Mention - Mere

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Mention (mĕnshŭn), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mentioned (mĕnshŭnd); p. pr. & vb. n. Mentioning.] [Cf. F. mentionner.] To make mention of; to speak briefly of; to name.
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I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the Lord. Is. lxiii. 7.
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Mentionable (?), a. Fit to be mentioned.
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Mentomeckelian (?), a. [1st mental + Meckelian.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the chin and lower jaw. -- n. The bone or cartilage forming the anterior extremity of the lower jaw in some adult animals and the young of others.
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Mentor (?), n. [From Mentor, the counselor of Telemachus, Gr. Mentwr, prop., counselor. Cf. .] A wise and faithful counselor or monitor.
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Mentorial (?), a. [From .] Containing advice or admonition.
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mentum (?), n. [L., chin.] (Zoöl.) The front median plate of the labium in insects. See .
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Mentzelia prop. n. A genus of bristly herbs or subshrubs of Western America lacking stinging hairs.
Syn. -- genus Mentzelia.
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menu (mĕny�), n. [F., slender, thin, minute. See 4th .] 1. The details of a banquet; a list of the dishes served at a meal, whether or not one has a choice.
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2. Any list of objects, activities, etc. from which to choose; a selection of alternatives.
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3. Hence:A list of dishes form which to choose at a restaurant; a bill of fare.
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4. Hence: (Computers) A list displayed on the computer screen, by which a program provides the user with different options for processing by the program. It usually includes a mechanism, such as pointing by a mouse or selection by arrow keys, to select the desired option from those on the list. Depending on how the menu is displayed, it may be a pop-up menu or pull-down menu.
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Menurae prop. n. A suborder of birds including lyrebirds and scrubbirds.
Syn. -- suborder Menurae.
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Menuridae prop. n. A natural family of birds including the lyrebirds.
Syn. -- family Menuridae.
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Menuse (?), v. i. See . [Obs.]
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Menyanthes prop. n. The type genus of the Menyanthaceae, having only one species: the bogbeans.
Syn. -- genus Menyanthes.
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Menziesia prop. n. A genus of deciduous shrubs of North America and eastern Asia.
Syn. -- genus Menziesia.
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Meow (?), v. i. & n. See 6th and 7th .
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mepacrine n. Quinacrine, a drug once used to treat malaria; Atabrine is a trademark.
Syn. -- quinacrine, Atabrine.
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meperidine n. A synthetic narcotic drug used as a sedative; Demerol is the trademark of a brand of meperidine.
Syn. -- meperidine hydrochloride, Demerol.
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Mephistophelean, Mephistophelian (? or ?), prop. a. Pertaining to, or resembling, the devil Mephistopheles, “a crafty, scoffing, relentless fiend;” devilish in character or aspect; crafty; showing cunning or ingenuity or wickedness; as, a mephistophelean glint in his eye.
Syn. -- devilish, diabolic, diabolical, mephistophelean.
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Mephistopheles (mĕfĭstof�lēz) [Written Mephostophilus in Shakespeare, Fletcher etc., Mephostophilis in Marlowe, but now generally Mephistopheles, as in Goethe: a made-up name, like most of the names of the medieval devils, but supposed by some to be formed (irregularly) from Gr. mh, not, fw^s (fwt-), light, and filos, loving.] A familiar spirit mentioned in the old legend of Sir John Faustus, and a principal agent in Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus and in Goethe's Faust. In medieval demonology, he was one of the seven chief devils.
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He is frequently referred to as “the Devil,” but it was well understood that he was only a devil. Goethe took only the name and a few circumstances connected with the first appearance of Mephistopheles from the legend: the character, from first to last, is his own creation; and, in his own words, “on account of the irony and knowledge of the world it displays, is not easily comprehended.” Although he sometimes slyly used it (though less frequently than Faust) as a mask through which to speak with his own voice, he evidently drew the germ of some characteristics from his early associate, Merck. . . . The original form of this name was Mephostophiles. There has been much discussion in regard to its meaning, but Düntzen's conjecture is probably correct, -- that it was imperfectly formed by some one who knew little Greek, and was intended to signify “not loving the light.” B. Taylor, Notes to Faust.
[Century Dictionary 1906]

{ Mephitic (?), Mephitical (?), } a. [L. mephiticus, fr. mephitis mephitis: cf. F. méphitique.] 1. Tending to destroy life; poisonous; noxious; as, mephitic exhalations; mephitic regions.
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2. Offensive to the smell; as, mephitic odors.
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Coloq. Mephitic air (Chem.), carbon dioxide; -- so called because of its deadly suffocating power. See Carbonic acid, under .
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Mephitinae prop. n. A subfamily of mammals including the skunks; it is a subdivision not used in some classifications.
Syn. -- subfamily Mephitinae.
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Mephitis (?), n. [L. mephitis : cf. F. méphitis.] 1. Noxious, pestilential, or foul exhalations from decomposing substances, filth, or other source.
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2. (Zoöl.) A genus of mammals, including the skunks.
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Mephitism (?), n. Same as , 1.
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Meracious (?), a. [L. meracus, fr. merus pure, inmixed.] Being without mixture or adulteration; hence, strong; racy. [Obs.]
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Mercable (?), a. [L. mercabilis, fr. mercari to trade, traffic, buy. See .] Capable of being bought or sold. [Obs.]
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merbromine n. A mercurial compound applied topically as an antiseptic; Mercurochrome is the trademark.
Syn. -- Mercurochrome.
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Mercantile (?; 277), a. [F. mercantile, It. mercantile, fr. L. mercans, -antis, p. pr. of mercari to traffic. See .] Of or pertaining to merchants, or the business of merchants; having to do with trade, or the buying and selling of commodities; commercial.
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The expedition of the Argonauts was partly mercantile, partly military. Arbuthnot.
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Coloq. Mercantile agency , an agency for procuring information of the standing and credit of merchants in different parts of the country, for the use of dealers who sell to them. -- Coloq. Mercantile marine , the persons and vessels employed in commerce, taken collectively. -- Coloq. 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.
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Syn. -- , . Commercial is the wider term, being sometimes used to embrace mercantile. In their stricter use, commercial relates to the shipping, freighting, forwarding, and other business connected with the commerce of a country (whether external or internal), that is, the exchange of commodities; while mercantile applies to the sale of merchandise and goods when brought to market. As the two employments are to some extent intermingled, the two words are often interchanged.
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Mercaptal (?), n. [Mercaptan + aldehyde.] (Chem.) Any one of a series of compounds of mercaptans with aldehydes.
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Mercaptan (?), n. [F., fr. NL. mercurius mercury + L. captans, p. pr. of captare to seize, v. intens. fr. capere.] (Chem.) Any one of series of compounds having an -SH radical attached to a carbon atom, also considered as hydrosulphides of alcohol radicals, in composition resembling the alcohols, but containing sulphur in place of oxygen, and hence called also the sulphur alcohols. In general, they are colorless liquids having a strong, repulsive, garlic odor. The name is specifically applied to ethyl mercaptan, C2H5SH. So called from its avidity for mercury, and other metals.
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Mercaptide (? or ?), n. (Chem.) A compound of mercaptan formed by replacing its sulphur hydrogen by a metal; as, potassium mercaptide, C2H5SK.
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Mercat (?), n. [L. mercatus : cf. It. mercato. See .] Market; trade. [Obs.] Bp. Sprat.
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Mercatante (?; It. ?), n. [It. See .] A foreign trader. [Obs.] Shak.
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Mercator's chart (?). See under , and see Mercator's projection, under .
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Mercature (?; 135), n. [L. mercatura commerce.] Commerce; traffic; trade. [Obs.]
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Merce (?), v. t. [See .] To subject to fine or amercement; to mulct; to amerce. [Obs.]
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Mercenaria (?), n. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) The .
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Mercenarian (-an), n. A mercenary. [Obs.]
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Mercenarily (?), adv. In a mercenary manner.
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Mercenariness, n. The quality or state of being mercenary; venality. Boyle.
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Mercenary (?), a. [OE. mercenarie, F. mercenaire, fr. L. mercenarius, fr. merces wages, reward. See .] 1. Acting for reward; serving for pay; paid; hired; hireling; venal; as, mercenary soldiers.
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2. Hence: Moved primarily by considerations of pay or profit; greedy of gain; sordid; selfish. Shak.
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For God forbid I should my papers blot
With mercenary lines, with servile pen. Daniel.
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Syn. -- See .
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Mercenary (?), n.; pl. Mercenaries (�). One who is hired; a hireling; especially, a soldier hired into foreign service. Milman.
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Mercer (?), n. [F. mercier, fr. L. merx, mercis, wares, merchandise. See .] Originally, a dealer in any kind of goods or wares; now restricted to a dealer in textile fabrics, as silks or woolens. [Eng.]
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Mercerize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. -ized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. -izing (?).] [From (John) Mercer (1791-1866), an English calico printer who introduced the process + -ize.] To treat (cotton fiber or fabrics) with a solution of caustic alkali. Such treatment causes the fiber to shrink in length and become stronger and more receptive of dyes. If the yarn or cloth is kept under tension during the process, it assumes a silky luster. -- Mercerization (#), n.
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Mercership, n. The business of a mercer.
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Mercery (?), n. [F. mercerie.] The trade of mercers; the goods in which a mercer deals.
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Merchand (?), v. i. [F. marchander. See .] To traffic. [Obs.] Bacon.
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Merchandisable (?), a. Such as can be used or transferred as merchandise.
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Merchandise (?), n. [F. marchandise, OF. marcheandise.] 1. The objects of commerce; whatever is usually bought or sold in trade, or market, or by merchants; wares; goods; commodities. Spenser.
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2. The act or business of trading; trade; traffic.
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Merchandise, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Merchandised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Merchandising (?).] To trade; to carry on commerce. Bacon.
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Merchandise, v. t. To make merchandise of; to buy and sell. “Love is merchandised.” Shak.
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Merchandiser (?), n. A trader. Bunyan.
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merchandising (?), n. (Commerce) The activities associated with selling products, such as identification of the market{7}, advertising at the right time in the right media{7}, and creating attractive packaging and displays; also, the study of the best methods to accomplish such goals.
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Merchandry (?), n. [See .] Trade; commerce. [Obs.] Bp. Sanderson.
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Merchant (?), n. [OE. marchant, OF. marcheant, F. marchand, fr. LL. mercatans, -antis, p. pr. of mercatare to negotiate, L. mercari to traffic, fr. merx, mercis, wares. See , , and cf. .] 1. One who traffics on a large scale, especially with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader.
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Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad. Shak.
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2. A trading vessel; a merchantman. [Obs.] Shak.
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3. One who keeps a store or shop for the sale of goods; a shopkeeper. [U. S. & Scot.]
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Merchant, a. Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service.
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Coloq. Merchant bar , Coloq. Merchant iron or Coloq. Merchant steel , certain common sizes of wrought iron and steel bars. -- Coloq. Merchant service or Merchant marine , the mercantile marine of a country. Am. Cyc. -- Coloq. Merchant ship , a ship employed in commerce. -- Coloq. Merchant tailor , a tailor who keeps and sells materials for the garments which he makes.
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Merchant, v. i. To be a merchant; to trade. [Obs.]
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Merchantable (?), a. Fit for market; such as is usually sold in market, or such as will bring the ordinary price; as, merchantable wheat; sometimes, a technical designation for a particular kind or class.
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Merchantly, a. Merchantlike; suitable to the character or business of a merchant. [Obs.] Gauden.
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Merchantman (?), n.; pl. Merchantmen (�).
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1. A merchant. [Obs.] Matt. xiii. 45.
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2. A trading vessel; a ship employed in the transportation of goods, as, distinguished from a man-of-war.
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merchant marine (?), n. The ships owned by nationals of a particular country that are engaged in civilian commerce; also, the personnel operating those vessels. Distinguished from the navy, which contains the vessels of war.
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merchantry (?), n. 1. The body of merchants taken collectively; as, the merchantry of a country.
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2. The business of a merchant; merchandise. Walpole.
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Merciable (?), a. [OF.] Merciful. [Obs.]
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Merciful (?), a. [Mercy + -ful.] 1. Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. Opposite of merciless.
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The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Ex. xxxiv. 6.
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Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Shak.
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2. Unwilling to give pain; compassionate.
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A merciful man will be merciful to his beast. Old Proverb.
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Syn. -- Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild; clement; benignant.
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-- Mercifully, adv. -- Mercifulness, n.
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Mercify (?), v. t. To pity. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Merciless, a. Destitute of mercy; cruel; unsparing; -- said of animate beings, and also, figuratively, of things; as, a merciless tyrant; merciless waves.
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The foe is merciless, and will not pity. Shak.
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Syn. -- Cruel; unmerciful; remorseless; ruthless; pitiless; barbarous; savage.
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-- Mercilessly, adv. -- Mercilessness, n.
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Mercurammonium (?), n. [Mercuric + ammonium.] (Chem.) A radical regarded as derived from ammonium by the substitution of mercury for a portion of the hydrogen.
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Mercurial (?), a. [L. mercurialis, fr. Mercurius Mercury: cf. F. mercuriel.] 1. Having the qualities fabled to belong to the god Mercury; swift; active; sprightly; fickle; volatile; changeable; as, a mercurial youth; a mercurial temperament.
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A mercurial man
Who fluttered over all things like a fan. Byron.
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2. Having the form or image of Mercury; -- applied to ancient guideposts. [Obs.] Chillingworth.
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3. Of or pertaining to Mercury as the god of trade; hence, money-making; crafty.
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The mercurial wand of commerce. J. Q. Adams.
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4. Of or pertaining to, or containing, mercury; as, mercurial preparations, barometer. See , 2.
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5. (Med.) Caused by the use of mercury; as, mercurial sore mouth.
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Mercurial, n. 1. A person having mercurial qualities. Bacon.
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2. (Med.) A preparation containing mercury.
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mercurialism (?), n. [Mercurial + -ism.] (Med.) The syndrome produced by poisoning due to exposure to mercury, it fumes, or its compounds; mercury poisoning. Such exposure may occur in mining or smelting, or in using mercurial compounds.
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Mercurialist, n. 1. One under the influence of Mercury; one resembling Mercury in character.
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2. (Med.) A physician who uses much mercury, in any of its forms, in his practice.
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Mercurialize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurialized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mercurializing (?).] 1. (Med.) To affect with mercury.
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2. (Photography) To treat with mercury; to expose to the vapor of mercury.
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Mercurialize, v. i. To be sprightly, fantastic, or capricious. [Obs.]
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Mercurially, adv. In a mercurial manner.
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Mercuric (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; -- said of those compounds of mercury into which this element enters in its lowest proportion.
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Coloq. Mercuric chloride , corrosive sublimate. See and .
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Mercurification (?), n. [Cf. F. mercurification. See .] 1. (Metal.) The process or operation of obtaining the mercury, in its fluid form, from mercuric minerals.
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2. (Chem.) The act or process of compounding, or the state of being compounded, with mercury. [R.]
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Mercurify (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mercurified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mercurifying (?).] [Mercury + -fy.] 1. To obtain mercury from, as mercuric minerals, which may be done by any application of intense heat that expels the mercury in fumes, which are afterward condensed. [R.]
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2. To combine or mingle mercury with; to impregnate with mercury; to mercurialize. [R.]
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Mercurism (?), n. A communication of news; an announcement. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
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Mercurous (?), a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, mercury; containing mercury; -- said of those compounds of mercury in which it is present in its highest proportion.
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Coloq. Mercurous chloride . (Chem.) See .
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Mercury (?), n. [L. Mercurius; akin to merx wares.] 1. (Rom. Myth.) A Latin god of commerce and gain; -- treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence.
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2. (Chem.) A metallic element mostly obtained by reduction from cinnabar, one of its ores. It is a heavy, opaque, glistening liquid (commonly called quicksilver), and is used in barometers, thermometers, etc. Specific gravity 13.6. Symbol Hg (Hydrargyrum). Atomic weight 199.8. Mercury has a molecule which consists of only one atom. It was named by the alchemists after the god Mercury, and designated by his symbol, ☿.
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☞ Mercury forms alloys, called amalgams, with many metals, and is thus used in applying tin foil to the backs of mirrors, and in extracting gold and silver from their ores. It is poisonous, and is used in medicine in the free state as in blue pill, and in its compounds as calomel, corrosive sublimate, etc. It is the only metal which is liquid at ordinary temperatures, and it solidifies at about -39° Centigrade to a soft, malleable, ductile metal.
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3. (Astron.) One of the planets of the solar system, being the one nearest the sun, from which its mean distance is about 36,000,000 miles. Its period is 88 days, and its diameter 3,000 miles.
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4. A carrier of tidings; a newsboy; a messenger; hence, also, a newspaper. Sir J. Stephen. “The monthly Mercuries.” Macaulay.
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5. Sprightly or mercurial quality; spirit; mutability; fickleness. [Obs.]
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He was so full of mercury that he could not fix long in any friendship, or to any design. Bp. Burnet.
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6. (Bot.) A plant (Mercurialis annua), of the Spurge family, the leaves of which are sometimes used for spinach, in Europe.
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☞ The name is also applied, in the United States, to certain climbing plants, some of which are poisonous to the skin, esp. to the Rhus Toxicodendron, or poison ivy.
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Coloq. Dog's mercury (Bot.), Mercurialis perennis, a perennial plant differing from Mercurialis annua by having the leaves sessile. -- Coloq. English mercury (Bot.), a kind of goosefoot formerly used as a pot herb; -- called Good King Henry. -- Coloq. Horn mercury (Min.), a mineral chloride of mercury, having a semitranslucent, hornlike appearance.
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Mercury, v. t. To wash with a preparation of mercury. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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mercury bichloride n. the compound (HgCl2) consisting of two atoms of chlorine united with one atom of mercury. Also called bichloride of mercury, mercuric chloride, corrosive sublimate, and mercury perchloride. It is used as “a topical antiseptic and disinfectant for inanimate objects”. Stedman's 25th
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mercury fulminate (?), n. (Chem.) The mercury salt of fulminic acid (Hg(CNO)2), called also fulminate of mercury. It is an explosive compound prepared as gray crystals, and is used primarily in detonators for detonating high explosives, such as dynamite or TNT. It is sensitive to shock and may be detonated by a blow.
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Mercy (mẽrs�), n.; pl. Mercies (#). [OE. merci, F. merci, L. merces, mercedis, hire, pay, reward, LL., equiv. to misericordia pity, mercy. L. merces is probably akin to merere to deserve, acquire. See , and cf. .] 1. Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency.
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Examples of justice must be made for terror to some; examples of mercy for comfort to others. Bacon.
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2. Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence. Luke x. 37.
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3. Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help.
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In whom mercy lacketh and is not founden. Sir T. Elyot.
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4. A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor.
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The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 2 Cor. i. 3.
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Coloq. Mercy seat (Bib.), the golden cover or lid of the Ark of the Covenant. See , 2. -- Coloq. Sisters of Mercy (R. C. Ch.),a religious order founded in Dublin in the year 1827. Communities of the same name have since been established in various American cities. The duties of those belonging to the order are, to attend lying-in hospitals, to superintend the education of girls, and protect decent women out of employment, to visit prisoners and the sick, and to attend persons condemned to death. -- Coloq. To be at the mercy of , to be wholly in the power of.
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Syn. -- See .
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Merd (mẽrd), n. [F. merde, L. merda.] Ordure; dung. [Obs.] Burton.
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-mere (?). [Gr. � part.] A combining form meaning part, portion; as, blastomere, epimere.
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Mere (mēr), n. [Written also mar.] [OE. mere, AS. mere mere, sea; akin to D. meer lake, OS. meri sea, OHG. meri, mari, G. meer, Icel. marr, Goth. marei, Russ. more, W. mor, Ir. & Gael. muir, L. mare, and perh. to L. mori to die, and meaning originally, that which is dead, a waste. Cf. , , , , .] A pool or lake. Drayton. Tennyson.
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Mere, n. [Written also meer and mear.] [AS. gemǣre. √269.] A boundary. Bacon.
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