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Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; -- applied to animalcula; and the like.

Of, pertaining to, or having a character of, a minim or minimum; least; smallest; as, a minimal amount or value.

A trifle; a trinket; a token. [Obs.] Spenser.

The act or process of minimizing. Bentham.

To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum. Bentham.

The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; -- opposed to Ant: maximum.

, a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment.

A being of the smallest size. [Obs.] Shak.

An instrument for ascertaining the quantity of albumen in a liquid.

With one breve, or four minims, to measure, and sung faster like four crotchets; in quick common time; -- indicated in the time signature by

urve referred to polar coördinates, any point for which the radius vector is a maximum or minimum.

to the common or sweet basil (Ocymum basilicum), and the bush basil, or lesser basil (O. minimum), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name is also given to several kinds of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum). Basil thyme, a name given to the fragrant herbs Calamintha Acinos and C. Nepeta. -- Wild basil, a plant (…

A note or character of time, equivalent to two semibreves or four minims. When dotted, it is equal to three semibreves. It was formerly of a square figure (as thus: Moore.

-- Bush tit (Zoöl.), a small bird of the genus Psaltriparus, allied to the titmouse. P. minimus inhabits California.

A small American bird (Empidonax minimus); the least flycatcher.

litting readily in one or more definite directions, in which the cohesive attraction is a minimum, affording more or less smooth surfaces; the direction of the dividing plane; a fragment obtained by cleaving, as of a diamond. See Parting.

A time note, with a stem, having one fourth the value of a semibreve, one half that of a minim, and twice that of a quaver; a quarter note.

length equal to one half of its simple value; thus, a dotted semibreve is equal to three minims, and a dotted quarter to three eighth notes. -- Dotted rest, a rest lengthened by a dot in the same manner as a dotted note.

The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as, a drop of water. With minute drops from off the eaves. Milton. As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart. Shak. That drop of pe…

tle; unnecessary or annoying ado about trifles. Byron. Zealously, assiduously, and with a minimum of fuss or noise Carlyle.