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Webster’s Dictionary (1828)



1,306 words match “FIRST”

LOUIS D'OR n.
a gold coin of France nominally worth twenty shillings sterling, but of varying value; -- first struck in 1640.
LOW adv.
In time approaching our own. In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds. Locke.
LYRA n.
A northern constellation, the Harp, containing a white star of the first magnitude, called Alpha Lyræ, or Vega.
MAGNITUDE n.
nk of a star with respect to brightness. About twenty very bright stars are said to be of first magnitude, the stars of the sixth magnitude being just visible to the naked eye. Telescopic stars are classified down to the twelfth magnitude or lower. The scale of the magnitudes is quite arbitrary, but by means of photome…
MAIDEN a.
sap of the tree is glutinous, and gives a persistent black stain. -- Maiden speech, the first speech made by a person, esp. by a new member in a public body. -- Maiden tower, the tower most capable of resisting an enemy.
MAIN a.
Principal; chief; first in size, rank, importance, etc. Our main interest is to be happy as we can. Tillotson.
MAJOR n.
That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference].…
MALIGNANT a.
d by the formation, at the point of reception of the virus, of a vesicle or pustule which first enlarges and then breaks down into an unhealthy ulcer. It is marked by profound exhaustion and usually fatal. Called also charbon, and sometimes, improperly, anthrax.
MANDATE n.
ope, commanding an ordinary collator to put the person therein named in possession of the first vacant benefice in his collation.
MANDELIC a.
Pertaining to an acid first obtained from benzoic aldehyde (oil of better almonds), as a white crystalline substance; -- called also phenyl glycolic acid.
MARANATHA n.
"Our Lord cometh;" -- an expression used by St. Paul at the conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians (xvi. 22). This word has been used in anathematizing persons for great crimes; as much as to say, "May the Lord come quickly to take vengeance of thy crimes." See Anathema maranatha, under Anathema.…
MARSEILLAIS; MARSEILLAISE a.
by Rouget de l'Isle, an officer then stationed at Strasburg. In Paris it was sung for the first time by the band of men who came from Marseilles to aid in the revolution of August 10, 1792; whence the name.
MARSEILLES n.
terlacing each other, thus forming double cloth, quilted in the loom; -- so named because first made in Marseilles, France.
MARTYR n.
to the truth of the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion; as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Chaucer. To be a martyr, signifies only to witness the truth of Christ; but the witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with persecution, that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but…
MASORETIC; MASORETICAL a.
s and accents, the vowel points and accents of the Hebrew text of the Bible, of which the first mention is in the Masora.
MATADORE; MATADOR n.
n the game of quadrille or omber, the three principal trumps, the ace of spades being the first, the ace of clubs the third, and the second being the deuce of a black trump or the seven of a red one. When Lady Tricksey played a four, You took it with a matadore. Swift.
MATE n.
the captain. If there are more than one bearing the title, they are called, respectively, first mate, second mate, third mate, etc. In the navy, a subordinate officer or assistant; as, master's mate; surgeon's mate.
MATH n.
which is gathered by mowing; -- chiefly used in composition; as, an aftermath. [Obs.] The first mowing thereof, for the king's use, is wont to be sooner than the common math. Bp. Hall.
MATIN n.
Time of morning service; the first canonical hour in the Roman Catholic Church.
MAUVE n.
(Chem.), a dyestuff produced artificially by the oxidation of commercial aniline, and the first discovered of the so-called coal- tar, or aniline, dyes. It consists of the sulphate of mauveïne, and is a dark brown or bronze amorphous powder, which dissolves to a beatiful purple color. Called also aniline purple, violin…
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