Chapter 958

Maze (?) , n. [OE. mase ; cf. OE. masen to confuse, puzzle, Norweg. masast to fall into a slumber, masa to be continually busy, prate, chatter, Icel. masa to chatter, dial. Sw. masa to bask, be slow, work slowly and lazily, mas slow, lazy.] 1. A wild fancy; a confused notion. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

2. Confusion of thought; perplexity; uncertainty; state of bewilderment.

3. A confusing and baffling network, as of paths or passages; an intricacy; a labyrinth. "Quaint mazes on the wanton green."

Shak.

Or down the tempting maze of Shawford brook. Wordaworth.

The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate, Puzzled with mazes , and perplexed with error. Addison.

Syn. -- Labyrinth; intricacy. See Labyrinth .

Maze <Xpage=904>

Maze (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mazed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mazing .] To perplex greatly; to bewilder; to astonish and confuse; to amaze.

South.

Maze <Xpage=904>

Maze , v. i. To be bewildered. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mazedness <Xpage=904>

Maz"ed*ness (?) , n. The condition of being mazed; confusion; astonishment. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mazeful <Xpage=904>

Maze"ful (?) , a. Mazy. [Obs.]

Sir P. Sidney.

Mazer <Xpage=904>

Maz"er (?) , n. [OE. maser , akin to OD. maser an excrescence on a maple tree, OHG. masar , G. maser spot, Icel. m\'94surr maple.] A large drinking bowl; -- originally made of maple. [Obs.]

Their brimful mazers to the feasting bring. Drayton.

Mazily <Xpage=904>

Ma"zi*ly (?) , adv. In a mazy manner.

Maziness <Xpage=904>

Ma"zi*ness , n. The state or quality of being mazy.

Mazological <Xpage=904>

Maz`o*log"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to mazology.

Mazologist <Xpage=904>

Ma*zol"o*gist (?) , n. One versed in mazology or mastology.

Mazology <Xpage=904>

Ma*zol"o*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ the breast + -logy .] Same as Mastology .

Mazourka, Mazurka <Xpage=904>

Ma*zour"ka (?) , Ma*zur"ka (?) , n. A Polish dance, or the music which accompanies it, usually in 3-4 or 3-8 measure, with a strong accent on the second beat.

Mazy <Xpage=904>

Ma"zy (?) , a. [From Maze .] Perplexed with turns and windings; winding; intricate; confusing; perplexing; embarrassing; as, mazy error .

Milton.

To range amid the mazy thicket. Spenser.

To run the ring, and trace the mazy round. Dryden.

Me <Xpage=904>

Me (?) , pron. One. See Men , pron . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Me <Xpage=904>

Me (?) , pers. pron. [AS. m<?/ , dat. & acc., mec , acc. only ; akin to D. mij , G. mich , Icel. & Goth. mik , L. me , Gr. <?/, <?/, Skr. m\'be , m\'bem . <?/. Cf. 2d Mine .] The person speaking, regarded as an object; myself; a pronoun of the first person used as the objective and dative case of the pronoum I; as, he struck me ; he gave me the money, or he gave the money to me ; he got me a hat, or he got a hat for me .

&hand; In methinks , me is properly in the dative case, and the verb is impersonal, the construction being, it appears to me . In early use me was often placed before forms of the verb to be with an adjective; as, me were lief.

Me rather had my heart might frrl your love Than my unpleased eye see your courtesy. Shak.

Meach <Xpage=904>

Meach (?) , v. i. To skulk; to cower. See Mich .

Meacock <Xpage=904>

Mea"cock (?) , n. [Prob. fr. meek + cock .] An uxorious, effeminate, or spiritless man. [Obs.]

Johnson.

Mead <Xpage=904>

Mead (?) , n. [OE. mede , AS. meodo ; akin to D. mede , G. met , meth , OHG. metu , mitu , Icel. mj\'94<?/r , Dan. mi\'94d , Sw. mj\'94d , Russ. med' , Lith. midus , W. medd , Gr. <?/ wine, Skr. madhu honey, a sweet drink, as adj., sweet. <?/. Cf. Metheglin .] 1. A fermented drink made of water and honey with malt, yeast, etc.; metheglin; hydromel.

Chaucer.

2. A drink composed of sirup of sarsaparilla or other flavoring extract, and water. It is sometimes charged with carbonic acid gas. [U. S.]

Mead <Xpage=904>

Mead , n. [AS. m<?/d . See Meadow .] A meadow.

A mede All full of freshe flowers, white and reede. Chaucer.

To fertile vales and dewy meads My weary, wandering steps he leads. Addison.

Meadow <Xpage=904>

Mead"ow (?) , n. [AS. meady ; akin to m<?/d , and to G. matte ; prob. also to E. mow . See Mow to cut (grass), and cf. 2d Mead .] 1. A tract of low or level land producing grass which is mown for hay; any field on which grass is grown for hay.

2. Low land covered with coarse grass or rank herbage near rives and in marshy places by the sea; as, the salt meadows near Newark Bay .

Meadow <Xpage=904>

Mead"ow , a. Of or pertaining to a meadow; of the nature of a meadow; produced, growing, or living in, a meadow. "Fat meadow ground."

Milton.

&hand; For many names of plants compounded with meadow , see the particular word in the Vocabulary.

Meadow beauty . (Bot.) Same as Deergrass . -- Meadow foxtail (Bot.) , a valuable pasture grass ( Alopecurus pratensis ) resembling timothy, but with softer spikes. -- Meadow grass (Bot.) , a name given to several grasses of the genus Poa , common in meadows, and of great value for nay and for pasture. See Grass . -- Meadow hay , a coarse grass, or true sedge, growing in uncultivated swamp or river meadow; -- used as fodder or bedding for cattle, packing for ice, etc. [Local, U. S.] -- Meadow hen . (Zo\'94l.) (a) The American bittern . See Stake-driver . (b) The American coot ( Fulica ). (c) The clapper rail. -- Meadow lark (Zo\'94l.) , any species of Sturnella , a genus of American birds allied to the starlings. The common species ( S. magna ) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. -- Meadow mouse (Zo\'94l.) , any mouse of the genus Arvicola , as the common American species A. riparia ; -- called also field mouse , and field vole . -- Meadow mussel (Zo\'94l.) , an American ribbed mussel ( Modiola plicatula ), very abundant in salt marshes. -- Meadow ore (Min.) , bog-iron ore , a kind of limonite. -- Meadow parsnip . (Bot.) See under Parsnip . -- Meadow pink . (Bot.) See under Pink . -- Meadow pipit (Zo\'94l.) , a small singing bird of the genus Anthus , as A. pratensis , of Europe. -- Meadow rue (Bot.) , a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum , having compound leaves and numerous white flowers. There are many species. -- Meadow saffron . (Bot.) See under Saffron . -- Meadow sage . (Bot.) See under Sage . -- Meadow saxifrage (Bot.) , an umbelliferous plant of Europe ( Silaus pratensis ), somewhat resembling fennel. -- Meadow snipe (Zo\'94l.) , the common or jack snipe.

<page="905"> Page 905

Meadowsweet, Meadowwort <Xpage=905>

Mead"ow*sweet` (?) , Mead"ow*wort` (?) , n. (Bot.) The name of several plants of the genus Spir\'91a , especially the white- or pink-flowered S. salicifolia , a low European and American shrub, and the herbaceous S. Ulmaria , which has fragrant white flowers in compound cymes.

Meadowy <Xpage=905>

Mead"ow*y (?) , a. Of or pertaining to meadows; resembling, or consisting of, meadow.

Meager, Meagre <Xpage=905>

Mea"ger , Mea"gre (?) , a. [OE. merge , F. maigre , L. macer ; akin to D. & G. mager , Icel. magr , and prob. to Gr. <?/ long. Cf. Emaciate , Maigre .]

1. Destitue of, or having little, flesh; lean.

Meager were his looks; Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. Shak.

2. Destitute of richness, fertility, strength, or the like; defective in quantity, or poor in quality; poor; barren; scanty in ideas; wanting strength of diction or affluence of imagery. " Meager soil."

Dryden.

Of secular habits and meager religious belief. I. Taylor.

His education had been but meager . Motley.

3. (Min.) Dry and harsh to the touch, as chalk.

Syn. -- Thin; lean; lank; gaunt; starved; hungry; poor; emaciated; scanty; barren.

Meager, Meagre <Xpage=905>

Mea"ger , Mea"gre , v. t. To make lean. [Obs.]

Meagerly, Meagrely <Xpage=905>

Mea"ger*ly , Mea"gre*ly , adv. Poorly; thinly.

Meagerness, Meagreness <Xpage=905>

Mea"ger*ness , Mea"gre*ness , n. The state or quality of being meager; leanness; scantiness; barrenness.

Meagre <Xpage=905>

Mea"gre (?) , n. [F. maigre .] (Zo\'94l.) A large European sci\'91noid fish ( Sci\'91na umbra or S. aquila ), having white bloodless flesh. It is valued as a food fish. [Written also maigre .]

Meak <Xpage=905>

Meak (?) , n. [Cf. AS. m<?/ce sword, OS. m\'beki , Icel. m\'91kir .] A hook with a long handle. [Obs.]

Tusser.

Meaking <Xpage=905>

Meak"ing , n. [See Meak .] (Naut.) The process of picking out the oakum from the seams of a vessel which is to be recalked.

Meaking iron (Naut.) , the tool with which old oakum is picked out of a vessel's seams.

Meal <Xpage=905>

Meal (?) , n. [OE. mele , AS. m<?/l part, portion, portion of time; akin to E. meal a repast. Cf. Piecemeal .] A part; a fragment; a portion. [Obs.]

Meal <Xpage=905>

Meal , n. [OE. mel ; akin to E. meal a part, and to D. maal time, meal, G. mal time, mahl meal, Icel. m\'bel measure, time, meal, Goth. m<?/l time, and to E. measure . See Measure .] The portion of food taken at a particular time for the satisfaction of appetite; the quantity usually taken at one time with the purpose of satisfying hunger; a repast; the ac<?/ or time of eating a meal; as, the traveler has not eaten a good meal for a week; there was silence during the meal .

What strange fish Hath made his meal on thee ? Shak.

Meal <Xpage=905>

Meal , n. [OE. mele , AS. melu , melo ; akin to D. meel , G. mehl , OHG. melo , Icel. mj\'94l , SW. mj\'94l , Dan. meel , also to D. malen to grind, G. mahlen , OHG., OS., & Goth. malan , Icel. mala , W. malu , L. molere , Gr. <?/ mill, and E. mill . <?/. Cf. Mill , Mold soil, Mole an animal, Immolate , Molar .]

1. Grain (esp. maize, rye, or oats) that is coarsely ground and unbolted; also, a kind of flour made from beans, pease, etc.; sometimes, any flour, esp. if coarse.

2. Any substance that is coarsely pulverized like meal, but not granulated.

Meal beetle (Zo\'94l.) , the adult of the meal worm. See Meal worm , below. -- Meal moth (Zo\'94l.) , a lepidopterous insect ( Asopia farinalis ), the larv\'91 of which feed upon meal, flour, etc. -- Meal worm (Zo\'94l.) , the larva of a beetle ( Tenebrio molitor ) which infests granaries, bakehouses, etc., and is very injurious to flour and meal.

Meal <Xpage=905>

Meal , v. t. 1. To sprinkle with, or as with, meal.

Shak.

2. To pulverize; as, mealed powder .

Mealies <Xpage=905>

Meal"ies (?) , n. pl. [From Mealy .] (Bot.) Maize or Indian corn; -- the common name in South Africa.

Mealiness <Xpage=905>

Meal"i*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being mealy.

Meal-mouthed <Xpage=905>

Meal"-mouthed` (?) , a. See Mealy-mouthed .

Mealtime <Xpage=905>

Meal"time` (?) , n. The usual time of eating a meal.

Mealy <Xpage=905>

Meal"y (?) , a. [ Compar. Mealier (?) ; superl. Mealiest .]

1. Having the qualities of meal; resembling meal; soft, dry, and friable; easily reduced to a condition resembling meal; as, a mealy potato .

2. Overspread with something that resembles meal; as, the mealy wings of an insect .

Shak.

Mealy bug (Zo\'94l.) , a scale insect ( Coccus adonidum , and related species), covered with a white powderlike substance. It is a common pest in hothouses.

Mealy-mouthed <Xpage=905>

Meal"y-mouthed` (?) , a. Using soft words; plausible; affectedly or timidly delicate of speech; unwilling to tell the truth in plain language. " Mealy-mouthed philanthropies."

Tennyson.

She was a fool to be mealy-mouthed where nature speaks so plain. L'Estrange.

-- Meal"y-mouth`ness (#) , n.

Mean <Xpage=905>

Mean (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Meant (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Meaning .] [OE. menen , AS. m&aemac;nan to recite, tell, intend, wish; akin to OS. m&emac;nian to have in mind, mean, D. meenen , G. meinen , OHG. meinan , Icel. meina , Sw. mena , Dan. mene , and to E. mind . <?/. See Mind , and cf. Moan .] 1. To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do ?

What mean ye by this service ? Ex. xii. 26.

Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good. Gen. 1. 20.

I am not a Spaniard To say that it is yours and not to mean it. Longfellow.

2. To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.

What mean these seven ewe lambs ? Gen. xxi. 29.

Go ye, and learn what that me<?/neth . Matt. ix. 13.

Mean <Xpage=905>

Mean , v. i. To have a purpose or intention. [Rare, except in the phrase to mean well, or ill.]

Shak.

Mean <Xpage=905>

Mean (?) , a. [ Compar. Meaner (?) ; superl. Meanest .] [OE. mene , AS. m<?/ne wicked; akin to m\'ben , a., wicked, n., wickedness, OS. m<?/n wickedness, OHG. mein , G. meineid perjury, Icel. mein harm, hurt, and perh. to AS. gem<?/ne common, general, D. gemeen , G. gemein , Goth. gam\'a0ins , and L. communis . The AS. gem<?/ne prob. influenced the meaning.]

1. Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble. "Of mean parentage."

Sir P. Sidney.

The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself. Is. ii. 9.

2. Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive .

Can you imagine I so mean could prove, To save my life by changing of my love ? Dryden.

3. Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.

The Roman legions and great C\'91sar found Our fathers no mean foes. J. Philips.

4. Of poor quality; as, mean fare .

5. Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality .

&hand; Mean is sometimes used in the formation of compounds, the sense of which is obvious without explanation; as, mean born, mean -looking, etc.

Syn. -- Base; ignoble; abject; beggarly; wretched; degraded; degenerate; vulgar; vile; servile; menial; spiritless; groveling; slavish; dishonorable; disgraceful; shameful; despicable; contemptible; paltry; sordid. See Base .

Mean <Xpage=905>

Mean , a. [OE. mene , OF. meiien , F. moyen , fr. L. medianus that is in the middle, fr. medius ; akin to E. mid . See Mid .] 1. Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.

Being of middle age and a mean stature. Sir. P. Sidney.

2. Intermediate in excellence of any kind.

According to the fittest style of lofty, mean , or lowly. Milton.

3. (Math.) Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.

Mean distance (of a planet from the sun) (Astron.) , the average of the distances throughout one revolution of the planet, equivalent to the semi-major axis of the orbit. -- Mean error (Math. Phys.) , the average error of a number of observations found by taking the mean value of the positive and negative errors without regard to sign. -- Mean-square error , &or; Error of the mean square (Math. Phys.) , the error the square of which is the mean of the squares of all the errors; -- called also, especially by European writers, mean error . -- Mean line . (Crystallog.) Same as Bisectrix . -- Mean noon , noon as determined by mean time. -- Mean proportional (between two numbers) (Math.) , the square root of their product. -- Mean sun , a fictitious sun supposed to move uniformly in the equator so as to be on the meridian each day at mean noon. -- Mean time , time as measured by an equable motion, as of a perfect clock, or as reckoned on the supposition that all the days of the year are of a mean or uniform length, in contradistinction from apparent time, or that actually indicated by the sun, and from sidereal time, or that measured by the stars.

Mean <Xpage=905>

Mean , n. 1. That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.

But to speak in a mean , the virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude. Bacon.

There is a mean in all things. Dryden.

The extremes we have mentioned, between which the wellinstracted Christian holds the mean , are correlatives. I. Taylor.

2. (Math.) A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean . A geometrical mean is the square root of the product of the quantities.