Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter M - Page 75
Most (a.) Highest in rank; greatest.
Most (a.) In the greatest or highest degree.
Mostahiba (n.) See Mustaiba.
Moste () imp. of Mote.
Mostic (n.) Alt. of Mostick
Mostick (n.) A painter's maul-stick.
Mostly (adv.) For the greatest part; for the most part; chiefly; in the main.
Mostra (n.) See Direct, n.
Mostwhat (adv.) For the most part.
Mot (Sing. pres. ind.) of Mot.
Mote () of Mot.
Moot () of Mot.
Mot (n. pl.) of Mot.
Mote () of Mot.
Moote () of Mot.
Mote (pres. subj.) of Mot.
Moste (imp.) of Mot.
Mot (v.) May; must; might.
Mot (n.) A word; hence, a motto; a device.
Mot (n.) A pithy or witty saying; a witticism.
Mot (n.) A note or brief strain on a bugle.
Motacil (n.) Any singing bird of the genus Motacilla; a wagtail.
Motation (n.) The act of moving; motion.
Mote (v.) See 1st Mot.
Mote (n.) A meeting of persons
for discussion; as, a wardmote in the city of
Mote (n.) A body of persons who meet for discussion, esp. about the management of affairs; as, a folkmote.
Mote (n.) A place of meeting for discussion.
Mote (n.) The flourish sounded on a horn by a huntsman. See Mot, n., 3, and Mort.
Mote (n.) A small particle, as of floating dust; anything proverbially small; a speck.
Moted (a.) Filled with motes, or fine floating dust; as, the air.
Motet (n.) A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.
Moth (n.) A mote.
Moths (n. pl. ) of Moth.
Moth (n.) 蛾；蠹，蛀蟲 [C] Any nocturnal lepidopterous insect, or any not included among the butterflies; as, the luna moth; Io moth; hawk moth.
Compare: Lepidopterous
Lepidopterous (a.) 【動】鱗翅類的 Having scaly wings.
Lepidopterous (a.) Of, or pertaining to butterflies.
Moth (n.) 蛾；蠹，蛀蟲 [C] Any lepidopterous insect that feeds upon garments, grain, etc.; as, the clothes moth; grain moth; bee moth. See these terms under Clothes, Grain, etc.
Moth (n.) Any one of various other insects that destroy woolen and fur goods, etc., esp. the larvae of several species of beetles of the genera Dermestes and Anthrenus. Carpet moths are often the larvae of Anthrenus. See Carpet beetle, under Carpet, Dermestes, Anthrenus.
Moth (n.) Anything which gradually and silently eats, consumes, or wastes any other thing.
Moth-eat (v. t.) To eat or prey upon, as a moth eats a garment.
Moth-eaten (a.) 被蟲蛀的；陳舊的；破爛的 Damaged or destroyed by clothes moths.
Moth-eaten (a.) Shabby, old, or in bad condition.
‘Moth-eaten donkeys and horses.’
Mothen (a.) Full of moths.
Mother (n.) [C] 母親；媽媽；起源，根由 [the S] [（+of）] A female parent; especially, one of the human race; a woman who has borne a child.
Mother (n.) That which has produced or nurtured anything; source of birth or origin; generatrix.
Alas! poor country! . . . it can not Be called our mother, but our grave. -- Shak.
I behold . . . the solitary majesty of Crete, mother of a religion, it is said, that lived two thousand years. -- Landor.
Mother (n.) An old woman or matron. [Familiar]
Mother (n.) The female superior or head of a religious house, as an abbess, etc.
Mother (n.) Hysterical passion; hysteria. [Obs.] -- Shak.
{Mother Carey's chicken} (Zool.), Any one of several species of small petrels, as the stormy petrel ({Procellaria pelagica}), and Leach's petrel ({Oceanodroma leucorhoa}), both of the Atlantic, and {Oceanodroma furcata} of the North Pacific.
{Mother Carey's goose} (Zool.), The giant fulmar of the Pacific. See {Fulmar}.
{Mother's mark} (Med.), A congenital mark upon the body; a birthmark; a naevus.
Mother (a.) Received by birth or from ancestors; native, natural; as, mother language; also acting the part, or having the place of a mother; producing others; originating.
Mothered (imp. & p. p.) of Mother.
Mothering (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Mother.
Mother (n.) A film or membrane which is developed on the surface of fermented alcoholic liquids, such as vinegar, wine, etc., and acts as a means of conveying the oxygen of the air to the alcohol and other combustible principles of the liquid, thus leading to their oxidation.
Note: The film is composed of a mass of rapidly developing microorganisms of the genus {Mycoderma}, and in the {mother of vinegar} the microorganisms ({Mycoderma aceti}) composing the film are the active agents in the Conversion of the alcohol into vinegar. When thickened by growth, the film may settle to the bottom of the fluid. See {Acetous fermentation}, under {Fermentation}.
Mother (v. i.) To become like, or full of, mother, or thick matter, as vinegar.
Mother (n.) Same as {motherfucker}. [Vulgar slang].
Mother (n.) A person or thing with some exceptional quality, as great size or power; as, a grizzly stuck his nose in my tent and I grabbed my pistol and shot the mother. [Slang].
Mother (v. t.) 母親一般地照料；對……過分照顧；生下；產生出 To adopt as a son or daughter; to perform the duties of a mother to.
The queen, to have put lady Elizabeth besides the crown, would have mothered another body's child. -- Howell.
Mother (n.) A woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother); "the mother of three children" [syn: {mother}, {female parent}] [ant: {begetter}, {father}, {male parent}].
Mother (n.) A stringy slimy substance consisting of yeast cells and bacteria; forms during fermentation and is added to cider or wine to produce vinegar.
Mother (n.) A term of address for an elderly woman.
Mother (n.) A term of address for a mother superior.
Mother (n.) A condition that is the inspiration for an activity or situation; "necessity is the mother of invention."
Mother (v.) Care for like a mother; "She fusses over her husband" [syn: {mother}, {fuss}, {overprotect}].
Mother (v.) Make children; "Abraham begot Isaac"; "Men often father children but don't recognize them" [syn: {beget}, {get}, {engender}, {father}, {mother}, {sire}, {generate}, {bring forth}].
Mother (n.) Domestic relations. A woman who has borne a child.
Mother (n.) It is generally the duty of a mother to support her child, when she is left a widow, until he becomes of age, or is able to maintain himself; 8 Watts, R. 366; and even after he becomes of age, if he be chargeable to the public, she may, perhaps, in all the states, be compelled, when she has sufficient means, to support him. But when the child has property sufficient for his support, she is not, even during his minority, obliged to maintain him. 1 Bro. C. C. 387; 2 Mass. R. 415; 4 Miss. R. 97.
Mother (n.) When the father dies without leaving a testamentary guardian, at common law, the mother is entitled to be the guardian of the person and estate of the infant, until he arrives at fourteen years, when he is able to choose a guardian. Litt. sect. 123; 3 Co. 38; Co. Litt. 84 b; 2 Atk. 14; Com Dig. B, D, E; 7 Ves. 348. See 10 Mass. 135, 140; 15 Mass. 272; 4 Binn. 487; 4 Stew. & Part. 123; 2 Mass. 415; Harper, R. 9; 1 Root, R. 487.
Mother (n.) In Pennsylvania, the orphans' court will, in such case, appoint a guardian until the infant shall attain his fourteenth year. During the joint lives of the parents, (q.v.) the father (q.v.) is alone responsible for the support of the children; and has the only control over them, except when in special cases the mother is allowed to have possession of them. 1 P. A. Browne's Rep. 143; 5 Binn. R. 520; 2 Serg. & Rawle 174. Vide 4 Binn. R. 492, 494.
Mother (n.) The mother of a bastard child, as natural guardian, has a right to the custody and control of such child, and is bound to maintain it. 2 Mass. 109; 12 Mass. 387, 433; 2 John. 375; 15 John. 208; 6 S. & R. 255; 1 Ashmead, 55.
Mothered (a.) Thick, like mother; viscid.
Motherhood (n.) 母性；母親的身分；（總稱）母親們 The state of being a mother; the character or office of a mother.
Motherhood (n.) The kinship relation between an offspring and the mother [syn: motherhood, maternity].
Compare: Kinship
Kinship (n.) [U] 親屬關係，家屬關係 [（+with）]；（性質等的）類似；親密關係 [S1] [（+with/ between）] Blood relationship.
Kinship (n.) A sharing of characteristics or origins.
‘They felt a kinship with architects.’
Mothering (n.) A rural custom in England, of visiting one's parents on Midlent Sunday, -- supposed to have been originally visiting the mother church to make offerings at the high altar.
Mother-in-law (n.) The mother of one's husband or wife.
Motherland (n.) 祖國；（殖民地的）母國 The country of one's ancestors; -- same as {fatherland}.
Motherland (n.) The country where you were born [syn: {fatherland}, {homeland}, {motherland}, {mother country}, {country of origin}, {native land}].
Motherless (a.) Destitute of a mother; having lost a mother; as, motherless children.
Motherliness (n.) The state or quality of being motherly.
Motherly (a.) Of or pertaining to a mother; like, or suitable for, a mother; tender; maternal; as, motherly authority, love, or care.
Motherly (adv.) In a manner of a mother.
Mother-naked (a.) Naked as when born.
Mother-of-pearl (n.) The hard pearly
internal layer of several kinds of shells, esp. of pearl oysters, river
mussels, and the abalone shells; nacre. See
Mother-of-thyme (n.) An aromatic plant (Thymus Serphyllum); -- called also wild thyme.
Motherwort (n.) A labiate herb (Leonurus Cardiaca), of a bitter taste, used popularly in medicine; lion's tail.
Motherwort (n.) The mugwort. See Mugwort.
Mothery (a.) Consisting of, containing, or resembling, mother (in vinegar).
Mothy (a.) Infested with moths; moth-eaten.
Motif (n.) Motive.
Motific (a.) Producing motion.
Motile (a.) Having powers of self-motion, though unconscious; as, the motile spores of certain seaweeds.
Motile (a.) Producing motion; as, motile powers.
Motility (n.) Capability of motion; contractility.
Motion (n.) （物體的）運動，移動；（天體的）運行 [U]；動作，姿態；手勢，眼色[C]；動機，意向 [U]；（會議上的）動議，提議 [C] [+to-v] [+that]；（機械的）裝置，運轉；【音】高低旋律的變化；【律】（訴訟人向法院提出的）請求，申請 The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; -- opposed to {rest}.
Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms. -- Milton.
Motion (n.) Power of, or capacity for, motion.
Devoid of sense and motion. -- Milton.
Motion (n.) Direction of movement; course; tendency; as, the motion of the planets is from west to east.
In our proper motion we ascend. -- Milton.
Motion (n.) Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts.
This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion. -- Dr. H. More.
Motion (n.) Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity.
Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God. -- South.
Motion (n.) A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as, a motion to adjourn.
Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion. -- Shak.
Motion (n.) (Law) An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant. -- Mozley & W.
Motion (n.) (Mus.) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts.
The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint. -- Grove.
Note: Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is that when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when parts move in the same direction.
Motion (n.) A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.]
What motion's this? the model of Nineveh? -- Beau. & Fl.
Note: Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound.
{Simple motions} are: ({a}) Straight translation, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. ({b}) Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called oscillating. ({c}) Helical, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating.
{Compound motion}, Consists of combinations of any of the simple motions.
{Center of motion}, {Harmonic motion}, etc. See under {Center}, {Harmonic}, etc.
{Motion block} (Steam Engine), A crosshead.
{Perpetual motion} (Mech.), An incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without. According to the law of conservation of energy, such perpetual motion is impossible, and no device has yet been built that is capable of perpetual motion.
Syn: See {Movement}.
Motioned (imp. & p. p.) of Motion.
Motioning (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Motion.
Motion (v. i.) 打手勢；搖（或點）頭示意 [（+to/ at）]；（鐘錶等）擺動，走 To make a significant movement or gesture, as with the hand; as, to motion to one to take a seat.
Motion (v. i.) To make proposal; to offer plans. [Obs.]
Motion (v. t.) 向……打手勢；向……搖（或點）頭示意 [O] [O2] The teacher To direct or invite by a motion, as of the hand or head; as, to motion one to a seat.
Motion (v. t.) To propose; to move. [Obs.]
I want friends to motion such a matter. -- Burton.
Motion (n.) The use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals [syn: {gesture}, {motion}].
Motion (n.) A natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something [syn: {movement}, {motion}].
Motion (n.) A change of position that does not entail a change of location; "the reflex motion of his eyebrows revealed his surprise"; "movement is a sign of life"; "an impatient move of his hand"; "gastrointestinal motility" [syn: {motion}, {movement}, {move}, {motility}].
Motion (n.) A state of change; "they were in a state of steady motion" [ant: {lifelessness}, {motionlessness}, {stillness}].
Motion (n.) A formal proposal for action made to a deliberative assembly for discussion and vote; "he made a motion to adjourn"; "she called for the question" [syn: {motion}, {question}].
Motion (n.) The act of changing location from one place to another; "police controlled the motion of the crowd"; "the movement of people from the farms to the cities"; "his move put him directly in my path" [syn: {motion}, {movement}, {move}].
Motion (n.) An optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid succession of still pictures of a moving object; "the cinema relies on apparent motion"; "the succession of flashing lights gave an illusion of movement" [syn: {apparent motion}, {motion}, {apparent movement}, {movement}].
Motion (v.) Show, express or direct through movement; "He gestured his desire to leave" [syn: {gesticulate}, {gesture}, {motion}].
Motion (n.), Practice. An application to a court by one of the parties in a cause, or his counsel, in order to obtain some rule or order of court, which he thinks becomes necessary in the progress of the cause, or to get relieved in a summary manner, from some matter which would work injustice.
Motion (n.) When the motion. is made on some matter of fact, it must be supported by an affidavit that such facts are true; and for this purpose, the party's affidavit will be received, though, it cannot be read on the hearing. 1 Binn. R. 145; S. P. 2 Yeates' R. 546. Vide 3 Bl. Com. 304; 2 Sell. Pr. 356; 15 Vin. Ab. 495; Grah. Pr. 542; Smith's Ch. Pr. Index, h.t.
Motioner (n.) One who makes a motion; a mover. -- Udall.
Motionist (n.) A mover. [Obs.]
Motionless (a.) 不動的，靜止的 Without motion; being at rest.
Motionless (a.) Not in physical motion; "the inertia of an object at rest" [syn: inactive, motionless, static, still].
Motivate (v. t.) 給……動機；刺激；激發 To provide with a motive; to move; impel; induce; incite. -- {Mo`ti*va"tion}, n. --William James.
Syn: move, prompt, incite, induce impel, drive.
Motivate (v.) Give an incentive for action; "This moved me to sacrifice my career" [syn: {motivate}, {actuate}, {propel}, {move}, {prompt}, {incite}].
Motivation (n.) 刺激；推動；積極性；幹勁；行動方式 The act or process of motivating.
Motivation (n.) The mental process that arouses an organism to action; as, a large part of a teacher's job is to give students the motivation to learn on their own.
Syn: motive, need.
Motivation (n.) The goal or mental image of a goal that creates a motivation [2]; as, the image of a peaceful world is a powerful motivation for only a rare few individuals.
Motivation (n.) The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" [syn: {motivation}, {motive}, {need}].
Motivation (n.) The condition of being motivated; "his motivation was at a high level."
Motivation (n.) The act of motivating; providing incentive [syn: {motivation}, {motivating}].
Motive (n.) [C] 動機；主旨；目的[（+of/ for）]；（文藝作品的）主題 That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Motive (n.) That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object; motivation [2].
By motive, I mean the whole of that which moves, excites, or invites the mind to volition, whether that be one thing singly, or many things conjunctively.
Motive (n.) (Mus.) The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a comor a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is develpoed. See also {Leading motive}, under {Leading}. [Written also {motivo}.]
Motive (n.) (Fine Arts) That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one.
Syn: Incentive; incitement; inducement; reason; spur; stimulus; cause.
Usage: {Motive}, {Inducement}, {Reason}. Motive is the word originally used in speaking of that which determines the choice. We call it an inducement when it is attractive in its nature. We call it a reason when it is more immediately addressed to the intellect in the form of argument.
Motive (a.) 成為原動力的，起動的，推動的 Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. "Motive faculty." -- Bp. Wilkins.
{Motive power} (Mach.), A natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover.
Motive (v. t.) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
Motive (a.) Causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy" [syn: {motive(a)}, {motor}].
Motive (a.) Impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments" [syn: {motivative(a)}, {motive(a)}, {motivating}].
Motive (n.) The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" [syn: {motivation}, {motive}, {need}].
Motive (n.) A theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music [syn: {motif}, {motive}].
Motive (n.) A design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration [syn: {motif}, {motive}].
Motive (n.) The inducement, cause or reason why a thing is done.
Motive (n.) When there is such a mistake in the motive, that had the truth been known, the contract would pot have been made, it is generally void., For example, if a man should, after the death of Titius, of which he was ignorant, insure his life, the error of the motive would avoid the contract. Toull. Dr. Civ. Fr. liv. 3, c. 2, art. 1. Or, if Titius should sell to Livius his horse, which both parties supposed to be living at some distance from the place where the contract was made, when in fact, the horse was then dead, the contract would be void. Poth. Vente, n. 4; 2 Kent, Com. 367. When the contract is entered into under circumstances of clear mistake or surprise, it will not be enforced. See the following authorities on this subject. 1 Russ. & M. 527; 1 Ves. jr. 221; 4 Price, 135; 1 Ves. jr. 210; Atkinson on Titl. 144. Vide Cause; Consideration.
Motive (n.) The motive of prosecutions is frequently an object of inquiry, particularly when the prosecutor is a witness, and in his case, as that of any other witness, when the motion is ascertained to be bad, as a desire of revenge for a real or supposed injury, the credibility of the witness will be much weakened, though this will not alone render him incompetent. See Evidence; Witness.
Motiveless (a.) 無動機的；無目的的 Destitute of a motive; not incited by a motive. -- Mo"tive*less*ness, n. -- G. Eliot.
Motiveless (a.) Occurring without motivation or provocation; "motiveless malignity"; "unprovoked and dastardly attack" -- F.D.Roosevelt [syn: motiveless, unprovoked, wanton].
Motivity (n.) 動力；原動力 The power of moving or producing motion.
Motivity (n.) The quality of being influenced by motives. [R.]
Motivity (n.) The power or ability to move [syn: locomotion, motive power, motivity].
Motivo (n.) See Motive, n., 3, 4.
Compare: Motive
Motive (a.) Causing motion; having power to move, or tending to move; as, a motive argument; motive power. "Motive faculty." -- Bp. Wilkins.
Motive power (Mach.), A natural agent, as water, steam, wind, electricity, etc., used to impart motion to machinery; a motor; a mover.
Motive (n.) [C] 動機；主旨；目的 [（+of/ for）]；（文藝作品的）主題 That which moves; a mover. [Obs.] -- Shak.
Motive (n.) That which incites to action; anything prompting or exciting to choise, or moving the will; cause; reason; inducement; object; motivation [2].
By motive, I mean the whole of that which moves, excites, or invites the mind to volition, whether that be one thing singly, or many things conjunctively. -- J. Edwards.
Motive (n.) (Mus.) The theme or subject; a leading phrase or passage which is reproduced and varied through the course of a comor a movement; a short figure, or melodic germ, out of which a whole movement is develpoed. See also Leading motive, under Leading. [Written also motivo.]
Motive (n.) (Fine Arts) That which produces conception, invention, or creation in the mind of the artist in undertaking his subject; the guiding or controlling idea manifested in a work of art, or any part of one.
Syn: Incentive; incitement; inducement; reason; spur; stimulus; cause.
Usage: Motive, Inducement, Reason. Motive is the word originally used in speaking of that which determines the choice. We call it an inducement when it is attractive in its nature. We call it a reason when it is more immediately addressed to the intellect in the form of argument.
Motive (v. t.) To prompt or incite by a motive or motives; to move.
Motive (a.) 動機；主旨；目的 [（+of/ for）]；（文藝作品的）主題 Causing or able to cause motion; "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy" [syn: motive(a), motor].
Motive (a.) Impelling to action; "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments" [syn: motivative(a), motive(a), motivating].
Motive (n.) The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" [syn: motivation, motive, need].
Motive (n.) A theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music [syn: motif, motive].
Motive (n.) A design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration [syn: motif, motive].
Motive () The inducement, cause or reason why a thing is done.
Motive () When there is such a mistake in the motive, that had the truth been known, the contract would pot have been made, it is generally void., For example, if a man should, after the death of Titius, of which he was ignorant, insure his life, the error of the motive would avoid the contract. Toull. Dr. Civ. Fr. liv. 3, c. 2, art. 1. Or, if Titius should sell to Livius his horse, which both parties supposed to be living at some distance from the place where the contract was made, when in fact, the horse was then dead, the contract would be void. Poth. Vente, n. 4; 2 Kent, Com. 367. When the contract is entered into under circumstances of clear mistake or surprise, it will not be enforced. See the following authorities on this subject. 1 Russ. & M. 527; 1 Ves. jr. 221; 4 Price, 135; 1 Ves. jr. 210; Atkinson on Titl. 144. Vide Cause; Consideration.
Motive () The motive of prosecutions is frequently an object of inquiry, particularly when the prosecutor is a witness, and in his case, as that of any other witness, when the motion is ascertained to be bad, as a desire of revenge for a real or supposed injury, the credibility of the witness will be much weakened, though this will not alone render him incompetent. See Evidence; Witness.
Motley (a.) 雜色的，五顏六色的；穿雜色衣的；混雜的，雜多的 Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.