Emily Dickinson Lexicon

ME-CHAN'IC, or ME-CHAN'IC-AL, a. [L. mechanicus; Fr. mechanique; Gr. μηχανικος, from μηχανη, a machine.]

1. Pertaining to machines, or to the art of constructing machines; pertaining to the art of making wares, goods, instruments, furniture, &c. We say, a man is employed in mechanical labor; he lives by mechanical occupation.
2. Constructed or performed by the rules or laws of mechanics. The work is not mechanical.
3. Skilled in the art of making machines; bred to manual labor. Johnson.
4. Pertaining to artisans or mechanics; vulgar. To make a god, a hero or a king, / Descend to a mechanic dialect. Roscommon.
5. Pertaining to the principles of mechanics, in philosophy; as, mechanical powers or forces; a mechanical principle.
6. Acting by physical power; as mechanical pressure.
7. Acting without design or intelligence. The terms mechanical and chimical, are thus distinguished: those changes which bodies undergo without altering their constitution, that is, losing their identity, such as changes of place, of figure, &c. are mechanical; those which alter the constitution of bodies, making them different substances, as when flour, yeast and water unite to form bread, are chimical. In the one case, the changes relate to masses of matter, as the motions of the heavenly bodies, or the action of the wind on a ship under sail; in the other case, the changes occur between the particles of matter, as the action of heat in melting lead, or the union of sand and lime forming mortar. Most of what are usually called the mechanic arts, are partly mechanical, and partly chimical.