m

• mdenoting a quantity consisting of 1,000 items or units
• M-1a semiautomatic rifle
• M-1 riflea semiautomatic rifle
• M-theory(particle physics) a theory that involves an eleven-dimensional universe in which the weak and strong forces and gravity are unified and to which all the string theories belong
• M. J. SchleidenGerman physiologist and histologist who in 1838 formulated the cell theory (1804-1881)
• M.M.the pace of music measured by the number of beats occurring in 60 seconds
• M1a measure of the money supply; includes currency in circulation plus demand deposits or checking account balances
• M2a measure of the money supply; M1 plus net time deposits (other than large certificates of deposit)
• M3a measure of the money supply; M2 plus deposits at institutions that are not banks (such as savings and loan associations)
• mainformal terms for a mother
• ma'ama woman of refinement
• maaThe common European gull (Larus canus); -- called also mar. See New, a gull.
• maadMade. Chaucer.
• maalin(a) The sparrow hawk. (b) The kestrel. MA'AM Ma'am, n. Madam; my lady; -- a colloquial contraction of madam often used in direct address, and sometimes as an appellation.
• Maaloxan antacid
• maara flat-bottomed volcanic crater that was formed by an explosion; often filled with water
• maara shellA large, pearly, spiral, marine shell (Turbo margaritaceus), from the Pacific Islands. It is used as an ornament.
• Maarianhaminaa town that is the chief port of the Aland islands
• maashaAn East Indian coin, of about one tenth of the weight of a rupee.
• maatDejected; sorrowful; downcast. [Obs.] "So piteous and so maat." Chaucer.
• mabA slattern. [Prov. Eng.] 2. The name of a female fairy, esp. the queen of the fairies; and hence, sometimes, any fairy. Shak.
• mabbleTo wrap up. [Obs.]
• mabbyA spirituous liquor or drink distilled from potatoes; -- used in the Barbadoes.
• maboloA kind of persimmon tree (Diospyros discolor) from the Philippine Islands, now introduced into the East and West Indies. It bears an edible fruit as large as a quince.
• maca waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
• macabreshockingly repellent; inspiring horror
• Macacamacaques; rhesus monkeys
• Macaca irusmonkey of southeast Asia, Borneo and the Philippines
• Macaca mulattaof southern Asia; used in medical research
• Macaca radiataIndian macaque with a bonnet-like tuft of hair
• Macaca sylvanatailless macaque of rocky cliffs and forests of northwestern Africa and Gibraltar
• macacoAny one of several species of lemurs, as the ruffed lemur (Lemur macaco), and the ring-tailed lemur (L. catta).
• macacusA genus of monkeys, found in Asia and the East Indies. They have short tails and prominent eyebrows.
• macadama paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar
• macadam roadA macadamized road.
• macadamiaany tree of the genus Macadamia
• Macadamia integrifoliamedium-sized tree of eastern Australia having creamy-white flowers
• macadamia nutnutlike seed with sweet and crisp white meat
• macadamia nut treesmall Australian tree with racemes of pink flowers; widely cultivated (especially in Hawaii) for its sweet edible nuts
• Macadamia ternifoliasmall Australian tree with racemes of pink flowers; widely cultivated (especially in Hawaii) for its sweet edible nuts
• Macadamia tetraphyllabushy tree with pink to purple flowers
• macadamia treeany tree of the genus Macadamia
• macadamisesurface with macadam
• macadamizationThe process or act of macadamizing.
• macadamizesurface with macadam
• macambatropical American feather palm having a swollen spiny trunk and edible nuts
• macaoA macaw.
• Macao monetary unitmonetary unit in Macao
• macaqueshort-tailed monkey of rocky regions of Asia and Africa
• macaranga gumA gum of a crimson color, obtained from a tree (Macaranga Indica) that grows in the East Indies. It is used in taking impressions of coins, medallions, etc., and sometimes as a medicine. Balfour (Cyc. of India).
• macarizeTo congratulate. [Oxford Univ. Cant] Whately.
• macaronipasta in the form of slender tubes
• macaroni and cheesemacaroni prepared in a cheese sauce
• macaroni saladhaving macaroni as the base
• macaroni wheatwheat with hard dark-colored kernels high in gluten and used for bread and pasta; grown especially in southern Russia, North Africa, and northern central North America
• macaronianPertaining to, or like, macaroni (originally a dish of mixed food); hence, mixed; confused; jumbled.
• macaronicof or containing a mixture of Latin words and vernacular words jumbled together
• macaroonchewy cookie usually containing almond paste
• MacArthurUnited States general who served as chief of staff and commanded Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II; he accepted the surrender of Japan (1880-1964)
• macartneyA fire-backed pheasant. See Fireback.
• macassar oilA kind of oil formerly used in dressing the hair; -- so called because originally obtained from Macassar, a district of the Island of Celebes. Also, an imitation of the same, of perfumed castor oil and olive oil.
• Macaua former Portuguese province on the south coast of China and two islands in the South China Sea; reverted to China in 1999
• macaucoAny one of several species of small lemurs, as Lemur murinus, which resembles a rat in size.
• MacaulayEnglish historian noted for his history of England (1800-1859)
• macavahuA small Brazilian monkey (Callithrix torquatus), -- called also collared teetee.
• macawlong-tailed brilliantly colored parrot of Central America and South America; among the largest and showiest of parrots
• Macbethking of Scotland (died in 1057)
• maccabeanOf or pertaining to Judas Maccabeus or to the Maccabees; as, the Maccabean princes; Maccabean times.
• maccabeesThe name given in later times to the Asmonæans, a family of Jewish patriots, who headed a religious revolt in the reign of Antiochus IV., 168-161 B. C., which led to a period of freedom for Israel. Schaff-Herzog.
• maccaboyA kind of snuff.
• maccoA gambling game in vogue in the eighteenth century. Thackeray.
• maccoboyA kind of snuff.
• MacDowellUnited States composer best remembered as a composer of works for the piano (1860-1908)
• mace(trademark) a liquid that temporarily disables a person; prepared as an aerosol and sprayed in the face, it irritates the eyes and causes dizziness and immobilization
• macebeareran official who carries a mace of office
• macedoinemixed diced fruits or vegetables; hot or cold
• Macedonthe ancient kingdom of Philip II and Alexander the Great in the southeastern Balkans that is now divided among modern Macedonia and Greece and Bulgaria
• Macedoniathe ancient kingdom of Philip II and Alexander the Great in the southeastern Balkans that is now divided among modern Macedonia and Greece and Bulgaria
• macedonianof or relating to Macedonia or its inhabitants
• Macedonian Warone the four wars between Macedonia and Rome in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, which ended in the defeat of Macedonia and its annexation as a Roman province
• macedonianismThe doctrines of Macedonius.
• maceran official who carries a mace of office
• maceratecause to grow thin or weak
• maceraterOne who, or that which, macerates; an apparatus for converting paper or fibrous matter into pulp.
• macerationextreme leanness (usually caused by starvation or disease)
• macerativeaccompanied by or characterized by maceration
• MacGregorScottish clan leader and outlaw who was the subject of a 1817 novel by Sir Walter Scott (1671-1734)
• MacGuffin(film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot
• MachAustrian physicist and philosopher who introduced the Mach number and who founded logical positivism (1838-1916)
• Mach numberthe ratio of the speed of a moving body to the speed of sound
• Machaerantherawildflowers of western North America
• Machaeranthera bigeloviiwild aster having leafy stems and flower heads with narrow bright reddish-lavender or purple rays; western Colorado to Arizona
• Machaeranthera tanacetifoliawild aster with fernlike leaves and flower heads with very narrow bright purple rays; Alberta to Texas and Mexico
• Machaeranthera tortifoloiawild aster having greyish leafy stems and flower heads with narrow pale lavender or violet rays; of rocky desert slopes California to Arizona and Utah
• machaerodusA genus of extinct mammals allied to the cats, and having in the upper jaw canine teeth of remarkable size and strength; -- hence called saber-toothed tigers.
• machairodusA genus of extinct mammals allied to the cats, and having in the upper jaw canine teeth of remarkable size and strength; -- hence called saber-toothed tigers.
• machetea large heavy knife used in Central and South America as a weapon or for cutting vegetation
• machiavelianOf or pertaining to Machiavel, or to his supposed principles; politically cunning; characterized by duplicity or bad faith; crafty. One who adopts the principles of Machiavel; a cunning and unprincipled politician.
• machiavelianismThe supposed principles of Machiavel, or practice in conformity to them; political artifice, intended to favor arbitrary power.
• machiavelismThe supposed principles of Machiavel, or practice in conformity to them; political artifice, intended to favor arbitrary power.
• Machiavellia statesman of Florence who advocated a strong central government (1469-1527)
• Machiavellianof or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended
• Machiavellianismthe political doctrine of Machiavelli: any means (however unscrupulous) can be used by a ruler in order to create and maintain his autocratic government
• machicolatesupply with projecting galleries
• machicolatedHaving machicolations. "Machicolated turrets." C. Kingsley.
• machicolationa projecting parapet supported by corbels on a medieval castle; has openings through which stones or boiling water could be dropped on an enemy
• machicoulisSame as Machicolation.
• machilidwingless insect living in dark moist places as under dead tree trunks; they make erratic leaps when disturbed
• Machilidaejumping bristletails
• machinalOf or pertaining to machines.
• machinateengage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together
• machinationa crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends
• machinatora member of a conspiracy
• machinea motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
• machine bolta bolt with a square or hexagonal head on one end and a threaded shaft on the other end; tightened with a wrench; used to connect metal parts
• machine codea set of instructions coded so that the computer can use it directly without further translation
• machine guna rapidly firing automatic gun (often mounted)
• machine gunnera serviceman in the artillery
• machine languagea set of instructions coded so that the computer can use it directly without further translation
• machine operationan elementary operation that a computer is designed and built to perform
• machine pistola fully automatic pistol; a small submachine gun
• machine politiciana politician who belongs to a small clique that controls a political party for private rather than public ends
• machine readablesuitable for feeding directly into a computer
• machine readable dictionarya machine-readable version of a standard dictionary; organized alphabetically
• machine riflelight machine gun
• machine screwa screw used either with a nut or with a tapped hole; slotted head can be driven by a screwdriver
• machine shopworkshop where metal is cut and shaped etc., by machine tools
• machine stitcha sewing stitch made by a sewing machine, sometimes using more than one thread
• machine toola powered machine for cutting or shaping or finishing metals or other materials
• machine translationthe use of computers to translate from one language to another
• machine washwash by machine
• machine-accessiblestored in, controlled by, or in direct communication with a central computer
• machine-controlledoperated by automation
• machine-displayable textelectronic text that is stored and used in the form of a digital image
• machine-drivenoperated by automation
• machine-mademade by machine
• machine-oriented languagea programming language designed for use on a specific class of computers
• machine-readable textelectronic text that is stored as strings of characters and that can be displayed in a variety of formats
• machine-washwash by machine
• machinelikeresembling the unthinking functioning of a machine
• machinerOne who or operates a machine; a machinist. [R.]
• machinerymachines or machine systems collectively
• machiningOf or pertaining to the machinery of a poem; acting or used as a machine.[Obs.] Dryden.
• machinista craftsman skilled in operating machine tools
• machinist's visea vise with two parallel iron jaws and a wide opening below
• machismoexaggerated masculinity
• machmeterspeedometer for measuring the speed of an aircraft relative to the speed of sound
• machoused of men; markedly masculine in appearance or manner
• macho-mana man who is virile and sexually active
• Machu PicchuInca fortress city in the Andes in Peru discovered in 1911; it may have been built in the 15th century
• Machupo virusthe RNA virus that causes Bolivian hemorrhagic fever; carried by rats and mice
• macilencyLeanness.[Obs.] Sandys.
• macilentLean; thin. [Obs.] Bailey.
• macintosha waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
• macka waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
• Mack SennettUnited States filmmaker (born in Canada) noted for slapstick movies (1880-1960)
• Mackema native of Sunderland
• Mackenziea Canadian river; flows into the Beaufort Sea
• Mackenzie Rivera Canadian river; flows into the Beaufort Sea
• mackerelany of various fishes of the family Scombridae
• mackerel scadsmall silvery fish; Nova Scotia to Brazil
• mackerel shadsmall silvery fish; Nova Scotia to Brazil
• mackerel sharkfierce pelagic and oceanic sharks
• mackerel skya sky filled with rows of cirrocumulus or small altocumulus clouds
• Mackinac Bridgea suspension bridge across the channel between the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan
• mackinawa heavy woolen cloth heavily napped and felted, often with a plaid design
• mackinaw blanketA thick blanket formerly in common use in the western part of the United States.
• mackinaw boatA flat-bottomed boat with a pointed prow and square stern, using oars or sails or both, used esp. on the upper Great Lakes and their tributaries.
• mackinaw coatA short, heavy, double-breasted plaid coat, the design of which is large and striking. [Local, U. S.]
• mackinaw troutThe namaycush.
• mackintosha waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
• macklea printed impression that is blurred or doubled
• macle(a) Chiastolite; -- so called from the tessellated appearance of a cross section. See Chiastolite. (b) A crystal having a similar tessellated appearance. (c) A twin crystal.
• Macleayaa perennial herb of eastern Asia: plume poppy
• Macleaya cordataherb of China and Japan widely cultivated for its plumelike panicles of creamy white flowers
• macled(Min.) (a) Marked like macle (chiastolite). (b) Having a twin structure. See Twin, a.
• MacLeishUnited States poet (1892-1982)
• MacleodScottish physiologist who directed the research by F. G. Banting and C. H. Best that led to the discovery of insulin (1876-1935)
• Maclurayellowwood trees or shrubs
• Maclura pomiferasmall shrubby deciduous yellowwood tree of south central United States having spines, glossy dark green leaves and an inedible fruit that resembles an orange; its hard orange-colored wood used for bows by Native Americans; frequently planted as boundary hedge
• maclureaA genus of spiral gastropod shells, often of large size, characteristic of the lower Silurian rocks.
• maclurinSee Morintannic.
• maconfine Burgundy wine usually white and dry
• maconnaisfine Burgundy wine usually white and dry
• Macounsimilar to McIntosh; juicy and late-ripening
• Macowanitesa stout-stemmed genus of fungus belonging to the family Secotiaceae having fruiting bodies that never expand completely
• Macowanites americanusa small fungus with a fragile cap that cracks to expose the white context and a white stalk that is practically enclosed by the cap
• macramea relatively coarse lace; made by weaving and knotting cords
• macrame laceA coarse lace made of twine, used especially in decorating furniture.
• macrencephalichaving a large brain case
• macrencephaloushaving a large brain case
• macrencephalyan abnormally large braincase
• macrovery large in scale or scope or capability
• macro instructiona single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language
• macro-A combining form signifying long, large, great; as macrodiagonal, macrospore.
• macro-chemistryThe science which treats of the chemical properties, actions or relations of substances in quantity; -- distinguished from micro- chemistry.
• macrobioticof or relating to the theory or practice of macrobiotics
• macrobiotic dieta diet consisting chiefly of beans and whole grains
• macrobioticsthe theory of promoting health and longevity by means of diet (especially whole beans and grains)
• macrocephalichaving an exceptionally large head and brain