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The Greek major third, which comprehend two major tones (the modern major third contains one major and one minor whole tone).

A syllable attached to the first tone of the major diatonic scale for the purpose of solmization, or solfeggio. It is the first of the seven syllables used by the Italians as manes of musical tones, and replaced, for the sake of euphony, the syllable Ut, applied to the note C. In England and America the same syllables…

One of the two constellations, Canis Major and Canis Minor, or the Greater Dog and the Lesser Dog. Canis Major contains the Dog Star (Sirius).

Sirius, a star of the constellation Canis Major, or the Greater Dog, and the brightest star in the heavens; -- called also Canicula, and, in astronomical charts, a Canis Majoris. See Dog days.

Major; in the major mode; as, C dur, that is, C major.

A circle described about the center of an elliptical orbit, with half the major axis for radius. Hutton.

section of a cone through its opposite sides. The greatest diameter of the ellipse is the major axis, and the least diameter is the minor axis. See Conic section, under Conic, and cf. Focus.

matic, enharmonic) recognized by the ancient Greeks, which consisted of quarter tones and major thirds, and was regarded as the most accurate.

m with one premise omitted; as, We are dependent; therefore we should be humble. Here the major proposition is suppressed. The complete syllogism would be, Dependent creatures should be humble; we are dependent creatures; therefore we should be humble.

A syllogism in which the proof of the major or minor premise, or both, is introduced with the premises themselves, and the conclusion is derived in the ordinary manner. [Written also epicheirema.]

to the government, or state; -- usually applied to a minority, but it may be applied to a majority; a combination or clique of partisans of any kind, acting for their own interests, especially if greedy, clamorous, and reckless of the common good.

resembling the piccolo flute, used chiefly to accompany the drum in military music. Fife major (Mil.), a noncommissioned officer who superintends the fifers of a regiment. -- Fife rail. (Naut.) (a) A rail about the mast, at the deck, to hold belaying pins, etc. (b) A railing around the break of a poop deck.…

constituted, in whole or in part. The diplomatic politicians . . . who formed by far the majority. Burke.

to its black and white color)] (Zoöl.), the European great spotted woodpecker (Dryobstes major); -- called also wood pie. -- French polish. (a) A preparation for the surface of woodwork, consisting of gums dissolved in alcohol, either shellac alone, or shellac with other gums added. (b) The glossy surface produced by…

or complete. Shak. -- Full age (Law) the age at which one attains full personal rights; majority; -- in England and the United States the age of 21 years. Abbott. -- Full and by (Naut.), sailing closehauled, having all the sails full, and lying as near the wind as poesible. -- Full band (Mus.), a band in which all…

oppressive white rule will be removed by the higher powers. The religion spread through a majority of the western tribes of the United States, only in the case of the Sioux, owing to local causes, leading to an outbreak.

One of several species of sea birds of the genus Puffinus; esp., P. major, the greater shearwarter, and P. Stricklandi, the black hagdon or sooty shearwater; -- called also hagdown, haglin, and hag. See Shearwater.

mies, a noncommissioned officer of native soldiers, corresponding to a sergeant. Havildar major, a native sergeant major in the East Indian army.

laugh boisterously. [Colloq. U. S.] We haw-haw'd, I tell you, for more than half an hour. Major Jack Downing.

of white matter in each lateral ventricle of the brain. The larger is called hippocampus major or simply hippocampus. The smaller, hippocampus minor, is called also ergot and calcar.