Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MET-A-TARS'US, n. [Gr. μετα, beyond, and ταρσος, tarsus.]

The middle of the foot, or part between the ankle and the toes. Coxe.

ME-TATH'E-SIS, n. [Gr. μεταθεσις; μετα, over, and τιθημι, to set.]

1. Transposition; a figure by which the letters or syllables of a word are transposed; as pistris for pristis. Encyc.
2. In medicine, a change or removal of a morbid cause, without expulsion. Coxe. Encyc.

MET'A-TOME, n. [L. metatus, measured.]

In architecture, the space between one dentil, or denticle, and another. Elmes.

MET'A-TOPE, n. [Gr. μετα, and οπη, a hole.]

In architecture, a space between the triglyphs in the Doric frieze. Elmes.

ME-TA'YER, n.

In France and Italy, a farmer holding land, on condition of yielding half the produce to the proprietor, from whom he receives stock and tools.

METE, n. [Sax. mitta.]

Measure; limit; boundary; used chiefly in the plural, in the phrase, metes and bounds.

METE, v.t. [Sax. metan, ametan, gemetan; D. meeten; G. messen; Sw. mäta; Sp. medir; L. metior; Gr. μετρεω; W. meidraw; Ch. and Heb. מדד, to measure; Ar. مَدَّ madda, to extend. See Measure, and Class Md, No. 2.]

To measure; to ascertain quantity, dimensions or capacity by any rule or standard. [Obsolescent.]

MET-ED, pp.

Measured.

ME-TEMP'SY-CHOSE, v.t.

To translate from one body to another, as the soul.

ME-TEMP-SY-CHO'SIS, n. [Gr. μετεμψυχωσις, μετα, beyond, and ψυχωσις, animation, life; ψυχοω, to animate.]

Transmigration; the passing of the soul of a man after death into some other animal body. Pythagoras and his followers held that after death the souls of men pass into other bodies, and this doctrine still prevails in some parts of Asia, particularly in India and China. Encyc.

ME-TEMP-TO'SIS, n. [Gr. μετα, after, and πιπτω, to fall.]

In chronology, the solar equation necessary to prevent the new moon from happening a day too late, or the suppression of the bissextile once in 134 years. The opposite to this is the proemptosis, or the addition of a day every 300 years, and another every 2400 years. Encyc.

ME'TE-OR, n. [Gr. μετεωρος, sublime, lofty.]

1. In a general sense, a body that flies or floats in the air, and in this sense it includes rain, hail, snow, &c. But in a restricted sense, in which it is commonly understood,
2. A fiery or luminous body or appearance flying or floating in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated legion. We give this name to the brilliant globes or masses of matter which are occasionally seen moving rapidly through our atmosphere, and which throw off, with loud explosions, fragments that reach the earth, and are called falling stones. We call by the same name those fire-balls which are usually denominated falling stars, supposed to be owing to gelatinous matter inflated by phosphureted hydrogen gas; also, the lights which appear over moist grounds and grave-yards, called, ignes fatui, which are ascribed to the same cause. And meteor-like flame lawless through the sky. Pope.

ME-TE-OR'IC, a.

1. Pertaining to meteors; consisting of meteors.
2. Proceeding from a meteor; as, meteoric stones.

ME'TE-OR-ITE, n.

A solid substance or body falling from the high regions of the atmosphere. Mantell.

ME'TE-OR-IZE, v.i.

To ascend in vapors. [Not used.] Evelyn.

ME'TE-O-RO-LITE, n.

A meteoric stone; a stone or solid compound of earthy and metallic matter which falls to the earth after the displosion of a luminous meteor or fire-ball; called also aerolite. Cleaveland.

ME-TE-OR-O-LOG'IC, or ME-TE-OR-O-LOG'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena. A meteorological table or register is an account of the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness or moisture, winds, &c. ascertained by the barometer, thermometer, hygrometer, anemometer, and other meteorological instruments.

ME-TE-OR-OL'O-GIST, n.

A person skilled in meteors; one who studies the phenomena of meteors, or keeps a register of them. Howell.

ME-TE-OR-OL'O-GY, n. [Gr. μετεωρος, lofty, and λογος, discourse.]

The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly in its relation to heat and moisture. D. Olmsted.

ME-TE-OR-OM'AN-CY, n. [Gr. μετεωρον, a meteor, and μαντεια, divination.]

A species of divination by meteors, chiefly by thunder and lightning; held in high estimation by the Romans. Encyc.

ME'TE-OR-O-SCOPE, n.

An instrument for taking the magnitude and distances of heavenly bodies.

ME-TE-OR-OS'CO-PY, n. [Gr. μετεωρος, lofty, and σκοπεω, to view.]

That part of astronomy which treats of sublime heavenly bodies, distance of start, &c. Bailey.

ME-TE'OR-OUS, a.

Having the nature of a meteor. Milton.

ME'TER, n.¹ [from mete.]

One who measures; used in compounds, as in coal-meter, land-meter.

ME'TER, n.² [Sax. meter; Fr. metre; L. metrum; G. μετρον, from μετρεω.]

1. Measure; verse; arrangement of poetical feet, or of long and short syllables in verse. Hexameter is a meter of six feet. This word is most improperly written metre. How very absurd to write the simple word in this manner, but in all its numerous compounds, meter, as in diameter, hexameter, thermometer, &c.
2. A French measure of length, equal to 39 37/100 English inches, the standard of linear measure, being the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the North Pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of the meridian. Lunier. D. Olmsted.