Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MINK, n.

An American and European quadruped of the genus Mustela, that burrows in the earth on the side of river or pond, whose fur is more valuable than that of the muskrat. It is the Mustela Lutreola, (Lin.) and the Putorius Lutreola, (Cuv.) It is very often called minx. Belknap.

MIN'NOC, n.

Used by Shakspeare, is supposed by Johnson to be the same as minx. Qu. mimick.

MIN'NOW, or MIN'OW, n. [Fr. menu, small.]

A very small fish, a species of Cyprinus. Encyc. Walton.

MI'NOR, a. [L.; the comparative degree of a word no found in that language, but existing in the Celtic dialects, W. main, Arm. moan, Ir. min, mion, the root of L. minuo, to diminish. See Mince.]

1. Less; smaller; sometimes applied to the bulk or magnitude of a single object; more generally to amount, degree or importance. We say, the minor divisions of a body, tln minor part of a body; opposed to the major part. We say minor sums, minor faults, minor considerntaons, minor details or arguments. In the latter phrases, minor is equivalent to small, petty, inconsiderable, not principal, important or weighty.
2. In music, less or lower by a lesser semitone; as, a third minor. Encyc. Asia Minor, the Lesser Asia, that part of Asia which lies between the Euxine on the north, and the Mediterranean on the south.

MI'NOR, n.

1. A person of either sex under age; one who under the authority of his parents or guardians, or who is not permitted by law to make contracts and manage his own property. By the laws of Great Britain and of the United States, persons are minors till they are twenty one years of age.
2. In logic, the second proposition of a regular syllogism; as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness. To take money from another by gaming, or reputation by seduction, are acts of injustice. Therefore the taking of money from another by gaming, or reputation by seduction, partakes of meanness.
3. A Minorite, a Franciscan friar.
4. A beautiful bird of the East Indies. Dict. Nat. Hist.

MI'NOR-ATE, v.t.

To diminish. [Not used.]

MI-NOR-A'TION, n.

A lessening; diminution.

MI'NOR-ITE, n.

A Franciscan friar.

MI-NOR'I-TY, n. [Fr. minorité, from L. minor.]

1. The state of being under age. [See Minor.]
2. The smaller number; as, the minority of the senate or house of representatives; opposed to majority. We say, the minority was large or small. A. B. was in the minority; the minority must be ruled by the majority.

MI'NOS, n.

In classical mythology, a celebrated lawgiver, the son of Jupiter and Europa.

MIN'O-TAUR, n. [Fr. minotaure; It. minatauro; L. minotaurus; from man, which must have been in early ages a Latin word, and taurus, a bull.]

A fabled-monster, half man and half bull. – Ovid. Virgil. Shak.

MIN'STER, n. [Sax. minstre or mynster. See Monastery.]

A monastery; an ecclesiastical convent or fraternity; but it is said originally to have been the church of a monastery; a cathedral church. Encyc.

MIN'STREL, n. [F. menêtrier, for menestrier; Sp. ministril, a minstrel, and a tipstaff, or petty officer of justice; Port. menestral; perhaps a derivative from menear, to move, stir, wag, wield. If so, the word originally signified a performer on a musical instrument, who accompanied his performances with gestures, like the histrio and joculator.]

A singer and musical performer on instruments. Minstrels were formerly poets as well as musicians, and held in high repute by our rude ancestors. Their attendance was sought and their performances lavishly rewarded by princes. It was in the character of a minstrel that king Alfred entered the camp of the Danes his enemies, and explored their situation.

MIN'STREL-SY, n.

1. The arts and occupations of minstrels; instrumental music.
2. A number of musicians. The minstrelsy of heaven. – Milton.

MINT, n.¹ [Sax. mynet, money or stamped coin; D. munt, mint, coin; G. münze; Sw. mynt; Dan. myndt, coin. This word is doubtless a derivative from mine, or. L. moneta, from the same root.]

1. The place where money is coined by public authority. In Great Britain, formerly, there was a mint in almost every county; but the privilege of coining is now considered as a royal prerogative in that country, and as the prerogative of the sovereagn power in other countries. The only mint now in Great Britain is in the Tower of London. The first mint in the United States was in Philadelphia.
2. A place of invention or fabrication; as, a mint of phrases; a mint of calumny. – Shak. Addison.
3. A source of abundant supply.

MINT, n.² [Sax. mint; Sw. mynta; Dan. mynte; G. münze; L. mentha; It. and Sp. menta; Fr. mente; D. kruismunt; crossmint; Ir. miontas; Arm. mendt or mintys.]

A plant of the genus Mentha.

MINT, v.t. [Sax. mynetian.]

1. To coin; to make and stamp money. – Bacon.
2. To invent; to forge; to fabricate. – Bacon.

MINT'AGE, n.

1. That which is coined or stamped. – Milton.
2. The duty paid for coining.

MINT'ED, pp.

Coined.

MINT'ER, n.

A coiner; also, an inventor.

MINT-ING, ppr.

Coining money.

MINT'MAN, n.

A coiner; one skilled in coining or in coins.

MINT'MAS-TER, n.

1. The master or superintendent of mint. – Boyle.
2. One who invents or fabricates. – Locke.

MIN'U-END, n. [L. minuendus, minuo, to lessen.]

In arithmetic the number from which another number is to be subtracted.

MIN'U-ET, n. [Sp. minueto; Fr. menuet, from menu, small, W. main. See Mince.]

1. A slow graceful dance, consisting of a coupee, a high step and a balance. – Encyc.
2. A tune or air to regulate the movements in the dance so called; a movement of three crotchets or three quavers in a bar.