949>

Mouse"kin (?) , n. A little mouse.

Thackeray.

Mouser <Xpage=949>

Mous"er (?) , n. 1. A cat that catches mice.

2. One who pries about on the lookout for something.

Mousetail <Xpage=949>

Mouse"tail` (?) , n. (Bot.) A genus of ranunculaceous plants ( Myosurus ), in which the prolonged receptacle is covered with imbricating achenes, and so resembles the tail of a mouse.

Mousie <Xpage=949>

Mous"ie (?) , n. Diminutive for Mouse .

Burns.

Mousing <Xpage=949>

Mous"ing (?) , a. Impertinently inquisitive; prying; meddlesome. " Mousing saints."

L'Estrange.

Mousing <Xpage=949>

Mous"ing , n. 1. The act of hunting mice.

2. (Naut.) A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straighening out.

3. A ratchet movement in a loom.

Mousing hook , a hook with an attachment which prevents its unhooking.

Mousle <Xpage=949>

Mou"sle (?) , v. t. To sport with roughly; to rumple. [Written also mouzle .] [Obs.]

Wycherley.

Mousseline <Xpage=949>

Mousse`line" (?) , n. [F.] Muslin.

Mousseline de laine (<?/) . [F., muslin of wool.] Muslin delaine. See under Muslin . -- Mousseline glass , a kind of thin blown glassware, such as wineglasses, etc.

Moustache <Xpage=949>

Mous`tache" (?) , n. [F.] Mustache.

Mousy <Xpage=949>

Mous"y (?) , a. Infested with mice; smelling of mice.

Moutan <Xpage=949>

Mou"tan (?) , n. (Bot.) The Chinese tree peony ( P\'91onia Mountan ), a shrub with large flowers of various colors.

Mouth <Xpage=949>

Mouth (?) , n. ; pl. Mouths (#) . [OE. mouth , mu<?/ , AS. m<?/<?/ ; akin to D. mond , OS. m<?/<?/ , G. mund , Icel. mu<?/r , munnr , Sw. mun , Dan. mund , Goth. mun<?/s , and possibly L. mentum chin; or cf. D. muil mouth, muzzle, G. maul , OHG. m<?/la , Icel. m<?/li , and Skr. mukha mouth.] 1. The opening through which an animal receives food; the aperture between the jaws or between the lips; also, the cavity, containing the tongue and teeth, between the lips and the pharynx; the buccal cavity.

2. Hence: An opening affording entrance or exit; orifice; aperture; as: (a) The opening of a vessel by which it is filled or emptied, charged or discharged; as, the mouth of a jar or pitcher; the mouth of the lacteal vessels, etc. (b) The opening or entrance of any cavity, as a cave, pit, well, or den. (c) The opening of a piece of ordnance, through which it is discharged. (d) The opening through which the waters of a river or any stream are discharged. (e) The entrance into a harbor.

3. (Saddlery) The crosspiece of a bridle bit, which enters the mouth of an animal.

4. A principal speaker; one who utters the common opinion; a mouthpiece.

Every coffeehouse has some particular statesman belonging to it, who is the mouth of the street where he lives. Addison.

5. Cry; voice. [Obs.]

Dryden.

6. Speech; language; testimony.