MOHARRAM, mo-har'am, _n._ the first month of the Mohammedan year: the great fast held during the first ten days of this month.--Also MUHARR'AM.
MOHAWK, m[=o]'hawk, _n._ the name of a tribe of North American Indians of the Huron-Iroquois family--hence one of a set of London street-ruffians about the beginning of the 18th century.--Also M[=O]'HOCK.
MOHICAN, m[=o]-h[=e]'kan, _adj._ and _n._ relating to the _Mohicans_, a tribe of North American Indians of the Algonkin stock.
MOHR, m[=o]r, _n._ a small African gazelle.
MOHUR, m[=o]'hur, _n._ in British India, a gold coin=from twelve to fifteen rupees, or 30s. [Pers.]
MOIDER, moi'd[.e]r, _v.t._ to confuse: to spend.--_v.i._ to work hard.
MOIDORE, moi'd[=o]r, _n._ a disused gold coin of Portugal worth 27s. [Port.
_moeda d'ouro_--L. _moneta de auro_, money of gold.]
MOIETY, moi'e-ti, _n._ half: one of two equal parts: a small share.
[Fr.,--L.,--_medius_, middle.]
MOIL, moil, _v.t._ to daub with dirt.--_v.i._ to toil or labour: to drudge.--_n._ a spot: a defilement. [O. Fr. _moiler_ (Fr. _mouiller_), to wet--L. _mollis_, soft.]
MOINEAU, moi'n[=o], _n._ a small flat bastion to protect a fortification while being erected. [Fr.]
MOIRae, moi'r[=e], _n.pl._ the Fates, the Parcae of the Romans--Clotho, the spinner of the thread of human life; Lach[)e]sis, who assigns to man his fate; and Atr[)o]pos, or the fate that cannot be avoided.
MOIRE, mwor, _n._ watered silk: a watered appearance on metals or textile fabrics.--MOIRE ANTIQUE, silk watered so as to resemble the stuffs worn in ancient times. [Fr.; see MOHAIR.]
MOIST, moist, _adj._ damp: humid: juicy: containing water or other liquid.--_vs.t._ MOIST'EN, MOIST (_obs._), to make moist: to wet slightly; MOIST'IFY, to make moist.--_ns._ MOIST'NESS; MOIST'URE, moistness: that which makes slightly wet: a small quantity of any liquid. [O. Fr. _moiste_ (Fr. _moite_)--L. _musteus_,--_mustum_, juice of grapes, new wine.]
MOKE, m[=o]k, _n._ (_slang_) a donkey: a stupid fellow: a variety performer on several instruments: a negro.
MOLAR, m[=o]'lar, _adj._ grinding, as a mill: used for grinding.--_n._ a grinding tooth: a back tooth. [L. _molaris_--_mola_, a mill--_mol[)e]re_, to grind.]
MOLAR, m[=o]'lar, _adj._ of or pertaining to a mass: acting on or by means of whole masses. [L. _moles_, a mass.]
MOLASSES, mo-las'ez, _n.sing._ a kind of syrup that drains from sugar during the process of manufacture: treacle. [Port. _melaco_ (Fr.
_melasse_)--L. _mell-aceus_, honey-like--_mel_, _mellis_, honey.]
MOLD. See MOULD.
MOLE, m[=o]l, _n._ a permanent dark-brown mark on the human skin, often hairy--a pigmentary _Naevus_ (q.v.). [A.S. _mal_; Ger. _maal_, L.
_mac-ula_.]
MOLE, m[=o]l, _n._ a small animal, with very small eyes and soft fur, which burrows in the ground and casts up little heaps of mould.--_v.t._ to burrow or form holes in.--_ns._ MOLE'CAST; MOLE'-CATCH'ER, one whose business it is to catch moles; MOLE'-CRICK'ET, a burrowing insect like a cricket, with forelegs like those of a mole.--_adj._ MOLE'-EYED, having eyes like those of a mole: seeing imperfectly.--_ns._ MOLE'HILL, a little hill or heap of earth cast up by a mole; MOLE'RAT, a rat-like animal, which burrows like a mole; MOLE'SKIN, the skin of a mole: a superior kind of fustian, double-twilled, cropped before dyeing; MOLE'-SPADE, a small spade used by mole-catchers; MOLE'-TRACK, the track made by a mole burrowing.--MAKE A MOUNTAIN OF A MOLEHILL, to magnify a trifling matter. [For _mold-warp_--A.S. _molde_, _mould_, _weorpan_, to warp.]
MOLE, m[=o]l, _n._ a breakwater: any massive building: an ancient Roman mausoleum. [Fr.,--L. _moles_.]
MOLECULE, mol'e-k[=u]l, _n._ one of the minute particles of which matter is composed: the smallest mass of any substance which retains the properties of that substance.--_adj._ MOLEC'ULAR, belonging to, or consisting of, molecules.--_n._ MOLECULAR'ITY.--MOLECULAR ATTRACTION, attraction acting on the atoms or molecules of a body, as distinguished from attraction of gravitation. [Fr.,--L. _moles_, a mass.]
MOLENDINACEOUS, m[=o]-len-di-n[=a]'shi-us, _adj._ like a windmill.--_adj._ MOLEN'DINARY, relating to a mill. [Low L. _molendinum_, a mill--L.
_mol[)e]re_, to grind.]
MOLEST, m[=o]-lest', _v.t._ to trouble.--_ns._ MOLEST[=A]'TION, state of being molested: annoyance; MOLEST'ER.--_adj._ MOLEST'FUL. [Fr.
_molester_--L. _molest[=a]re_--_molestus_--moles, mass, difficulty.]
MOLIMEN, m[=o]-l[=i]'men, _n._ great effort, esp. of any periodic effort to discharge a natural function.--_adj._ MOLIM'INOUS. [L.,--_mol[=i]ri_, to toil--_moles_.]
MOLINE, m[=o]'lin, _n._ and _adj._ the crossed iron in the upper millstone for receiving the spindle in the lower stone, a millstone rynd: (_her._) a moline cross. [L. _mola_, a mill.]
MOLINISM, m[=o]'li-nizm, _n._ the doctrine of the Spanish Jesuit Luis _Molina_ (1535-1600), that predestination is consequent on God's fore-knowledge of the free determination of man's will, that God gives to all men sufficient grace whereby to live virtuously and merit happiness, its efficaciousness depending on the voluntary co-operation of the will with it.--_n._ M[=O]'LINIST, one who holds the foregoing views.
MOLINIST, m[=o]'li-nist, _n._ a Quietist, or follower of Miguel de _Molinos_ (1640-97). [See QUIETISM.]
MOLL, mol, _n._ a familiar form of Mary: a concubine.
MOLLAH, MOLLA, mol'a, _n._ a Mohammedan title of respect for a learned or religious person: a judge of Moslem law. [Turk. and Pers., from Ar.
_maul[=a]_.]
MOLLIE, mol'i, _n._ a meeting and carousal on board one ship of the sailors belonging to several whaling-ships ice-bound in company--an abbreviation of _Mallemaroking_, [_Mallemuck_, the fulmar petrel.]
MOLLIFY, mol'i-f[=i], _v.t._ to make soft or tender: to assuage: to calm or pacify:--_pa.p._ moll'ified.--_adjs._ MOLL'IENT, serving to soften: assuaging; MOLL'IFIABLE.--_ns._ MOLLIFIC[=A]'TION, act of mollifying: state of being mollified: mitigation; MOLL'IFIER; MOLL'INE, a base for ointments used in skin diseases, a soft soap mixed with excess of fat and glycerine.--_adj._ MOLLIP[=I]'LOSE, having soft plumage.--_n._ MOLLIPILOS'ITY, fleecines, fluffiness.--_adj._ MOLLIT'IOUS, luxurious.--_n._ MOLL'ITUDE. [Fr.,--L. _mollific[=a]re_--_mollis_, soft, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]
MOLLUSC, MOLLUSK, mol'usk, _n._ one of the _Mollusca_, a large division of invertebrate animals--bivalves or Lamellibranchs, snails or Gasteropods, and cuttlefish or Cephalopods:--_pl._ MOLL'USCS, MOLL'USKS, or MOLLUS'CA.--_n._ MOLLUS'CAN, a mollusc.--_adjs._ MOLLUS'CAN, MOLLUS'COID, MOLLUS'COUS. [Fr.,--L. _molluscus_, softish--_mollis_, soft.]
MOLLY, mol'i, _n._ dim. of Mary: the wagtail bird.--_n._ MOLL'YCODDLE, an effeminate fellow.--MOLLY MAGUIRE, one of the Ribbonmen of Ireland (1843), who perpetrated outrages by night in women's dress: one of a secret society which terrorised the coal regions of Pennsylvania (1867-77).
MOLOCH, m[=o]'lok, _n._ a Phoenician god to which human sacrifices were offered: an exceedingly spiny Australian lizard--also M[=O]'LECH.--_v.t._ M[=O]'LOCHISE, to sacrifice as to Moloch.
MOLOSSUS, mo-los'us, _n._ a metrical foot of three long syllables:--_pl._ MOLOSS'[=I]. [L.--Gr.]
MOLTEN, m[=o]lt'n, _adj._ melted: made of melted metal.--_adv._ MOLT'ENLY.
[Old pa.p. of _melt_.]
MOLTO, mol'to, _adv._ (_mus._) very, much. [It.]
MOLY, m[=o]'li, _n._ (_Milt._) a magic herb given by Hermes to Odysseus as a counter-charm against the spells of Circe.
MOLYBDENUM, mol-ib-d[=e]'num, _n._ a rare metal of a silvery-white colour--also MOLYBD[=E]'NA.--_ns._ MOLYB'DATE, a compound of molybdic acid with a base; MOLYBD[=E]'NITE, sulphide of molybdenum.--_adjs._ MOLYBD[=E]'NOUS, MOLYB'DIC.--_n._ MOLYBD[=O]'SIS, lead-poisoning.
[L.,--Gr.,--_molybdos_, lead.]
MOME, m[=o]m, _n._ (_obs._) a buffoon: a stupid person. [O. Fr.,--L.,--Gr.
_M[=o]mos_, god of mirth.]
MOMENT, m[=o]'ment, _n._ moving cause or force: importance in effect: value, consequence: the smallest portion of time in which a movement can be made: an instant: the precise point of time, the right opportunity: (_math._) an increment or decrement, an infinitesimal change in a varying quantity: (_mech._) the moment of a force about a point is the product of the force and the perpendicular on its line of action from the point.--_adj._ M[=O]'MENTANY (_Shak._), momentary.--_adv._ M[=O]'MENTARILY.--_n._ M[=O]'MENTARINESS.--_adj._ M[=O]'MENTARY, lasting for a moment: done in a moment: short-lived.--_adv._ M[=O]'MENTLY, for a moment: in a moment: every moment.--_adj._ M[=O]MENT'OUS, of importance: of great consequence.--_adv._ MOMENT'OUSLY.--_ns._ MOMENT'OUSNESS; MOMENT'UM, the quantity of motion in a body, measured by the product of the mass and the velocity of the moving body:--_pl._ MOMENT'A. [Fr.,--L. _momentum_, for _movimentum_--_mov[=e]re_, to move.]
MOMUS, m[=o]'mus, _n._ the god of raillery, &c.--SON, or DISCIPLE, OF MOMUS, a wag. [See MOME.]
MONACHISM, mon'ak-izm, _n._ monastic life: state of religious seclusion under vows.--_adj._ MON'ACHAL, living alone: pertaining to monks or nuns, or to a monastic life.--_n._ MON'ACHUS, the monk-seal genus. [Fr.,--L.
_monachus_, a monk.]
MONAD, mon'ad, _n._ an ultimate atom or simple unextended point: a simple, primary element, assumed by Leibnitz and other philosophers: (_zool._) one of the simplest of animalcules.--_adj._ of or pertaining to monads.--_adjs._ MONAC'ID, capable of saturating a single molecule of a monobasic acid; MONAC'TINAL, single-rayed.--_n._ MON'ADELPH, a plant whose stamens are united by their filaments into one set, generally into a tube or ring.--_adjs._ MONADEL'PHIAN, MONADEL'PHOUS (_bot._), having the stamens united into one body by the filaments; MONAD'IC, -AL, relating to monads: single; MONAD'IFORM, like a monad.--_ns._ MON'ADISM, MONADOL'OGY, the theory of monads.--_adj._ MONAN'THOUS (_bot._), producing but one flower.--_n._ MON'AS, a monad: a monadiform infusorian.--_adj._ MONASCID'IAN, simple, not compound or composite--also _n._--_adj._ MONATOM'IC, consisting of a single atom, as a molecule: (_chem._) having a valence of one, as hydrogen. [L. _monas_, _-adis_--Gr. _monas_, _-ados_, a unit--_monos_, alone.]