Mountain - Mouth

Prev Next

Mountain (mountĭn), a. 1. Of or pertaining to a mountain or mountains; growing or living on a mountain; found on or peculiar to mountains; among mountains; as, a mountain torrent; mountain pines; mountain goats; mountain air; mountain howitzer.
[ Webster]

2. Like a mountain; mountainous; vast; very great.
[ Webster]

The high, the mountain majesty of worth. Byron.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Mountain antelope (Zoöl.), the goral. -- Coloq. Mountain ash (Bot.), an ornamental tree, the Pyrus Americana (or Sorbus Americana), producing beautiful bunches of red berries. Its leaves are pinnate, and its flowers white, growing in fragrant clusters. The European species is the Pyrus aucuparia, or rowan tree. -- Coloq. Mountain barometer , a portable barometer, adapted for safe transportation, used in measuring the heights of mountains. -- Coloq. Mountain beaver (Zoöl.), the sewellel. -- Coloq. Mountain blue (Min.), blue carbonate of copper; azurite. -- Coloq. Mountain cat (Zoöl.), the catamount. See . -- Coloq. Mountain chain , a series of contiguous mountain ranges, generally in parallel or consecutive lines or curves. -- Coloq. Mountain cock (Zoöl.), capercailzie. See . -- Coloq. Mountain cork (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling cork in its texture. -- Coloq. Mountain crystal . See under . -- Coloq. Mountain damson (Bot.), a large tree of the genus Simaruba (Simaruba amarga) growing in the West Indies, which affords a bitter tonic and astringent, sometimes used in medicine. -- Coloq. Mountain dew , Scotch whisky, so called because often illicitly distilled among the mountains. [Humorous] -- Coloq. Mountain ebony (Bot.), a small leguminous tree (Bauhinia variegata) of the East and West Indies; -- so called because of its dark wood. The bark is used medicinally and in tanning. -- Coloq. Mountain flax (Min.), a variety of asbestus, having very fine fibers; amianthus. See . -- Coloq. Mountain fringe (Bot.), climbing fumitory. See under . -- Coloq. Mountain goat . (Zoöl.) See . -- Coloq. Mountain green . (Min.) (a) Green malachite, or carbonate of copper. (b) See Green earth, under , a. -- Coloq. Mountain holly (Bot.), a branching shrub (Nemopanthes Canadensis), having smooth oblong leaves and red berries. It is found in the Northern United States. -- Coloq. Mountain laurel (Bot.), an American shrub (Kalmia latifolia) with glossy evergreen leaves and showy clusters of rose-colored or white flowers. The foliage is poisonous. Called also American laurel, ivy bush, and calico bush. See . -- Coloq. Mountain leather (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling leather in its texture. -- Coloq. Mountain licorice (Bot.), a plant of the genus Trifolium (Trifolium Alpinum). -- Coloq. Mountain limestone (Geol.), a series of marine limestone strata below the coal measures, and above the old red standstone of Great Britain. See Chart of . -- Coloq. Mountain linnet (Zoöl.), the twite. -- Coloq. Mountain magpie . (Zoöl.) (a) The yaffle, or green woodpecker. (b) The European gray shrike. -- Coloq. Mountain mahogany (Bot.) See under . -- Coloq. Mountain meal (Min.), a light powdery variety of calcite, occurring as an efflorescence. -- Coloq. Mountain milk (Min.), a soft spongy variety of carbonate of lime. -- Coloq. Mountain mint . (Bot.) See . -- Coloq. Mountain ousel (Zoöl.), the ring ousel; -- called also mountain thrush and mountain colley. See . -- Coloq. Mountain pride , or Coloq. Mountain green (Bot.), a tree of Jamaica (Spathelia simplex), which has an unbranched palmlike stem, and a terminal cluster of large, pinnate leaves. -- Coloq. Mountain quail (Zoöl.), the plumed partridge (Oreortyx pictus) of California. It has two long, slender, plumelike feathers on the head. The throat and sides are chestnut; the belly is brown with transverse bars of black and white; the neck and breast are dark gray. -- Coloq. Mountain range , a series of mountains closely related in position and direction. -- Coloq. Mountain rice . (Bot.) (a) An upland variety of rice, grown without irrigation, in some parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States. (b) An American genus of grasses (Oryzopsis). -- Coloq. Mountain rose (Bot.), a species of rose with solitary flowers, growing in the mountains of Europe (Rosa alpina). -- Coloq. Mountain soap (Min.), a soft earthy mineral, of a brownish color, used in crayon painting; saxonite. -- Coloq. Mountain sorrel (Bot.), a low perennial plant (Oxyria digyna with rounded kidney-form leaves, and small greenish flowers, found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in high northern latitudes. Gray. -- Coloq. Mountain sparrow (Zoöl.), the European tree sparrow. -- Coloq. Mountain spinach . (Bot.) See . -- Coloq. Mountain tobacco (Bot.), a composite plant (Arnica montana) of Europe; called also leopard's bane. -- Coloq. Mountain witch (Zoöl.), a ground pigeon of Jamaica, of the genus Geotrygon.
[ Webster]

Mountaineer (mountĭnēr), n. [OF. montanier, LL. montanarius. See .] 1. An inhabitant of a mountain; one who lives among mountains.
[ Webster]

2. A rude, fierce person. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

No savage fierce, bandit, or mountaineer. Milton.
[ Webster]

3. A person who climbs mountains for sport.
[PJC]

mountaineer, v. i. To live or act as a mountaineer; to climb mountains.
[ Webster]

You can't go mountaineering in a flat country. H. James.
[ Webster]

mountaineering (mountĭnērĭng), n. Climbing mountains as a sport.
[PJC]

Mountainer (?), n. A mountaineer. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Mountainet (?), n. A small mountain. [R.]
[ Webster]

Mountainous (?), a. [F. montagneux, L. montaniosus.] 1. Full of, or containing, mountains; as, the mountainous country of the Swiss.
[ Webster]

2. Inhabiting mountains. [Obs.] Bacon.
[ Webster]

3. Large as, or resembling, a mountain; huge; of great bulk; as, a mountainous heap. Prior.
[ Webster]

Mountainousness, n. The state or quality of being mountainous.
[ Webster]

Mountance (?), n. [OF. montance.] Amount; sum; quantity; extent. [Obs.] Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Mountain specter. An optical phenomenon sometimes seen on the summit of mountains (as on the Brocken) when the observer is between the sun and a mass of cloud. The figures of the observer and surrounding objects are seen projected on the cloud, greatly enlarged and often encircled by rainbow colors.
[Webster Suppl.]

Mountain State. Montana; -- a nickname.
[Webster Suppl.]

Mountant (?), a. [F. montant, p. pr. of monter. See , and cf. .] Raised; high. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Mountebank (?), n. [It. montimbanco, montambanco; montare to mount + in in, upon + banco bench. See , and 4th .] 1. One who mounts a bench or stage in the market or other public place, boasts of his skill in curing diseases, and vends medicines which he pretends are infallible remedies; a quack doctor.
[ Webster]

Such is the weakness and easy credulity of men, that a mountebank . . . is preferred before an able physician. Whitlock.
[ Webster]

2. Any boastful or false pretender; a charlatan; a quack.
[ Webster]

Nothing so impossible in nature but mountebanks will undertake. Arbuthnot.
[ Webster]

Mountebank, v. t. To cheat by boasting and false pretenses; to gull. [R.] Shak.
[ Webster]

Mountebank, v. i. To play the mountebank.
[ Webster]

Mountebankery (?), n. The practices of a mountebank; quackery; boastful and vain pretenses.
[ Webster]

Mountebankish, a. Like a mountebank or his quackery. Howell.
[ Webster]

Mountebankism (?), n. The practices of a mountebank; mountebankery.
[ Webster]

Mounted, a. 1. Seated or serving on horseback or similarly; as, mounted police; mounted infantry.
[ Webster]

2. Placed on a suitable support, or fixed in a setting; as, a mounted gun; a mounted map; a mounted gem.
[ Webster]

Mountenaunce (?), n. Mountance. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Mounter (?), n. 1. One who mounts.
[ Webster]

2. An animal mounted; a monture. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Mounting, n. 1. The act of one that mounts.
[ Webster]

2. That by which anything is prepared for use, or set off to advantage; equipment; embellishment; setting; as, the mounting of a sword or diamond.
[ Webster]

3. (Aëronautics) same as .
[Webster Suppl.]

Mountingly, adv. In an ascending manner.
[ Webster]

Mountlet (?), n. A small or low mountain. [R.]
[ Webster]

Mounty (?), n. [F. montée, fr. monter. See , v.] The rise of a hawk after prey. Sir P. Sidney.
[ Webster]

Mourn (mōrn), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mourned (mōrnd); p. pr. & vb. n. Mourning.] [AS. murnan; akin to OS. mornian, OHG. mornen, Goth. maúrnan.] 1. To express or to feel grief or sorrow; to grieve; to be sorrowful; to lament; to be in a state of grief or sadness.
[ Webster]

Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Gen. xxiii. 2.
[ Webster]

2. To wear the customary garb of a mourner.
[ Webster]

We mourn in black; why mourn we not in blood? Shak.
[ Webster]

Grieve for an hour, perhaps, then mourn a year. Pope.
[ Webster]

Mourn, v. t. 1. To grieve for; to lament; to deplore; to bemoan; to bewail.
[ Webster]

As if he mourned his rival's ill success. Addison.
[ Webster]

And looking over the hills, I mourn
The darling who shall not return. Emerson.
[ Webster]

2. To utter in a mournful manner or voice.
[ Webster]

The lovelorn nightingale
Nightly to thee her sad song mourneth well. Milton.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- See .
[ Webster]

Mourne (mōrn), n. [See 2d .] The armed or feruled end of a staff; in a sheephook, the end of the staff to which the hook is attached. Sir P. Sidney.
[ Webster]

Mourner (mōrnẽr), n. 1. One who mourns or is grieved at any misfortune, as the death of a friend.
[ Webster]

His mourners were two hosts, his friends and foes. Byron.
[ Webster]

2. One who attends a funeral as a hired mourner.
[ Webster]

Mourners were provided to attend the funeral. L'Estrange.
[ Webster]

Mournful (?), a. Full of sorrow; expressing, or intended to express, sorrow; mourning; grieving; sad; also, causing sorrow; saddening; grievous; as, a mournful person; mournful looks, tones, loss. -- Mournfully, adv. -- Mournfulness, n.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Sorrowful; lugubrious; sad; doleful; heavy; afflictive; grievous; calamitous.
[ Webster]

Mourning, n. [AS. murnung.] 1. The act of sorrowing or expressing grief; lamentation; sorrow.
[ Webster]

2. Garb, drapery, or emblems indicative of grief, esp. clothing or a badge of somber black.
[ Webster]

The houses to their tops with black were spread,
And ev'n the pavements were with mourning hid. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Deep mourning . See under .
[ Webster]

Mourning, a. 1. Grieving; sorrowing; lamenting.
[ Webster]

2. Employed to express sorrow or grief; worn or used as appropriate to the condition of one bereaved or sorrowing; as, mourning garments; a mourning ring; a mourning pin, and the like.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Mourning bride (Bot.), a garden flower (Scabiosa atropurpurea) with dark purple or crimson flowers in flattened heads. -- Coloq. Mourning dove (Zoöl.), a wild dove (Zenaidura macroura) found throughout the United States; -- so named from its plaintive note. Called also Carolina dove. See Illust. under . -- Coloq. Mourning warbler (Zoöl.), an American ground warbler (Geothlypis Philadelphia). The male has the head, neck, and chest, deep ash-gray, mixed with black on the throat and chest; other lower parts are pure yellow.
[ Webster]

Mourningly, adv. In a mourning manner.
[ Webster]

Mournival (?), n. See .
[ Webster]

Mouse (mous), n.; pl. Mice (mīs). [OE. mous, mus, AS. mūs, pl. mȳs; akin to D. muis, G. maus, OHG. & Icel. mūs, Dan. muus, Sw. mus, Russ. muishe, L. mus, Gr. my^s, Skr. mūsh mouse, mush to steal. √277. Cf. , .] 1. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridæ. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed mouse, or deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus, formerly Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See , Meadow mouse, under , and Harvest mouse, under .
[ Webster]

2. (Naut.) (a) A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping. (b) Same as 2d , 2.
[ Webster]

3. A familiar term of endearment. Shak.
[ Webster]

4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]
[ Webster]

5. A match used in firing guns or blasting.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Field mouse , Coloq. Flying mouse , etc. See under , , etc. -- Coloq. Mouse bird (Zoöl.), a coly. -- Coloq. Mouse deer (Zoöl.), a chevrotain, as the kanchil. -- Coloq. Mouse galago (Zoöl.), a very small West American galago (Galago murinus). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel. -- Coloq. Mouse hawk . (Zoöl.) (a) A hawk that devours mice. (b) The hawk owl; -- called also mouse owl. -- Coloq. Mouse lemur (Zoöl.), any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus, found in Madagascar. -- Coloq. Mouse piece (Cookery), the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; -- called also mouse buttock.
[ Webster]

Mouse (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Moused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mousing (?).] 1. To watch for and catch mice.
[ Webster]

2. To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.
[ Webster]

Mouse, v. t. 1. To tear, as a cat devours a mouse. [Obs.] “[Death] mousing the flesh of men.” Shak.
[ Webster]

2. (Naut.) To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See , n., 2.
[ Webster]

Mouse-ear (?), n. (Bot.) (a) The forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris) and other species of the same genus. (b) A European species of hawkweed (Hieracium Pilosella).
[ Webster]

Coloq. Mouse-ear chickweed , a name of two common species of chickweed (Cerastium vulgarium, and Cerastium viscosum). -- Coloq. Mouse-ear cress , a low cruciferous herb (Sisymbrium Thaliana). All these are low herbs with soft, oval, or obovate leaves, whence the name.
[ Webster]

Mousefish (?), n. (Zoöl.) See .
[ Webster]

Mousehole (?), n. A hole made by a mouse, for passage or abode, as in a wall; hence, a very small hole like that gnawed by a mouse.
[ Webster]

mousekin (?), n. A little mouse. Thackeray.
[ Webster]

mouseketeer (mouskĕtēr), n. One of a group of children appearing on the television program The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950's. [U. S.]
[PJC]

Mouser (?), n. 1. A cat that catches mice; as, a good mouser is better than a dozen mousetraps.
[ Webster +PJC]

2. One who pries about on the lookout for something.
[ Webster]

Mousetail (?), n. (Bot.) A genus of ranunculaceous plants (Myosurus), in which the prolonged receptacle is covered with imbricating achenes, and so resembles the tail of a mouse.
[ Webster]

mousetrap, mouse trap (?), n. Any device that catches, and usually kills, mice. They are of various designs, the most common being a stiff loop of wire mounted on a small wooden platform base and attached to a strong spring, which holds the loop firmly against the base. To activate the trap, the loop is pulled through a 180° arc against the tension of the spring and held against the base by a delicate metal catch, which can keep the loop from moving, though in a state of high tension. The metal catch is moved when a mouse tries to take a piece of bait attached to it, releasing the loop which forcefully moves though an arc, usually killing the mouse. A larger version of the same device is used as a rat trap.
[ Webster]

Mousie (?), n. Diminutive for . Burns.
[ Webster]

Mousing (?), a. Impertinently inquisitive; prying; meddlesome. “Mousing saints.” L'Estrange.
[ Webster]

Mousing, n. 1. The act of hunting mice.
[ Webster]

2. (Naut.) A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straighening out.
[ Webster]

3. A ratchet movement in a loom.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Mousing hook , a hook with an attachment which prevents its unhooking.
[ Webster]

Mousle (?), v. t. To sport with roughly; to rumple. [Written also mouzle.] [Obs.] Wycherley.
[ Webster]

Mousquetaire (?), n. [F.] 1. A musketeer, esp. one of the French royal musketeers of the 17th and 18th centuries, conspicuous both for their daring and their fine dress.
[Webster Suppl.]

2. A mosquetaire cuff or glove, or other article of dress fancied to resemble those worn by the French mosquetaires.
[Webster Suppl.]

Mousquetaire cuff. A deep flaring cuff.
[Webster Suppl.]

Mousquetaire glove. A woman's glove with a long, loosely fitting wrist.
[Webster Suppl.]

Mousse (m�s), n. [F.] 1. (Cookery) A frozen dessert of a frothy texture, made of sweetened and flavored whipped cream, sometimes with the addition of egg yolks and gelatin. Mousse differs from ice cream in being beaten before -- not during -- the freezing process.
[Webster Suppl.]

2. Any of a variety of foods whipped to a light texture; as, a salmon mousse.
[PJC]

3. A foam containing special chemicals, used for styling hair.
[PJC]

Mousseline (?), n. [F.] Muslin.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Mousseline de laine (�). [F., muslin of wool.] Muslin delaine. See under . -- Coloq. Mousseline glass , a kind of thin blown glassware, such as wineglasses, etc.
[ Webster]

Mousseline de soie (?). [F.] A soft thin silk fabric with a weave like that of muslin.
[Webster Suppl.]

Moustache (?), n. [F.] Mustache.
[ Webster]

moustachio n. A large bushy moustache.
Syn. -- mustachio, handle-bars.
[WordNet 1.5]

Mousy (mouz�), a. Infested with mice; smelling of mice.
[ Webster]

Moutan (?), n. (Bot.) The Chinese tree peony (Pæonia Mountan), a shrub with large flowers of various colors.
[ Webster]

Mouth (mouth), n.; pl. Mouths (mou�z). [OE. mouth, muþ, AS. mūð; akin to D. mond, OS. mūð, G. mund, Icel. muðr, munnr, Sw. mun, Dan. mund, Goth. munþs, and possibly L. mentum chin; or cf. D. muil mouth, muzzle, G. maul, OHG. mūla, Icel. mūli, and Skr. mukha mouth.] 1. The opening through which an animal receives food; the aperture between the jaws or between the lips; also, the cavity, containing the tongue and teeth, between the lips and the pharynx; the buccal cavity.
[ Webster]

2. Hence: An opening affording entrance or exit; orifice; aperture; as: (a) The opening of a vessel by which it is filled or emptied, charged or discharged; as, the mouth of a jar or pitcher; the mouth of the lacteal vessels, etc. (b) The opening or entrance of any cavity, as a cave, pit, well, or den. (c) The opening of a piece of ordnance, through which it is discharged. (d) The opening through which the waters of a river or any stream are discharged. (e) The entrance into a harbor.
[ Webster]

3. (Saddlery) The crosspiece of a bridle bit, which enters the mouth of an animal.
[ Webster]

4. A principal speaker; one who utters the common opinion; a mouthpiece.
[ Webster]

Every coffeehouse has some particular statesman belonging to it, who is the mouth of the street where he lives. Addison.
[ Webster]

5. Cry; voice. [Obs.] Dryden.
[ Webster]

6. Speech; language; testimony.
[ Webster]

That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Matt. xviii. 16.
[ Webster]

7. A wry face; a grimace; a mow.
[ Webster]

Counterfeit sad looks,
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back. Shak.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Down at the mouth or Coloq. Down in the mouth , chapfallen; of dejected countenance; depressed; discouraged. [Obs. or Colloq.] -- Coloq. Mouth friend , one who professes friendship insincerely. Shak. -- Coloq. Mouth glass , a small mirror for inspecting the mouth or teeth. -- Coloq. Mouth honor , honor given in words, but not felt. Shak. -- Coloq. Mouth organ . (Mus.) (a) Pan's pipes. See . (b) An harmonicon. -- Coloq. Mouth pipe , an organ pipe with a lip or plate to cut the escaping air and make a sound. -- Coloq. To stop the mouth , to silence or be silent; to put to shame; to confound. -- Coloq. To put one's foot in one's mouth , to say something which causes one embarrassment. -- Coloq. To run off at the mouth , to speak excessively. -- Coloq. To talk out of both sides of one's mouth , to say things which are contradictory.
[ Webster +PJC]

The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped. Ps. lxiii. 11.
[ Webster]

Whose mouths must be stopped. Titus i. 11.
[ Webster]

Prev Next

Concept Explore Home

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z