Chapter 937

Main"swear` (?) , v. i. [AS. m\'benswerian to forswear; m\'ben sin, crime + swerian to swear.] To swear falsely. [Obs.]

Blount.

Maintain <Xpage=884>

Main*tain (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Maintained (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Maintaining .] [OE. maintenen , F. maintenir , properly, to hold by the hand; main hand (L. manus ) + F. tenir to hold (L. tenere ). See Manual , and Tenable.] 1. To hold or keep in any particular state or condition; to support; to sustain; to uphold; to keep up; not to suffer to fail or decline; as, to maintain a certain degree of heat in a furnace; to maintain a fence or a railroad; to maintain the digestive process or powers of the stomach; to maintain the fertility of soil; to maintain present reputation.

2. To keep possession of; to hold and defend; not to surrender or relinquish.

God values . . . every one as he maintains his post. Grew.

3. To continue; not to suffer to cease or fail.

Maintain talk with the duke. Shak.

4. To bear the expense of; to support; to keep up; to supply with what is needed.

Glad, by his labor, to maintain his life. Stirling.

What maintains one vice would bring up two children. Franklin.

5. To affirm; to support or defend by argument.

It is hard to maintain the truth, but much harder to be maintained by it. South.

Syn. -- To assert; vindicate; allege. See Assert .

Maintainable <Xpage=884>

Main*tain"a*ble (?) , a. That maybe maintained.

Maintainer <Xpage=884>

Main*tain"er (?) , n. One who maintains.

Maintainor <Xpage=884>

Main*tain"or (?) , n. [OF. mainteneor , F. mainteneur .] (Crim. Law) One who, not being interested, maintains a cause depending between others, by furnishing money, etc., to either party.

Bouvier. Wharton.

Maintenance <Xpage=884>

Main"te*nance (?) , n. [OF. maintenance . See Maintain .] 1. The act of maintaining; sustenance; support; defense; vindication.

Whatsoever is granted to the church for God's honor and the maintenance of his service, is granted to God. South.

2. That which maintains or supports; means of sustenance; supply of necessaries and conveniences.

Those of better fortune not making learning their maintenance . Swift.

3. (Crim. Law) An officious or unlawful intermeddling in a cause depending between others, by assisting either party with money or means to carry it on. See Champerty .

Wharton.

Cap of maintenance . See under Cap .

Maintop <Xpage=884>

Main"top` (?) , n. (Naut.) The platform about the head of the mainmast in square-rigged vessels.

Main yard <Xpage=884>

Main" yard` (?) . (Naut.) The yard on which the mainsail is extended, supported by the mainmast.

Maioid <Xpage=884>

Mai"oid (?) , a. [ Maia + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the genus Maia, or family Maiade\'91 .

Maister <Xpage=884>

Mais"ter (?) , n. Master. [Obs.]

Chaucer. Spenser.

Maister <Xpage=884>

Mais"ter , a. Principal; chief. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Maistre, Maistrie, Maistry <Xpage=884>

Mais"tre (?) , Mais"trie , Mais"try (?) , n. Mastery; superiority; art. See Mastery . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Maistress <Xpage=884>

Mais"tress (?) , n. Mistress. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Maithes <Xpage=884>

Mai"thes (?) , n. (Bot.) Same as Maghet .

Maize <Xpage=884>

Maize (?) , n. [Sp. maiz . fr. mahiz or mahis , i<?/ the language of the Island of Hayti.] (Bot.) A large species of American grass of the genus Zea ( Z. Mays ), widely cultivated as a forage and food plant; Indian corn. Also, its seed, growing on cobs, and used as food for men animals.

Maize eater (Zo\'94l.) , a South American bird of the genus Pseudoleistes , allied to the troupials. -- Maize yellow , a delicate pale yellow.

Majestatic, Majestatal <Xpage=884>

Maj`es*tat"ic (?) , Maj`es*tat"*al (?) , a. Majestic. [Obs.]

E. Pocock. Dr. J. Scott.

Majestic <Xpage=884>

Ma*jes"tic (?) , a. [From Majesty .] Possessing or exhibiting majesty; of august dignity, stateliness, or imposing grandeur; lofty; noble; grand. "The majestic world." Shak. "Tethys'grave majestic pace."

Milton.

The least portions must be of the epic kind; all must be grave, majestic , and sublime. Dryden .

Syn. -- August; splendid; grand; sublime; magnificent; imperial; regal; pompous; stately; lofty; dignified; elevated.

<page="885"> Page 885

Majestical <Xpage=885>

Ma*jes"tic*al (?) , a. Majestic.

Cowley.

An older architecture, greater, cunninger, more majestical . M. Arnold.

-- Ma*jes"tic*al*ly , adv. -- Ma*jes"tic*al*ness , n.

Majesticness <Xpage=885>

Ma*jes"tic*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being majestic.

Oldenburg.

Majesty <Xpage=885>

Maj"es*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Majesties (#) . [OE. magestee , F. majest\'82 , L. majestas , fr. an old compar. of magnus great. See Major , Master .] The dignity and authority of sovereign power; quality or state which inspires awe or reverence; grandeur; exalted dignity, whether proceeding from rank, character, or bearing; imposing loftiness; stateliness; -- usually applied to the rank and dignity of sovereigns.

The Lord reigneth; he is clothed with majesty . Ps. xciii. 1.

No sovereign has ever represented the majesty of great state with more dignity and grace. Macaulay.

2. Hence, used with the possessive pronoun, the title of an emperor, king or queen; -- in this sense taking a plural; as, their majesties attended the concert .

In all the public writs which he [Emperor Charles V.] now issued as King of Spain, he assumed the title of Majesty , and required it from his subjects as a mark of respect. Before that time all the monarchs of Europe were satisfied with the appellation of Highness or Grace . Robertson.

3. Dignity; elevation of manner or style.

Dryden.

Majolica <Xpage=885>

Ma*jol"i*ca (?) , n. [It.] A kind of pottery, with opaque glazing and showy, which reached its greatest perfection in Italy in the 16th century.

&hand; The term is said to be derived from Majorca, which was an early seat of this manufacture.

Heyse.

Major <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor (?) , [L. major , compar. of magnus great: cf. F. majeur . Cf. Master , Mayor , Magnitude , More , a. ] 1. Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory.

2. Of greater dignity; more important.

Shak.

3. Of full legal age. [Obs.]

4. (Mus.) Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone.

Major axis (Geom.) , the greater axis. See Focus , n. , 2. -- Major key (Mus.) , a key in which one and two, two and three, four and five, five and six and seven, make major seconds, and three and four, and seven and eight, make minor seconds. -- Major offense (Law) , an offense of a greater degree which contains a lesser offense, as murder and robbery include assault. -- Major premise (Logic) , that premise of a syllogism which contains the major term. -- Major scale (Mus.) , the natural diatonic scale, which has semitones between the third and fourth, and seventh and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees; the scale of the major mode, of which the third is major. See Scale , and Diatonic . -- Major second (Mus.) , a second between whose tones is a difference in pitch of a step. -- Major sixth (Mus.) , a sixth of four steps and a half step. In major keys the third and sixth from the key tone are major. Major keys and intervals, as distinguished from minors, are more cheerful. -- Major term (Logic) , that term of a syllogism which forms the predicate of the conclusion. -- Major third (Mus.) , a third of two steps.

Major <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor , n. [F. major . See Major , a. ] 1. (Mil.) An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer.

2. (Law) A person of full age.

3. (Logic) That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference].

&hand; In hypothetical syllogisms, the hypothetical premise is called the major .

4. [LL. See Major .] A mayor. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Majorat <Xpage=885>

Ma`jo`rat" (?) , n. [F. majorat , LL. majoratus . See Major , a. , and cf. Majorate .] 1. The right of succession to property according to age; -- so termed in some of the countries of continental Europe.

2. (French Law) Property, landed or funded, so attached to a title of honor as to descend with it.

Majorate <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor*ate (?) , n. The office or rank of a major.

Majorate <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor*ate (?) , v. t. [LL. majorare to augment. See Major , a. ] To augment; to increase. [Obs.]

Howell.

Majoration <Xpage=885>

Ma`jor*a"tion (?) , n. Increase; enlargement. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Majorcan <Xpage=885>

Ma*jor"can (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Majorca. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Majorca.

Major-domo <Xpage=885>

Ma`jor-do"mo (?) , n. [Sp. mayordomo , or It. maggiordomo ; both fr. LL. majordomus ; L. major greater + domus house.] A man who has authority to act, within certain limits, as master of the house; a steward; also, a chief minister or officer.

Major general <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor gen"er*al (?) . An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps.

Majority <Xpage=885>

Ma*jor"i*ty (?) , n. ; pl. Majorities (#) . [F. majorit\'82 . See Major .] 1. The quality or condition of being major or greater; superiority. Specifically: (a) The military rank of a major . (b) The condition of being of full age, or authorized by law to manage one's own affairs.

2. The greater number; more than half; as, a majority of mankind; a majority of the votes cast.

3. [Cf. L. majores .] Ancestors; ancestry. [Obs.]

4. The amount or number by which one aggregate exceeds all other aggregates with which it is contrasted; especially, the number by which the votes for a successful candidate exceed those for all other candidates; as, he is elected by a majority of five hundred votes . See Plurality .

To go over to, &or; To join , the majority , to die.

Majorship <Xpage=885>

Ma"jor*ship (?) , n. The office of major.

Majoun <Xpage=885>

Maj"oun (?) , n. See Madjoun .

Majuscul\'91 <Xpage=885>

Ma*jus"cu*l\'91 (?) , n. pl. [L., fem. pl. fr. majusculus somewhat greater or great, dim. of major , majus . See Major .] (Pal\'91ography) Capital letters, as found in manuscripts of the sixth century and earlier.

Majuscule <Xpage=885>

Ma*jus"cule (?) , n. [Cf. F. majuscule . See Majuscul\'91 .] A capital letter; especially, one used in ancient manuscripts. See Majuscul\'91 .

Majuscule writing , writing composed wholly of capital letters, especially the style which prevailed in Europe from the third to the sixth century.

Makable <Xpage=885>

Mak"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being made.

Makaron <Xpage=885>

Mak"a*ron (?) , n. See Macaroon , 2. [Obs.]

Make <Xpage=885>

Make (?) , n. [AS. maca , gemaca . See Match .] A companion; a mate; often, a husband or a wife. [Obs.]

For in this world no woman is Worthy to be my make . Chaucer.

Make <Xpage=885>

Make , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Made (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Making .] [OE. maken , makien , AS. macian ; akin to OS. mak<?/n , OFries. makia , D. maken , G. machen , OHG. mahh<?/n to join, fit, prepare, make, Dan. mage . Cf. Match an equal.] 1. To cause to exist; to bring into being; to form; to produce; to frame; to fashion; to create. Hence, in various specific uses or applications: (a) To form of materials; to cause to exist in a certain form; to construct; to fabricate.

He . . . fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf. Ex. xxxii. 4.

(b) To produce, as something artificial, unnatural, or false; -- often with up ; as, to make up a story .

And Art, with her contending, doth aspire To excel the natural with made delights. Spenser.

(c) To bring about; to bring forward; to be the cause or agent of; to effect, do, perform, or execute; -- often used with a noun to form a phrase equivalent to the simple verb that corresponds to such noun; as, to make complaint, for to complain; to make record of, for to record; to make abode, for to abide, etc.

Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. Judg. xvi. 25.

Wealth maketh many friends. Prov. xix. 4.

I will neither plead my age nor sickness in excuse of the faults which I have made . Dryden.

(d) To execute with the requisite formalities; as, to make a bill, note, will, deed, etc. (e) To gain, as the result of one's efforts; to get, as profit; to make acquisition of; to have accrue or happen to one; as, to make a large profit; to make an error; to make a loss; to make money .

He accuseth Neptune unjustly who makes shipwreck a second time. Bacon.

(f) To find, as the result of calculation or computation; to ascertain by enumeration; to find the number or amount of, by reckoning, weighing, measurement, and the like; as, he made the distance of; to travel over; as, the ship makes ten knots an hour; he made the distance in one day . (h) To put a desired or desirable condition; to cause to thrive .

Who makes or ruins with a smile or frown. Dryden.

2. To cause to be or become; to put into a given state verb, or adjective; to constitute; as, to make known; to make public; to make fast.

Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Ex. ii. 14.

See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh. Ex. vii. 1.

&hand; When used reflexively with an adjective, the reflexive pronoun is often omitted; as, to make merry; to make bold; to make free, etc.

3. To cause to appear to be; to constitute subjectively; to esteem, suppose, or represent.

He is not that goose and ass that Valla would make him. Baker.

4. To require; to constrain; to compel; to force; to cause; to occasion; -- followed by a noun or pronoun and infinitive.

&hand; In the active voice the to of the infinitive is usually omitted.

I will make them hear my words. Deut. iv. 10.

They should be made to rise at their early hour. Locke.

5. To become; to be, or to be capable of being, changed or fashioned into; to do the part or office of; to furnish the material for; as, he will make a good musician; sweet cider makes sour vinegar; wool makes warm clothing.

And old cloak makes a new jerkin. Shak.

6. To compose, as parts, ingredients, or materials; to constitute; to form; to amount to.

The heaven, the air, the earth, and boundless sea, Make but one temple for the Deity. Waller.

7. To be engaged or concerned in. [Obs.]

Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole brotherhood of city bailiffs? Dryden.

8. To reach; to attain; to arrive at or in sight of. "And make the Libyan shores."

Dryden.

They that sail in the middle can make no land of either side. Sir T. Browne.

To make a bed , to prepare a bed for being slept on, or to put it in order. -- To make a card (Card Playing) , to take a trick with it. -- To make account . See under Account , n. -- To make account of , to esteem; to regard. -- To make away . (a) To put out of the way; to kill; to destroy . [Obs.]

If a child were crooked or deformed in body or mind, they made him away . Burton.

(b) To alienate; to transfer; to make over. [Obs.] Waller . -- To make believe , to pretend; to feign; to simulate. -- To make bold , to take the liberty; to venture. -- To make the cards (Card Playing) , to shuffle the pack. -- To make choice of , to take by way of preference; to choose. -- To make danger , to make experiment. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl . -- To make default (Law) , to fail to appear or answer. -- To make the doors , to shut the door. [Obs.]

Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement. Shak.