Chapter 993

Molecular attraction (Phys.) , attraction acting between the molecules of bodies, and at insensible distances. -- Molecular weight (Chem.) , the weight of a molecule of any gas or vapor as compared with the hydrogen atom as a standard; the sum of the atomic weights of the constituents of a molecule; thus, the molecular weight of water ( H2O ) is 18 . <-- now, compared with carbon-12 as standard -->

Molecularity <Xpage=936>

Mo*lec`u*lar"i*ty (?) , n. (Phys. & Chem.) The state of consisting of molecules; the state or quality of being molecular.

Molecularly <Xpage=936>

Mo*lec"u*lar*ly (?) , adv. (Phys. & Chem.) With molecules; in the manner of molecules.

W. R. Grove.

Molecule <Xpage=936>

Mol"e*cule (?) , n. [Dim. fr. L. moles a mass: cf. F. mol\'82cule . See 3d Mole .] 1. One of the very small invisible particles of which all matter is supposed to consist.

2. (Physics) The smallest part of any substance which possesses the characteristic properties and qualities of that substance, and which can exist alone in a free state.

3. (Chem.) A group of atoms so united and combined by chemical affinity that they form a complete, integrated whole, being the smallest portion of any particular compound that can exist in a free state; as, a molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen . Cf. Atom .

Mole-eyed <Xpage=936>

Mole"-eyed` (?) , a. Having eyes like those of the mole; having imperfect sight.

Molehill <Xpage=936>

Mole"hill` (?) , n. A little hillock of earth thrown up by moles working under ground; hence, a very small hill, or an insignificant obstacle or difficulty.

Having leapt over such mountains, lie down before a molehill . South.

<page="937"> Page 937

Molendinaceous, Molendinarious <Xpage=937>

Mo*len`di*na"ceous (?) , Mo*len`di*na"ri*ous (?) , a. [L. molendinarius , fr. molendinum a mill, fr. molere to grind.] (Bot.) Resembling the sails of a windmill.

Moleskin <Xpage=937>

Mole"skin` (?) , n. Any fabric having a thick soft shag, like the fur of a mole; esp., a kind of strong twilled fustian.

Molest <Xpage=937>

Mo*lest" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Molested ; p. pr. & vb. n. Molesting .] [F. molester , L. molestare , fr. molestus troublesome, fr. moles a heavy mass, load, burden. See 3d Mole .] To trouble; to disturb; to render uneasy; to interfere with; to vex.

They have molested the church with needless opposition. Hooker.

Syn. -- To trouble; disturb; incommode; inconvenience; annoy; vex; tease.

Molest <Xpage=937>

Mo*lest" , n. Molestation. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Molestation <Xpage=937>

Mol`es*ta"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. molestation .] The act of molesting, or the state of being molested; disturbance; annoyance.

Molester <Xpage=937>

Mo*lest"er (?) , n. One who molests.

Molestful <Xpage=937>

Mo*lest"ful (?) , a. Troublesome; vexatious. [R.]

Molestie, Molesty <Xpage=937>

Mo*les"tie , Mo*les"ty (?) , n. [L. molestia .] Molestation. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Molewarp <Xpage=937>

Mole"warp` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Moldwarp .

Moliminous <Xpage=937>

Mo*lim"i*nous (?) , a. [L. molimen a great exertion; moles a heavy mass.] Of great bulk or consequence; very important. [Obs.]

Dr. H. More.

Moline <Xpage=937>

Mo"line (?) , n. [L. molina mill, fr. molere to grind. See Mill .] The crossed iron that supports the upper millstone by resting on the spindle; a millrind.

Cross moline (Her.) , a cross each arm of which is divided at the end into two rounded branches or divisions.

Molinism <Xpage=937>

Mo"lin*ism (?) , n. (Eccl. Hist.) The doctrines of the Molinists, somewhat resembling the tenets of the Arminians.

Molinist <Xpage=937>

Mo"lin*ist , n. (Eccl. Hist.) A follower of the opinions of Molina, a Spanish Jesuit (in respect to grace); an opposer of the Jansenists.

Moll <Xpage=937>

Moll (?) , a. [G., fr. L. mollis soft, tender, elegiac. Cf. Molle .] (Mus.) Minor; in the minor mode; as, A moll , that is, A minor .

Mollah <Xpage=937>

Mol"lah (?) , n. [Ar. maul\'be , commonly moll\'be in Turkey.] One of the higher order of Turkish judges; also, a Turkish title of respect for a religious and learned man. [Written also moolah .]

Molle <Xpage=937>

Mol"le (?) , a. [See Moll .] (Mus.) Lower by a semitone; flat; as, E molle , that is, E flat .

Mollebart <Xpage=937>

Mol"le*bart (?) , n. An agricultural implement used in Flanders, consisting of a kind of large shovel drawn by a horse and guided by a man. [Written also molleb\'91rt and mouldeb\'91rt .]

Simmonds.

Mollemoke <Xpage=937>

Mol"le*moke` (?) , n. [Sw. mallemucke the stormy petrel.] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of several species of large pelagic petrels and fulmars, as Fulmarus glacialis , of the North Atlantic, and several species of \'92strelata , of the Southern Ocean. See Fulmar . [Written also mollymawk , malmock , mollemock , mallemocke , etc.]

Mollient <Xpage=937>

Mol"lient (?) , a. [L. molliens , p.p. of mollire to soften, fr. mollis soft.] Serving to soften; assuaging; emollient.

Molliently <Xpage=937>

Mol"lient*ly , adv. Assuagingly.

Mollifiable <Xpage=937>

Mol"li*fi`a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being mollified.

Mollification <Xpage=937>

Mol`li*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [LL. mollificatio ; cf. F. mollification .] The act of mollifying, or the state of being mollified; a softening.

Chaucer.

Mollifier <Xpage=937>

Mol"li*fi`er (?) , n. One who, or that which, mollifies.

Bacon.

Mollify <Xpage=937>

Mol"li*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mollified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mollifying (?) .] [F. mollifier , L. mollificare ; mollis soft + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See Enmollient , Moil , v. t. , and -fy .] 1. To soften; to make tender; to reduce the hardness, harshness, or asperity of; to qualify; as, to mollify the ground .

With sweet science mollified their stubborn hearts. Spenser.

2. To assuage, as pain or irritation, to appease, as excited feeling or passion; to pacify; to calm.

Mollinet <Xpage=937>

Mol"li*net (?) , n. [Cf. Moline .] A little mill.

Mollipilose <Xpage=937>

Mol`li*pi*lose" (?) , a. [L. mollis soft + pilosus hairy.] (Zo\'94l.) Having soft hairs; downy.

Mollities <Xpage=937>

Mol*li"ti*es (?) , n. [L., softness.] (Med.) Unnatural softness of any organ or part.

Dunglison.

Mollitude <Xpage=937>

Mol"li*tude (?) , n. [L. mollitudo , fr. mollis soft.] Softness; effeminacy; weakness. [R.]

Mollusc <Xpage=937>

Mol"lusc (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Same as Mollusk .

Mollusca <Xpage=937>

Mol*lus"ca (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Mollusk .] (Zo\'94l.) One of the grand divisions of the animal kingdom, including the classes Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, PteropodaScaphopoda, and Lamellibranchiata, or Conchifera. These animals have an unsegmented bilateral body, with most of the organs and parts paired, but not repeated longitudinally. Most of them develop a mantle, which incloses either a branchial or a pulmonary cavity. They are generally more or less covered and protected by a calcareous shell, which may be univalve, bivalve, or multivalve.

&hand; Formerly the Brachiopoda, Bryzoa, and Tunicata were united with the Lamellibranchiata in an artificial group called Acephala, which was also included under Mollusca. See Molluscoudea .

Molluscan <Xpage=937>

Mol*lus"can (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Of or pertaining to mollusks. -- n. A mollusk; one of the Mollusca.

Molluscoid <Xpage=937>

Mol*lus"coid (?) , a. [ Mollusca + -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) Resembling the true mollusks; belonging to the Molluscoidea. -- n. One of the Molluscoidea.

Molluscoidal <Xpage=937>

Mol`lus*coid"al (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Molluscoid.

Molluscoidea <Xpage=937>

Mol`lus*coi"de*a (?) , n. pl. [NL. See Mollusk , and -oid .] (Zo\'94l.) A division of Invertebrata which includes the classes Brachiopoda and Bryozoa; -- called also Anthoid Mollusca .

&hand; Originally the Tunicata were included under Molluscoidea, from which they are known to differ widely in structure and embryology. Molluscoidea were formerly considered a subdivision of Mollusca, but they are now known to have more relationship with Annelida than with Mollusca.

Molluscous <Xpage=937>

Mol*lus"cous (?) , a. (Zo\'94l.) Molluscan.

Molluscum <Xpage=937>

Mol*lus"cum (?) , n. [NL. See Mollusk .] (Med.) A cutaneous disease characterized by numerous tumors, of various forms, filled with a thick matter; -- so called from the resemblance of the tumors to some molluscous animals.

Dunglison.

Mollusk <Xpage=937>

Mol"lusk (?) , n. [F. mollusque , L. mollusca a kind of soft nut with a thin shell, fr. molluscus soft, mollis soft. See Mollify .] (Zo\'94l.) One of the Mollusca. [Written also mollusc .]

Molly <Xpage=937>

Mol"ly (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) Same as Mollemoke .

Molly <Xpage=937>

Mol"ly , n. A pet or colloquial name for Mary .

Molly cottontail . (Zo\'94l.) See Cottontail . -- Molly Maguire (m&adot;*gw&imac;r") ; pl. Molly Maguires (-gw&imac;rz) . (a) A member of a secret association formed among the tenantry in Ireland about 1843, principally for the purpose of intimidating law officers and preventing the service of legal writs. Its members disguised themselves in the dress of women. (b) A member of a similar association of Irishmen organized in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania, about 1854, for the purpose of intimidating employers and officers of the law, and for avenging themselves by murder on persons obnoxious to them. The society was broken up by criminal prosecutions in 1876.

Molly-mawk <Xpage=937>

Mol"ly-mawk` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) See Mollemoke .

Moloch <Xpage=937>

Mo"loch (?) , n. [Heb. molek king.] 1. (Script.) The fire god of the Ammonites in Canaan, to whom human sacrifices were offered; Molech. Also applied figuratively.

2. (Zo\'94l.) A spiny Australian lizard ( Moloch horridus ). The horns on the head and numerous spines on the body give it a most formidable appearance. <-- illustr. of Moloch. -->

Molosse <Xpage=937>

Mo*losse" (?) , n. See Molossus .

Molosses <Xpage=937>

Mo*los"ses (?) , n. Molasses. [Obs.]

Molossine <Xpage=937>

Mo*los"sine (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A bat of the genus Molossus , as the monk bat.

Molossus <Xpage=937>

Mo*los"sus (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/, prop., Molossian, belonging to the Molossians, a people in the eastern part of Epirus.] (Gr. & Lat. Pros.) A foot of three long syllables. [Written also molosse .]

Molt <Xpage=937>

Molt (?) , obs.imp. of Melt .

Chaucer. Spenser.

Molt, Moult <Xpage=937>

Molt , Moult (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Molted or Moulted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Molting or Moulting .] [OE. mouten , L. mutare . See Mew to molt, and cf. Mute , v. t. ] [The prevalent spelling is, perhaps, moult ; but as the u has not been inserted in the otherwords of this class, as, bolt , colt , dolt , etc. , it is desirable to complete the analogy by the spelling molt .] To shed or cast the hair, feathers, skin, horns, or the like, as an animal or a bird.

Bacon.

Molt, Moult <Xpage=937>

Molt , Moult , v. t. To cast, as the hair, skin, feathers, or the like; to shed.

Molt, Moult <Xpage=937>

Molt , Moult , n. The act or process of changing the feathers, hair, skin, etc.; molting.

Moltable <Xpage=937>

Molt"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of assuming a molten state; meltable; fusible. [Obs.]

Molten <Xpage=937>

Mol"ten (?) , a. [See Melt .] 1. Melted; being in a state of fusion, esp. when the liquid state is produced by a high degree of heat; as, molten iron .

2. Made by melting and casting the substance or metal of which the thing is formed; as, a molten image .

Molto <Xpage=937>

Mol"to (?) , adv. [It.] (Mus.) Much; very; as, molto adagio, very slow .

Moly <Xpage=937>

Mo"ly (?) , n. [L., fr. Gr. <?/.] 1. A fabulous herb of occult power, having a black root and white blossoms, said by Homer to have been given by Hermes to Ulysses to counteract the spells of Circe.

Milton.

2. (Bot.) A kind of garlic ( Allium Moly ) with large yellow flowers; -- called also golden garlic .

Molybdate <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"date (?) , n. (Chem.) A salt of molybdic acid.

Molybdena <Xpage=937>

Mol`yb*de"na (?) , n. [L. molybdaena galena, Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ lead.] (Min.) See Molybdenite .

Molybdenite <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"de*nite (?) , n. [Cf. F. molybd\'82nite . See Molybdena .] (Min.) A mineral occurring in soft, lead-gray, foliated masses or scales, resembling graphite; sulphide of molybdenum.

Molybdenous <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"de*nous (?) , a. (Chem.) See Molybdous .

Molybdenum <Xpage=937>

Mol`yb*de"num (?) , n. [NL.: cf. F. molybd\'8ane . See Molybdena .] (Chem.) A rare element of the chromium group, occurring in nature in the minerals molybdenite and wulfenite, and when reduced obtained as a hard, silver-white, difficulty fusible metal. Symbol Mo. Atomic weight 95.9.

Molybdic <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"dic (?) , a. [Cf. F. molybdique . See molybdena .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, molybdenum; specif., designating those compounds in which the element has a higher valence, as contrasted with molybdous compounds; as, molybdic oxide .

Molybdite <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"dite (?) , n. (Min.) Molybdic ocher.

Molybdous <Xpage=937>

Mo*lyb"dous (?) , a. [See Molybdena .] Of, pertaining to, or containing, molybdenum; specif., designating those compounds in which molybdenum has a lower valence as contrasted with molybdic compounds.

Mome <Xpage=937>

Mome (?) , n. [Cf. Mumm , Momus .] A dull, silent person; a blockhead. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Moment <Xpage=937>

Mo"ment (?) , n. [F. moment , L. momentum , for movimentum movement, motion, moment, fr. movere to move. See Move , and cf. Momentum , Movement .] 1. A minute portion of time; a point of time; an instant; as, at thet very moment .

In a moment , in the twinkling of an eye. 1 Cor. xv. 52.

2. Impulsive power; force; momentum.

The moments or quantities of motion in bodies. Berkley.

Touch, with lightest moment of impulse, His free will. Milton.

3. Importance, as in influence or effect; consequence; weight or value; consideration.

Matters of great moment . Shak.

It is an abstruse speculation, but also of far less moment and consequence of us than the others. Bentley.

4. An essential element; a deciding point, fact, or consideration; an essential or influential circumstance.

5. (Math.) An infinitesimal change in a varying quantity; an increment or decrement. [Obs.]

6. (Mech.) Tendency, or measure of tendency, to produce motion, esp. motion about a fixed point or axis.

Moment of a couple (Mech.) , the product of either of its forces into the perpendicular distance between them. -- Moment of a force . (Mech.) (a) With respect to a point , the product of the intensity of the force into the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of direction of the force . (b) With respect to a line , the product of that component of the force which is perpendicular to the plane passing through the line and the point of application of the force, into the shortest distance between the line and this point . (c) With respect to a plane that is parallel to the force , the product of the force into the perpendicular distance of its point of application from the plane. -- Moment of inertia , of a rotating body, the sum of the mass of each particle of matter of the body into the square of its distance from the axis of rotation; -- called also moment of rotation and moment of the mass . -- Statical moment , the product of a force into its leverage; the same as moment of a force with respect to a point, line, etc. -- Virtual moment . See under Virtual .

Syn. -- Instant; twinkling; consequence; weight; force; value; consideration; signification; avail.

Momental <Xpage=937>

Mo*men"tal (?) , a. [Cf. OF. momental .] [Obs.] 1. Lasting but a moment; brief.

Not one momental minute doth she swerve. Breton.

2. Important; momentous.

3. (Mech.) Of or pertaining to moment or momentum.

Momentally <Xpage=937>

Mo*men"tal*ly , adv. For a moment. [Obs.]

Momentaneous, Momentany <Xpage=937>

Mo`men*ta"ne*ous (?) , Mo"men*ta*ny (?) , a. [L. momentaneus : cf. F. momentan\'82 .] Momentary. [Obs.] Hooker . " Momentany as a sound."

Shak.

Momentarily <Xpage=937>

Mo"men*ta*ri*ly (?) , adv. Every moment; from moment to moment. <-- in a moment (=very soon) -->

Shenstone.

Momentariness <Xpage=937>

Mo"men*ta*ri*ness , n. The state or quality of being momentary; shortness of duration.

Momentary <Xpage=937>

Mo"men*ta*ry (?) , a. [L. momentarius . See Moment .] Done in a moment; continuing only a moment; lasting a very short time; as, a momentary pang .