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A breed of large dogs noted for strength and courage. There are various strains, differing in form and color, and characteristic of different countries. Mastiff bat (Zoöl.) , any bat of the genus Molossus; so called because the face somewhat resembles that of a mastiff.

A contest to try strength or skill, or to determine superiority; an emulous struggle. "Many a warlike match." Drayton. A solemn match was made; he lost the prize. Dryden.

Destitute of richness, fertility, strength, or the like; defective in quantity, or poor in quality; poor; barren; scanty in ideas; wanting strength of diction or affluence of imagery. "Meager soil." Dryden. Of secular habits and meager religious belief. I. Taylor. His education had been but meager. Motley.…

r degree; mean; intermediate; medial; as, a horse of medium size; a decoction of medium strength.

The reach and positiveness with which a person can remember; the strength and trustworthiness of one's power to reach and represent or to recall the past; as, his memory was never wrong.

Of or pertaining to mental culture; serving to improve or strengthen the mind. [R.]

A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it.

gy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action; means or resources to effect an object; strength; force; power; ability; capacity. What so strong, But wanting rest, will also want of might Spenser. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deut. vi. 5. With mi…

Possessing might; having great power or authority. Wise in heart, and mighty in strength. Job ix. 4.

to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. Dryden.

e degree in which a quality, principle, or faculty appears; as, an infusion of moderate strength; a man of moderate abilities.

expresses the measure of some specified force, property, or quality, as of elasticity, strength, efficiency, etc.; a parameter. Modulus of a machine, a formula expressing the work which a given machine can perform under the conditions involved in its construction; the relation between the work done upon a machine by t…

To fortify; to strengthen. [Obs.]

See Murenger. Jacob.

Muscular strength or development; as, to show one's muscle by lifting a heavy weight. [Colloq.]

consisting of, or constituting, a muscle or muscles; as, muscular fiber. Great muscular strength, accompanied by much awkwardness. Macaulay.

An instrument for measuring the muscular strength of man or of other animals; a dynamometer. Dunglison.

natural growth of animals or plants; the natural motion of a gravitating body; natural strength or disposition; the natural heat of the body; natural color. With strong natural sense, and rare force of will. Macaulay.

To give strength or vigor to; to supply with force; as, fear nerved his arm.

Destitute of strength or of courage; wanting vigor; weak; powerless. A kingless people for a nerveless state. Byron. Awaking, all nerveless, from an ugly dream. Hawthorne.