MINNOW, min'[=o], _n._ a very small fresh-water fish of the same genus as the roach, chub, &c.: the young of larger fish. [A.S. _myne_, prob. _min_, less.]
MINO, m[=e]'n[=o], _n._ a Japanese rain-coat of hemp, &c.
MINOR, m[=i]'nor, _adj._ smaller: less: inferior in importance, degree, bulk, &c.: inconsiderable: lower: (_mus._) smaller by a semitone.--_n._ a person under age (21 years): (_logic_) the term of a syllogism which forms the subject of the conclusion.--_n._ M[=I]'NORITE, a Franciscan friar.--_adj._ belonging to the Franciscans.--_n._ MINOR'ITY, the state of being under age (also M[=I]'NORSHIP): the smaller of two parts of a number: a number less than half:--opp. to _Majority_.--MINOR CANON, a canon of inferior grade who assists in performing the daily choral service in a cathedral; MINOR MODE or SCALE, the mode or scale in music which has the third note only three semitones above the key; MINOR PREMISE, the premise which contains the minor term; MINOR PROPHETS, the name given to the twelve prophets from Hosea to Malachi inclusive. [L., neut. _minus_.]
MINOTAUR, min'o-tawr, _n._ the bull of Minos, a fabulous monster, half-man, half-bull. [L.,--Gr., prob. from _Minos_, king of Crete, _taurus_, a bull.]
MINSTER, min'st[.e]r, _n._ the church of an abbey or priory, but often applied to a cathedral church without any monastic connection. [A.S.
_mynster_--L. _monasterium_, a monastery.]
MINSTREL, min'strel, _n._ one of an order of men who sang to the harp verses composed by themselves or others: a musician: one of a class of performers, with blackened faces, of negro songs.--_n._ MIN'STRELSY, the art or occupation of a minstrel: a company or body of minstrels: a collection of songs: (_Chaucer_) instrumental music. [O. Fr.
_menestrel_--Low L. _ministralis_--L. _minister_.]
MINT, mint, _n._ the place where money is coined by government: a place where anything is invented or made: any source of abundant supply.--_v.t._ to coin: to invent.--_ns._ MINT'AGE, the money which is minted or coined: the duty paid for coining; MINT'ER, one who mints or coins: an inventor; MINT'-MAN, one skilled in coining or coinage; MINT'-MARK, a private mark put by the mint on coins for purposes of identification; MINT'-MAS'TER, the master of a mint: one who invents. [A.S. _mynet_, money--L. _mon[=e]ta_, a surname of Juno--_mon[=e]re_ to remind.]
MINT, mint, _n._ an aromatic plant producing a highly odoriferous oil.--_ns._ MINT'-JU'LEP, a spirituous drink flavoured with mint, and sucked through a straw or small tube; MINT'-SAUCE, chopped mint mixed with vinegar and sugar, used as a sauce for roast lamb. [A.S. _minte_--L.
_mentha_--Gr. _mintha_.]
MINT, mint, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to purpose, try: to hint. [A.S. _myntan_, to mean--_munan_, to think.]
MINUEND, min'[=u]-end, _n._ the number from which another is to be subtracted. [L. _minuendum_--_minu[)e]re_, to lessen.]
MINUET, min'[=u]-et, _n._ a slow, graceful dance in triple measure, invented in Poitou about the middle of the 17th century: the music for such a dance. [Fr. _menuet_--_menu_, small--L. _minutus_, small.]
MINUS, m[=i]'nus, _adj._ less: less than nothing or less than zero: deficient in respect of, deprived of, without.--_n._ an amount less than nothing: the sign (-) before quantities requiring to be subtracted.--_n._ MINUS'C[=U]LE, a semi-uncial cursive script, originated by the monks in the 7th-9th centuries: any small or lower-case letter as distinguished from a capital or _Majuscule_.--_adj._ small, of a letter: written in minuscule.
[L., neuter of _minor_, less.]
MINUTE, min-[=u]t', _adj._ very small or slender: of small consequence: slight: attentive to small things: particular, exact.--_adv._ MINUTE'LY.--_n._ MINUTE'NESS. [L. _min[=u]tus_, pa.p. of _minu[)e]re_, to lessen.]
MINUTE, min'it, _n._ the sixtieth part of an hour: the sixtieth part of a degree: an indefinitely small space of time: a brief jotting or note: (_pl._) a brief summary of the proceedings of a meeting.--_v.t._ to make a brief jotting or note of anything.--_adj._ (_Shak._) happening every minute.--_ns._ MIN'UTE-BELL, a bell sounded at regular intervals of one minute, in morning; MIN'UTE-BOOK, a book containing minutes or short notes; MIN'UTE-GLASS, a glass the sand of which measures a minute in running out; MIN'UTE-GUN, a gun discharged every minute, as a signal of distress or mourning; MIN'UTE-HAND, the hand that indicates the minutes on a clock or watch; MIN'UTE-JACK (_Shak._), a little figure that strikes the bell of the clock: a flighty, unstable person; MIN'UTE-MAN, a man ready to turn out at a minute's warning--the name taken by a body of militia in the American war of independence; MIN'UTE-WATCH, a watch that marks minutes; MIN'UTE-WHILE (_Shak._), a minute's time. [Same word as above.]
MINUTIae, mi-n[=u]'shi-[=e], _n.pl._ minute or small things: the smallest particulars or details.--_adj._ MIN[=U]'TI[=O]SE. [L., pl. of _minutia_, smallness.]
MINX, mingks, _n._ a pert young girl: a jade: a she-puppy. [Contr. of _minikin_, with added _s_.]
MIOCENE, m[=i]'o-s[=e]n, _adj._ (_geol._) less recent, applied by Lyell to the middle division of the Tertiary strata. [Gr. _mei[=o]n_, less, _kainos_, recent.]
MIOSIS, m[=i]-[=o]'sis, _n._ diminution: litotes. [Gr.]
MIR, m[=e]r, _n._ a Russian commune or local community holding land which is redistributed from time to time. [Russ. _mir[)u]_, union.]
MIRABLE, m[=i]r'a-bl, _adj._ (_Shak._) wonderful.
MIRACLE, mir'a-kl, _n._ anything wonderful: a prodigy: anything beyond human power, and away from the common action of the laws of nature: a supernatural _event._--_ns._ MIR'ACLE-MONG'ER, one who pretends to work miracles; MIR'ACLE-PLAY, a medieval form of drama founded on Old or New Testament history, or the legends of the saints.--_adj._ MIRAC'ULOUS, of the nature of a miracle: done by supernatural power: very wonderful: able to perform miracles.--_adv._ MIRAC'ULOUSLY.--_n._ MIRAC'ULOUSNESS.
[Fr.,--L. _miraculum_--_mir[=a]ri_, _-[=a]tus_, to wonder.]
MIRADOR, mir-a-d[=o]r', _n._ a belvedere or gallery. [Sp.]
MIRAGE, mi-razh', _n._ an optical illusion by which objects are seen double, or as if suspended in the air. [Fr.--_mirer_--L. _mir[=a]ri_.]
MIRBANE, m[.e]r'b[=a]n, _n._ nitro-benzol. [See NITRE.]
MIRE, m[=i]r, _n._ deep mud.--_v.t._ to plunge and fix in mire: to soil with mud.--_v.i._ to sink in mud.--_n._ M[=I]'RINESS.--_adj._ M[=I]'RY, consisting of mire: covered with mire. [Ice. _mri_, marsh.]
MIRK, m[.e]rk, _adj._ dark.--_adj._ MIRK'SOME, murky.
MIRROR, mir'ur, _n._ a looking-glass: a reflecting surface, usually made of glass lined at the back with a brilliant metal: a pattern.--_v.t._ to reflect as in a mirror:--_pr.p._ mirr'oring; _pa.p._ mirr'ored.--_n._ MAG'IC-MIRR'OR, a mirror in which, by means of divination, a person sees scenes in his future life: a Japanese convex mirror, engraved on the back, by which bright light reflected from the polished surface on to a screen gives bright-lined images corresponding to the figures on the back. [O. Fr.
_mireor_, _miroir_--L. _mir[=a]ri_, _-[=a]tus_, to wonder at.]
MIRTH, m[.e]rth, _n._ merriness: pleasure: delight: noisy gaiety: jollity: laughter.--_adj._ MIRTH'FUL, full of mirth: causing mirth: merry: jovial.--_adv._ MIRTH'FULLY.--_n._ MIRTH'FULNESS.--_adj._ MIRTH'LESS, joyless: cheerless.--_n._ MIRTH'LESSNESS, absence of mirth. [A.S.
_myrg_--_merg_, merry.]
MIRZA, mir'za, _n._ a Persian title, equivalent to 'Prince' when following the surname--a common title of respect, like 'Mr,' when preceding it.
MISACCEPTATION, mis-ak-sep-t[=a]'shun, _n._ the act of accepting or understanding in a wrong sense.
MISADVENTURE, mis-ad-vent'[=u]r, _n._ an unfortunate adventure: ill-luck: disaster.--_adjs._ MISADVENT'URED (_Shak._), unfortunate; MISADVENT'UROUS.
MISADVERTENCE, mis-ad-vert'ens, _n._ want of proper care or attention: inadvertence.
MISADVISE, mis-ad-v[=i]z', _v.t._ to give bad advice to: to deceive.--_adj._ MISADVISED', ill-advised, ill-directed.--_adv._ MISADV[=I]'SEDLY.--_n._ MISADV[=I]'SEDNESS.
MISAIMED, mis-[=a]md', _adj._ not rightly aimed.
MISALLEGE, mis-al-lej', _v.t._ to allege wrongly.
MISALLIANCE, mis-al-l[=i]'ans, _n._ a bad alliance, esp. marriage with one of a lower rank--the Fr. _Mesalliance_.--_adj._ MISALLIED'.
MISALLOTMENT, mis-al-lot'ment, _n._ a wrong allotment.
MISANTHROPE, mis'an-thr[=o]p, _n._ a hater of mankind: one who distrusts every one else--also MISAN'THROPIST.--_adjs._ MISANTHROP'IC, -AL, hating or distrusting mankind.--_adv._ MISANTHROP'ICALLY.--_ns._ MISAN'THROPOS (_Shak._), a misanthrope; MISAN'THROPY, hatred or distrust of mankind.
[Fr.,--Gr. _misanthr[=o]pos_--_misein_, to hate, _anthr[=o]pos_, a man.]
MISAPPLY, mis-ap-pl[=i]', _v.t._ to apply wrongly: to use for a wrong purpose.--_n._ MISAPPLIC[=A]'TION.
MISAPPRECIATED, mis-ap-pr[=e]'shi-[=a]t-ed, _adj._ not rightly or fully appreciated.--_n._ MISAPPRECI[=A]'TION.--_adj._ MISAPPR[=E]'CI[=A]TIVE.
MISAPPREHEND, mis-ap-pre-hend', _v.t._ to apprehend wrongly: to take or understand in a wrong sense.--_n._ MISAPPREHEN'SION.--_adv._ MISAPPREHEN'SIVELY, by or with misapprehension or mistake.
MISAPPROPRIATE, mis-ap-pr[=o]'pri-[=a]t, _v.t._ to put to a wrong use.--_n._ MISAPPROPRI[=A]'TION.
MISARRANGE, mis-ar-r[=a]nj', _v.t._ to arrange wrongly: to put in wrong order.--_n._ MISARRANGE'MENT.
MISARRAY, mis-ar-r[=a]', _n._ want of proper order.
MISASSIGN, mis-as-s[=i]n', _v.t._ to assign wrongly.
MISBECOME, mis-be-kum', _v.t._ not to suit or befit: to be unfitting.--_adj._ MISBECOM'ING, unbecoming.--_n._ an impropriety.--_n._ MISBECOM'INGNESS.