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MESSIAH, mes-s[=i]'a, _n._ the anointed One, the Christ--also MESS[=I]'AS.--_n._ MESS[=I]'AHSHIP, the character and work of Christ as the Saviour of the world.--_adj._ MESSIAN'IC, relating to the Messiah. [Heb.

_m[=a]sh[=i]ach_, anointed--_m[=a]shach_, to anoint.]

MESSIDOR, mes-si-d[=o]r', _n._ the tenth month of the French revolutionary calendar, June 19th-July 18th. [Fr.,--L. _messis_, harvest, Gr. _d[=o]ron_, a gift.]

MESSIEURS, plural of _Monsieur_ (q.v.).

MESSIN, mes'in, _n._ (_Scot._) a mongrel dog, a cur.--_adj._ mongrel. [Cf.

_Mastiff_.]

MESSMATE, mes'm[=a]t, _n._ one who eats at the same table. [_Mess_ and _mate_.]

MESSUAGE, mes'w[=a]j, _n._ (_law_) a dwelling and offices with the adjoining lands appropriated to the household: a mansion-house and grounds.

[O. Fr.,--Low L. _messuagium_--L. _mansa_, pa.p. of _man[=e]re_, to remain.]

MESTEE, mes-t[=e]', _n._ the offspring of a white person and a quadroon.

[Cf. Fr. _metis_, mongrel.]

MESTIZO, mes-t[=e]'z[=o], _n._ the offspring of a person of mixed Spanish and American Indian parentage, &c. [Sp.,--L. _mixtus_--_misc[=e]re_, to mix.]

MET, _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ of _meet_.

METABASIS, me-tab'a-sis, _n._ a change, as in treatment or remedies: a transition.--_adj._ METABAT'IC. [Gr., _meta_, beyond, _bainein_, to go.]

METABOLISM, me-tab'o-lizm, _n._ a general term for the chemical changes of living matter: retrograde metamorphosis, catabolism: complete metamorphosis, as in _Diptera_, &c.--_adj._ METABOL'IC, undergoing complete metamorphosis: polymorphic: exhibiting metabolism.--_v.t._ METAB'OLISE.

[Gr. _metabol[=e]_, change.]

METACARPAL, met-a-kar'pal, _adj._ pertaining to the part of the hand between the wrist and the fingers, the METACAR'PUS: denoting the foreleg of a horse between knee and fetlock joint.

METACENTRE, met-a-sen't[.e]r, _n._ that point in a floating body slightly displaced from equilibrium through which the resultant upward pressure of the fluid always passes.

METACHRONISM, me-tak'ron-izm, _n._ an error made by placing an event after its real time. [Fr.,--Gr. _metachronos_--_meta_, beyond, _chronos_, time.]

METACHROSIS, met-a-kr[=o]'sis, _n._ colour-change, as of a chameleon.

METACISM. See MYTACISM.

METAGE, m[=e]t'[=a]j, _n._ measurement of coal: price of measurement.

[_Mete_.]

METAGENESIS, met-a-jen'e-sis, _n._ (_biol._) a kind of alteration of generations in which a series of generations of unlike forms come between the egg and the parent type.--_adj._ METAGENET'IC.

METAGNOSTIC, met-ag-nos'tik, _adj._ transcending present knowledge.--_n._ one who holds that there is a supreme being, but that he transcends knowledge.--_n._ METAGNOS'TICISM.

METAIRIE, m[=e]-t[=a]'r[=e], _n._ a piece of land cultivated for a share of the produce. [Fr. See METAYER.]

METAL, met'al, _n._ an opaque substance, possessing a peculiar lustre, fusibility, conductivity for heat and electricity, &c., such as gold, &c.: courage or spirit (now spelt _mettle_): intrinsic quality: the number and power of guns carried by a ship-of-war: broken stones used for macadamised roads: (_pl._) the rails of a railroad.--_v.t._ to put metal on, as a road.--_n._ METALIC'ITY.--_adjs._ MET'ALLED, covered with metal, as a road; METAL'LIC, pertaining to, or like, a metal: consisting of metal.--_adv._ METAL'LICALLY.--_adjs._ METALLIF'EROUS, producing or yielding metals; METAL'LIFORM, having the form of metals: like metal; MET'ALLINE, pertaining to a metal: consisting of, or mixed with, metal.--_ns._ MET'ALLING, road-metal, broken stones; METALLIS[=A]'TION.--_v.t._ MET'ALLISE, to form into metal: to give to a substance its metallic properties.--_ns._ MET'ALLIST, a worker in metals: one who is skilled in metals: an advocate of the use of metal as currency; METAL'LOGRAPH, a print produced by metallographic process.--_adj._ METALLOGRAPH'IC--_ns._ METALLOG'RAPHIST; METALLOG'RAPHY, an account or description of metals: a process for utilising metal plates in a manner similar to lithographic stones: a process of imitating the grain of wood on metals; MET'ALLOID, one of the metallic bases of the fixed alkalies and alkaline earths: any of the elements which are non-metallic in the chemical sense of being able to replace hydrogen in an acid, and thus forming a salt: one of the inflammable non-metallic elements (sulphur, phosphorus, &c.).--_adjs._ MET'ALLOID, METALLOID'AL, pertaining to, or of the nature of, the metalloids.--_ns._ METAL'LOPHONE, a kind of piano, having graduated metal bars in place of strings: a musical instrument, differing from the xylophone in having metal instead of wooden bars; MET'ALLOTHERAPY, the treatment of disease by the external application of metals.--METALLIC OXIDE, a compound of metal and oxygen; METALLIC SALTS, salts having a metal or metallic oxide for base.--BASE METALS, lead, zinc, copper, iron; FUSIBLE METAL, a metallic alloy that fuses at a very low temperature--usually of lead, tin, and bismuth; LIGHT METALS, those whose specific gravity is less than 5; NOBLE, or PERFECT, METALS, gold, silver, platinum, so called because they keep their lustre when exposed to the air. [Fr.,--L.

_metallum_--Gr. _metallon_, a mine, a metal.]

METALEPSIS, met-a-lep'sis, _n._ (_rhet._) a compound figure that consists in uniting two or more different tropes in the same word, or in so using a word as to suggest two or three different figures by it.--_adjs._ METALEP'TIC, -AL. [Gr.]

METALLURGY, met'al-ur-ji, _n._ the art of working metals: the art of separating metals from their ores.--_adj._ METALLUR'GIC, pertaining to metallurgy.--_n._ MET'ALLURGIST, one who works metals: one skilled in metallurgy. [Gr. _metallon_, a metal, _ergon_, work.]

METAMERISM, met'a-me-rizm, _n._ (_chem._) a particular form of isomerism, seen in substances having the same molecular formula, but in which _all_ the atoms in the molecule are not directly united: (_zool._) segmentation of the body of an animal along the primary axis, producing a series of homologous parts.--_adjs._ MET'AM[=E]RAL, METAMER'IC.--_n._ MET'AMERE. [Gr.

_meta_, after, _meros_, a part.]

METAMORPHIC, met-a-mor'fik, _adj._ subject to change of form: (_geol._) applied to the alteration undergone by rocks under heat, pressure, &c., so that they assume a crystalline or semi-crystalline structure.--_ns._ METAMOR'PHISM, state or quality of being metamorphic; METAMOR'PHIST, one who believes that the body of Christ merged into the Deity when He ascended.--_v.t._ METAMOR'PHOSE, to transform.--_n._ METAMOR'PHOSIS, change of shape, transformation: the frequent transformation of human beings to beasts, stones, trees, &c.--an essential part of folklore everywhere: the marked change which some living beings undergo in the course of their growth, as caterpillar to insect, tadpole to frog, &c.:--_pl._ METAMOR'PHOSES. [Gr. _metamorph[=o]sis_--_meta_, expressing change, _morph[=e]_, form.]

METAPHERY, me-taf'e-ri, _n._ (_bot._) the transposition of various floral organs. [Gr.: see METAPHOR.]

METAPHOR, met'a-fur, _n._ a transference of meaning, the putting of one thing for another which it only resembles, as when words are said to be bitter: an implicit simile.--_adjs._ METAPHOR'IC, -AL, pertaining to, or containing, metaphor: figurative.--_adv._ METAPHOR'ICALLY.--_ns._ METAPHOR'ICALNESS; MET'APHORIST.--MIXED METAPHOR, an expression in which two or more metaphors are confused, where one only is capable of being intelligibly evolved or conceived objectively, as Cromwell's 'God has kindled a seed in this nation.' [Fr.,--Gr.

_metaphora_--_metapherein_--_meta_, over, _pherein_, to carry.]

METAPHRASE, met'a-fr[=a]z, _n._ a translation from one language into another word for word--opp. to _Paraphrase_: a repartee--also METAPH'RASIS.--_n._ MET'APHRAST, one who translates word for word.--_adj._ METAPHRAS'TIC, literal in translation. [Gr. _metaphrasis_--_meta_, over, _phrasis_, a speaking.]

METAPHYSICS, met-a-fiz'iks, _n.sing._ the science which investigates the first principles of nature and thought: ontology or the science of being.--_adj._ METAPHYS'ICAL, pertaining to metaphysics; abstract.--_adv._ METAPHYS'ICALLY.--_n._ METAPHYSIC'IAN, one versed in metaphysics. [From certain works of Aristotle to be studied after his physics--Gr. _meta_, after, _physika_, physics--_physis_, nature.]

METAPHYTA, met-a-f[=i]'ta, _n.pl._ many-celled plants, in contrast to the single-celled _Protophytes_.

METAPLASIA, met-a-pl[=a]'si-a, _n._ the direct conversion of one form of an adult tissue into another--also METAP'LASIS.--_n._ MET'APLASM, a grammatical change in a word by adding or dropping a letter. [Gr. _meta_, over, _plasis_--_plassein_, to form.]

METAPOPHYSIS, met-a-pof'i-sis, _n._ (_anat._) a dorsolateral apophysis on the anterior articular process of a vertebra. [Gr. _meta_, after, _apophysis_, a process.]

METASTASIS, me-tas'ta-zis, _n._ a change in nature, form, or quality; a change from one part to another, as a disease: (_bot._) metabolism.--_adj._ METASTAT'IC. [Gr.,--_methist[=e]mi_, I change place.]

METATARSAL, met-a-tar'sal, _adj._ belonging to the front part of the foot, behind the toes, nearly the same as the instep in man.--_n._ METATAR'SUS.

[Gr. _meta_, beyond, _tarsos_, the flat of the foot.]

METATHESIS, me-tath'es-is, _n._ (_gram._) a change of place of the letters or syllables of a word.--_adjs._ METATHET'IC, -AL. [Gr.,--_metatithenai_, to transpose--_meta_, over, _tithenai_, to place.]

METATHORAX, met-a-th[=o]'raks, _n._ the third segment of an insect's thorax.--_adj._ METATHORAC'IC.

METATOME, met'a-t[=o]m, _n._ (_archit._) the space between two dentils.

METAYER, me-t[=a]'y[.e]r, _n._ a farmer who pays, instead of money rent, a fixed proportion of the crops.--_n._ MET[=A]'YAGE, this system. [Fr.,--Low L. _medietarius_--L. _medietas_, the half--_medius_, middle.]

METAZOA, met-a-z[=o]'a, _n.pl._ many-celled animals possessing cellular differentiation:--opp. to single-celled _Protozoa_.--_adjs._ METAZ[=O]'AN, METAZ[=O]'IC.--_n.sing._ MET'AZ[=O]ON. [Gr. _meta_, after, _z[=o]on_, animal.]

METE, m[=e]t, _v.t._ to measure.--_ns._ METE'WAND, a measuring-stick; METE'YARD (_B._), a yard or rod for meting or measuring. [A.S. _metan_; Ger. _messen_.]

METEMPIRIC, -AL, met-em-pir'ik, -al, _adj._ beyond or outside of experience:--opp. to _Empirical_ or _Experiential_.--_ns._ METEMPIR'ICISM; METEMPIR'ICIST.

METEMPSYCHOSIS, me-temp-si-k[=o]'sis, _n._ the passing of the soul after death into some other body, whether that of a human being or of an animal:--_pl._ METEMPSYCH[=O]'SES. [Gr.,--_meta_, expressing change, _empsych[=o]sis_, an animating--_en_, in, _psych[=e]_, soul.]

METENSOMATOSIS, met-en-s[=o]-ma-t[=o]'sis, _n._ transference of the elements of one body into another.

METEOR, m[=e]'te-or, _n._ one of numberless small bodies travelling through space, continually being encountered by the earth on its orbital path, and then revealed to our observation as aerolites, fire-balls, or shooting-stars: formerly used of any appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain: (_fig._) anything that for a time dazzles or strikes with wonder.--_adj._ METEOR'IC, pertaining to, or consisting of, meteors: proceeding from a meteor: flashing like a meteor: influenced by the weather.--_ns._ M[=E]'TEOROGRAPH, an instrument by which several meteorological elements are recorded in combination; METEOR'OLITE, M[=E]'TEORITE, a meteoric stone.--_adjs._ METEOROLOG'IC, -AL.--_ns._ METEOROL'OGIST; one skilled in meteorology; METEOROL'OGY, that department of physics which treats of the phenomena of the atmosphere as regards weather and climate.--_adj._ M[=E]'T[=E]OROUS (_Milt._), having the nature of a meteor.--METEORIC IRON, iron as found in meteoric stones; METEORIC SHOWERS, showers of meteors or shooting-stars; METEORIC STONES, aerolites.

[Gr. _mete[=o]ron_--_meta_, beyond, _e[=o]ra_, anything suspended--_aeirein_, to lift.]

METER, a form of _metre_.

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