Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MAS'TER-LI-NESS, n.

Masterly skill.

MAS'TER-LODE, n.

In mining, the principal vein of ore. Encyc.

MAS'TER-LY, a.

1. Formed or executed with superior skill; suitable to a master; most excellent; skillful; as, a masterly design; a masterly performance; a masterly stroke of policy.
2. Imperious.

MAS'TER-LY, adv.

With the skill of a master. Thou dost speak masterly. Shak. “I think it very masterly written,” in Swift, is improper or unusual.

MAS'TER-MIND, n.

The chief mind. Mrs. Butler.

MAS'TER-NOTE, n.

The chief note. E. Everett.

MAS'TER-PIECE, n.

1. A capital performance; any thing done or made with superior or extraordinary skill. This wondrous master-piece I fain would see. Dryden.
2. Chief excellence or talent. Dissimulation was his master-piece. Clarendon.

MAS'TER-SHIP, n.

1. Dominion; rule; supreme power.
2. Superiority; preeminence. Where noble youths for mastership should strive. Dryden.
3. Chief work; master-piece. [Not used.] Dryden.
4. Superior skill. Shak.
5. Title of respect; in irony. How now, signior Launce, what news with your mastership? Shak.
6. The office of president of a college, or other institution.

MAS'TER-SIN-EW, n.

A large sinew that surrounds the hough of a horse, and divides it from the bone by a hollow place, where the wind-galls are usually seated. Far. Dict.

MAS'TER-STRING, n.

Principal string. Rowe.

MAS'TER-STROKE, n.

Capital performance. Blackmore.

MAS'TER-TOOTH, n.

A principal tooth. Bacon.

MAS'TER-TOUCH, n.

Principal performance. Tatler.

MAS'TER-WORK, n.

Principal performance. Thomson.

MAS'TER-WORT, n.

A plant: in England, Imperatoria Ostruthium; in New England, Heracleum lanatum.

MAS'TER-Y, n.

1. Dominion; power of governing or commanding. If divided by mountains, they will fight for the mastery of the passages of the tops. Ralegh.
2. Superiority in competition; preëminence. Every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things. 1 Cor. ix.
3. Victory in war. It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery. Ex.xxxii.
4. Eminent skill; superior dexterity. He could attain to a mastery in all languages. Tillotson.
5. Attainment of eminent skill or power. The learning and mastery of a tongue being unpleasant in itself, should not be cumbered with other difficulties. Locke.

MAST'FUL, a. [from mast.]

Abounding with mast, or fruit of oak, beech and other forest trees; as, the mastful chestnut. Dryden.

MAS'TIC, or MAS'TICH, n. [Fr. mastic; It. mastice; D. mastik; Sp. almaciga; Port. almecega; Ir. maisteog; L. mastiche; Gr. μαστιχη.]

1. A resin exsuding from the mastic-tree, a species of Pistacia, and obtained by incision. It is in white farinaceous tears, of a faint smell, and is used as an astringent and an aromatic. It is used also as an ingredient in drying varnishes. Fourcroy. Encyc.
2. A kind of mortar or cement. Addison.

MAS-TI-CA'BLE, a.

That can be masticated.

MAS-TI-CA'DOR, n. [Sp. mascar, L. mastico, to chew.]

In a bridle, the slavering bit.

MAS'TI-CATE, v.t. [L. mastico. Qu. W. mesigaw, from mes, mast, acorns, food.]

To chew; to grind with the teeth and prepare for swallowing and digestion; as, to masticate food.

MAS'TI-CA-TED, pp.

Chewed.

MAS'TI-CA-TING, ppr.

Chewing; breaking into small pieces with the teeth.

MAS-TI-CA'TION, n.

The act or operation of chewing solid food, breaking it into small pieces, and mixing it with saliva; thus preparing it for deglutition, and more easy digestion in the stomach. Mastication is a necessary preparation of solid aliment, without which there can be no good digestion. Arbuthnot.

MAS'TI-CA-TO-RY, a.

Chewing; adapted to perform the office of chewing food. Lawrence's Lect.