Search the Dictionary

esnake. Calling also lion's foot, gall of the earth, and white lettuce. -- Rattlesnake's master (Bot.) (a) A species of Agave (Agave Virginica) growing in the Southern United States. (b) An umbelliferous plant (Eryngium yuccæfolium) with large bristly-fringed linear leaves. (c) A composite plant, the blazing star (Lia…

iction or domain; a region which is under the dominion of a king; a kingdom. The absolute master of realms on which the sun perpetually alone. Motley.

The head master of a public school. [Scot.]

The process of sending any matter, for inquiry in a cause, to a master or other officer, in order that he may ascertain facts and report to the court.

An officer who delivered the royal answer to petitions. "Referendaries, or masters of request." Harmar.

A resident master of arts of less than five years' standing, or a doctor of less than twwo. They were formerly privileged to lecture in the schools. Regent bird (Zoöl.), a beautiful Australian bower bird (Sericulus melinus). The male has the head, neck, and large patches on the wings, bright golden yellow, and the rest…

ome other thing; connection; as, the relation of experience to knowledge; the relation of master to servant. Any sort of connection which is perceived or imagined between two or more things, or any comparison which is made by the mind, is a relation. I. Taylor.

To dismiss or discharge from office; as, the President removed many postmasters.

n officer to his superiors; as, the reports of the heads af departments to Congress, of a master in chancery to the court, of committees to a legislative body, and the like.

Incapable of being resisted; irresistible. Masters' commands come with a power resistless To such as owe them absolute subjection. Milton. -- Re*sist"less*ly, adv. -- Re*sist"less*ness, n.

isposed to rest; indisposed toexercton; sluggish; also, restive. [Obs.] Burton. Where the master is too resty or too rich to say his own prayers. Milton.

Hence, a servant, not a domestic, but occasionally attending and wearing his master's livery. Cowell.

revel to dispend. Chaucer. Some men ruin . . . their bodies by incessant revels. Rambler. Master of the revels, Revel master. Same as Lord of misrule, under Lord.

Suitable to a master of rhetoric. "With rhetorician pride." Blackmore.

; -- followed by of. "Rid all the sea of pirates." Shak. In never ridded myself of an overmastering and brooding sense of some great calamity traveling toward me. De Quincey.

the back of an animal, as a horse. To-morrow, when ye riden by the way. Chaucer. Let your master ride on before, and do you gallop after him. Swift.

a) A hood formerly worn by women when riding. (b) A kind of cloak with a hood. -- Riding master, an instructor in horsemanship. -- Riding rhyme (Pros.), the meter of five accents, with couplet rhyme; -- probably so called from the mounted pilgrims described in the Canterbury Tales. Dr. Guest. -- Riding school, a sch…

Hence, not lax or indulgent; severe; inflexible; strict; as, a rigid father or master; rigid discipline; rigid criticism; a rigid sentence. The more rigid order of principles in religion and government. Hawthorne.

mal, especially, a skin of the bison, dressed with the fur on, and used as a wrap. [U.S.] Master of the robes, an officer of the English royal household (when the sovereign is a king) whose duty is supposed to consist in caring for the royal robes. -- Mistress of the robes, a lady who enjoys the highest rank of the la…

e signal of an attack by the enemy, and for the troops to arrange themselves in line. -- Master of the rolls. See under Master. -- Roll call, the act, or the time, of calling over a list names, as among soldiers. -- Rolls of court, of parliament (or of any public body), the parchments or rolls on which the acts and…