Chapter 973

Mete (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Meted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Meting .] [AS. metan ; akin to D. meten , G. messen , OHG. mezzan , Icel. meta , Sw. m\'84ta , Goth. mitan , L. modus measure, moderation, modius a corn measure, Gr. <?/ to rule, <?/ a corn measure, and ultimately from the same root as E. measure , L. metiri to measure; cf. Skr. m\'be to measure. &root;99. Cf. Measure , Meet , a. , Mode .] To find the quantity, dimensions, or capacity of, by any rule or standard; to measure.

Mete <Xpage=918>

Mete (?) , v. i. To measure. [Obs.]

Mark iv. 24.

Mete <Xpage=918>

Mete , n. [AS. met . See Mete to measure.] Measure; limit; boundary; -- used chiefly in the plural, and in the phrase metes and bounds .

Metecorn <Xpage=918>

Mete"corn` (?) , n. A quantity of corn formerly given by the lord to his customary tenants, as an encouragement to, or reward for, labor and faithful service.

Metely <Xpage=918>

Mete"ly , a. According to measure or proportion; proportionable; proportionate. [Obs.]

Metempiric, Metempirical <Xpage=918>

Met`em*pir"ic (?) , Met`em*pir"ic*al (?) , a. [Pref. met- + empiric , -ical .] (Metaph.) Related, or belonging, to the objects of knowledge within the province of metempirics.

If then the empirical designates the province we include within the range of science, the province we exclude may be fitly styled the metempirical . G. H. Lewes.

Metempiricism <Xpage=918>

Met*em*pir"i*cism (?) , n. The science that is concerned with metempirics.

Metempirics <Xpage=918>

Met`em*pir"ics (?) , n. The concepts and relations which are conceived as beyond, and yet as related to, the knowledge gained by experience.

Metempsychose <Xpage=918>

Me*temp"sy*chose (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Metempsychosed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Metempsychosing (?) .] [See Metempsychosis .] To translate or transfer, as the soul, from one body to another. [R.]

Peacham.

Metempsychosis <Xpage=918>

Me*temp`sy*cho"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/; <?/ beyond, over + <?/ to animate; <?/ in + <?/ soul. See Psychology .] The passage of the soul, as an immortal essence, at the death of the animal body it had inhabited, into another living body, whether of a brute or a human being; transmigration of souls.

Sir T. Browne.

Metemptosis <Xpage=918>

Met`emp*to"sis (?) , n. [NL., from Gr. <?/ beyond, after + <?/ a falling upon, fr. <?/ to fall in or upon; <?/ in + <?/ to fall.] (Chron.) The suppression of a day in the calendar to prevent the date of the new moon being set a day too late, or the suppression of the bissextile day once in 134 years. The opposite to this is the proemptosis , or the addition of a day every 330 years, and another every 2,400 years.

Metencephalon <Xpage=918>

Met`en*ceph"a*lon (?) , n. [ Met- + encephalon .] (Anat.) The posterior part of the brain, including the medulla; the afterbrain. Sometimes abbreviated to meten .

Metensomatosis <Xpage=918>

Met`en*so`ma*to"sis (?) , n. [L., a change of body (by the soul), fr. Gr. <?/.] (Biol.) The assimilation by one body or organism of the elements of another.

Meteor <Xpage=918>

Me"te*or (?) , n. [F. m\'82t\'82ore , Gr. <?/, pl. <?/ things in the air, fr. <?/ high in air, raised off the ground; <?/ beyond + <?/, <?/, a suspension or hovering in the air, fr. <?/ to lift, raise up.]

1. Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc.

Hail, an ordinary meteor . Bp. Hall.

2. Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region.

The vaulty top of heaven Figured quite o'er with burning meteors . Shak.

&hand; The term is especially applied to fireballs, and the masses of stone or other substances which sometimes fall to the earth; also to shooting stars and to ignes fatui. Meteors are often classed as: aerial meteors , winds, tornadoes, etc.; aqueous meteors , rain, hail, snow, dew, etc.; luminous meteors , rainbows, halos, etc.; and igneous meteors , lightning, shooting stars, and the like.

Meteoric <Xpage=918>

Me`te*or"ic (?) , a. [Cf. F. m\'82t\'82orique .] 1. Of or pertaining to a meteor, or to meteors; atmospheric, as, meteoric phenomena; meteoric stones.

2. Influenced by the weather; as, meteoric conditions .

3. Flashing; brilliant; transient; like a meteor; as, meteoric fame . " Meteoric politician."

Craik.

Meteoric iron , Meteoric stone . (Min.) See Meteorite . -- Meteoric paper , a substance of confervoid origin found floating in the air, and resembling bits of coarse paper; -- so called because formerly supposed to fall from meteors. -- Meteoric showers , periodical exhibitions of shooting stars, occuring about the 9th or 10th of August and 13th of November, more rarely in April and December, and also at some other periods.

Meteorical <Xpage=918>

Me`te*or"ic*al (?) , a. Meteoric.

Meteorism <Xpage=918>

Me"te*or*ism (?) , n. (Med.) Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites.

Meteorite <Xpage=918>

Me"te*or*ite (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82t\'82orite .] (Min.) A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an a\'89rolite.

&hand; Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1 . Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel ( meteoric iron , holosiderite ). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanst\'84tten figures . 2 . Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates ( mesosiderite or siderolite ). 3 . Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron ( meteoric stone , sporadosiderite ). 4 . Of a mass without iron ( asiderite ). <-- Comm: carbonaceous? Add mark for composition? -->

Meteorize <Xpage=918>

Me"te*or*ize (?) , v. i. [Gr. <?/ to raise to a height.] To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor.

Evelyn.

Meteorograph <Xpage=918>

Me`te*or"o*graph (?) , n. [ Meteor + -graph .] An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions.

Meteorographic <Xpage=918>

Me`te*or`o*graph"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to meteorography.

Meteorography <Xpage=918>

Me`te*or*og"ra*phy (?) , n. [ Meteor + -graphy .] The registration of meteorological phenomena.

<page="919"> Page 919

Meteoroid <Xpage=919>

Me"te*or*oid (?) , n. [ Meteor + -oid .] (Astron.) A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor.

These bodies [small, solid bodies] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids . H. A. Newton.

Meteoroidal <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or*oid"al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids.

Meteorolite <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or"o*lite (?; 277) , n. [ Meteor + -lite : cf. F. m\'82t\'82orolithe .] A meteoric stone; an a\'89rolite; a meteorite.

Meteoroligic, Meteorological <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or`o*lig"ic (?) , Me`te*or`o*log"ic*al (?) , a. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. m\'82t\'82orologique .] Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology.

Meteorological table , Meteorological register , a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc.

Meteorologist <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or*ol"o*gist (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82t\'82orologiste .] A person skilled in meteorology.

Meteorology <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or*ol"o*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/; <?/ + <?/ discourse: cf. F. m\'82t\'82orologie . See Meteor .] The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc.

Meteoromancy <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or"o*man`cy (?) , n. [ Meteor + -mancy : cf. F. m\'82t\'82oromancie .] A species of divination by meteors, chiefly by thunder and lightning, which was held in high estimation by the Romans.

Meteorometer <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or*om"e*ter (?) , n. [ Meteor + -meter .] An apparatus which transmits automatically to a central station atmospheric changes as marked by the anemometer, barometer, thermometer, etc.

Meteoroscope <Xpage=919>

Me`te*or"o*scope (?; 277) , n. [Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ observing the heavenly bodies; <?/ + <?/ to view: cf. F. m\'82t\'82oroscope . See Meteor .] (Astron.) (a) An astrolabe; a planisphere. [Obs.] (b) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction, of the apparent path of a shooting star.

Meteorous <Xpage=919>

Me*te"o*rous (? &or; ?) , a. [See Meteor .] Of the nature or appearance of a meteor.

-meter <Xpage=919>

-me"ter (?) . [L. metrum measure, or the allied Gr. <?/. See Meter rhythm.] A suffix denoting that by which anything is measured ; as, baro meter , chrono meter , dynamo meter .

Meter <Xpage=919>

Me"ter (?) , n. [From Mete to measure.] 1. One who, or that which, metes or measures. See Coal-meter .

2. An instrument for measuring, and usually for recording automatically, the quantity measured.

Dry meter , a gas meter having measuring chambers, with flexible walls, which expand and contract like bellows and measure the gas by filling and emptying. -- W<?/t meter , a gas meter in which the revolution of a chambered drum in water measures the gas passing through it.

Meter <Xpage=919>

Me"ter , n. A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.

Meter, Metre <Xpage=919>

Me"ter , Me"tre (?) , n. [OE. metre , F. m\'8atre , L. metrum , fr. Gr. <?/; akin to Skr. m\'be to measure. See Mete to measure.] 1. Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements; as, the Horatian meters ; a dactylic meter .

The only strict antithesis to prose is meter . Wordsworth.

2. A poem. [Obs.]

Robynson (More's Utopia).

3. A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See Metric system , under Metric .

Common meter (Hymnol.) , four iambic verses, or lines, making a stanza, the first and third having each four feet, and the second and fourth each three feet; -- usually indicated by the initials C.M. -- Long meter (Hymnol.) , iambic verses or lines of four feet each, four verses usually making a stanza; -- commonly indicated by the initials L.M. -- Short meter (Hymnol.) , iambic verses or lines, the first, second, and fourth having each three feet, and the third four feet. The stanza usually consists of four lines, but is sometimes doubled. Short meter is indicated by the initials S.M.

Meterage <Xpage=919>

Me"ter*age (?) , n. [See 1st Meter .] The act of measuring, or the cost of measuring.

Metergram <Xpage=919>

Me"ter*gram` (?) , n. (Mech.) A measure of energy or work done; the power exerted in raising one gram through the distance of one meter against gravitation.

Metewand <Xpage=919>

Mete"wand` (?) , n. [ Mete to measure + wand .] A measuring rod.

Ascham.

Meteyard <Xpage=919>

Mete"yard` (?) , n. [AS. metgeard . See Mete to measure, and Yard stick.] A yard, staff, or rod, used as a measure. [Obs.]

Shak.

Meth <Xpage=919>

Meth (?) , n. See Meathe . [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Meth\'91moglobin <Xpage=919>

Met`h\'91m*o*glo"bin (? &or; ?) , n. [Pref. met- + h<?/moglobin .] (Physiol. Chem.) A stable crystalline compound obtained by the decomposition of hemoglobin. It is found in old blood stains.

Methal <Xpage=919>

Meth"al (?) , n. [ M yristic + eth er + al cohol.] (Chem.) A white waxy substance, found in small quantities in spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

Methane <Xpage=919>

Meth"ane (?) , n. [See Methal .] (Chem.) A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH4 ; marsh gas. See Marsh gas , under Gas .

Methane series (Chem.) , a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series . The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.

Metheglin <Xpage=919>

Me*theg"lin (?) , n. [W. meddyglyn ; medd mead + llyn liquor, juice. See Mead a drink.] A fermented beverage made of honey and water; mead.

Gay.

Methene <Xpage=919>

Meth"ene (?) , n. [ Meth yl + ethyl ene .] (Chem.) See Methylene .

Methenyl <Xpage=919>

Meth"e*nyl (?) , n. [ Methene + -yl .] (Chem.) The hypothetical hydrocarbon radical CH , regarded as an essential residue of certain organic compounds.

Methide <Xpage=919>

Meth"ide (? &or; ?) , n. [See Methyl .] (Chem.) A binary compound of methyl with some element; as, aluminium methide , Al2(CH3)6 .

Methinks <Xpage=919>

Me*thinks" (?) , v. impers. [ imp. Methought (?) .] [AS. &thorn;yncan to seem, m&emac; &thorn;ynce&edh; , m&emac; &thorn;&umac;hte , OE. me thinketh , me thoughte ; akin to G. d\'81nken to seem, denken to think, and E. think . See Me , and Think .] It seems to me; I think. See Me . [R., except in poetry.]

In all ages poets have been had in special reputation, and, methinks , not without great cause. Spenser.

Methionate <Xpage=919>

Me*thi"on*ate (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of methionic acid.

Methionic <Xpage=919>

Meth`i*on"ic (?) , a. [ Me thyl + thionic .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic ( thionic ) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH2.(SO3H)2 , which forms well defined salts.

Method <Xpage=919>

Meth"od (?) , n. [F. m\'82thode , L. methodus , fr. Gr. meqodos method, investigation following after; meta` after + "odo`s way.] 1. An orderly procedure or process; regular manner of doing anything; hence, manner; way; mode; as, a method of teaching languages; a method of improving the mind.

Addison.

2. Orderly arrangement, elucidation, development, or classification; clear and lucid exhibition; systematic arrangement peculiar to an individual.

Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. Shak.

All method is a rational progress, a progress toward an end. Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Nat. Hist.) Classification; a mode or system of classifying natural objects according to certain common characteristics; as, the method of Theophrastus; the method of Ray; the Linn\'91an method .

Syn. -- Order; system; rule; regularity; way; manner; mode; course; process; means. -- Method , Mode , Manner . Method implies arrangement; mode , mere action or existence. Method is a way of reaching a given end by a series of acts which tend to sec<?/re it; mode relates to a single action, or to the form which a series of acts, viewed as a whole, exhibits. Manner is literally the handling of a thing, and has a wider sense, embracing both method and mode . An instructor may adopt a good method of teaching to write; the scholar may acquire a bad mode of holding his pen; the manner in which he is corrected will greatly affect his success or failure.

Methodic, Methodical <Xpage=919>

Me*thod"ic (?) , Me*thod"ic*al (?) , a. [L. methodicus , Gr. <?/: cf. F. m\'82thodique .] 1. Arranged with regard to method; disposed in a suitable manner, or in a manner to illustrate a subject, or to facilitate practical observation; as, the methodical arrangement of arguments; a methodical treatise. " Methodical regularity."

Addison.

2. Proceeding with regard to method; systematic. "Aristotle, strict, methodic , and orderly."

Harris.

3. Of or pertaining to the ancient school of physicians called methodists.

Johnson.

-- Me*thod"ic*al*ly , adv. -- Me*thod"ic*al*ness , n.

Methodios <Xpage=919>

Me*thod"ios (?) , n. The art and principles of method.

Methodism <Xpage=919>

Meth"o*dism (?) , n. (Eccl.) The system of doctrines, polity, and worship, of the sect called Methodists.

Bp. Warburton.

Methodist <Xpage=919>

Meth"o*dist (?) , n. [Cf. F. m\'82thodiste . See Method .] 1. One who observes method. [Obs.]

2. One of an ancient school of physicians who rejected observation and founded their practice on reasoning and theory.

Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Theol.) One of a sect of Christians, the outgrowth of a small association called the "Holy Club," formed at Oxford University, A.D. 1729, of which the most conspicuous members were John Wesley and his brother Charles; -- originally so called from the methodical strictness of members of the club in all religious duties.

4. A person of strict piety; one who lives in the exact observance of religious duties; -- sometimes so called in contempt or ridicule.

Methodist <Xpage=919>

Meth"o*dist , a. Of or pertaining to the sect of Methodists; as, Methodist hymns; a Methodist elder.

Methodistic, Methodistical <Xpage=919>

Meth`o*dis"tic (?) , Meth`o*dis"tic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to methodists, or to the Methodists. -- Meth`o*dis"tic*al*ly , adv.

Methodization <Xpage=919>

Meth`od*i*za"tion (?) , n. The act or process of methodizing, or the state of being methodized.

Methodize <Xpage=919>