Chapter LI: Bella (24)

9. A pugilistic. [Cant] R. D. Blackmore. Edge mill, Flint mill, etc. See under Edge, Flint, etc. -- Mill bar (Iron Works), a rough bar rolled or drawn directly from a bloom or puddle bar for conversion into merchant iron in the mill. -- Mill cinder, slag from a puddling furnace. -- Mill head, the head of water employed to turn the wheel of a mill. -- Mill pick, a pick for dressing millstones. -- Mill pond, a pond that supplies the water for a mill. -- Mill race, the canal in which water is conveyed to a mill wheel, or the current of water which drives the wheel. -- Mill tail, the water which flows from a mill wheel after turning it, or the channel in which the water flows. -- Mill tooth, a grinder or molar tooth. -- Mill wheel, the water wheel that drives the machinery of a mill. -- Roller mill, a mill in which flour or meal is made by crushing grain between rollers. -- Stamp mill (Mining), a mill in which ore is crushed by stamps. -- To go through the mill, to experience the suffering or discipline necessary to bring one to a certain degree of knowledge or skill, or to a certain mental state.

MILL Mill, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Milled; p. pr. & vb. n. Milling.] Etym: [See Mill, n., and cf. Muller.]

1. To reduce to fine particles, or to small pieces, in a mill; to grind; to comminute.

2. To shape, finish, or transform by passing through a machine; specifically, to shape or dress, as metal, by means of a rotary cutter.

3. To make a raised border around the edges of, or to cut fine grooves or indentations across the edges of, as of a coin, or a screw head; also, to stamp in a coining press; to coin.

4. To pass through a fulling mill; to full, as cloth.

5. To beat with the fists. [Cant] Thackeray.

6. To roll into bars, as steel. To mill chocolate, to make it frothy, as by churning.

MILL Mill, v. i. (Zoöl.)

Defn: To swim under water; -- said of air-breathing creatures.

MILLBOARD Mill"board`, n.

Defn: A kind of stout pasteboard.

MILL-CAKE Mill"-cake`, n.

Defn: The incorporated materials for gunpowder, in the form of a dense mass or cake, ready to be subjected to the process of granulation.

MILLDAM Mill"dam`, n.

Defn: A dam or mound to obstruct a water course, and raise the water to a height sufficient to turn a mill wheel.

MILLED Milled, a.

Defn: Having been subjected to some process of milling. Milled cloth, cloth that has been beaten in a fulling mill. -- Milled lead, lead rolled into sheets.

MILLEFIORE GLASS Mil`le*fi*o"re glass`. Etym: [It. mille thousand + flore flower.]

Defn: Slender rods or tubes of colored glass fused together and embedded in clear glass; -- used for paperweights and other small articles.

MILLENARIAN Mil`le*na"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Millenary.]

Defn: Consisting of a thousand years; of or pertaining to the millennium, or to the Millenarians.

MILLENARIAN Mil`le*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who believes that Christ will personally reign on earth a thousand years; a Chiliast.

MILLENARIANISM; MILLENARISM Mil`le*na"ri*an*ism, Mil"le*na*rism, n.

Defn: The doctrine of Millenarians.

MILLENARY Mil"le*na*ry, a. Etym: [L. millenarius, fr. milleni a thousand each, fr. mille a thousand: cf. F. millénaire. See Mile.]

Defn: Consisting of a thousand; millennial.

MILLENARY Mil"le*na*ry, n.

Defn: The space of a thousand years; a millennium; also, a Millenarian."During that millenary." Hare.

MILLENNIAL Mil*len"ni*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the millennium, or to a thousand years; as, a millennial period; millennial happiness.

MILLENNIALISM; MILLENNIARISM Mil*len"ni*al*ism, Mil*len"ni*a*rism, n.

Defn: Belief in, or expectation of, the millennium; millenarianism.

MILLENNIALIST Mil*len"ni*al*ist, n.

Defn: One who believes that Christ will reign personally on earth a thousand years; a Chiliast; also, a believer in the universal prevalence of Christianity for a long period.

MILLENNIST Mil"len*nist, n.

Defn: One who believes in the millennium. [Obs.] Johnson.

MILLENNIUM Mil*len"ni*um, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. mille a thousand + annus a year. See Mile, and Annual.]

Defn: A thousand years; especially, thousand years mentioned in the twentieth chapter in the twentieth chapter of Revelation, during which holiness is to be triumphant throughout the world. Some believe that, during this period, Christ will reign on earth in person with his saints.

MILLEPED Mil"le*ped, n. Etym: [L. millepeda; mille a thousand + pes, pedis, foot: cf. F. mille-pieds.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A myriapod with many legs, esp. a chilognath, as the galleyworm. [Written also millipede and milliped.]

MILLEPORA Mil*le*po"ra, n. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of Hydrocorallia, which includes the millipores.

MILLEPORE Mil"le*pore, n. Etym: [L. mille thousand + porus pore: cf. F. millépore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any coral of the genus Millepora, having the surface nearly smooth, and perforated with very minute unequal pores, or cells. The animals are hydroids, not Anthozoa. See Hydrocorallia.

MILLEPORITE Mil"le*po*rite, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil millepore.

MILLER Mill"er, n.

1. One who keeps or attends a flour mill or gristmill.

2. A milling machine.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) A moth or lepidopterous insect; -- so called because the wings appear as if covered with white dust or powder, like a miller's clothes. Called also moth miller. (b) The eagle ray. (c) The hen harrier. [Prov. Eng.] Miller's thumb. (Zoöl.) (a) A small fresh-water fish of the genus Uranidea (formerly Cottus), as the European species (U. gobio), and the American (U. gracilis); -- called also bullhead. (b) A small bird, as the gold-crest, chiff- chaff, and long-tailed tit. [Prov. Eng.]

MILLERITE Mil"ler*ite, n.

Defn: A believer in the doctrine of William Miller (d. 1849), who taught that the end of the world and the second coming of Christ were at hand.

MILLERITE Mil"ler*ite, n. Etym: [From W. H. Miller, of Cambridge, Eng.] (Min.)

Defn: A sulphide of nickel, commonly occurring in delicate capillary crystals, also in incrustations of a bronze yellow; -- sometimes called hair pyrites.

MILLESIMAL Mil*les"i*mal, a. Etym: [L. millesimus, fr. mille a thousand.]

Defn: Thousandth; consisting of thousandth parts; as, millesimal fractions.

MILLET Mil"let, n. Etym: [F., dim. of mil, L. milium; akin to Gr. mil.] (Bot.)

Defn: The name of several cereal and forage grasses which bear an abundance of small roundish grains. The common millets of Germany and Southern Europe are Panicum miliaceum, and Setaria Italica.

Note: Arabian millet is Sorghum Halepense. -- Egyptian or East Indian, millet is Penicillaria spicata. -- Indian millet is Sorghum vulgare. (See under Indian.) -- Italian millet is Setaria Italica, a coarse, rank-growing annual grass, valuable for fodder when cut young, and bearing nutritive seeds; -- called also Hungarian grass. -- Texas millet is Panicum Texanum. -- Wild millet, or Millet grass, is Milium effusum, a tail grass growing in woods.

MILLI- Mil"li-. Etym: [From L. mille a thousand.] (Metric System, Elec., Mech., etc.)

Defn: A prefix denoting a thousandth part of; as, millimeter, milligram, milliampère.

MILLIAMPERE Mil`li*am`père", n. Etym: [Milli- + ampère.] (Elec.)

Defn: The thousandth part of one ampère.

MILLIARD Mil`liard", n. Etym: [F., from mille, mil, thousand, L. mille.]

Defn: A thousand millions; -- called also billion. See Billion.

MILLIARY Mil"li*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. milliarius containing a thousand, fr. mille thousand: cf. F. milliaire milliary. See Mile.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a mile, or to distance by miles; denoting a mile or miles. A milliary column, from which they used to compute the distance of all the cities and places of note. Evelyn.

MILLIARY Mil"li*a*ry, n.; pl. Milliaries. Etym: [L. milliarium. See Milliary, a.]

Defn: A milestone.

MILLIER Mil`lier", n. Etym: [F., fr. mille thousand.]

Defn: A weight of the metric system, being one million grams; a metric ton.

MILLIFOLD Mil"li*fold`, a. Etym: [L. mille thousand + E. fold times.]

Defn: Thousandfold. [R.] Davies (Holy Roode).

MILLIGRAM; MILLIGRAMME Mil"li*gram, Mil"li*gramme, n. Etym: [F. milligramme; milli- milli- + gramme. See 3d Gram.]

Defn: A measure of weight, in the metric system, being the thousandth part of a gram, equal to the weight of a cubic millimeter of water, or .01543 of a grain avoirdupois.

MILLILITER; MILLILITRE Mil"li*li`ter, Mil"li*li`tre, n. Etym: [F. millilitre; milli- milli- + litre. See Liter.]

Defn: A measure of capacity in the metric system, containing the thousandth part of a liter. It is a cubic centimeter, and is equal to .061 of an English cubic inch, or to .0338 of an American fluid ounce.

MILLIMETER; MILLIMETRE Mil"li*me`ter, Mil"li*me`tre, n. Etym: [F. millimètre; milli- milli- + mètre. See 3d Meter.]

Defn: A lineal measure in the metric system, containing the thousandth part of a meter; equal to .03937 of an inch. See 3d Meter.

MILLIMICRON Mil"li*mi`cron, n. [Milli- + micron.]

Defn: The thousandish part of a micron or the millionth part of a millimeter; -- a unit of length used in measuring light waves, etc.

MILLINER Mil"li*ner, n. Etym: [From Milaner an inhabitant of Milan, in Italy; hence, a man from Milan who imported women's finery.]

1. Formerly, a man who imported and dealt in small articles of a miscellaneous kind, especially such as please the fancy of women. [Obs.] No milliner can so fit his customers with gloves. Shak.

2. A person, usually a woman, who makes, trims, or deals in hats, bonnets, headdresses, etc., for women. Man milliner, a man who makes or deals in millinery; hence, contemptuously, a man who is busied with trifling occupations or embellishments.

MILLINERY Mil"li*ner*y, n.

1. The articles made or sold by milliners, as headdresses, hats or bonnets, laces, ribbons, and the like.

2. The business of work of a milliner.

MILLINET Mil`li*net", n.

Defn: A stiff cotton fabric used by milliners for lining bonnets.

MILLING Mill"ing, n.

Defn: The act or employment of grinding or passing through a mill; the process of fulling; the process of making a raised or intented edge upon coin, etc.; the process of dressing surfaces of various shapes with rotary cutters. See Mill. High milling, milling in which grain is reduced to flour by a succession of crackings, or of slight and partial crushings, alternately with sifting and sorting the product. -- Low milling, milling in which the reduction is effected in a single crushing or grinding. -- Milling cutter, a fluted, sharp-edged rotary cutter for dressing surfaces, as of metal, of various shapes. -- Milling machine, a machine tool for dressing surfaces by rotary cutters. -- Milling tool, a roller with indented edge or surface, for producing like indentations in metal by rolling pressure, as in turning; a knurling tool; a milling cutter.

MILLION Mil"lion, n. Etym: [F., from LL. millio, fr. L. mille a thousand. See Mile.]

1. The number of ten hundred thousand, or a thousand thousand, -- written 1,000, 000. See the Note under Hundred

2. A very great number; an indefinitely large number. Millions of truths that a man is not concerned to know. Locke.

3. The mass of common people; -- with the article the. For the play, I remember, pleased not the million. Shak.

MILLIONAIRE Mil`lion*aire", n. Etym: [F. millionnaire.]

Defn: One whose wealth is counted by millions of francs, dollars, or pounds; a very rich person; a person worth a million or more. [Written also millionnaire.]

MILLIONAIRESS Mil`lion*air"ess, n.

Defn: A woman who is a millionaire, or the wife of a millionaire. [Humorous] Holmes.

MILLIONARY Mil"lion*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to millions; consisting of millions; as, the millionary chronology of the pundits. Pinker

MILLIONED Mil"lioned, a.

Defn: Multiplied by millions; innumerable. [Obs.] Shak.

MILLIONNAIRE Mil`lion`naire", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Millionaire.

MILLIONTH Mil"lionth, a.

Defn: Being the last one of a million of units or objects counted in regular order from the first of a series or succession; being one of a million.

MILLIONTH Mil"lionth, n.

Defn: The quotient of a unit divided by one million; one of a million equal parts.

MILLIPED Mil"li*ped, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The same Milleped.

MILLISTERE Mil"li*stere, n. Etym: [F. millistère, from milli- milli- + stère.]

Defn: A liter, or cubic decimeter.

MILLIWEBER Mil`li*we"ber, n. Etym: [Milli- + weber.] (Physics)

Defn: The thousandth part of one weber.

MILLREA; MILLREE; MILLREIS Mill"rea`, Mill"ree`, Mill"reis`, n.

Defn: See Milreis.

MILLRIND; MILLRYND Mill"rind`, Mill"rynd`, n. Etym: [Mill + rynd.] (Her.)

Defn: A figure supposed to represent the iron which holds a millstone by being set into its center.

MILL-SIXPENCE Mill"-sixpence, n.

Defn: A milled sixpence; -- the sixpence being one of the first English coins milled (1561).

MILLSTONE Mill"stone`, n.

Defn: One of two circular stones used for grinding grain or other substance. No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge. Deut. xxiv. 6.

Note: The cellular siliceous rock called buhrstone is usually employed for millstones; also, some kinds of lava, as that Niedermendig, or other firm rock with rough texture. The surface of a millstone has usually a series of radial grooves in which the powdered material collects. Millstone girt (Geol.), a hard and coarse, gritty sandstone, dividing the Carboniferous from the Subcarboniferous strata. See Farewell rock, under Farewell, a., and Chart of Geology. -- To see into, or through, a millstone, to see into or through a difficult matter. (Colloq.)

MILLWORK Mill"work`, n.

1. The shafting, gearing, and other driving machinery of mils.

2. The business of setting up or of operating mill machinery.

MILLWRIGHT Mill"wright`, n.

Defn: A mechanic whose occupation is to build mills, or to set up their machinery.

MILORD Mi*lord", n. [F. (also It., Sp., Russ.), fr. E. my lord.]

Defn: Lit., my lord; hence (as used on the Continent), an English nobleman or gentleman.

MILREIS Mil"reis`, n. Etym: [Pg. mil reis, i. e., one thousand reis; mil a thousand + reis, pl. of real a rei.]

Defn: A Portuguese money of account rated in the treasury department of the United States at one dollar and eight cents; also, a Brazilian money of account rated at fifty-four cents and six mills.

MILT Milt, n. Etym: [AS. milte; akin to D. milt, G. milz, OHG. milzi, Icel. milti, Dan. milt, Sw. mjälte, and prob. to E. malt, melt. sq. root108. See Malt the grain.] (Anat.)

Defn: The spleen.

MILT Milt, n. Etym: [Akin to Dan. melk, Sw. mjölke, G. milch, and E. milk. See Milk.] (Zoöl.) (a) The spermatic fluid of fishes. (b) The testes, or spermaries, of fishes when filled with spermatozoa.

MILT Milt, v. t.

Defn: To impregnate (the roe of a fish) with milt.

MILTER Milt"er, n. Etym: [Cf. D. milter, G. milcher, milchner. See 2d Milt.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A male fish.

MILTONIAN Mil*to"ni*an, a.

Defn: Miltonic. Lowell.

MILTONIC Mil*ton"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, Milton, or his writings; as, Miltonic prose.

MILTWASTE Milt"waste`, Etym: [1st milt + waste.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small European fern (Asplenium Ceterach) formerly used in medicine.

MILVINE Mil"vine, a. Etym: [L. milvus kite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or resembling birds of the kite kind.

MILVINE Mil"vine, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird related to the kite.

MILVUS Mil"vus, n. Etym: [L., a kite.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of raptorial birds, including the European kite.

MIME Mime, n. Etym: [L. mimus, Gr. mime. Cf. Mimosa.]

1. A kind of drama in which real persons and events were generally represented in a ridiculous manner.

2. An actor in such representations.

MIME Mime, v. i.

Defn: To mimic. [Obs.] -- Mim"er, n.

MIMEOGRAPH Mim"e*o*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.]

Defn: An autographic stencil copying device invented by Edison.

MIMESIS Mi*me"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet. & Biol.)

Defn: Imitation; mimicry.

MIMETENE Mim"e*tene, n. (Min.)

Defn: See Mimetite.

MIMETIC; MIMETICAL Mi*met"ic, Mi*met"ic*al,Etym: [Gr.

1. Apt to imitate; given to mimicry; imitative.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Characterized by mimicry; -- applied to animals and plants; as, mimetic species; mimetic organisms. See Mimicry.

MIMETISM Mim"e*tism, n. Etym: [From Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Same as Mimicry.

MIMETITE Mim"e*tite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral occurring in pale yellow or brownish hexagonal crystals. It is an arseniate of lead.

MIMIC; MIMICAL Mim"ic, Mim"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. mimicus, Gr. mimique. See Mime.]

1. Imitative; mimetic. Oft, in her absence, mimic fancy wakes To imitate her. Milton. Man is, of all creatures, the most mimical. W. Wotton.

2. Consisting of, or formed by, imitation; imitated; as, mimic gestures. "Mimic hootings." Wordsworth.

3. (Min.)

Defn: Imitative; characterized by resemblance to other forms; -- applied to crystals which by twinning resemble simple forms of a higher grade of symmetry.

Note: Mimic often implies something droll or ludicrous, and is less dignified than imitative. Mimic beetle (Zoöl.), a beetle that feigns death when disturbed, esp. the species of Hister and allied genera.

MIMIC Mim"ic, n.

Defn: One who imitates or mimics, especially one who does so for sport; a copyist; a buffoon. Burke.

MIMIC Mim"ic, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mimicked; p. pr. & vb. n. Mimicking.]

1. To imitate or ape for sport; to ridicule by imitation. The walk, the words, the gesture, could supply, The habit mimic, and the mien belie. Dryden.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: To assume a resemblance to (some other organism of a totally different nature, or some surrounding object), as a means of protection or advantage.

Syn. -- To ape; imitate; counterfeit; mock.

MIMICALLY Mim"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In an imitative manner.

MIMICKER Mim"ick*er, n.

1. One who mimics; a mimic.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal which imitates something else, in form or habits.

MIMICRY Mim"ic*ry, n.

1. The act or practice of one who mimics; ludicrous imitation for sport or ridicule.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Protective resemblance; the resemblance which certain animals and plants exhibit to other animals and plants or to the natural objects among which they live, -- a characteristic which serves as their chief means of protection against enemies; imitation; mimesis; mimetism.

MIMOGRAPHER Mi*mog"ra*pher, n. Etym: [L. mimographus, Gr. mimographe.]

Defn: A writer of mimes. Sir T. Herbert.

MIMOSA Mi*mo"sa, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Mime.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of leguminous plants, containing many species, and including the sensitive plants (Mimosa sensitiva, and M. pudica).

Note: The term mimosa is also applied in commerce to several kinds bark imported from Australia, and used in tanning; -- called also wattle bark. Tomlinson.

MIMOTANNIC Mi`mo*tan"nic, a. Etym: [Mimosa + tannic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a variety of tannin or tannic acid found in Acacia, Mimosa, etc.

MINA Mi"na, n.; pl. L. Minæ, E. Minas. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: An ancient weight or denomination of money, of varying value. The Attic mina was valued at a hundred drachmas.

MINA Mi"na, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Myna.

MINABLE Min"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as can be mined; as, minable earth. Sir T. North.

MINACIOUS Mi*na"cious, a. Etym: [L. minax, -acis. See Menace.]

Defn: Threatening; menacing. [R.]

MINACITY Mi*nac"i*ty, n.

Defn: Disposition to threaten. [R.]

MINARET Min"a*ret, n. Etym: [Sp. minarete, Ar. manarat lamp, lantern, lighthouse, turret, fr. nar to shine.] (Arch.)

Defn: A slender, lofty tower attached to a mosque and surrounded by one or more projecting balconies, from which the summon to prayer is cried by the muezzin.

MINARGENT Min*ar"gent, n. Etym: [Prob. contr. from aluminium + L. argentum silver.]

Defn: An alloy consisting of copper, nickel, tungsten, and aluminium; -- used by jewelers.

MINATORIALLY; MINATORILY Min`a*to"ri*al*ly, Min"a*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a minatory manner; with threats.

MINATORY Min"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. minatorius, fr. minari to threaten. See Menace.]

Defn: Threatening; menacing. Bacon.

MINAUL Mi*naul", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Manul.

MINCE Mince, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minced; p. pr. & vb. n. Minging.] Etym: [AS. minsian to grow less, dwindle, fr. min small; akin to G. minder less, Goth. minniza less, mins less, adv., L. minor, adj. (cf. Minor); or more likely fr. F. mincer to mince, prob. from (assumed) LL. minutiare. Minish.]

1. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat. Bacon.

2. To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half and keep back half of. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say -- "I love you." Shak. Siren, now mince the sin, And mollify damnation with a phrase. Dryden. If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. Dryden.

3. To affect; to make a parade of. [R.] Shak.

MINCE Mince, v. i.

1. To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner. The daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes,... mincing as they go. Is. iii. 16. I 'll... turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride. Shak.

2. To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner.

MINCE Mince, n.

Defn: A short, precise step; an affected manner.

MINCE-MEAT Mince"-meat`, n.

Defn: Minced meat; meat chopped very fine; a mixture of boiled meat, suet, apples, etc., chopped very fine, to which spices and raisins are added; -- used in making mince pie.

MINCE PIE Mince" pie`.

Defn: A pie made of mince-meat.

MINCER Min"cer, n.

Defn: One who minces.

MINCING Min"cing, a.

Defn: That minces; characterized by primness or affected nicety.

MINCINGLY Min"cing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mincing manner; not fully; with affected nicety.

MIND Mind, n. Etym: [AS. mynd, gemynd; akin to OHG. minna memory, love, G. minne love, Dan. minde mind, memory, remembrance, consent, vote, Sw. minne memory, Icel. minni, Goth. gamunds, L. mens, mentis, mind, Gr. manas mind, man to think. Comment, Man, Mean, v., 3d Mental, Mignonette, Minion, Mnemonic, Money.]

1. The intellectual or rational faculty in man; the understanding; the intellect; the power that conceives, judges, or reasons; also, the entire spiritual nature; the soul; -- often in distinction from the body. By the mind of man we understand that in him which thinks, remembers, reasons, wills. Reid. What we mean by mind is simply that which perceives, thinks, feels, wills, and desires. Sir W. Hamilton. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Rom. xiv. 5. The mind shall banquet, though the body pine. Shak.

2. The state, at any given time, of the faculties of thinking, willing, choosing, and the like; psychical activity or state; as: (a) Opinion; judgment; belief. A fool uttereth all his mind. Prov. xxix. 11. Being so hard to me that brought your mind, I fear she'll prove as hard to you in telling her mind. Shak.

(b) Choice; inclination; liking; intent; will. If it be your minds, then let none go forth. 2 Kings ix. 15.

(c) Courage; spirit. Chapman.

3. Memory; remembrance; recollection; as, to have or keep in mind, to call to mind, to put in mind, etc. To have a mind or great mind, to be inclined or strongly inclined in purpose; -- used with an infinitive. "Sir Roger de Coverly... told me that he had a great mind to see the new tragedy with me." Addison. -- To lose one's mind, to become insane, or imbecile. -- To make up one's mind, to come to an opinion or decision; to determine. -- To put in mind, to remind. "Regard us simply as putting you in mind of what you already know to be good policy." Jowett (Thucyd. ).

MIND Mind, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minded; p. pr. & vb. n. Minding.] Etym: [AS. myndian, gemyndian to remember. See Mind, n.]

1. To fix the mind or thoughts on; to regard with attention; to treat as of consequence; to consider; to heed; to mark; to note. "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate." Rom. xii. 16. My lord, you nod: you do not mind the play. Shak.

2. To occupy one's self with; to employ one's self about; to attend to; as, to mind one's business. Bidding him be a good child, and mind his book. Addison.

3. To obey; as, to mind parents; the dog minds his master.

4. To have in mind; to purpose. Beaconsfield. I mind to tell him plainly what I think. Shak.

5. To put in mind; to remind. [Archaic] M. Arnold. He minded them of the mutability of all earthly things. Fuller. I do thee wrong to mind thee of it. Shak. Never mind, do not regard it; it is of no consequence; no matter.

Syn. -- To notice; mark; regard; obey. See Attend.

MIND Mind, v. i.

Defn: To give attention or heed; to obey; as, the dog minds well.

MINDED Mind"ed, a.

Defn: Disposed; inclined; having a mind. Joseph... was minded to put her away privily. Matt. i. 19. If men were minded to live virtuously. Tillotson.

Note: Minded is much used in composition; as, high-minded, feeble- minded, sober-minded, double-minded.

MINDER Mind"er, n.

1. One who minds, tends, or watches something, as a child, a machine, or cattle; as, a minder of a loom.

2. One to be attended; specif., a pauper child intrusted to the care of a private person. [Eng.] Dickens.

MINDFUL Mind"ful, a.

Defn: Bearing in mind; regardful; attentive; heedful; observant. What is man, that thou art mindful of him Ps. viii. 4. I promise you to be mindful of your admonitions. Hammond. -- Mind"ful*ly, adv. -- Mind"ful*ness, n.

MINDING Mind"ing, n.

Defn: Regard; mindfulness.

MINDLESS Mind"less, a.

1. Not indued with mind or intellectual powers; stupid; unthinking.

2. Unmindful; inattentive; heedless; careless. Cursed Athens, mindless of thy worth. Shak.

MINE Mine, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Mien. [Obs.]

MINE Mine, pron. & a. Etym: [OE. min, fr. AS. min; akin to D. mijn, OS., OFries., & OHG. min, G. mein, Sw. & Dan. min, Icel. minn, Goth. meins my, mine, meina of me, and E. me. Me, and cf. My.]

Defn: Belonging to me; my. Used as a pronominal to me; my. Used as a pronominal adjective in the predicate; as, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." Rom. xii. 19. Also, in the old style, used attributively, instead of my, before a noun beginning with a vowel. I kept myself from mine iniquity. Ps. xviii. 23.

Note: Mine is often used absolutely, the thing possessed being understood; as, his son is in the army, mine in the navy. When a man deceives me once, says the Italian proverb, it is his fault; when twice, it is mine. Bp. Horne. This title honors me and mine. Shak. She shall have me and mine. Shak.

MINE Mine, v. i. Etym: [F. miner, L. minare to drive animals, in LL. also, to lead, conduct, dig a mine (cf. E. lode, and lead to conduct), akin to L. minari to threaten; cf. Sp. mina mine, conduit, subterraneous canal, a spring or source of water, It. mina. See Menace, and cf. Mien.]

1. To dig a mine or pit in the earth; to get ore, metals, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; to dig in the earth for minerals; to dig a passage or cavity under anything in order to overthrow it by explosives or otherwise.

2. To form subterraneous tunnel or hole; to form a burrow or lodge in the earth; as, the mining cony.

MINE Mine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mined; p. pr. & vb. n. Mining.]

1. To dig away, or otherwise remove, the substratum or foundation of; to lay a mine under; to sap; to undermine; hence, to ruin or destroy by slow degrees or secret means. They mined the walls. Hayward. Too lazy to cut down these immense trees, the spoilers... had mined them, and placed a quantity of gunpowder in the cavity. Sir W. Scott.

2. To dig into, for ore or metal. Lead veins have been traced... but they have not been mined. Ure.

3. To get, as metals, out of the earth by digging. The principal ore mined there is the bituminous cinnabar. Ure.

MINE Mine, n. Etym: [F., fr. LL. mina. See Mine, v. i.]

1. A subterranean cavity or passage; especially: (a) A pit or excavation in the earth, from which metallic ores, precious stones, coal, or other mineral substances are taken by digging; -- distinguished from the pits from which stones for architectural purposes are taken, and which are called quarries. (b) (Mil.) A cavity or tunnel made under a fortification or other work, for the purpose of blowing up the superstructure with some explosive agent.

2. Any place where ore, metals, or precious stones are got by digging or washing the soil; as, a placer mine.gold mine

3. Fig.: A rich source of wealth or other good. Shak. Mine dial, a form of magnetic compass used by miners. -- Mine pig, pig iron made wholly from ore; in distinction from cinder pig, which is made from ore mixed with forge or mill cinder. Raymond.

MINER Min"er, n. Etym: [Cf. F. mineur.]

1. One who mines; a digger for metals, etc.; one engaged in the business of getting ore, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; one who digs military mines; as, armies have sappers and miners.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies. (b) The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula). Miner's elbow (Med.), a swelling on the black of the elbow due to inflammation of the bursa over the olecranon; -- so called because of frequent occurrence in miners. -- Miner's inch, in hydraulic mining, the amount of water flowing under a given pressure in a given time through a hole one inch in diameter. It is a unit for measuring the quantity of water supplied.

MINERAL Min"er*al, n. Etym: [F. minéral, LL. minerale, fr. minera mine. See Mine, v. i.]

1. An inorganic species or substance occurring in nature, having a definite chemical composition and usually a distinct crystalline form. Rocks, except certain glassy igneous forms, are either simple minerals or aggregates of minerals.

2. A mine. [Obs.] Shak.

3. Anything which is neither animal nor vegetable, as in the most general classification of things into three kingdoms (animal, vegetable, and mineral).

MINERAL Min"er*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to minerals; consisting of a mineral or of minerals; as, a mineral substance.

2. Impregnated with minerals; as, mineral waters. Mineral acids (Chem.), inorganic acids, as sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, acids, etc., as distinguished from the organic acids. -- Mineral blue, the name usually given to azurite, when reduced to an impalpable powder for coloring purposes. -- Mineral candle, a candle made of paraffine. -- Mineral caoutchouc, an elastic mineral pitch, a variety of bitumen, resembling caoutchouc in elasticity and softness. See Caoutchouc, and Elaterite. -- Mineral chameleon (Chem.) See Chameleon mineral, under Chameleon. -- Mineral charcoal. See under Charcoal. -- Mineral cotton. See Mineral wool (below). -- Mineral green, a green carbonate of copper; malachite. -- Mineral kingdom (Nat. Sci.), that one of the three grand divisions of nature which embraces all inorganic objects, as distinguished from plants or animals. -- Mineral oil. See Naphtha, and Petroleum. -- Mineral paint, a pigment made chiefly of some natural mineral substance, as red or yellow iron ocher. -- Mineral patch. See Bitumen, and Asphalt. -- Mineral right, the right of taking minerals from land. -- Mineral salt (Chem.), a salt of a mineral acid. -- Mineral tallow, a familiar name for hatchettite, from its fatty or spermaceti-like appearance. -- Mineral water. See under Water. -- Mineral wax. See Ozocerite. -- Mineral wool, a fibrous wool-like material, made by blowing a powerful jet of air or steam through melted slag. It is a poor conductor of heat.

MINERALIST Min"er*al*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliste.]

Defn: One versed in minerals; mineralogist. [R.]

MINERALIZATION Min`er*al*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralisation.]

1. The process of mineralizing, or forming a mineral by combination of a metal with another element; also, the process of converting into a mineral, as a bone or a plant.

2. The act of impregnating with a mineral, as water.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The conversion of a cell wall into a material of a stony nature.

MINERALIZE Min"er*al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mineralized; p. pr. & vb. n. Mineralizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. minéraliser.]

1. To transform into a mineral. In these caverns the bones are not mineralized. Buckland.

2. To impregnate with a mineral; as, mineralized water.

MINERALIZE Min"er*al*ize, v. i.

Defn: To go on an excursion for observing and collecting minerals; to mineralogize.

MINERALIZER Min"er*al*i`zer, n.

Defn: An element which is combined with a metal, thus forming an ore. Thus, in galena, or lead ore, sulphur is a mineralizer; in hematite, oxygen is a mineralizer.

MINERALOGICAL Min`er*al*og"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogique. See Mineralogy.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to mineralogy; as, a mineralogical table.

MINERALOGICALLY Min`er*al*og"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: According to the principles of, or with reference to, mineralogy.

MINERALOGIST Min`er*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. minéralogiste.]

1. One versed in mineralogy; one devoted to the study of minerals.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carrier shell (Phorus).

MINERALOGIZE Min`er*al"o*gize, v. i.

Defn: To study mineralogy by collecting and examining minerals. Miss Edgeworth.

MINERALOGY Min`er*al"o*gy, n.; pl. Mineralogies. Etym: [Mineral + -logy: cf. F. minéralogie.]

1. The science which treats of minerals, and teaches how to describe, distinguish, and classify them.

2. A treatise or book on this science.

MINERVA Mi*ner"va, n. Etym: [L.] (Rom. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of wisdom, of war, of the arts and sciences, of poetry, and of spinning and weaving; -- identified with the Grecian Pallas Athene.

MINETTE Mi*nette", n.

Defn: The smallest of regular sizes of portrait photographs.

MINEVER Min"e*ver, n.

Defn: Same as Miniver.

MINGE Minge, v. t. Etym: [AS. myngian; akin to E. mind.]

Defn: To mingle; to mix. [Obs.]

MINGE Minge, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. midge.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small biting fly; a midge. [Local, U. S.]

MINGLE Min"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mingled; p. pr. & vb. n. Mingling.] Etym: [From OE. mengen, AS. mengan; akin to D. & G. mengen, Icel. menga, also to E. among, and possibly to mix. Cf. Among, Mongrel.]

1. To mix; intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product; to confuse; to confound. There was... fire mingled with the hail. Ex. ix. 24.

2. To associate or unite in society or by ties of relationship; to cause or allow to intermarry; to intermarry. The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. Ezra ix. 2.

3. To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate. A mingled, imperfect virtue. Rogers.

4. To put together; to join. [Obs.] Shak.

5. To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of. [He] proceeded to mingle another draught. Hawthorne.

MINGLE Min"gle, v. i.

Defn: To become mixed or blended.

MINGLE Min"gle, n.

Defn: A mixture. [Obs.] Dryden.

MINGLEABLE Min"gle*a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be mingled. Boyle.

MINGLEDLY Min"gled*ly, adv.

Defn: Confusedly.

MINGLE-MANGLE Min"gle-man`gle, v. t. Etym: [Reduplicated fr. mingle.]

Defn: To mix in a disorderly way; to make a mess of. [Obs.] Udall.

MINGLE-MANGLE Min"gle-man`gle, n.

Defn: A hotchpotch. [Obs.] Latimer.

MINGLEMENT Min"gle*ment, n.

Defn: The act of mingling, or the state of being mixed.

MINGLER Min"gler, n.

Defn: One who mingles.

MINGLINGLY Min"gling*ly, adv.

Defn: In a mingling manner.

MINIACEOUS; MINACEOUS Min`i*a"ceous, a.

Defn: Of the color of minium or red lead; miniate.

MINIARD Min"iard, a.

Defn: Migniard. [Obs.]

MINIARDIZE Min"iard*ize, v. t.

Defn: To render delicate or dainty. [Obs.] Howell.

MINIATE Min"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Miniated; p. pr. & vb. n. Miniating.] Etym: [L. miniatus, p. p. of miniare. See Minium.]

Defn: To paint or tinge with red lead or vermilion; also, to decorate with letters, or the like, painted red, as the page of a manuscript. T. Wharton.

MINIATE Min"i*ate, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the color of red lead or vermilion; painted with vermilion.

MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, n. Etym: [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.]

1. Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small painting, especially a portrait.

2. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.

3. Lettering in red; rubric distinction. [Obs.]

4. A particular feature or trait. [Obs.] Massinger.

MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, a.

Defn: Being on a small; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.

MINIATURE Min"i*a*ture, v. t.

Defn: To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.

MINIATURIST Min"i*a*tur`ist, n.

Defn: A painter of miniatures.

MINIBUS Min"i*bus, n. Etym: [L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus.]

Defn: A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying four persons.

MINIE BALL Min"ie ball`. Etym: [From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.]

Defn: A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.

MINIE RIFLE Min"ie ri"fle.

Defn: A rifle adapted to minie balls.

MINIFY Min"i*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minified; p. pr. & vb. n. Minifying.] Etym: [L. minor less + -fly.]

1. To make small, or smaller; to diminish the apparent dimensions of; to lessen.

2. To degrade by speech or action.

MINIKIN Min"i*kin, n. Etym: [OD. minneken a darling, dim. of minne love; akin to G. minne, and to E. mind.]

1. A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.

2. A little pin. [Obs.]

MINIKIN Min"i*kin, a.

Defn: Small; diminutive. Shak.

MINIM Min"im, n. Etym: [F. minime, L. minimus the least, smallest, a superl. of minor: cf. It. minima a note in music. See Minor, and cf. Minimum.]

1. Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; -- applied to animalcula; and the like.

2. The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.]

4. A little man or being; a dwarf. [Obs.] Milton.

5. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of an austere order of mendicant hermits of friars founded in the 15th century by St. Francis of Paola.

6. (Mus.)

Defn: A time note, formerly the shortest in use; a half note, equal to half a semibreve, or two quarter notes or crotchets.

7. A short poetical encomium. [Obs.] Spenser.

MINIM Min"im, a.

Defn: Minute. "Minim forms." J. R. Drake.

MINIMAL Min"i*mal, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or having a character of, a minim or minimum; least; smallest; as, a minimal amount or value.

MINIMENT Min"i*ment, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. of moniment.]

Defn: A trifle; a trinket; a token. [Obs.] Spenser.

MINIMIZATION Min`i*mi*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of minimizing. Bentham.

MINIMIZE Min"i*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minimized; p. pr. & vb. n. Minimizimg.]

Defn: To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum. Bentham.

MINIMUM Min"i*mum, n.; pl. Minima. Etym: [L., fr. minimus. See Minim.]

Defn: The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; -- opposed to Ant: maximum.

MINIMUM THERMOMETER Minimum thermometer

Defn: , a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment.

MINIMUS Min"i*mus, n.; pl. Minimi. Etym: [L. See Minim.]

1. A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The little finger; the fifth digit, or that corresponding to it, in either the manus or pes.

MINING Min"ing, n. Etym: [See Mine, v. i.]

Defn: The act or business of making mines or of working them.

MINING Min"ing, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to mines; as, mining engineer; mining machinery; a mining region. Mining engineering. See the Note under Engineering.

MINION Min"ion, n.

Defn: Minimum. [Obs.] Burton.

MINION Min"ion, n. Etym: [F. mignon, fr. OHG. minni love, G. minne; akin to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Mignonette.]

1. A loved one; one highly esteemed and favored; -- in a good sense. [Obs.] God's disciple and his dearest minion. Sylvester. Is this the Athenian minion whom the world Voiced so regardfully Shak.

2. An obsequious or servile dependent or agent of another; a fawning favorite. Sir J. Davies. Go, rate thy minions, proud, insulting boy! Shak.

3. (Print.)

Defn: A small kind of type, in size between brevier and nonpareil. This line is printed in minion type.

4. An ancient form of ordnance, the caliber of which was about three inches. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

MINION Min"ion, a. Etym: [See 2d Minion.]

Defn: Fine; trim; dainty. [Obs.] "Their... minion dancing." Fryth.

MINIONETTE Min`ion*ette", a.

Defn: Small; delicate. [Obs.] "His minionette face." Walpole.

MINIONETTE Min"ion*ette, n. (Print.)

Defn: A size of type between nonpareil and minion; -- used in ornamental borders, etc.

MINIONING Min"ion*ing, n.

Defn: Kind treatment. [Obs.]

MINIONIZE Min"ion*ize, v. t.

Defn: To flavor. [Obs.]

MINIONLIKE; MINIONLY Min"ion*like`, Min"ion*ly, a. & adv.

Defn: Like a minion; daintily. Camden.

MINIONSHIP Min"ion*ship, n.

Defn: State of being a minion. [R.]

MINIOUS Min"ious, a. Etym: [L. minium red lead.]

Defn: Of the color of red or vermilion. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

MINISH Min"ish, v. t. Etym: [OE. menusen, F. menuiser to make small, cut small, fr. (assumed) LL. minutiare, for minutare, fr. L. minutus small. See Minute, a., and cf. Diminish, Minge.]

Defn: To diminish; to lessen. The living of poor men thereby minished. Latimer.

MINISHMENT Min"ish*ment, n.

Defn: The act of diminishing, or the state of being diminished; diminution. [Obs.]

MINISTER Min"is*ter, n. Etym: [OE. ministre, F. ministre, fr. L. minister, orig. a double comparative from the root of minor less, and hence meaning, an inferior, a servant. See 1st Minor, and cf. Master, Minstrel.]

1. A servant; a subordinate; an officer or assistant of inferior rank; hence, an agent, an instrument. Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua. Ex. xxiv. 13. I chose Camillo for the minister, to poison My friend Polixenes. Shak.

2. An officer of justice. [Obs.] I cry out the on the ministres, quod he, That shoulde keep and rule this cité. Chaucer.

3. One to whom the sovereign or executive head of a government intrusts the management of affairs of state, or some department of such affairs. Ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon.

4. A representative of a government, sent to the court, or seat of government, of a foreign nation to transact diplomatic business.

Note: Ambassadors are classed (in the diplomatic sense) in the first rank of public ministers, ministers plenipotentiary in the second. "The United States diplomatic service employs two classes of ministers, -- ministers plenipotentiary and ministers resident." Abbott.

5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. Addison.

Syn. -- Delegate; official; ambassador; clergyman; parson; priest.

MINISTER Min"is*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ministered; p. pr. & vb. n. Ministering.] Etym: [OE. ministren, OF. ministrer, fr. L. ministrare. See Minister, n.]

Defn: To furnish or apply; to afford; to supply; to administer. He that ministereth seed to the sower. 2 Cor. ix. 10. We minister to God reason to suspect us. Jer. Taylor.

MINISTER Min"is*ter, v. i.

1. To act as a servant, attendant, or agent; to attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular. The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. Matt. xx. 28.

2. To supply or to things needful; esp., to supply consolation or remedies. Matt. xxv. 44. Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased Shak.

MINISTERIAL Min`is*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. ministerialis: cf. F. ministériel. See Minister, and cf. Minstrel.]

1. Of or pertaining to ministry or service; serving; attendant. Enlightening spirits and ministerial flames. Prior.

2. Of or pertaining to the office of a minister or to the ministry as a body, whether civil or sacerdotal. "Ministerial offices." Bacon. "A ministerial measure." Junius. "Ministerial garments." Hooker.

3. Tending to advance or promote; contributive. "Ministerial to intellectual culture." De Quincey. The ministerial benches, the benches in the House of Commons occupied by members of the cabinet and their supporters; -- also, the persons occupying them. "Very solid and very brilliant talents distinguish the ministerial benches." Burke.

Syn. -- Official; priestly; sacerdotal; ecclesiastical.

MINISTERIALIST Min`is*te"ri*al*ist, n.

Defn: A supporter of the ministers, or the party in power.

MINISTERIALLY Min`is*te"ri*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a ministerial manner; in the character or capacity of a minister.

MINISTERY Min"is*ter*y, n.

Defn: See Ministry. Milton.

MINISTRACY Min"is*tra*cy, n.

Defn: Ministration. [Obs.]

MINISTRAL Min"is*tral, a.

Defn: Ministerial. [Obs.] Johnson.

MINISTRANT Min"is*trant, a. Etym: [L. ministrans, -antis, of ministrare to minister.]

Defn: Performing service as a minister; attendant on service; acting under command; subordinate. "Princedoms and dominations ministrant." Milton. -- n.

Defn: One who ministers.

MINISTRATION Min`is*tra"tion, n. Etym: [L. ministratio, fr. ministrare.]

Defn: The act of ministering; service; ministry. "The days of his ministration." Luke i. 23.

MINISTRATIVE Min"is*tra*tive, a.

Defn: Serving to aid; ministering.

MINISTRESS Min"is*tress, n. Etym: [Cf. L. ministrix.]

Defn: A woman who ministers. Akenside.

MINISTRY Min"is*try, n.; pl. Ministries. Etym: [L. ministerium. See Minister, n., and cf. Mystery a trade.]

1. The act of ministering; ministration; service. "With tender ministry." Thomson.

2. Hence: Agency; instrumentality. The ordinary ministry of second causes. Atterbury. The wicked ministry of arms. Dryden.

3. The office, duties, or functions of a minister, servant, or agent; ecclesiastical, executive, or ambassadorial function or profession.

4. The body of ministers of state; also, the clergy, as a body.

5. Administration; rule; term in power; as, the ministry of Pitt.

MINISTRYSHIP Min"is*try*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a minister. Swift.

MINIUM Min"i*um, n. Etym: [L. minium, an Iberian word, the Romans getting all their cinnabar from Spain; cf. Basque armineá.] (Chem.)

Defn: A heavy, brilliant red pigment, consisting of an oxide of lead, Pb3O4, obtained by exposing lead or massicot to a gentle and continued heat in the air. It is used as a cement, as a paint, and in the manufacture of flint glass. Called also red lead.

MINIVER Min"i*ver, n. Etym: [See Meniver.]

Defn: A fur esteemed in the Middle Ages as a part of costume. It is uncertain whether it was the fur of one animal only or of different animals.

MINIVET Min"i*vet, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A singing bird of India of the family Campephagidæ.

MINK Mink, n. Etym: [Cf. 2d Minx.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A carnivorous mammal of the genus Putorius, allied to the weasel. The European mink is Putorius lutreola. The common American mink (P. vison) varies from yellowish brown to black. Its fur is highly valued. Called also minx, nurik, and vison.

MINNESINGER Min"ne*sing`er, n. Etym: [G., fr. minne love + singen to sing.]

Defn: A love-singer; specifically, one of a class of German poets and musicians who flourished from about the middle of the twelfth to the middle of the fourteenth century. They were chiefly of noble birth, and made love and beauty the subjects of their verses.

MINNOW Min"now, n. Etym: [OE. menow, cf. AS. myne; also OE. menuse, OF. menuise small fish; akin to E. minish, minute.] [Written also minow.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European fresh-water cyprinoid fish (Phoxinus lævis, formerly Leuciscus phoxinus); sometimes applied also to the young of larger kinds; -- called also minim and minny. The name is also applied to several allied American species, of the genera Phoxinus, Notropis, or Minnilus, and Rhinichthys.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any of numerous small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and related genera. They live both in fresh and in salt water. Called also killifish, minny, and mummichog.mummichog

MINNY Min"ny, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A minnow.

MINO BIRD Mi"no bird". Etym: [Hind. maina.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An Asiatic bird (Gracula musica), allied to the starlings. It is black, with a white spot on the wings, and a pair of flat yellow wattles on the head. It is often tamed and taught to pronounce words.

MINOR Mi"nor, a. Etym: [L., a comparative with no positive; akin to AS. min small, G. minder less, OHG. minniro, a., min, adv., Icel. minni, a., minnr, adv., Goth. minniza, a., mins, adv., Ir. & Gael. min small, tender, L. minuere to lessen, Gr. mi to damage. Cf. Minish, Minister, Minus, Minute.]

1. Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third. Asia Minor (Geog.), the Lesser Asia; that part of Asia which lies between the Euxine, or Black Sea, on the north, and the Mediterranean on the south. -- Minor mode (Mus.), that mode, or scale, in which the third and sixth are minor, -- much used for mournful and solemn subjects. -- Minor orders (Eccl.), the rank of persons employed in ecclesiastical offices who are not in holy orders, as doorkeepers, acolytes, etc. -- Minor scale (Mus.) The form of the minor scale is various. The strictly correct form has the third and sixth minor, with a semitone between the seventh and eighth, which involves an augmented second interval, or three semitones, between the sixth and seventh, as, 6/F, 7/G#, 8/A. But, for melodic purposes, both the sixth and the seventh are sometimes made major in the ascending, and minor in the descending, scale, thus: --See Major. -- Minor term of syllogism (Logic), the subject of the conclusion.

MINOR Mi"nor, n.

1. A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age.

Note: In hereditary monarchies, the minority of a sovereign ends at an earlier age than of a subject. The minority of a sovereign of Great Britain ends upon the completion of the eighteenth year of his age.

2. (Logic)

Defn: The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness.

3. A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.

MINORAT Mi`no*rat", n. [G. Cf. Minor, a.] (Law)

Defn: A custom or right, analogous to borough-English in England, formerly existing in various parts of Europe, and surviving in parts of Germany and Austria, by which certain entailed estates, as a homestead and adjacent land, descend to the youngest male heir.

MINORATE Mi"nor*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. minoratus; p. p. of minorare to diminish, fr. minor, a. See 1st Minor.]

Defn: To diminish. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

MINORATION Mi`nor*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. minoratio: cf. F. minoration.]

Defn: A diminution. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

MINORESS Mi"nor*ess, n.

Defn: See Franciscan Nuns, under Franciscan, a.

MINORITE Mi"nor*ite, n. Etym: [L. minor less. Cf. 2d Minor, 3.]

Defn: A Franciscan friar.

MINORITY Mi*nor"i*ty, n.; pl. Minorities. Etym: [Cf. F. minorité. See Minor, a. & n.]

1. The state of being a minor, or under age.

2. State of being less or small. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. The smaller number; -- opposed to Ant: majority; as, the minority must be ruled by the majority.

MINOS Mi"nos, n. Etym: [Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa. After death he was made a judge in the Lower Regions.

MINOTAUR Min"o*taur, n. Etym: [L. Minotaurus, Gr. Mi`nos, the husband of Pasiphaë + tay^ros a bull, the Minotaur being the offspring of Pasiphaë and a bull: cf. F. minotaure.] (Class. Myth.)

Defn: A fabled monster, half man and half bull, confined in the labyrinth constructed by Dædalus in Crete.

MINOW Min"ow, n.

Defn: See Minnow.

MINSTER Min"ster, n. Etym: [AS. mynster, fr. L. monasterium. See Monastery.] (Arch.)

Defn: A church of a monastery. The name is often retained and applied to the church after the monastery has ceased to exist (as Beverly Minster, Southwell Minster, etc.), and is also improperly used for any large church. Minster house, the official house in which the canons of a cathedral live in common or in rotation. Shipley.

MINSTREL Min"strel, n. Etym: [OE. minstrel, menestral, OF. menestrel, fr. LL. ministerialis servant, workman (cf. ministrellus harpist), fr. L. ministerium service. See Ministry, and cf. Ministerial.]

Defn: In the Middle Ages, one of an order of men who subsisted by the arts of poetry and music, and sang verses to the accompaniment of a harp or other instrument; in modern times, a poet; a bard; a singer and harper; a musician. Chaucer.

MINSTRELSY Min"strel*sy, n.

1. The arts and occupation of minstrels; the singing and playing of a minstrel.

2. Musical instruments. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. A collective body of minstrels, or musicians; also, a collective body of minstrels' songs. Chaucer. "The minstrelsy of heaven." Milton.

MINT Mint, n. Etym: [AS. minte, fr. L. mentha, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The name of several aromatic labiate plants, mostly of the genus Mentha, yielding odoriferous essential oils by distillation. See Mentha.

Note: Corn mint is Mentha arvensis. -- Horsemint is M. sylvestris, and in the United States Monarda punctata, which differs from the true mints in several respects. -- Mountain mint is any species of the related genus Pycnanthemum, common in North America. -- Peppermint is M. piperita. -- Spearmint is M. viridis. -- Water mint is M. aquatica. Mint camphor. (Chem.) See Menthol. -- Mint julep. See Julep. -- Mint sauce, a sauce flavored with spearmint, for meats.

MINT Mint, n. Etym: [AS. mynet money, coin, fr. L. moneta the mint, coined money, fr. Moneta, a surname of Juno, in whose at Rome money was coined; akin to monere to warn, admonish, AS. manian, and to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Money, Monition.]

1. A place where money is coined by public authority.