Search the Dictionary

A lemur; -- applied to several species, as the White-fronted, the ruffed, and the ring-tailed lemurs.

A severe beating with a stick, cudgel, or the fist.

In Russia, severe oppressive laws against Jews, which have given occasion for great persecution; -- so called because they received the assent of the czar in May, 1882, and because likened to the Prussian May laws (see Kulturkampf).

The name of several plants of the genus Spiræa, especially the white- or pink-flowered S. salicifolia, a low European and American shrub, and the herbaceous S. Ulmaria, which has fragrant white flowers in compound cymes.

Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day. Mean distance (of a planet from the sun) (Astron.), the average of the distances throughout one revolution of the pla…

A composition of passages detached from several different compositions; a potpourri.

A class of claret wines, including several varieties, from the district of Médoc in the department of Gironde.

Any one of several species of Old World blood-sucking bats of the genus Megaderma.

Any one of several species of large-footed, gallinaceous birds of the genera Megapodius and Leipoa, inhabiting Australia and other Pacific islands. See Jungle fowl (b) under Jungle, and Leipoa.

A strong nitrogenous base, C3H6N6, produced from several cyanogen compounds, and obtained as a white crystalline substance, -- formerly supposed to be produced by the decomposition of melam. Called also cyanuramide.

Any one of several dark-colored augitic, eruptive rocks allied to basalt.

Any of several large groupers of warm seas, esp. the guasa (Epinephelus guaza), the red grouper (E. morio), the black grouper (E. nigritas), distinguished as Me"ro de lo al"to, and a species called also rock hind, distinguished as Me"ro ca*brol"la.

Pertaining to, or designating, one of several isomeric acids obtained from citric acid.

Now, one of several elementary substances which in the free state are unlike metals, and whose compounds possess or produce acid, rather than basic, properties; a nonmetal; as, boron, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, chlorine, bromine, etc., are metalloids.

Any one of several metameric forms of the same substance, or of different substances having the same composition; as, xylene has three metamers, viz., orthoxylene, metaxylene, and paraxylene.

A white waxy substance, found in small quantities in spermaceti as an ethereal salt of several fatty acids, and regarded as an alcohol of the methane series.

nd; soft; bland; clement; hence, moderate in degree or quality; -- the opposite of harsh, severe, irritating, violent, disagreeable, etc.; -- applied to persons and things; as, a mild disposition; a mild eye; a mild air; a mild medicine; a mild insanity. The rosy morn resigns her light And milder glory to the noon. Wal…

A genus of Foraminifera, having a porcelanous shell with several longitudinal chambers.

and having its seed attached to a long silky down; silkweed. The name is also applied to several other plants with a milky juice, as to several kinds of spurge.

The name of several cereal and forage grasses which bear an abundance of small roundish grains. The common millets of Germany and Southern Europe are Panicum miliaceum, and Setaria Italica.