Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MAD'E-FY, v.t. [L. madefio.]

To make wet or moist; to moisten. [Not much used.]

MAD'E-FY-ING, ppr.

Making moist or wet.

MA-DEI-RA, n.

A rich wine made on the isle of Madeira.

MAD-EM-OI-SELLE, n. [Fr. ma, my, and demoiselle, damsel. See Damsel.]

A young woman, or the title given to one; miss; also the puppet sent from the French metropolis to exhibit the prevailing fashions. Spectator.

MAD'HEAD-ED, a.

Hot brained; rash. Shak.

MAD'HOUSE, n.

A house where insane persons are confined for cure or restraint.

MAD'ID, a. [L. madidus.]

Wet; moist. [Not in use.]

MAD'LY, adv. [from mad.]

1. Without reason or understanding; rashly; wildly.
2. With extreme folly or infatuated zeal or passion.

MAD'MAN, n.

1. A man raving or furious with disordered intellect; a distracted man.
2. A man without understanding.
3. One inflamed with extravagant passion, and acting contrary to reason.

MAD'NESS, n. [from mad.]

1. Distraction; a state of disordered reason or intellect, in which the patient raves or is furious. There are degrees of madness as of folly. Locke.
2. Extreme folly; headstrong passion and rashness that act in opposition to reason; as, the madness of a mob.
3. Wildness of passion; fury; rage; as, the madness of despair.

MA-DO'NA, or MA-DON'NA, n. [Sp. madona, It. madonna, my lady.]

A term of compellation, equivalent to madam. It is given to the Virgin Mary.

MAD'RE-PORE, n. [Fr. madre, spotted, and pore.]

A submarine substance of a stony hardness, resembling coral. It consists of carbonate of lime with some animal matter. It is of a white color, wrinkled on the surface, and full of cavities or cells, inhabited by a small animal. From a liquor discharged by this animal, the substance is said to be formed. Madrepores constitute a group of polypiers, of variable forms, always garnished with radiated plates. Encyc. Dict. Nat. Hist.

MAD'RE-PO-RITE, n.

A name given to certain petrified bones found in Normandy, in France, belonging to a cetaceous fish or to a species of crocodile. These bones contain many little brown lines in zigzag, resembling entangled threads. They have none of the properties of madrepore. Dict. Nat. Hist.

MAD'RE-PO-RITE, n.

1. A variety of limestone, so called on account of its occurring in radiated prismatic concretions resembling the stars of madrepores. When rubbed, it emits the smell of sulphureted hydrogen gas.
2. Fossil madrepore.

MAD-RIER, n. [Fr.]

A thick plank armed with iron plates, with a cavity to receive the mouth of a petard, with which it is applied to any thing intended to be broken down; also, a plank used for supporting the earth in mines. Chambers. Bailey.

MAD'RI-GAL, n. [Sp. Port. and Fr. id.; It. madrigale. Its origin is not ascertained.]

1. A little amorous poem, sometimes called a pastoral poem, containing a certain number of free unequal verses, not confined to the scrupulous regularity of a sonnet or the subtilty of the epigram, but containing some tender and delicate, though simple thought, suitably expressed. Cyc.
2. An elaborate vocal composition in five or six parts. Busby.

MAD'WORT, n.

A plant of the genus Alyssum.

MAES-TO'SO, adv. [MÆS-TO'SO.]

An Italian word signifying majestic, a direction in music to play the part with grandeur and strength.

MAF'FLE, v.i.

To stammer. [Not in use.] Barret.

MAF'FLER, n.

A stammerer. [Not in use.]

MAG-A-ZINE, n. [Fr. magazin; It. magazzino; Sp. magacen and almacen; Port. almazem or armazem; from Ar. خَزَنَ gazana, to deposit or lay up for preservation. This word is formed with the Shemitic prefix m.]

1. A store of arms, ammunition or provisions; or the building in which such store is deposited. It is usually a public store or storehouse.
2. In ships of war, a close room in the hold, where the gunpowder is kept. Large ships have usually two magazines. Mar. Dict.
3. A pamphlet periodically published, containing miscellaneous papers or compositions. The first publication of this kind in England, was the Gentleman's Magazine, which first appeared in 1731, under the name of Sylvanus Urban, by Edward Cave, and which is still continued.

MAG-A-ZIN-ER, n.

One who writes for a magazine. [Little used.] Goldsmith.

MAGE, n.

A magician. [Not used.] Spenser.

MAGELLANIC-CLOUDS, n. [Magellanic clouds,]

whitish nebulæ, or appearances like clouds near the south pole, which revolve like the stars; so called from Magellan, the navigator. They are three in number. Cyc.

MAG'GOT, n. [W. macai, plur. maceiod, magiod, a maggot or grub, from magu, to breed.]

1. A worm or grub; particularly, the fly-worm, from the egg of the large blue or green fly. This maggot changes into a fly.
2. A whim; an odd fancy.