Mere - Merry

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Mere (mēr), v. t. To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.]
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Which meared her rule with Africa. Spenser.
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Mere, n. A mare. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Mere (mēr), a. [Superl. Merest. The comparative is rarely or never used.] [L. merus.] 1. Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute; unqualified.
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Then entered they the mere, main sea. Chapman.
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The sorrows of this world would be mere and unmixed. Jer. Taylor.
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2. Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more; simple; bare; as, a mere boy; a mere form.
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From mere success nothing can be concluded in favor of any nation. Atterbury.
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Merely, adv. 1. Purely; unmixedly; absolutely.
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Ulysses was to force forth his access,
Though merely naked. Chapman.
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2. Not otherwise than; simply; barely; only.
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Prize not your life for other ends
Than merely to oblige your friends. Swift.
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Syn. -- Solely; simply; purely; barely; scarcely.
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Merenchyma (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. � a part + -enchyma, as in parenchyma.] (Bot.) Tissue composed of spheroidal cells.
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Meresman (?), n. An officer who ascertains meres or boundaries. [Eng.]
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Merestead (?), n. [Mere boundary + stead place.] The land within the boundaries of a farm; a farmstead or farm. [Archaic.] Longfellow.
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Merestone (?), n. A stone designating a limit or boundary; a landmark. Bacon.
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Meretricious (?), a. [L. meretricius, from meretrix, -icis, a prostitute, lit., one who earns money, i. e., by prostitution, fr. merere to earn, gain. See .] 1. Of or pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with harlots; lustful; as, meretricious traffic.
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2. Resembling the arts of a harlot; alluring by false show; gaudily and deceitfully ornamental; tawdry; as, meretricious dress or ornaments.
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3. Deceptive or based on deception; seeming plausible, but based on pretense or insincerity; deceptive; misleading; insincere; specious; as, meretricious arguments.
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-- Meretriciously, adv. -- Meretriciousness, n.
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meretriciousness n. 1. an appearance of truth that is false or deceptive; seeming plausibility.
Syn. -- speciousness.
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2. tasteless showiness.
Syn. -- flashiness, garishness, gaudiness, loudness, tawdriness, glitz.
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Merganser (?), n. [Sp. mergánsar, fr. mergo a diver (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ánsar goose, L. anser.] (Zoöl.) Any bird of the genus Mergus (Merganser), and allied genera of the subfamily Merginae. They are allied to the ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill, eat fish, and dive for food. Also called fish duck.
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☞ The red-breasted merganser (Merganser serrator) inhabits both hemispheres. It is called also sawbill, harle, and sheldrake. The American merganser (Merganser Americanus.) and the hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) are well-known species. -- Coloq. White merganser , the smew or white nun.
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merge (mẽrj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Merged (mẽrjd); p. pr. & vb. n. Merging (mẽrjĭng).] [L. mergere, mersum. Cf. , , .] To cause to be swallowed up; to immerse; to sink; to absorb.
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To merge all natural . . . sentiment in inordinate vanity. Burke.
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Whig and Tory were merged and swallowed up in the transcendent duties of patriots. De Quincey.
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Merge, v. i. To be sunk, swallowed up, or lost.
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Native irresolution had merged in stronger motives. I. Taylor.
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merged adj. formed or united into a whole; -- of formerly separate objects, groups, etc.
Syn. -- incorporate, incorporated, integrated, unified.
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Merger (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, merges.
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2. (Law) An absorption of one estate, or one contract, in another, or of a minor offense in a greater.
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3. The combining of two groups into a unified single group under a single leadership, with voluntary participation by the leaders or management of both groups.
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4. Specifically: (Business, Finance) The combining of two commercial enterprises into a unified single enterprise under a single management, with voluntary participation by both parties; as, the merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler into Daimler-Chrysler created a powerful competitor in the automobile manufacturing industry. Compare acquisition and takeover.
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merging adj. 1. combining or mixing.
Syn. -- blending, mingling.
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2. flowing together. [prenominal]
Syn. -- confluent.
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merging n. 1. The act or process of joining together into one entity.
Syn. -- meeting, coming together.
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2. a flowing together (as of rivers).
Syn. -- confluence, conflux.
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Mergus prop. n. A genus of ducks consisting of mergansers.
Syn. -- genus Mergus.
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Mericarp (?), n. [Gr. meros a part + karpos fruit.] (Bot.) One carpel of an umbelliferous fruit. See .
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Meride (? or ?), n. [Gr. � a part.] (Biol.) A permanent colony of cells or plastids which may remain isolated, like Rotifer, or may multiply by gemmation to form higher aggregates, termed zoides. Perrier.
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Meridian (?), a. [F. méridien, L. meridianus pertaining to noon, fr. meridies noon, midday, for older medidies; medius mid, middle + dies day. See , and .] 1. Being at, or pertaining to, midday; belonging to, or passing through, the highest point attained by the sun in his diurnal course. “Meridian hour.” Milton.
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Tables . . . to find the altitude meridian. Chaucer.
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2. Pertaining to the highest point or culmination; as, meridian splendor.
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Meridian, n. [F. méridien. See , a.]
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1. Midday; noon.
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2. Hence: The highest point, as of success, prosperity, or the like; culmination.
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I have touched the highest point of all my greatness,
And from that full meridian of my glory
I haste now to my setting. Shak.
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3. (Astron.) A great circle of the sphere passing through the poles of the heavens and the zenith of a given place. It is crossed by the sun at midday.
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4. (Geog.) A great circle on the surface of the earth, passing through the poles and any given place; also, the half of such a circle included between the poles.
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☞ The planes of the geographical and astronomical meridians coincide. Meridians, on a map or globe, are lines drawn at certain intervals due north and south, or in the direction of the poles.
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Coloq. Calculated for the meridian of , or Coloq. fitted to the meridian of , or Coloq. adapted to the meridian of , suited to the local circumstances, capabilities, or special requirements of.
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All other knowledge merely serves the concerns of this life, and is fitted to the meridian thereof. Sir M. Hale.
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-- Coloq. First meridian or Coloq. prime meridian , the meridian from which longitudes are reckoned. The meridian of Greenwich is the one commonly employed in calculations of longitude by geographers, and in actual practice, although in various countries other and different meridians, chiefly those which pass through the capitals of the countries, are occasionally used; as, in France, the meridian of Paris; in the United States, the meridian of Washington, etc. -- Coloq. Guide meridian (Public Land Survey), a line, marked by monuments, running North and South through a section of country between other more carefully established meridians called principal meridians, used for reference in surveying. [U.S.] -- Coloq. Magnetic meridian , a great circle, passing through the zenith and coinciding in direction with the magnetic needle, or a line on the earth's surface having the same direction. -- Coloq. Meridian circle (Astron.), an instrument consisting of a telescope attached to a large graduated circle and so mounted that the telescope revolves like the transit instrument in a meridian plane. By it the right ascension and the declination of a star may be measured in a single observation. -- Coloq. Meridian instrument (Astron.), any astronomical instrument having a telescope that rotates in a meridian plane. -- Coloq. Meridian of a globe , or Coloq. Brass meridian , a graduated circular ring of brass, in which the artificial globe is suspended and revolves.
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Meridional (?), a. [F. méridional, L. meridionalis, fr. meridies midday. See .]
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1. Of or pertaining to the meridian.
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2. Having a southern aspect; southern; southerly.
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Offices that require heat . . . should be meridional. Sir H. Wotton.
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Coloq. Meridional distance , the distance or departure from the meridian; the easting or westing. -- Coloq. Meridional parts , parts of the meridian in Mercator's projection, corresponding to each minute of latitude from the equator up to 70 or 80 degrees; tabulated numbers representing these parts used in projecting charts, and in solving cases in Mercator's sailing.
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Meridionality (?), n. 1. The state of being in the meridian.
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2. Position in the south; aspect toward the south.
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Meridionally (?), adv. In the direction of the meridian.
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Merils (?), n. [F. mérelle, marelle, marelles, LL. marella, marrella. Cf. the game.] A boy's play, called also fivepenny morris. See .
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Meringue (F. mẽrăNg'; E. mĕrăng), n. [F.] A delicate pastry made of powdered sugar and the whites of eggs whipped up, -- with jam or cream added.
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Merino (?), a. [Sp. merino moving from pasture to pasture, fr. merino a royal judge and superintendent or inspector of sheep walks, LL. merinus, fr. majorinus, i. e., major vill�, fr. L. major greater. See . Merino sheep are driven at certain seasons from one part of Spain to another, in large flocks, for pasturage.] 1. Of or pertaining to a variety of sheep with very fine wool, originally bred in Spain.
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2. Made of the wool of the merino sheep.
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Merino, n.; pl. Merinos (#). [Sp.] 1. (Zoöl.) A breed of sheep originally from Spain, noted for the fineness of its wool.
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2. A fine fabric of merino wool.
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Merismatic (?), a. [Gr. � division, fr. � part.] (Biol.) Dividing into cells or segments; characterized by separation into two or more parts or sections by the formation of internal partitions; as, merismatic growth, where one cell divides into many.
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Meristem (?), n. [Gr. � divisible.] (Bot.) A tissue of growing cells, or cells capable of further division.
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Merit (?), n. [F. mérite, L. meritum, fr. merere, mereri, to deserve, merit; prob. originally, to get a share; akin to Gr. � part, � fate, doom, � to receive as one's portion. Cf. , , , .] 1. The quality or state of deserving well or ill; desert.
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Here may men see how sin hath his merit. Chaucer.
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Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought
For things that others do; and when we fall,
We answer other's merits in our name. Shak.
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2. Esp. in a good sense: The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence.
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Reputation is . . . oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. Shak.
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To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known,
And every author's merit, but his own. Pope.
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3. Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation; as, his teacher gave him ten merits.
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Those laurel groves, the merits of thy youth. Prior.
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Merit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Merited; p. pr. & vb. n. Meriting.] [F. mériter, L. meritare, v. intens. fr. merere. See , n.] 1. To earn by service or performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense; as, to merit punishment. “This kindness merits thanks.” Shak.
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2. To reward. [R. & Obs.] Chapman.
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Merit, v. i. To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
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Meritable (?), a. Deserving of reward. [R.]
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Meritedly, adv. By merit; deservedly.
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{ Merithal (?), Merithallus (?), } n. [NL. merithallus, fr. Gr. �, or �, a part + � a young shoot.] (Bot.) Same as .
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Meritmonger (?), n. One who depends on merit for salvation. [Obs.] Milner.
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meritocracy n. 1. A form of social system in which power goes to those with superior intellects.
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2. The belief that rulers should be chosen for their superior abilities and not because of their wealth or birth.
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meritocratic adj. Of or pertaining to meritocracy; as, meritocratic society.
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Meritorious (?), a. [L. meritorius that brings in money.] Possessing merit; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of recompense; valuable.
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And meritorious shall that hand be called,
Canonized, and worshiped as a saint. Shak.
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-- Meritoriously, adv. -- Meritoriousness, n.
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Meritory (?), a. Meritorious. [Obs.]
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Meritot (?), n. A play of children, in swinging on ropes, or the like, till they are dizzy.
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Merk (?), n. [See .] An old Scotch silver coin; a mark or marc. [Scot.]
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Merk, n. A mark; a sign. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Merke (?), a. Murky. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
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merkin (?), n. 1. Originally, a wig; afterwards, a mop for cleaning cannon.
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2. A patch of false hair, or something resembling hair, worn on a string over the female pudenda; -- used by stripteasers.
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3. The hair on the female pubic area. [slang]
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{ Merl (?), Merle, } n. [F. merle, L. merula, merulus. Cf. .] (Zoöl.) The European blackbird. See . Drayton.
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Merlin (?), n. [OE. merlion, F. émerillon ; cf. OHG. smirl, G. schmerl ; prob. fr. L. merula blackbird. Cf. .] (Zoöl.) A small European falcon (Falco columbarius, syn. Falco lithofalco, or Falco æsalon). In North America called also pigeon hawk.
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Merling (?), n. (Zoöl.) The European whiting.
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Merlon (?), n. [F., perh. fr. L. moerus, for murus a wall, through (assumed) dim. moerulus.] (Fort.) One of the solid parts of a battlemented parapet; a battlement. See Illust. of .
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Merluce (?), n. [F. merluche, merlus.] (Zoöl.) The European hake; -- called also herring hake and sea pike.
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Mermaid (?), n. [AS. mere lake, sea. See lake, and .] A fabled marine creature, typically represented as having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph, sea woman, or woman fish.
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☞ Chaucer uses this word as equivalent to the siren of the ancients.
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Coloq. Mermaid fish (Zoöl.) the angel fish (Squatina). -- Coloq. Mermaid's glove (Zoöl.), a British branched sponge somewhat resembling a glove. -- Coloq. Mermaid's head (Zoöl.), a European spatangoid sea urchin (Echinocardium cordatum) having some resemblance to a skull. -- Coloq. Mermaid weed (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dentate or pectinate leaves (Proserpinaca palustris and Proserpinaca pectinacea).
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Merman (?), n.; pl. Mermen (�). The male corresponding to mermaid; a sea man, or man fish.
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Mero (?), n. [Sp.; cf. Pg. mero.] Any of several large groupers of warm seas, esp. the guasa (Epinephelus guaza), the red grouper (Epinephelus morio), the black grouper (Epinephelus nigritas), distinguished as Mero de lo alto (�), and a species called also rock hind, distinguished as Mero cabrolla (�).
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Meroblast (?), n. [Gr. meros part + -blast.] (Biol.) An ovum, as that of a mammal, only partially composed of germinal matter, that is, consisting of both a germinal portion and an albuminous or nutritive one; -- opposed to holoblast.
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Meroblastic (?), a. (Biol.) Consisting only in part of germinal matter; characterized by partial segmentation only; as, meroblastic ova, in which a portion of the yolk only undergoes fission; meroblastic segmentation; -- opposed to holoblastic.
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Merocele (?), n. [Gr. mhros thigh + � tumor.] (Med.) Hernia in the thigh; femoral hernia .
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Meroistic (?), a. [Gr. meros part + � an egg.] (Zoöl.) Applied to the ovaries of insects when they secrete vitelligenous cells, as well as ova.
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Meropidan (?), n. [L. merops a bee-eating bird, Gr. merops.] (Zoöl.) One of a family of birds (Meropidæ), including the bee-eaters.
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Meropodite (?), n. [Gr. meros thigh + poys, podos, foot.] (Zoöl.) The fourth joint of a typical appendage of Crustacea.
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Merorganization (?), n. [Gr. meros part + E. organization.] Organization in part. [R.]
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Meros (?), n. [NL., from Gr. meros part.] (Arch.) The plain surface between the channels of a triglyph. [Written also merus.] Weale.
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Meros, n. [NL., fr. Gr. meros the thigh.] (Anat.) The proximal segment of the hind limb; the thigh.
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Merosome (?), n. [Gr. meros part + -some body.] (Zoöl.) One of the serial segments, or metameres, of which the bodies of vertebrate and articulate animals are composed.
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Merostomata (?), prop. n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. meros thigh + �, -�, mouth.] (Zoöl.) A class of Arthropoda, allied to the Crustacea. It includes the trilobites, Eurypteroidea, and Limuloidea. All are extinct except the horseshoe crabs (Limulus) of the last group. See .
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Mérou (?), n. [F.] (Zoöl.) See , 8 (c).
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Merovingian (?), a. [From Merovaeus, the Latin name of a king of the Franks.] Of or pertaining to the first Frankish dynasty in Gaul or France. -- n. One of the kings of this dynasty.
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Merozoite (?), n. [Gr. meros part + Sporozoa.] (Zoöl.) A form of spore, usually elongate or falciform, and somewhat amoeboid, produced by segmentation of the schizonts of certain Sporozoa, as the malaria parasite.
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Merrily (?), adv. [From .] In a merry manner; with mirth; with gayety and laughter; jovially. See , and .
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Merrily sing, and sport, and play. Granville.
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Merrimake (?), n. See , n.
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Merrimake, v. i. See , v. Gay.
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Merriment (?), n. Gayety, with laughter; mirth; frolic. “Follies and light merriment.” Spenser.
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Methought it was the sound
Of riot and ill-managed merriment. Milton.
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Merriness, n. The quality or state of being merry; merriment; mirth; gayety, with laughter.
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Merry (?), a. [Compar. Merrier (?); superl. Merriest.] [OE. merie, mirie, murie, merry, pleasant, AS. merge, myrige, pleasant; cf. murge, adv.; prob. akin to OHG. murg, short, Goth. gamaúrgjan to shorten; cf. L. murcus a coward, who cuts off his thumb to escape military service; the Anglo-Saxon and English meanings coming from the idea of making the time seem short. Cf. .] 1. Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play; sportive.
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They drank, and were merry with him. Gen. xliii. 34.
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I am never merry when I hear sweet music. Shak.
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