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art, metallurgy, or the art of assaying metals; the art of separating metals from foreign matters, and determining the nature and quantity of metallic substances contained in any ore or mineral.

A list or calendar of business matters to be acted on in any assembly. On the docket, in hand; in the plan; under consideration; in process of execution or performance. [Colloq.]

the doctor of a calico- printing machine, which is a knife to remove superfluous coloring matter; the doctor, or auxiliary engine, called also donkey engine.

A matter of doctrine; also, a system of doctrines. T. Goodwin. Sir T. Elyot.

Domestic. [Obs.] Our private and domestical matter. Sir. P. Sidney.

A bundle containing the papers in reference to some matter.

two players are put out at the same time. -- Double plea (Law), a plea alleging several matters in answer to the declaration, where either of such matters alone would be a sufficient bar to the action. Stephen. -- Double point (Geom.), a point of a curve at which two branches cross each other. Conjugate or isolated…

to the truth of the negative or the affirmative proposition; to b e undetermined. Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt, and suspend our judgment. Hooker. To try your love and make you doubt of mine. Dryden.

Fine, soft, hairy outgrowth from the skin or surface of animals or plants, not matted and fleecy like wool; esp.:

Refuse; lees; dregs; the wash given to swine or cows; hogwash; waste matter. Prodigals lately come from swine keeping, from eating draff and husks. Shak. The draff and offal of a bygone age. Buckle. Mere chaff and draff, much better burnt. Tennyson.

A sink or drain; a privy. Shak. Matt. xv. 17. (c) pl. (Med.)

A house for the reception of waste matter; a privy. [Obs.] 2 Kings x. 27.

Very fine mineral matter held in suspension in water. Raymond.

Corrupt or defiling matter contained in a liquid, or precipitated from it; refuse; feculence; lees; grounds; sediment; hence, the vilest and most worthless part of anything; as, the dregs of society. We, the dregs and rubbish of mankind. Dryden.

A mass of matter which has been driven or forced onward together in a body, or thrown together in a heap, etc., esp. by wind or water; as, a drift of snow, of ice, of sand, and the like. Drifts of rising dust involve the sky. Pope. We got the brig a good bed in the rushing drift [of ice]. Kane.

The scum or refuse matter which is thrown off, or falls from, metals in smelting the ore, or in the process of melting; recrement.

Of vegetable matter: Free from juices or sap; not succulent; not green; as, dry wood or hay.

A contrivance for removing superfluous ink or coloring matter from a roller. See Doctor, 4. Knight. Ductor roller (Printing), the roller which conveys or supplies ink to another roller. Knight.

unready; awkward. This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing. Matt. xiii. 15. O, help my weak wit and sharpen my dull tongue. Spenser.

The act of dumping loads from carts, especially loads of refuse matter; also, a heap of dumped matter.