Moiety - Molehill

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Moiety (moi�t�), n.; pl. Moieties (moi�tĭz). [F. moitié, L. medietas, fr. medius middle, half. See , a., and cf. , .] 1. One of two equal parts; a half; as, a moiety of an estate, of goods, or of profits; the moiety of a jury, or of a nation. Shak.
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The more beautiful moiety of his majesty's subject. Addison.
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2. An indefinite part; a small part. Shak.
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Moil (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Moiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Moiling.] [OE. moillen to wet, OF. moillier, muillier, F. mouller, fr. (assumed) LL. molliare, fr. L. mollis soft. See .] To daub; to make dirty; to soil; to defile.
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Thou . . . doest thy mind in dirty pleasures moil. Spenser.
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Moil, v. i. [From to daub; prob. from the idea of struggling through the wet.] To soil one's self with severe labor; to work with painful effort; to labor; to toil; to drudge.
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Moil not too much under ground. Bacon.
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Now he must moil and drudge for one he loathes. Dryden.
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Moil, n. A spot; a defilement.
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The moil of death upon them. Mrs. Browning.
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Moile (?), n. [F. mule a slipper.] A kind of high shoe anciently worn. [Written also moyle.]
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Moineau (?), n. [F.] (Fort.) A small flat bastion, raised in the middle of an overlong curtain.
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Moira (moirȧ), n. [NL., fr. Gr. Moi^ra.] (Greek Myth.) The deity who assigns to every man his lot.
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Moire (mwär), n. [F. Cf. .] 1. Originally, a fine textile fabric made of the hair of an Asiatic goat; afterwards, any textile fabric to which a watered appearance is given in the process of calendering.
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2. A watered, clouded, or frosted appearance produced upon either textile fabrics or metallic surfaces; moiré.
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Moiré (mwärā; mōrā), n. 1. A watered, clouded, or frosted appearance on textile fabrics or metallic surfaces.
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2. Erroneously, moire, the fabric.
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3. a wavy pattern of lines produced by the superposition of two patterns having closely spaced, often curved, lines, so that the lines of the two patterns intersect at an acute angle. When the superposing patterns are moved relative to the observer or relative to each other, a shimmering effect is produced in which the apparent pattern changes, often producing a pleasing artistic effect. The effect may be seen, for example, when the superposed folds of a sheer fabric, such as a window curtain, are observed with transmitted light.
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4. (Printing) an interference pattern produced by the dots of a color printing process.
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Coloq. Moire antique , a superior kind of thick moire.
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Moiré (?), a. [F., p.p. of moirer to water (silk, etc.). See .] Watered; having a watered or clouded appearance; -- as of silk or metals.
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Moiré (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Moiréed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Moiréeing (?).] Also Moire. [F. moiré.] To give a watered or clouded appearance to (a surface).
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Moiré métallique (?). [F.] A crystalline or frosted appearance produced by some acids on tin plate; also, the tin plate thus treated.
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Moist (?), a. [OE. moiste, OF. moiste, F. moite, fr. L. muccidus, for mucidus, moldy, musty. Cf. , .] 1. Moderately wet; damp; humid; not dry; as, a moist atmosphere or air. “Moist eyes.” Shak.
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2. Fresh, or new. [Obs.] “Shoes full moist and new.” “A draught of moist and corny ale.” Chaucer.
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Moist, v. t. To moisten. [Obs.] Shak.
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Moisten (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Moistened (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Moistening.] 1. To make damp; to wet in a small degree.
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A pipe a little moistened on the inside. Bacon.
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2. To soften by making moist; to make tender.
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It moistened not his executioner's heart with any pity. Fuller.
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Moistener (?), n. One who, or that which, moistens. Johnson.
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Moistful (?), a. Full of moisture. [R.]
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Moistless, a. Without moisture; dry. [R.]
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Moistness, n. The quality or state of being moist.
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Moisture (?), n. [Cf. OF. moistour, F. moiteur.] 1. A moderate degree of wetness. Bacon.
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2. That which moistens or makes damp or wet; exuding fluid; liquid in small quantity.
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All my body's moisture
Scarce serves to quench my furnace-burning heat. Shak.
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Moistureless, a. Without moisture.
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Moisty (?), a. Moist. [Obs.]
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Moither (?), v. t. [Etymol. uncertain.] To perplex; to confuse. [Prov. Eng.] Lamb.
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Moither, v. i. To toil; to labor. [Prov. Eng.]
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Mojarra (?), n. [Sp.] Any of certain basslike marine fishes (mostly of tropical seas, and having a deep, compressed body, protracile mouth, and large silvery scales) constituting the family Gerridæ, as Gerres plumieri, found from Florida to Brazil and used as food. Also, any of numerous other fishes of similar appearance but belonging to other families.
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Mokadour (?), n. [Sp. mocador handkerchief.] A handkerchief. [Obs.]
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Moke (?), n. 1. A stupid person; a dolt.
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2. A donkey. [Cant] Thackeray.
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3. A negro. [U. S.]
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4. (Theat. Slang) [More fully musical moke.] A performer, as a minstrel, who plays on several instruments.
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Moke (?), n. A mesh of a net, or of anything resembling a net. Halliwell.
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Moky (?), a. [Cf. Icel. mökkvi cloud, mist, mökkr a dense cloud, W. mwg smoke, and E. muggy, muck.] Misty; dark; murky; muggy. [Obs.]
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mol n. (Chem.) A quantity of a substance equal to the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; a gram molecule; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the System International d'Unites; as, he added two mols of dextrose to the medium.
Syn. -- gram molecule, mole.
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Mola (?), n. (Zoöl.) See , 1.
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molal adj. (Chem.) Being at a concentration with the designated number of moles (of solute) per 1000 grams of solvent; as, an 0.5 molal solution of glycerol in water. Compare .
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molality n. (Chem.) A measure of concentaration of substances in mixtures, 1 molal being the concentration of a solution containing 1 mole of solute per 1000 grams of solvent. Compare .
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molar (mōlẽr), a. [L. moles mass.] (Mech.) Of or pertaining to a mass of matter; -- said of the properties or motions of masses, as distinguished from those of molecules or atoms.
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molar (mōlẽr or mōlär), a. [L. moles mass.] (Chem.) Being at a concentration having the designated number of moles (of solute) per liter of solvent; as, an 0.2 molar solution of sodium chloride in water is close to isotonic.
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Molar, a. [L. molaris, fr. mola mill, fr. molere to grind in a mill. See the machine.] Having power to grind; grinding; as, the molar teeth; also, of or pertaining to the molar teeth. Bacon.
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Molar, n. (Anat.) Any one of the teeth back of the incisors and canines. The molars which replace the deciduous or milk teeth are designated as premolars, and those which are not preceded by deciduous teeth are sometimes called true molars. See .
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Molary (?), a. Same as 2d .
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Molasse (?), n. [F. molasse, prob. fr. mollasse flabby, flimsy, fr. L. mollis soft.] (Geol.) A soft Tertiary sandstone; -- applied to a rock occurring in Switzerland. See Chart of .
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Molasses (?), n. [F. mélasse, cf. Sp. melaza, Pg. melaço, fr. L. mellaceus honeylike, honey-sweet, mel, mellis, honey. See , and cf. .] The thick, brown or dark colored, viscid, uncrystallizable sirup which drains from sugar, in the process of manufacture; any thick, viscid, sweet sirup made from vegetable juice or sap, as of the sorghum or maple. See .
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Mold (?), n. [See a spot.] A spot; a blemish; a mole. [Obs.] Spenser.
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{ Mold, Mould} (?), n. [OE. molde, AS. molde; akin to D. mul, G. mull, mulm, OHG. molt, molta, Icel. mold, Dan. muld, Sw. mull, Goth. mulda, and E. meal flour. See , and cf. an animal, , v.] [The prevalent spelling is, perhaps, mould; but as the u has not been inserted in the other words of this class, as bold, gold, old, cold, etc., it seems desirable to complete the analogy by dropping it from this word, thus spelling it as Spenser, South, and many others did. The omission of the u is now very common in America.] 1. Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil.
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2. Earthy material; the matter of which anything is formed; composing substance; material.
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The etherial mold,
Incapable of stain. Milton.
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Nature formed me of her softest mold. Addison.
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{ Mold, Mould } (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Molded or Moulded; p. pr. & vb. n. Molding or Moulding.] To cover with mold or soil. [R.]
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{ Mold, Mould, } n. [From the p. p. of OE. moulen to become moldy, to rot, prob. fr. Icel. mygla to grow musty, mugga mugginess; cf. Sw. mögla to grow moldy. See , and cf. .] (Bot.) A growth of minute fungi of various kinds, esp. those of the great groups Hyphomycetes, and Physomycetes, forming on damp or decaying organic matter.
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☞ The common blue mold of cheese, the brick-red cheese mold, and the scarlet or orange strata which grow on tubers or roots stored up for use, when commencing to decay, are familiar examples. M. J. Berkley.
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{ Mold, Mould, } v. t. To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon.
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{ Mold, Mould, } v. i. To become moldy; to be covered or filled, in whole or in part, with a mold.
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{ Mold, Mould, } n. [OE. molde, OF. mole, F. moule, fr. L. modulus. See .] [For spelling, see 2d , above.] 1. The matrix, or cavity, in which anything is shaped, and from which it takes its form; also, the body or mass containing the cavity; as, a sand mold; a jelly mold. Milton.
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2. That on which, or in accordance with which, anything is modeled or formed; anything which serves to regulate the size, form, etc., as the pattern or templet used by a shipbuilder, carpenter, or mason.
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The glass of fashion and the mold of form. Shak.
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3. Cast; form; shape; character.
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Crowned with an architrave of antique mold. Pope.
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4. (Arch.) A group of moldings; as, the arch mold of a porch or doorway; the pier mold of a Gothic pier, meaning the whole profile, section, or combination of parts.
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5. (Anat.) A fontanel.
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6. (Paper Making) A frame with a wire cloth bottom, on which the pump is drained to form a sheet, in making paper by hand.
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{ Mold, Mould, } v. t. [Cf. F. mouler, OF. moler, moller. See the matrix.] 1. To form into a particular shape; to shape; to model; to fashion.
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He forgeth and moldeth metals. Sir M. Hale.
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Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mold me man? Milton.
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2. To ornament by molding or carving the material of; as, a molded window jamb.
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3. To knead; as, to mold dough or bread.
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4. (Founding) To form a mold of, as in sand, in which a casting may be made.
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{ Moldable, Mouldable } (?), a. Capable of being molded or formed.
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{ Moldboard, Mouldboard } (?), n. 1. A curved plate of iron (originally of wood) back of the share of a plow, which turns over the earth in plowing.
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2. (Founding) A follow board.
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{ Molder, Moulder } (?), n. One who, or that which, molds or forms into shape; specifically (Founding), one skilled in the art of making molds for castings.
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{ Molder, Moulder, } v. i. [imp. & p. p. Moldered (?) or Mouldered; p. pr. & vb. n. Moldering or Mouldering.] [From fine soft earth: cf. Prov. G. multern.] To crumble into small particles; to turn to dust by natural decay; to lose form, or waste away, by a gradual separation of the component particles, without the presence of water; to crumble away.
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The moldering of earth in frosts and sun. Bacon.
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When statues molder, and when arches fall. Prior.
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If he had sat still, the enemy's army would have moldered to nothing. Clarendon.
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{ Molder, Moulder, } v. t. To turn to dust; to cause to crumble; to cause to waste away.
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[Time's] gradual touch
Has moldered into beauty many a tower. Mason.
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{ Moldery, Mouldery } (?), a. Covered or filled with mold; consisting of, or resembling, mold.
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{ Moldiness, Mouldiness } (?), n. [From .] The state of being moldy.
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{ Molding, Moulding, } n. 1. The act or process of shaping in or on a mold, or of making molds; the art or occupation of a molder.
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2. Anything cast in a mold, or which appears to be so, as grooved or ornamental bars of wood or metal, or sculptures. [wns=1]
Syn. -- mold, mould, molding, modeling, clay sculpture.
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3. (Arch.) A plane, or curved, narrow surface, either sunk or projecting, used for decoration by means of the lights and shades upon its surface. Moldings vary greatly in pattern, and are generally used in groups, the different members of each group projecting or retreating, one beyond another. See , n., 3, and Crenelated molding, under , v. t. [wns=2]
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4. Especially: a decorative strip used for ornamentation or finishing. [wns=3]
Syn. -- moolding.
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5. a preliminary sculpture in wax or clay from which a finished work can be copied. [wns=5]
Syn. -- modeling, moulding.
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{ Molding, Moulding, } p. a. Used in making a mold or moldings; used in shaping anything according to a pattern.
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Coloq. Molding board or Coloq. Moulding board . (a) See Follow board, under , v. t. (b) A board on which bread or pastry is kneaded and shaped. -- Coloq. Molding machine or Coloq. Moulding machine . (a) (Woodworking) A planing machine for making moldings. (b) (Founding) A machine to assist in making molds for castings. -- Coloq. Molding mill or Coloq. Moulding mill , a mill for shaping timber. -- Coloq. Molding sand or Coloq. Moulding sand (Founding), a kind of sand containing clay, used in making molds.
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{ Moldwarp, Mouldwarp } (?), n. [OE. moldwerp: AS. molde soil + weorpan to throw up; cf. OD. molworp, G. maulwurf, Icel. moldvarpa, Dan. muldvarp. See soil, , and cf. the animal.] (Zoöl.) See the animal. Spenser.
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{ Moldy, Mouldy } (?), a. [Compar. Moldier (?) or Mouldier; superl. Moldiest or Mouldiest.] [From the growth of fungi.] Overgrown with, or containing, mold; smelling of mold; as, moldy cheese or bread.
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Mole (?), n. [AS. māl; akin to OHG. meil, Goth. mail Cf. a spot.] 1. A spot; a stain; a mark which discolors or disfigures. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.
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2. A spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body; esp., a spot which is dark-colored, from which commonly issue one or more hairs.
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Mole, n. [L. mola.] A mass of fleshy or other more or less solid matter generated in the uterus.
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Mole, n. [F. môle, L. moles. Cf. , , .] A mound or massive work formed of masonry or large stones, etc., laid in the sea, often extended either in a right line or an arc of a circle before a port which it serves to defend from the violence of the waves, thus protecting ships in a harbor; also, sometimes, the harbor itself. Brande & C.
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Mole, n. [OE. molle, either shortened fr. moldwerp, or from the root of E. mold soil: cf. D. mol, OD. molworp. See .] 1. (Zoöl.) Any insectivore of the family Talpidæ. They have minute eyes and ears, soft fur, and very large and strong fore feet.
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☞ The common European mole, or moldwarp (Talpa Europæa), is noted for its extensive burrows. The common American mole, or shrew mole (Scalops aquaticus), and star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) have similar habits.
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☞ In the Scriptures, the name is applied to two unindentified animals, perhaps the chameleon and mole rat.
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2. A plow of peculiar construction, for forming underground drains. [U.S.]
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3. (fig.)A spy who lives for years an apparently normal life (to establish a cover) before beginning his spying activities.
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Coloq. Duck mole . See under . -- Coloq. Golden mole . See . -- Coloq. Mole cricket (Zoöl.), an orthopterous insect of the genus Gryllotalpa, which excavates subterranean galleries, and throws up mounds of earth resembling those of the mole. It is said to do damage by injuring the roots of plants. The common European species (Gryllotalpa vulgaris), and the American (Gryllotalpa borealis), are the best known. -- Coloq. Mole rat (Zoöl.), any one of several species of Old World rodents of the genera Spalax, Georychus, and several allied genera. They are molelike in appearance and habits, and their eyes are small or rudimentary. -- Coloq. Mole shrew (Zoöl.), any one of several species of short-tailed American shrews of the genus Blarina, esp. Blarina brevicauda. -- Coloq. Water mole , the duck mole.
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mole n. A quantity of a substance equal to the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; a gram molecule; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the System International d'Unites; as, he added two moles of sodium chloride to the medium.
Syn. -- gram molecule, mol.
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Mole, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Moled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Moling.] 1. To form holes in, as a mole; to burrow; to excavate; as, to mole the earth.
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2. To clear of molehills. [Prov. Eng.] Pegge.
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Molebut (?), n. (Zoöl.) The sunfish (Orthagoriscus, or Mola). [Written also molebat.]
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Molecast (?), n. A little elevation of earth made by a mole; a molehill. Mortimer.
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Molech (?), prop. n. [Heb. molek king.] (Script.) The fire god of the Ammonites, to whom human sacrifices were offered; Moloch. Lev. xviii. 21.
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Molecular (?), a. [Cf. F. moléculare. See .] (Phys. & Chem.) Pertaining to, connected with, produced by, or consisting of, molecules; as, molecular forces; molecular groups of atoms, etc.
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Coloq. Molecular attraction (Phys.), attraction acting between the molecules of bodies, and at insensible distances. -- Coloq. Molecular weight (Chem.), the weight of a molecule of any gas or vapor as compared with the hydrogen atom having weight of 1 as a standard; the sum of the atomic weights of the constituents of a molecule; thus, the molecular weight of water (H2O) is 18. For more precise measurements, the weight of the carbon isotope carbon-12 is used as the standard, that isotope having the value of 12.000. In this systen, now used almost universally, the hydrogen atom has a weight of 1.0079.
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molecular formula (?), n. (Chem.) An expression representing the composition of elements in a chemical substance, commonly consisting of a series of letters and numbers comprising the atomic symbols of each element present in a compound followed by the number of atoms of that element present in one molecule of the substance. Thus the molecular formula for common alcohol (ethyl alcohol) is C2H6O, meaning that each molecule contains two carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. The molecular formula may be written to provide some indication of the actual structure of the molecule, in which case structural units may be written separately. Thus, ethyl alcohol can also be written as CH3.CH2.OH or CH3-CH2-OH, in which the period or dash between functional groups indicates a single bond between the principle atoms of each group. This formula shows that in ethyl alcohol, the carbon of a methyl group (CH3-) is attached to the carbon of a methylene group (-CH2-), which is attached to the oxygen of a hydroxyl group (-OH). A structural formula is a graphical depiction of the relative positions of atoms in a molecule, and may be very complicated.
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Molecularity (?), n. (Phys. & Chem.) The state of consisting of molecules; the state or quality of being molecular.
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Molecularly (?), adv. (Phys. & Chem.) With molecules; in the manner of molecules. W. R. Grove.
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Molecule (?), n. [Dim. fr. L. moles a mass: cf. F. molécule. See 3d .] 1. One of the very small invisible particles of which all ordinary matter is supposed to consist.
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2. (Physics) The smallest part of any substance which possesses the characteristic properties and qualities of that substance, and which can exist alone in a free state.
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3. (Chem.) A group of atoms so united and combined by chemical affinity that they form a complete, integrated whole, being the smallest portion of any particular compound that can exist in a free state; as, a molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Cf. .
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Mole-eyed (?), a. Having eyes like those of the mole; having imperfect sight.
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Molehill (?), n. A little hillock of earth thrown up by moles working under ground; hence, a very small hill, or an insignificant obstacle or difficulty; as, to make a mountain out of a molehill.
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Having leapt over such mountains, lie down before a molehill. South.
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