Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MI-ME'SIS, n. [Gr.]

In rhetoric, imitation of the voice or gestures of another. Encyc.

MI-MET'IC, a. [Gr. μιμητικος.]

Apt to imitate; given to aping or mimickry.

MIM'ICK, or MIM'IC-AL, a. [L. mimus, mimicus; Gr. μιμος, μιμικος; μιμεομαι, to imitate; allied probably to μωμος.]

1. Imitative; inclined to imitate or to ape; having the practice or habit of imitating. Man is of all creatures the most mimical in gestures, speech, &c. – Ratten.
2. Consisting of imitation; as, mimick gestures. Mimick implies often something droll or ludicrous, or less dignified than imitative.

MIM'ICK, n.

1. One who imitates or mimicks; buffoon who attempts to excite laughter or derision by acting or speaking in the manner of another. Prior.
2. A mean or servile imitator. Of France the mimic and of Spain the prey. Anon.

MIM'ICK, v.t.

To imitate or ape for sport; to attempt to excite laughter or derision by acting or speaking like another; to ridicule by imitation. The walk, the words, the gesture, could supply, / The habit mimick, and the mien belie. Dryden.

MIM'ICK-ED, pp.

Imitated for sport.

MIM'ICK-ER, n.

One who mimicks.

MIM'ICK-ING, ppr.

Imitating for sport; ridiculing by imitation.

MIM'ICK-RY, n.

Ludicrous imitation for sport or ridicule. – Spectator.

MI-MOG'RA-PHER, n. [Gr. μιμος, and γραφω.]

A writer of farces. – Herbert.

MI'NA, n. [Gr. μνα; L. mina; Ar. Class Mn, No. 5, 9, 7.]

A weight or denomination of money. The mina of the Old Testament was valued at sixty shekels. The Greek or Attic mina was valued at a hundred drachmas, about £2 17s. sterling, $10.44 cents. – Encyc.

MI-NA'CIOUS, a. [L. minax, from minor, to threaten.]

Threatening; menacing. – More.

MI-NAC'I-TY, n. [L. minax.]

Disposition to threaten. [Little used.]

MIN'A-RET, n. [W. mwn, a spire. See Mound.]

A small spire or steeple, or spire-like ornament in Saracen architecture. – Mason.

MIN-A-TO'RI-AL-LY, adv.

With threats.

MIN'A-TO-RY, a.

Threatening; menacing. – Bacon.

MINCE, v.i.

1. To walk with short steps; to walk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner. I'll turn two mincing steps / Into a manly stride. – Sheik. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty-walking and mincing as they go. – Is. iii.
2. To speak softly; or with affected nicety. – Dryden.

MINCE, v.t. [mins; Sax. minsιan, from the root of L. minuo, to diminish; W. main, Arm. moon, Fr. menu, mince, Ir. min, mion, small, fine; L. minor, smaller; minuo, to diminish; Gr. μινος, small, slender; μινυθω, to diminish; L. minutus, minute; Sw. minska, to diminish; Ar. مَنَّ manna, to weaken, to diminish. Class Mn, No. 5.]

1. To cut or chop into very small pieces; as, to mince meat. – Dryden.
2. To diminish in speaking; to retrench, cut off or omit a part for the purpose of suppressing the truth; to extenuate in representation. I know no way to mince it in love, but to say directly, I love you. – Shak. Siren, now mince the sin, / And mollify damnation with a phrase. – Dryden If, to mince his meaning, I had either omitted some part of what he said, or taken from the strength of his expression, I certainly had wronged him. – Dryden. These – were forced to mince the matter. – Woodward.
3. To speak with affected softness; to clip words; not to utter the full sound. – Shak.
4. To walk with short or diminished steps.

MIN'CED, pp.

Cut or chopped into very small pieces.

MINCE-PIE, or MINC'ED-PIE, n.

A pie made with minced meat and other ingredients, baked in paste. Spectator.

MIN'CING, ppr.

Cutting into small pieces; speaking or walking affectedly.

MIN'CING-LY, adv.

In small parts; not fully. – Hooker.

MIND, n. [Sax. gemind, gemynde; Ir. mein, mian; W. myn or menw, mind or will; govyn, a demand; Dan. minde, mind, vote, consent; minder, to remind; Sw. minne, memory; minnas, to remember, to call to mind, as L. reminiscor; L. mens; Gr. μνεια, memory, mention; μναομαι, to remember; μενος, mind, ardor of mind, vehemence; μηνις, anger; Sans. man, mana, mind, will, heart, thought; Zend. meno. Mind signifies properly intention, a reaching or inclining forward to an object, from the primary sense of extending, stretching or inclining, or advancing eagerly, pushing or setting forward, whence the Greek sense of the word, in analogy with the Teutonic mod, moed, muth, mind, courage, spirit, mettle. So L. animus, animosus. The Russ. has pominayu, to mention, to remember; pomin, remembrance, and umenie or umeinie, understanding. Qu. Minos, Menu, Menes, Mentor. Class Mn, No. 1, 9.]

1. Intention; purpose; design. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination; how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind. Prov. xxi.
2. Inclination; will; desire; a sense much used, but expressing less than settled purpose; as in the, common phrases, “I wish to know your mind;” “let me know your mind;” “he had a mind to go;” “he has a partner to his mind.”
3. Opinion; as, to express one's mind. We are of one mind.
4. Memory; remembrance; as, to put one in mind; to call to mind; the fact is out of my mind; time out of mind. From the operations of the intellect in man, this word came to signify,
5. The intellectual or intelligent power in man; the understanding; the power that conceives, judges or reasons. I fear I am not in my perfect mind. – Shak. So we speak of a sound mind, a disordered mind, a weak mind, a strong mind, with reference to the active powers of the understanding; and in a passive sense, it denotes capacity, as when we say, the mind can not comprehend a subject.
6. The heart or seat of affection. Which were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah. – Gen. xxvi.
7. The will and affection; as, readiness of mind. – Acts xvii.
8. The implanted principle of grace. – Rom. vii.

MIND, v.i.

To be inclined or disposed to incline. When one of them mindeth to go into rehelhon. [Obs.] – Spenser.

MIND, v.t.

1. To attend to; to fix the thoughts on; to regard with attention. Cease to request me; let us mind our way. – Dryden. Mind not high things. – Rom. xii.
2. To attend to or regard with submission; to obey. His father told him to desist, but he would not mind him.
3. To put in mind; to remind. [Obs.] – Locke.
4. To intend; to mean. – Chapman.