Mesopodial - Metagenesis

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Mesopodial (mĕs�pōdĭ�l), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the mesopodialia or to the parts of the limbs to which they belong.
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Mesopodiale (?), n.; pl. Mesopodialia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + �, dim. of poys, podos, foot.] (Anat.) One of the bones of either the carpus or tarsus.
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Mesopodium (?), n. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) The middle portion of the foot in the Gastropoda and Pteropoda.
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Mesopterygium (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + � a fin.] (Anat.) The middle one of the three principal basal cartilages in the fins of fishes. -- Mesopterygial (#), a.
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Mesorchium (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + � a testicle.] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum which attaches the testis to the dorsal wall of the body cavity or scrotal sac.
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Mesorectum (?), n. [Meso- + rectum.] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum, or mesentery, attached to the rectum. -- Mesorectal (#), a.
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Mesorhine (?), a. [Meso- + Gr. �, �, the nose.] (Anat.) Having the nose of medium width; between leptorhine and platyrhine.
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Mesosauria (?), n. Same as .
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Mesoscapula (?), n. [Meso- + scapula.] (Anat.) A process from the middle of the scapula in some animals; the spine of the scapula.
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Mesoscapular (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the mesoscapula.
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Mesoscutum (?), n. [Meso- + scutum.] (Zoöl.) The scutum or dorsal plate of the middle thoracic segment of an insect. See Illust. of .
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Mesoseme (?), a. [Meso- + Gr. � sign, mark; cf. F. mésosème.] (Anat.) Having a medium orbital index; having orbits neither broad nor narrow; between megaseme and microseme.
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Mesosiderite (?), n. [Meso- + siderite.] (Min.) See the Note under .
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Mesosperm (?), n. [Meso- + Gr. � seed: cf. F. mésosperme.] (Bot.) A membrane of a seed. See .
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Mesostate (?), n. [Meso- + Gr. � to make to stand.] (Physiol.) A product of metabolic action.
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☞ Every mesostate is either an anastate or katastate, according as it is formed by an anabolic or katabolic process. See .
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Mesosternal (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the mesosternum.
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Mesosternum (?), n. [Meso- + sternum.]
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1. (Anat.) The middle portion, or body, of the sternum.
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2. (Zoöl.) The ventral piece of the middle segment of the thorax in insects.
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mesotartaric (?), a. [Meso- + tartaric.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid called also inactive tartaric acid. It is an optically inactive stereoisomer of tartaric acid due to internal compensation of the rotatory activity of the two asymmetric centers; it has a plane of symmetry in the molecule.
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Mesotheca (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + � box.] (Zoöl.) The middle layer of the gonophore in the Hydrozoa.
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Mesothelium (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + E. epithelium.] (Biol.) Epithelial mesoderm; a layer of cuboidal epithelium cells, formed from a portion of the mesoderm during the differetiation of the germ layers. It constitutes the boundary of the cœlum.
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Mesothoracic (?), a. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the mesothorax.
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Mesothorax (?), n. [Meso- + thorax: cf. F. mésothorax.] (Zoöl.) The middle segment of the thorax in insects. See Illust. of .
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Mesothorium (?), n. [NL.; meso- + thorium.] (Chem.) a radioactive isotope of radium (radium-228) with a half-life of 5.8 years. Also called mesothorium-1 or mesothorium I to distinguish it from a subsequent decay product, mesothorium II (actinium-228). It was discovered in 1907 by Otto Hahn as a decay product of thorium (produced by decay of thorium-232). Mesothorium-1 (radium-228) in turn produces actinium-228 (mesothorium-2) as the first product of its radioactive decay, and the actinium-228 in turn decays quickly (half-life of 6 hours) to thorium-228 (which is also called ; the thorium-228 has a half-life of 1.91 years, shorter than that of the radium-228). It was discovered and named before full recognition of the nature of isotopes of the elements, and was distinguished from other variants of radium by its half-life and mode of production and decay. It was also cheaper to prepare than other short-lived radium isotopes, and was thus sold commercially, for use, e.g. in making watch dials readable in the dark by painting the hands and hour marks with a self-luminous paint containing the radioactive substance; it is therefore often referred to (e.g. in regulatory legislation) as though distinct from radium. It was one of the isotopes believed responsible for radiation-induced diseases observed in industrial workers who painted radium on watch dials in the late 1950's and early 1960's. The primary isotope of radium (radium-226) has a half-life of 1620 years, and these isotopes with shorter half-lives proved difficult to isolate and study for the purpose of finding the cause of such diseases.
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Mesotrochal (?), a. [Meso- + Gr. � anything round, a hoop.] (Zoöl.) Having the middle of the body surrounded by bands of cilia; -- said of the larvæ of certain marine annelids.
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Mesotype (?), n. [Meso- + -type: cf. F. mésotype.] (Min.) An old term covering natrolite or soda mesolite, scolecite or lime mesotype, and mesolite or lime-soda mesotype.
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Mesovarium (?), n. [NL. See , and .] (Anat.) The fold of peritoneum connecting the ovary with the wall of the abdominal cavity.
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Mesoxalate (?), n. (Chem.) A salt of mesoxalic acid.
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Mesoxalic (?), a. [Mes- + oxalic.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid, CH2O2(CO2H)2, obtained from amido malonic acid.
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Mesozoa (?), n. pl. [NL. See .] (Zoöl.) A group of very lowly organized, wormlike parasites, including the Dicyemata. They are found in cephalopods. See .
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Mesozoic (?), a. [Meso- + Gr. � life, fr. � to live.] (Geol.) Belonging, or relating, to the secondary or reptilian age, or the era between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic. See Chart of .
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Mesozoic, n. The Mesozoic age or formation.
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Mesprise (?), n. [OF. mespris, F. mépris. See .] 1. Contempt; scorn. [Obs.]
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2. [Perh. for F. méprise mistake. Cf. .] Misadventure; ill-success. [Obs.] Spenser.
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{ Mesquite (mĕskēt�), Mesquit (mĕskēt) }, n. [Sp. mezquite; said to be a Mexican Indian word.] (Bot.) Aany of several small spiny trees or shrubs of the southwestern part of North America belonging to the genus Prosopis having small flowers in axillary cylindrical spikes followed by large sugar-rich pods, especially the honey mesquite, and screw-pod mesquite.
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Coloq. Honey mesquite . See (b). -- Coloq. Screw-pod mesquite , a smaller tree (Prosopis pubescens), having spiral pods used as fodder and sometimes as food by the Indians. -- Coloq. Mesquite grass , a rich native grass in Western Texas (Bouteloua oligostachya, and other species); -- so called from its growing in company with the mesquite tree; -- called also muskit grass, grama grass.
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Mesquite bean. The pod or seed of the mesquite.
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Mess (mĕs), n. Mass; church service. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Mess (mĕs), n. [OE. mes, OF. mets, LL. missum, p. p. of mittere to put, place (e. g., on the table), L. mittere to send. See , and cf. religious service.] 1. A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time.
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At their savory dinner set
Of herbs and other country messes. Milton.
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2. A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess. Shak.
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3. A set of four; -- from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner. [Obs.] Latimer.
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4. The milk given by a cow at one milking. [U.S.]
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5. [Perh. corrupt. fr. OE. mesh for mash: cf. muss.] A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it. [Colloq.]
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Mess (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Messed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Messing.] To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers. Marryat.
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Mess, v. t. 1. To supply with a mess.
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2. To make a mess{5} of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up.
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It was n't right either to be messing another man's sleep. Scribner's Mag.
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Message (?; 48), n. [F., fr. LL. missaticum, fr. L. mittere, missum, to send. See , and cf. .] 1. Any notice, word, or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another.
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Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. Judg. iii. 20.
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2. Hence, specifically, an official communication, not made in person, but delivered by a messenger; as, the President's message.
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Coloq. Message shell . See .
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Message, v. t. To bear as a message. [Obs.]
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Message, n. [OE., fr. OF. message, fr. LL. missaticus. See 1st .] A messenger. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Messager (?), n. [OE.] A messenger. [Obs.]
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Message stick. A stick, carved with lines and dots, used, esp. by Australian aborigines, to convey information.
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Mess beef. Barreled salt beef, packed with about 80 pounds chuck and rump, two flanks, and the rest plates.
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Messenger (?), n. [OE. messager, OF. messagier, F. messager. See .] 1. One who bears a message; the bearer of a verbal or written communication, notice, or invitation, from one person to another, or to a public body; specifically, an office servant who bears messages.
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2. One who, or that which, foreshows, or foretells.
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Yon gray lines
That fret the clouds are messengers of day. Shak.
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3. (Naut.) A hawser passed round the capstan, and having its two ends lashed together to form an endless rope or chain; -- formerly used for heaving in the cable.
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4. (Law) A person appointed to perform certain ministerial duties under bankrupt and insolvent laws, such as to take charge of the estate of the bankrupt or insolvent. Bouvier. Tomlins.
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Syn. -- Carrier; intelligencer; courier; harbinger; forerunner; precursor; herald.
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Coloq. Messenger bird , the secretary bird, from its swiftness.
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Messet (?), n. A dog. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
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Messiad (?), n. A German epic poem on the Messiah, by Klopstock.
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Messiah (?), n. [Heb. māshīakh anointed, fr. māshakh to anoint. Cf. .] The expected king and deliverer of the Hebrews; the Savior; Christ.
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And told them the Messiah now was born. Milton.
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Messiahship, n. The state or office of the Messiah.
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Messianic (?), a. Of or relating to the Messiah; as, the Messianic office or character.
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Messias (?), n. [LL., fr. Gr. �. See .] The Messiah.
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I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. John iv. 25.
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Messidor (F. ?; E. ?), n. [F., fr. L. messis harvest.] The tenth month of the French republican calendar dating from September 22, 1792. It began June 19, and ended July 18. See .
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Messieurs (?; F. ?; 277), n. pl. [F.; pl. of monsieur.] Sirs; gentlemen; -- abbreviated to Messrs., which is used as the plural of Mr.
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Messinese (? or ?), a. Of or pertaining to Messina, or its inhabitans.
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Messmate (?), n. An associate in a mess.
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Messuage (?; 48), n. [Cf. OF. mesuage, masnage, LL. messuagium, mansionaticum, fr. L. mansio, -onis, a staying, remaining, dwelling, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, remain, E. mansion, manse.] (Law) A dwelling house, with the adjacent buildings and curtilage, and the adjoining lands appropriated to the use of the household. Cowell. Bouvier.
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They wedded her to sixty thousand pounds,
To lands in Kent, and messuages in York. Tennyson.
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mess up (?), v. t. 1. To make a mess{5} of; to confuse, disorder, or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb.
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2. To botch{3}; to bungle.
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mess-up n. Something badly botched or muddled. [British]
Syn. -- ballup, balls-up, cockup.
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Mest (?), a. Most. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Mestee (?), n. [See .] The offspring of a white person and a quadroon; -- so called in the West Indies. [Written also mustee.]
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Mester (?), n. [Obs.] See , a trade.
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Mestino (?), n.; pl. Mestinos (�). See .
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Mestizo (?), n.; pl. Mestizos (#). [Sp. mestizo; akin to OF. mestis, F. métis; all fr. (assumed) LL. mixtitius, fr. L. mixtus mixed, p. p. of miscere to mix. See , and cf. , , , .] The offspring of an Indian or a negro and a European or person of European stock. [Spanish America]
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Coloq. Mestizo wool , wool imported from South America, and produced by mixed breeds of sheep.
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Mestling (?), n. A kind of brass. See . [Obs.]
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Mesymnicum (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. mesos middle + � a festive song. See .] (Anc. Poetry) A repetition at the end of a stanza.
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Met (?), imp. & p. p. of .
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Met, obs. imp. & p. p. of , to measure. Chapman.
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Met, obs. p. p. of , to dream. Chaucer.
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{ Meta- (?), Met- (?) }. [Gr. meta between, with, after; akin to AS. mid with, G. mit, Goth. miþ, E. mid, in midwife.] 1. A prefix meaning between, with, after, behind, over, about, reversely; as, metachronism, the error of placing after the correct time; metaphor, lit., a carrying over; metathesis, a placing reversely.
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2. (Chem.) A prefix denoting: (a) Other; duplicate, corresponding to; resembling; hence, metameric; as, meta-arabinic, metaldehyde. (b) (Organic Chem.) That two replacing radicals, in the benzene nucleus, occupy the relative positions of 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 3 and 5, 4 and 6, 5 and 1, or 6 and 2; as, metacresol, etc. See , and . (c) (Inorganic Chem.) Having less than the highest number of hydroxyl groups; -- said of acids; as, metaphosphoric acid. Also used adjectively.
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3. A prefix meaning at a level above, as in metaphysics, metalanguage.
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Metabasis (?), n.; pl. Metabases (#). [NL., fr. Gr. �, fr. � to pass over; � beyond, over + � to go.] 1. (Rhet.) A transition from one subject to another.
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2. (Med.) Same as .
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{ Metabola (?), Metabole (?), } n. [NL., from Gr. � change; � beyond + � to throw.] (Med.) A change or mutation; a change of disease, symptoms, or treatment.
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{ Metabola (?), Metabolia (?), } n. pl. [NL. See 1st .] (Zoöl.) A comprehensive group of insects, including those that undegro a metamorphosis.
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Metabolian (?), n. [See .] (Zoöl.) An insect which undergoes a metamorphosis.
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Metabolic (?), a. [Gr. �. See .] 1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to metamorphosis; pertaining to, or involving, change.
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2. (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to metabolism; as, metabolic activity; metabolic force.
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Metabolisis (?), n. [NL.] Metabolism. [R.]
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Metabolism (?), n. (Physiol.) 1. 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 of the digestive enzymes. Hence, metabolism may be either constructive (anabolism), or destructive (catabolism).
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2. (Biol.) The series of chemical changes which take place in an organism, by means of which food is manufactured and utilized and waste materials are eliminated.
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Metabolite (?), n. (Physiol Chem.) A product of metabolism; a substance produced by metabolic action, as urea.
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Metabolize (?), v. t. & i. (Physiol.) To change by a metabolic process. See .
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Metabranchial (?), a. [Meta- + branchial.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the lobe of the carapace of crabs covering the posterior branchiæ.
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Metacarpal (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the metacarpus. -- n. A metacarpal bone.
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Metacarpus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. �; � beyond, between + � the wrist.] (Anat.) That part of the skeleton of the hand or forefoot between the carpus and phalanges. In man it consists of five bones. See Illust. of .
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{ Metacenter (?) or Metacentre }, n. [Pref. meta- + center.] (Hydrostatics) The point of intersection of a vertical line through the center of gravity of the fluid displaced by a floating body which is tipped through a small angle from its position of equilibrium, and the inclined line which was vertical through the center of gravity of the body when in equilibrium.
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☞ When the metacenter is above the center of gravity, the position of the body is stable; when below it, unstable.
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Metacetone (?), n. [Pref. met- + acetone.] (Chem.) A colorless liquid of an agreeable odor, C6H10O, obtained by distilling a mixture of sugar and lime; -- so called because formerly regarded as a polymeric modification of acetone.
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Metachloral (?), n. [Pref. meta- + chloral.] (Chem.) A white, amorphous, insoluble substance regarded as a polymeric variety of chloral.
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Metachronism (?), n. [Gr. �, �, after the time, happening afterward; � beyond + � time: cf. F. métachronisme.] An error committed in chronology by placing an event after its real time.
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Metachrosis (?), n. [NL., from Gr. � beyond + � a coloring.] (Biol.) The power of changing color at will by the expansion of special pigment cells, under nerve influence, as seen in many reptiles, fishes, etc. Cope.
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Metacinnabarite (?), n. [Pref. meta- + cinnabar.] (Min.) Sulphide of mercury in isometric form and black in color.
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Metacism (?), n. [L. metacismus, Gr. � fondness for the letter μ.] A defect in pronouncing the letter m, or a too frequent use of it.
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Metacrolein (?), n. [Pref. met- + acrolein.] (Chem.) A polymeric modification of acrolein obtained by heating it with caustic potash. It is a crystalline substance having an aromatic odor.
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Metacromion (?), n. [NL.] (Anat.) A process projecting backward and downward from the acromion of the scapula of some mammals.
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Metadiscoidal (?), a. [Meta- + discoidal.] (Anat.) Discoidal by derivation; -- applied especially to the placenta of man and apes, because it is supposed to have been derived from a diffused placenta.
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Metagastric (?), a. [Pref. meta- + gastric.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the two posterior gastric lobes of the carapace of crabs.
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Metage (?; 48), n. [From , v.] 1. Measurement, especially of coal. De Foe.
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2. Charge for, or price of, measuring. Simmonds.
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Metagenesis (?), n. [Pref. meta- + genesis.] 1. (Biol.) The change of form which one animal species undergoes in a series of successively produced individuals, extending from the one developed from the ovum to the final perfected individual. Hence, metagenesis involves the production of sexual individuals by nonsexual means, either directly or through intervening sexless generations. Opposed to monogenesis. See Alternate generation, under .
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2. (Biol.) Alternation of sexual and asexual or gemmiparous generations; -- in distinction from heterogamy.
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