Chapter 969

-- To make merry , to be jovial; to indulge in hilarity; to feast with mirth. Judg. ix. 27 .

Syn. -- Cheerful; blithe; lively; sprightly; vivacious; gleeful; joyous; mirthful; jocund; sportive; hilarious.

Merry <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry (?) , n. (Bot.) A kind of wild red cherry.

Merry-andrew <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry-an"drew (?) , n. One whose business is to make sport for others; a buffoon; a zany; especially, one who attends a mountebank or quack doctor.

&hand; This term is said to have originated from one Andrew Borde, an English physician of the 16th century, who gained patients by facetious speeches to the multitude.

Merry-go-round <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry-go`-round" (?) , n. Any revolving contrivance for affording amusement; esp., a ring of flying hobbyhorses.

Merrymake <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*make` (?) , n. Mirth; frolic; a meeting for mirth; a festival. [Written also merrimake .]

Merrymake <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*make` , v. i. To make merry; to be jolly; to feast. [Written also merrimake .]

Merrymaker <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*mak`er (?) , n. One who makes merriment or indulges in conviviality; a jovial comrade.

Merrymaking <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*mak`ing (?) , a. Making or producing mirth; convivial; jolly.

Merrymaking <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*mak`ing , n. The act of making merry; conviviality; merriment; jollity.

Wordsworth.

Merrymeeting <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*meet`ing (?) , n. A meeting for mirth.

Merrythought <Xpage=915>

Mer"ry*thought` (?) , n. The forked bone of a fowl's breast; -- called also wishbone . See Furculum .

&hand; It is a sportive custom for two persons to break this bone by pulling the ends apart to see who will get the longer piece, the securing of which is regarded as a lucky omen, signifying that the person holding it will obtain the gratification of some secret wish.

Mersion <Xpage=915>

Mer"sion (?) , n. [L. mersio . See Merge .] Immersion [R.]

Barrow.

Merulidan <Xpage=915>

Me*ru"li*dan (?) , n. [L. merula , merulus , blackbird. See Merle .] (Zo\'94l.) A bird of the Thrush family.

Merus <Xpage=915>

Me"rus (?) , n. [NL.] (Arch.) See Meros .

Mervaille <Xpage=915>

Mer"vaille` (?) , n. Marvel. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mes- <Xpage=915>

Mes- (?) . See Meso- .

Mesa <Xpage=915>

Me"sa (?) , <?/. [Sp.] A high tableland; a plateau on a hill. [Southwestern U.S.]

Bartlett.

Mesaconate <Xpage=915>

Mes*ac"o*nate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of mesaconic acid.

Mesaconic <Xpage=915>

Mes`a*con"ic (?) , a. [ Mes- + -aconic , as in citraconic .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, one of several isomeric acids obtained from citric acid.

Mesad <Xpage=915>

Mes"ad (?) , adv. Same as Mesiad .

Mesal <Xpage=915>

Mes"al (?) , a. Same as Mesial .

M\'82salliance <Xpage=915>

M\'82`sal`li`ance" (?) , n. [F.] A marriage with a person of inferior social position; a misalliance.

Mesally <Xpage=915>

Mes"al*ly (?) , adv. Same as Mesially .

Mesam</boid <Xpage=915>

Mes`a*m<?/"boid (?) , n. [ Mes- + am<?/boid .] (Biol.) One of a class of independent, isolated cells found in the mesoderm, while the germ layers are undergoing differentiation.

Mesaraic <Xpage=915>

Mes`a*ra"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ mesentery; <?/ middle + <?/ flank.] (Anat.) Mesenteric.

Mesaticephalic <Xpage=915>

Mes`a*ti*ce*phal"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ midmost + E. cephalic .] (Anat.) Having the ratio of the length to the breadth of the cranium a medium one; neither brachycephalic nor dolichocephalic.

Mesaticephalous <Xpage=915>

Mes`a*ti*ceph"a*lous (?) , a. (Anat.) Mesaticephalic.

Mescal <Xpage=915>

Mes*cal" (?) , n. [Sp.] A distilled liquor prepared in Mexico from a species of agave. See Agave .

Mesdames <Xpage=915>

Mes`dames" (F. ?, E. ?) , n. , pl. of Madame and Madam .

Meseems <Xpage=915>

Me*seems" (?) , v. impers. [ imp. Meseemed (?) .] It seems to me. [Poetic]

Mesel <Xpage=915>

Me"sel (?) , n. [See Measle .] A leper. [Obs.]

Meselry <Xpage=915>

Me"sel*ry (?) , n. Leprosy. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mesembryanthemum <Xpage=915>

Me*sem`bry*an"the*mum (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ midday + <?/ flower.] (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous or suffruticose plants, chiefly natives of South Africa. The leaves are opposite, thick, and f<?/eshy. The flowers usually open about midday, whence the name.

Mesencephalic <Xpage=915>

Mes`en*ce*phal"ic (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the mesencephalon or midbrain.

Mesencephalon <Xpage=915>

Mes`en*ceph"a*lon (?) , n. [NL. See Meso- and Encephalon .] (Anat.) The middle segment of the brain; the midbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to mesen . See Brain .

Mesenchyma <Xpage=915>

Mes*en"chy*ma (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ middle + -enchyma , as in E. parenchyma .] (Biol.) The part of the mesoblast which gives rise to the connective tissues and blood.

Mesenteric <Xpage=915>

Mes`en*ter"ic (?) , a. [Cf. F. m\'82sent\'82rique .] (Anat.) Pertaining to a mesentery; mesaraic.

Mesenteron <Xpage=915>

Mes*en"te*ron (?) , n. [NL. See Meso- , and Enteron .] (Anat.) All that part of the alimentary canal which is developed from the primitive enteron and is lined with hypoblast. It is distinguished from the stomod<?/um , a part at the anterior end of the canal, including the cavity of the mouth, and the proctod<?/um , a part at the posterior end, which are formed by invagination and are lined with epiblast.

Mesentery <Xpage=915>

Mes"en*ter*y (?; 277) , n. [Gr. <?/, <?/ + <?/ intestine: cf. F. m\'82sent\'8are .]

1. (Anat.) The membranes, or one of the membranes (consisting of a fold of the peritoneum and inclosed tissues), which connect the intestines and their appendages with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity. The mesentery proper is connected with the jejunum and ilium, the other mesenteries being called mesoc<?/cum , mesocolon , mesorectum , etc.

2. (Zo\'94l.) One of the vertical muscular radiating partitions which divide the body cavity of Anthozoa into chambers.

Meseraic <Xpage=915>

Mes`e*ra"ic (?) , a. (Anat.) Mesaraic.

Mesethmoid <Xpage=915>

Mes*eth"moid (?) , a. [ Mes- + ethmoid .] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the middle of the ethmoid region or ethmoid bone. -- n. (Anat.) The median vertical plate, or median element, of the ethmoid bone.

Mesh <Xpage=915>

Mesh (?) , n. [AS. masc , max , m<?/scre ; akin to D. maas , masche , OHG. masca , Icel. m\'94skvi ; cf. Lith. mazgas a knot, megsti to weave nets, to knot.] 1. The opening or space inclosed by the threads of a net between knot and knot, or the threads inclosing such a space; network; a net.

A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men. Shak.

2. (Gearing) The engagement of the teeth of wheels, or of a wheel and rack.

Mesh stick , a stick on which the mesh is formed in netting.

Mesh <Xpage=915>

Mesh , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Meshed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Meshing .] To catch in a mesh.

Surrey.

Mesh <Xpage=915>

Mesh , v. i. (Gearing) To engage with each other, as the teeth of wheels.

Meshed <Xpage=915>

Meshed (?) , a. Mashed; brewed. [Obs.]

Shak.

Meshy <Xpage=915>

Mesh"y (?) , a. Formed with meshes; netted.

Mesiad <Xpage=915>

Mes"i*ad (?) , adv. [Gr. <?/ middle + L. ad to.] (Anat.) Toward, or on the side toward, the mesial plane; mesially; -- opposed to laterad .

Mesial <Xpage=915>

Me"sial (?; 277) , a. [Gr. <?/ middle.] (Anat.) Middle; median; in, or in the region of, the mesial plane; internal; -- opposed to lateral .

Mesial plane . (Anat.) See Meson .

Mesially <Xpage=915>

Me"sial*ly , adv. (Anat.) In, near, or toward, the mesial plane; mesiad.

Mesityl <Xpage=915>

Mes"i*tyl (?) , n. (Chem.) A hypothetical radical formerly supposed to exist in mesityl oxide.

Mesityl oxide (Chem.) , a volatile liquid having the odor of peppermint, obtained by certain dehydrating agents from acetone; -- formerly called also dumasin .

Mesitylenate <Xpage=915>

Me*sit"y*le*nate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of mesitylenic acid.

Mesitylene <Xpage=915>

Me*sit"y*lene (?) , n. (Chem.) A colorless, fragrant liquid, C6H3(CH3)3 , of the benzene series of hydrocarbons, obtained by distilling acetone with sulphuric acid. -- Me*sit`y*len"ic (#) , a.

Mesitylol <Xpage=915>

Me*sit"y*lol (?) , n. [ Mesityl ene + -ol .] (Chem.) A crystalline substance obtained from mesitylene.

Meslin <Xpage=915>

Mes"lin (? &or; ?) , n. See Maslin .

Mesmeree <Xpage=915>

Mes`mer*ee" (?) , n. A person subjected to mesmeric influence; one who is mesmerized. [R.]

Mesmeric, Mesmerical <Xpage=915>

Mes*mer"ic (?) , Mes*mer"ic*al (?) , a. [Cf. F. mesm\'82rique .] Of, pertaining to, or induced by, mesmerism; as, mesmeric sleep .

Mesmerism <Xpage=915>

Mes"mer*ism (?) , n. [From Mesmer , who first brought it into notice at Vienna, about 1775: cf. F. mesm\'82risme .] The art of inducing an extraordinary or abnormal state of the nervous system, in which the actor claims to control the actions, and communicate directly with the mind, of the recipient. See Animal magnetism , under Magnetism .

Mesmerist <Xpage=915>

Mes"mer*ist , n. One who practices, or believes in, mesmerism.

Mesmerization <Xpage=915>

Mes`mer*i*za"tion (?) , n. The act of mesmerizing; the state of being mesmerized.

Mesmerize <Xpage=915>

Mes"mer*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mesmerized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mesmerizing (?) .] To bring into a state of mesmeric sleep.

Mesmerizer <Xpage=915>

Mes"mer*i`zer (?) , n. One who mesmerizes.

Mesne <Xpage=915>

Mesne (?) , a. [Cf. Mean intermediate.] (Law) Middle; intervening; as, a mesne lord, that is, a lord who holds land of a superior, but grants a part of it to another person, in which case he is a tenant to the superior, but lord or superior to the second grantee, and hence is called the mesne lord .

Mesne process , intermediate process; process intervening between the beginning and end of a suit, sometimes understood to be the whole process preceding the execution.

Blackstone. Burrill.

-- Mesne profits , profits of premises during the time the owner has been wrongfully kept out of the possession of his estate.

Burrill.

Meso-, Mes- <Xpage=915>

Mes"o- (?) , Mes- (?) . [Gr. <?/ in the middle.] A combining form denoting in the middle , intermediate ; specif. (Chem.) , denoting a type of hydrocarbons which are regarded as methenyl derivatives . Also used adjectively. <-- in Chem., now used differently, for optical isomers -->

Mesoarium <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*a"ri*um (?) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/ middle + <?/, dim. of <?/ an egg.] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum which suspends the ovary from the dorsal wall of the body cavity. <-- = now mesovarium. Entry under mesovarium is not cross-referenced to this entry. ??? -->

Mesoblast <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*blast (?) , n. [ Meso- + -blast .] (Biol.) (a) The mesoderm. (b) The cell nucleus; mesoplast.

Mesoblastic <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*blas"tic (?) , a. (Biol.) Relating to the mesoblast; as, the mesoblastic layer .

Mesobranchial <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*bran"chi*al (?) , a. [ Meso- + branchial .] (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to a region of the carapace of a crab covering the middle branchial region.

Mesobronchium <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*bron"chi*um (?) , n. ; pl. Mesobronchia (#) . [NL. See Meso- , and Bronchia .] (Anat.) The main bronchus of each lung.

Mesoc\'91cum <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*c\'91"cum (?) , n. (Anat.) [NL. See Meso- , and C\'91cum .] The fold of peritoneum attached to the c\'91cum. -- Mes`o*c\'91"cal (#) , a.

Mesocarp <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*carp (?) , n. [ Meso- + Gr. <?/ fruit.] (Bot.) The middle layer of a pericarp which consists of three distinct or dissimilar layers.

Gray.

Mesocephalic <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*ce*phal"ic (?) , a. [ Meso- + cephalic .] (Anat.) (a) Of or pertaining to, or in the region of, the middle of the head; as, the mesocephalic flexure . (b) Having the cranial cavity of medium capacity; neither megacephalic nor microcephalic. (c) Having the ratio of the length to the breadth of the cranium a medium one; mesaticephalic.

Mesocephalon <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*ceph"a*lon (?) , n. [NL. See Meso- , and Cephalon .] (Anat.) The pons Varolii.

Mesocephalous <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*ceph"a*lous (?) , a. (Anat.) Mesocephalic.

Mesoc\'d2le, Mesoc\'d2lia <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*c\'d2"le (?) , Mes`o*c\'d2"li*a (?) , n. [NL. mesocoelia . See Meso- , and C\'d2lia .] (Anat.) The cavity of the mesencephalon; the iter.

Mesocolon <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*co"lon (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/; <?/ middle + <?/ the colon : cf. F. m\'82soc\'93lon .] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum, or mesentery, attached to the colon. -- Mes`o*col"ic (#) , a.

Mesocoracoid <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*cor"a*coid (?) , n. [ Meso- + coracoid .] (Anat.) A process from the middle of the coracoid in some animals.

Mesocuneiform, Mesocuniform <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*cu*ne"i*form (?) , Mes`o*cu"ni*form (?) , n. [ Meso- + cuneiform , cuniform .] (Anat.) One of the bones of the tarsus. See 2d Cuneiform .

Mesoderm <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*derm (?) , n. [ Meso- + Gr. <?/ skin.] (Biol.) (a) The layer of the blastoderm, between the ectoderm and endoderm; mesoblast. See Illust . of Blastoderm and Ectoderm . (b) The middle body layer in some invertebrates. (c) The middle layer of tissue in some vegetable structures.

Mesodermal <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*der"mal (?) , a. (Biol.) Pertaining to, or derived from, the mesoderm; as, mesodermal tissues .

Mesodermic <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*der"mic (?) , a. Same as Mesodermal .

Mesodont <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*dont (?) , a. [ Meso- + Gr. <?/, <?/, a tooth.] (Anat.) Having teeth of moderate size.

Mesogaster <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*gas"ter (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ middle + <?/ belly.] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum connecting the stomach with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity; the mesogastrium.

Mesogastric <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*gas"tric (?) , a. [ Meso- + gastric .]

1. (Anat.) (a) Of or pertaining to the middle region of the abdomen, or of the stomach. (b) Of or pertaining to the mesogaster.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the middle gastric lobe of the carapace of a crab.

Mesogastrium <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*gas"tri*um (?) , n. [NL. See Mesogaster .] (Anat.) (a) The umbilical region. (b) The mesogaster.

Mesogl</a <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*gl<?/"a (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ middle + <?/ a glutinous substance.] (Zo\'94l.) A thin gelatinous tissue separating the ectoderm and endoderm in certain c\'d2lenterates. -- Mes`o*gl<?/"al (#) , a.

Mesognathous <Xpage=915>

Me*sog"na*thous (?) , a. [ Meso- + Gr. <?/ jaw.] (Anat.) Having the jaws slightly projecting; between prognathous and orthognathous. See Gnathic index , under Gnathic .

Mesohepar <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*he"par (?) , n. [NL. See Meso- , and Hepar .] (Anat.) A fold of the peritoneum connecting the liver with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity.

Mesohippus <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*hip"pus (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ middle + <?/ a horse.] (Paleon.) An extinct mammal of the Horse family, but not larger than a sheep, and having three toes on each foot.

Mesolabe <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*labe (?) , n. [L. mesolabium , Gr. <?/; <?/ middle + <?/ to take.] An instrument of the ancients for finding two mean proportionals between two given lines, required in solving the problem of the duplication of the cube.

Brande & C.

Mesole <Xpage=915>

Mes"ole (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ middle.] (Min.) Same as Thomsonite .

Mesolite <Xpage=915>

Mes"o*lite (?; 277) , n. [ Meso- + -lite .] (Min.) A zeolitic mineral, grayish white or yellowish, occuring in delicate groups of crystals, also fibrous massive. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina, lime, and soda.

Mesologarithm <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*log"a*rithm (?) , n. [ Meso- + logarithm : cf. F. m\'82sologarithme .] (Math.) A logarithm of the cosine or cotangent. [Obs.]

Kepler. Hutton.

Mesometrium <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*me"tri*um (?) , n. [NL. See Meso- , and Metrium .] (Anat.) The fold of the peritoneum supporting the oviduct.

Mesomyodian <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*my*o"di*an (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A bird having a mesomyodous larynx.

Mesomyodous <Xpage=915>

Mes`o*my"o*dous (?) , a. [ Meso- + Gr. <?/, <?/, a muscle.] (Zo\'94l.) Having the intrinsic muscles of the larynx attached to the middle of the semirings.

Meson <Xpage=915>