Chapter 972

Met`a*mor"phose (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Metamorphosed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Metamorphosing .] [Cf. F. m\'82tamorphoser .] To change into a different form; to transform; to transmute.

And earth was metamorphosed into man. Dryden.

Metamorphose <Xpage=917>

Met`a*mor"phose (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82tamorphose . See Metamorphosis .] Same as Metamorphosis .

Metamorphoser <Xpage=917>

Met`a*mor"pho*ser (?) , n. One who metamorphoses. [R.]

Gascoigne.

Metamorphosic <Xpage=917>

Met`a*mor"pho*sic (?) , a. Changing the form; transforming. [R.]

Pownall.

Metamorphosis <Xpage=917>

Met`a*mor"pho*sis (?) , n. ; pl. Metamorphoses (#) . [L., fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to be transformed; <?/ beyond, over + <?/ form.]

1. Change of form, or structure; transformation.

2. (Biol.) A change in the form or function of a living organism, by a natural process of growth or development; as, the metamorphosis of the yolk into the embryo, of a tadpole into a frog, or of a bud into a blossom . Especially, that form of sexual reproduction in which an embryo undergoes a series of marked changes of external form, as the chrysalis stage, pupa stage, etc., in insects. In these intermediate stages sexual reproduction is usually impossible, but they ultimately pass into final and sexually developed forms, from the union of which organisms are produced which pass through the same cycle of changes. See Transformation .

3. (Physiol.) The change of material of one kind into another through the agency of the living organism; metabolism.

Vegetable metamorphosis (Bot.) , the doctrine that flowers are homologous with leaf buds, and that the floral organs are transformed leaves.

Metanauplius <Xpage=917>

Met`a*nau"pli*us (?) , n. [NL. See Meta- , and Nauplius .] (Zo\'94l.) A larval crustacean in a stage following the nauplius, and having about seven pairs of appendages.

Metanephritic <Xpage=917>

Met`a*ne*phrit"ic (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the metanephros.

Metanephros <Xpage=917>

Met`a*neph"ros (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ behind + <?/ kidney.] (Anat.) The most posterior of the three pairs of embryonic renal organs developed in many vertebrates.

Metanotum <Xpage=917>

Met`a*no"tum (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ behind + <?/ back.] (Zo\'94l.) The dorsal portion of the metaphorax of insects.

Metantimonate <Xpage=917>

Met`an*ti*mo"nate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metantimonic acid.

Metantimonic <Xpage=917>

Met`an*ti*mon"ic (?) , a. [Pref. met- + antimonic .] (Chem.) (a) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid (formerly called antimonic acid ) analogous to metaphosphoric acid, and obtained as a white amorphous insoluble substance, ( HSbO3 ). (b) Formerly, designating an acid, which is now properly called pyroantimonic acid , and analogous to pyrophosphoric acid .

Metapectic <Xpage=917>

Met`a*pec"tic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + pectic .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a supposed acid obtained from pectin.

Metapectin <Xpage=917>

Met`a*pec"tin (?) , n. (Chem.) A substance obtained from, and resembling, pectin, and occurring in overripe fruits.

Metapeptone <Xpage=917>

Met`a*pep"tone (?) , n. [Pref. meta- + peptone .] (Physiol. Chem.) An intermediate product formed in the gastric digestion of albuminous matter.

Metaphor <Xpage=917>

Met"a*phor (?) , n. [F. m\'82taphore , L. metaphora , fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to carry over, transfer; meta` beyond, over + fe`rein to bring, bear.] (Rhet.) The transference of the relation between one set of objects to another set for the purpose of brief explanation; a compressed simile; e. g. , the ship plows the sea. Abbott & Seeley . "All the world's a stage."

Shak.

&hand; The statement, "that man is a fox," is a metaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a simile, similitude, or comparison.

Metaphoric, Metaphorical <Xpage=917>

Met`a*phor"ic (?) , Met`a*phor"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. m\'82taphorique .] Of or pertaining to metaphor; comprising a metaphor; not literal; figurative; tropical; as, a metaphorical expression; a metaphorical sense. -- Met`a*phor"ic*al*ly , adv. -- Met`a*phor"ic*al*ness , n.

Metaphorist <Xpage=917>

Met"a*phor*ist (?) , n. One who makes metaphors.

Metaphosphate <Xpage=917>

Met`a*phos"phate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metaphosphoric acid.

Metaphosphoric <Xpage=917>

Met`a*phos*phor"ic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + phosphoric .] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a monobasic acid, HPO3 , analogous to nitric acid, and, by heating phosphoric acid, obtained as a crystalline substance, commonly called glacial phosphoric acid .

Metaphrase <Xpage=917>

Met"a*phrase (?) , n. [Gr. meta`frasis , from metafrazein to paraphrase; meta` beyond, over + fra`zein to speak: cf. F. m\'82taphrase .] 1. A verbal translation; a version or translation from one language into another, word for word; -- opposed to paraphrase .

Dryden.

2. An answering phrase; repartee.

Mrs. Browning.

<page="918"> Page 918

Metaphrased <Xpage=918>

Met"a*phrased (?) , a. Translated literally.

Metaphrasis <Xpage=918>

Me*taph"ra*sis (?) , n. [NL. See Metaphrase .] Metaphrase.

Metaphrast <Xpage=918>

Met"a*phrast (?) , n. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. m\'82taphraste .] A literal translator.

Metaphrastic, Metaphrastical <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phras"tic (?) , Met`a*phras"tic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/.] Close, or literal.

Metaphysic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phys"ic (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82taphysique .] See Metaphysics .

Metaphysic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phys"ic , a. Metaphysical.

Metaphysical <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phys"ic*al (?) , a. [Cf. F. m\'82taphysique . See Metaphysics .] 1. Of or pertaining to metaphysics.

2. According to rules or principles of metaphysics; as, metaphysical reasoning .

3. Preternatural or supernatural. [Obs.]

The golden round *Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. Shak.

Metaphysically <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phys"ic*al*ly , adv. In the manner of metaphysical science, or of a metaphysician.

South.

Metaphysician <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phy*si"cian (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82taphysicien .] One who is versed in metaphysics.

Metaphysics <Xpage=918>

Met`a*phys"ics (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ <?/ <?/ after those things which relate to external nature, after physics, fr. <?/ beyond, after + <?/ relating to external nature, natural, physical, fr. <?/ nature: cf. F. m\'82taphysique . See Physics . The term was first used by the followers of Aristotle as a name for that part of his writings which came after , or followed, the part which treated of physics .] 1. The science of real as distinguished from phenomenal being; ontology; also, the science of being, with reference to its abstract and universal conditions, as distinguished from the science of determined or concrete being; the science of the conceptions and relations which are necessarily implied as true of every kind of being; phylosophy in general; first principles, or the science of first principles.

&hand; Metaphysics is distinguished as general and special . General metaphysics is the science of all being as being. Special metaphysics is the science of one kind of being; as, the metaphysics of chemistry, of morals, or of politics. According to Kant, a systematic exposition of those notions and truths, the knowledge of which is altogether independent of experience, would constitute the science of metaphysics.

Commonly, in the schools, called metaphysics , as being part of the philosophy of Aristotle, which hath that for title; but it is in another sense: for there it signifieth as much as "books written or placed after his natural philosophy." But the schools take them for "books of supernatural philosophy;" for the word metaphysic will bear both these senses. Hobbes.

Now the science conversant about all such inferences of unknown being from its known manifestations, is called ontology, or metaphysics proper. Sir W. Hamilton.

Metaphysics are [is] the science which determines what can and what can not be known of being, and the laws of being, a priori. Coleridge.

2. Hence: The scientific knowledge of mental phenomena; mental philosophy; psychology.

Metaphysics , in whatever latitude the term be taken, is a science or complement of sciences exclusively occupied with mind. Sir W. Hamilton.

Whether, after all, A larger metaphysics might not help Our physics. Mrs. Browning.

Metaphysis <Xpage=918>

Me*taph"y*sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ after + <?/ nature.] Change of form; transformation.

Metaplasm <Xpage=918>

Met"a*plasm (?) , n. [L. metaplasmus , Gr. <?/; <?/ beyond, over + <?/ to mold: cf. F. m\'82taplasme .] (Gram.) A change in the letters or syllables of a word.

Metaplast <Xpage=918>

Met"a*plast (?) , n. [See Metaplasm .] (Gram.) A word having more than one form of the root.

Metapode <Xpage=918>

Met"a*pode (?) , n. [NL. metapodium , from Gr. <?/ behind + <?/, dim. of <?/, <?/, foot.] (Zo\'94l.) The posterior division of the foot in the Gastropoda and Pteropoda.

Metapodial <Xpage=918>

Met`a*po"di*al (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the metapodialia, or to the parts of the limbs to which they belong.

Metapodiale <Xpage=918>

Met`a*po`di*a"le (?) , n. ; pl. Metapodialia (#) . [NL. See Metapode .] (Anat.) One of the bones of either the metacarpus or metatarsus.

Metapodium <Xpage=918>

Met`a*po"di*um (?) , n. ; pl. Metapodia (#) . [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) Same as Metapode .

Metapophysis <Xpage=918>

Met`a*poph"y*sis (?) , n. ; pl. Metapophyses (#) . [NL. See Meta- , and Apophysis .] (Anat.) A tubercle projecting from the anterior articular processes of some vertebr&ae;; a mammillary process.

Metapterygium <Xpage=918>

Me*tap`te*ryg"i*um (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ after + <?/ fin.] (Anat.) The posterior of the three principal basal cartilages in the fins of fishes. -- Me*tap`ter*yg"i*al (#) , a.

Metasilicate <Xpage=918>

Met`a*sil"i*cate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metasilicic acid.

Metasilicic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*si*lic"ic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + silicic .] (Chem.) Designating an acid derived from silicic acid by the removal of water; of or pertaining to such an acid.

&hand; The salts of metasilicic acid are often called bisilicates , in mineralogy, as Wollastonite ( CaSiO3 ).

Metasilicic acid (Chem.) , a gelatinous substance, or white amorphous powder, analogous to carbonic acid, and forming many stable salts.

Metasomatism <Xpage=918>

Met`a*so"ma*tism (?) , n. [Pref. meta- + Gr. <?/, <?/, body.] (Geol.) An alteration in a mineral or rock mass when involving a chemical change of the substance, as of chrysolite to serpentine; -- opposed to ordinary metamorphism , as implying simply a recrystallization. -- Met`a*so*mat"ic (#) , a.

Metasome <Xpage=918>

Met"a*some (?) , n. [Pref. meta- + -some body.] (Zo\'94l.) One of the component segments of the body of an animal.

Metastannate <Xpage=918>

Met`a*stan"nate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metastannic acid.

Metastannic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*stan"nic (?) , a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a compound of tin (metastannic acid), obtained, as an isomeric modification of stannic acid, in the form of a white amorphous substance.

Metastasis <Xpage=918>

Me*tas"ta*sis (?) , n. ; pl. Metastases (#) . [L., transition, fr. Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to place in another way; <?/ after + <?/ to place.]

1. (Theol.) A spiritual change, as during baptism.

2. (Med.) A change in the location of a disease, as from one part to another.

Dunglison.

3. (Physiol.) The act or process by which matter is taken up by cells or tissues and is transformed into other matter; in plants, the act or process by which are produced all of those chemical changes in the constituents of the plant which are not accompanied by a production of organic matter; metabolism.

Metastatic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*stat"ic (?) , a. Of, pertaining to, or caused by, metastasis; as, a metastatic abscess; the metastatic processes of growth.

Metasternal <Xpage=918>

Met`a*ster"nal (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the metasternum.

Metasternum <Xpage=918>

Met`a*ster"num (?) , n. [Pref. meta- + sternum .] 1. (Anat.) The most posterior element of the sternum; the ensiform process; xiphisternum.

2. (Zo\'94l.) The ventral plate of the third or last segment of the thorax of insects.

Metastoma, Metastome <Xpage=918>

Me*tas"to*ma (?) , Met"a*stome (?) , n. [NL. metastoma , from Gr. meta` behind + sto`ma mouth.] (Zo\'94l.) A median elevation behind the mouth in the arthropods.

Metatarsal <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tar"sal (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the metatarsus. -- n. A metatarsal bone.

Metatarse <Xpage=918>

Met"a*tarse (?) , n. (Anat.) Metatarsus.

Metatarsus <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tar"sus (?) , n. ; pl. Metatarsi (#) . [NL. See Meta- , and Tarsus .] (Anat.) That part of the skeleton of the hind or lower limb between the tarsus and phalanges; metatarse. It consists, in the human foot, of five bones. See Illustration in Appendix.

Metathesis <Xpage=918>

Me*tath"e*sis (?) , n. ; pl. Metatheses (<?/) . [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis , fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis .] 1. (Gram.) Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis ; meagre for meager .

2. (Med.) A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.

3. (Chem.) The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt.

Metathetic, Metathetical <Xpage=918>

Met`a*thet"ic (?) , Met`a*thet"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to metathesis.

Metathoracic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tho*rac"ic (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the metathorax.

Metathorax <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tho"rax (?) , n. [NL.: cf. F. m\'82tathorax . See Meta- , and Thorax .] (Zo\'94l.) The last or posterior segment of the thorax in insects. See Illust . of Coleoptera .

Metatitanic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*ti*tan"ic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + titanic .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid of titanium analogous to metasilicic acid.

Metatungstate <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tung"state (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metatungstic acid.

Metatungstic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*tung"stic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + tungstic .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid known only in its salts (the metatungstates ) and properly called polytungstic , or pyrotungstic , acid.

Metavanadate <Xpage=918>

Met`a*van"a*date (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of metavanadic acid.

Metavanadic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*va*nad"ic (?) , a. [Pref. meta- + vanadic .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a vanadic acid analogous to metaphosphoric acid.

Metaxylene <Xpage=918>

Met`a*xy"lene (?) , n. [Pref. meta- + xylene .] (Chem.) That variety of xylene, or dimethyl benzene, in which the two methyl groups occupy the meta position with reference to each other. It is a colorless inf<?/ammable liquid.

M\'82tayage <Xpage=918>

M\'82`ta`yage" (?) , n. [F. See M\'82tayer .] A system of farming on halves. [France & Italy]

M\'82tayer <Xpage=918>

M\'82`ta`yer" (F. ?; E. ?) , n. [F., fr. LL. medietarius , fr. L. medius middle, half. See Mid , a. ] One who cultivates land for a share (usually one half) of its yield, receiving stock, tools, and seed from the landlord. [France & Italy]

Milman.

Metazoa <Xpage=918>

Met`a*zo"a (?) , n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ after + <?/ an animal.] (Zo\'94l.) Those animals in which the protoplasmic mass, constituting the egg, is converted into a multitude of cells, which are metamorphosed into the tissues of the body. A central cavity is commonly developed, and the cells around it are at first arranged in two layers, -- the ectoderm and endoderm . The group comprises nearly all animals except the Protozoa.

Metazoan <Xpage=918>

Met`a*zo"an (?) , n. ; pl. Metazoans (<?/) . (Zo\'94l.) One of the Metazoa.

Metazoic <Xpage=918>

Met`a*zo"ic (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to the Metazoa.

Metazo\'94n <Xpage=918>

Met`a*zo"\'94n (?) , n. [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) One of the Metazoa.

Mete <Xpage=918>

Mete (?) , n. Meat. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mete <Xpage=918>

Mete , v. t. & i. To meet. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mete <Xpage=918>

Mete , v. i. & t. [ imp. Mette (?) ; p. p. Met .] [AS. m<?/tan .] To dream; also impersonally; as, me mette , I dreamed . [Obs.] "I mette of him all night."

Chaucer.

Mete <Xpage=918>