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The essence; the best part. It takes from our achievements . . . The pith and marrow of our attribute. Shak.

erty to tell him [Augustus] that he must either marry his daughter [Julia] to Agrippa, or take away his life. Bacon.

To take part as a masker in a masquerade. Cavendish.

To assemble in masks; to take part in a masquerade.

nything; as, a master of oratorical art. Great masters of ridicule. Maccaulay. No care is taken to improve young men in their own language, that they may thoroughly understand and be masters of it. Locke.

thing used for catching and retaining or communicating fire, made of some substance which takes fire readily, or remains burning some time; esp., a small strip or splint of wood dipped at one end in a substance which can be easily ignited by friction, as a preparation of phosphorus or chlorate of potassium. Match box,…

To appear as a material form; to take substantial shape. [Colloq.]

That with regard to, or about which, anything takes place or is done; the thing aimed at, treated of, or treated; subject of action, discussion, consideration, feeling, complaint, legal action, or the like; theme. "If the matter should be tried by duel." Bacon. Son of God, Savior of men ! Thy name Shall be the copious…

A stomach; the receptacle into which food is taken by swallowing; in birds, the craw; -- now used only of the lower animals, exept humorously or in contempt. Chaucer. Bellies and maws of living creatures. Bacon.

The portion of food taken at a particular time for the satisfaction of appetite; the quantity usually taken at one time with the purpose of satisfying hunger; a repast; the acas, the traveler has not eaten a good meal for a week; there was silence during the meal. What strange fish Hath made his meal on thee Shak.…

cording to some standard; size or extent, determined and stated; estimated extent; as, to take one's measure for a coat. The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. Job xi. 9.

The arrangement or relation of the parts of a machine; the parts of a machine, taken collectively; the arrangement or relation of the parts of anything as adapted to produce an effect; as, the mechanism of a watch; the mechanism of a sewing machine; the mechanism of a seed pod.

relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences; sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of; to weaken. Thou would'st have . . . melted down thy youth. Shak. For pity melts the mind to love. Dryden.

ut with the understanding that it will not be presented at bank unless the maker fails to take it up on the day the debt becomes due. It usually has Mem. written on its face.

is no original sin, that infants should not be baptized, and that Christians ought not to take oath, hold office, or render military service.

rs who sell to them. -- Mercantile marine, the persons and vessels employed in commerce, taken collectively. -- Mercantile paper, the notes or acceptances given by merchants for goods bought, or received on consignment; drafts on merchants for goods sold or consigned. McElrath.

The body of merchants taken collectively; as, the merchantry of a country.

To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers. Marryat.

inted to perform certain ministerial duties under bankrupt and insolvent laws, such as to take charge og the estate of the bankrupt or insolvent. Bouvier. Tomlins.

The act or process, by which living tissues or cells take up and convert into their own proper substance the nutritive material brought to them by the blood, or by which they transform their cell protoplasm into simpler substances, which are fitted either for excretion or for some special purpose, as in the manufacture…