Page images
PDF
EPUB

miscellany, called the Gentleman's Magazine, and published under the name of Sylvanus Urban, by Edward Cave. MAGE. ... [magus, Lat.] A magician. Spenser. MAGGOT. n. s. [magrod, Welsh; millepeda, Latin; maðu, Sixon.]

A small grub which turns into a fly. Out of the sides and back of the common caterpillar we have seen creep out small maggots. Ray. From the sore although the insect flies, It leaves a brood of maggets in disguise. Garth. 2. Whimsey; caprice; odd fancy. A low word.

Tafata phrases, silken terms precise, Three pil'd hyperboles, spruce affectation, Figures pedantical, these summer dies, Hive blown me full of maggot ostentation: I do forswear them.

Henceforth my wooing mind shall be exprest h russet yeas, and honest kersy noes. Shaksp. To reconcile our late dissenters, Our brethren though by other venters, Unite them and their diff'rent maggots, As long and short sticks are in faggots. Hudib. She prick'd his mugget, and touched him in the tender point; then ne broke out into a violent passion. Arbuthnot. MAGGOTINESS. n. s. [from maggotty.] The state of abounding with maggots. MAGGOTTY, adj. [from maggot.]

1. Full of maggots. 2. Capricious; whimsical. A low word. To pretend to work out a neat scheme of thoughts with a maggotty unsettled head, is as ridiculous as to think to write strait in a jumbling coach. Norris.

MAGICAL. adj. [from magick.] Acting, or performed by secret and invisible powers, either of nature, or the agency of spirits.

I'll humbly signify what, in his name, That magical word of war, we have effected. Shakspeare. They beheld unveiled the magical shield of your Ariosto, which dazzled the beholders with too much brightness; they can no longer held up their arms. Dryden.

Tatler.

By the use of a looking-glass, and certain attire made of cambrick, upon her head, she attained to an evil art and magical force in the mation of her eyes. MAGICALLY. adv. [from magical.] According to the rites of magick; by enchantment.

In the time of Valens, divers curious men, by the falling of a ring, magically prepared, judged that one Theodorus should succeed in the empire. Camden.

MAʼGICK. n. s. [magia, Latin.] 1. The art of putting in action the power of spirits: it was supposed that both good and bad spirits were subject to magick; yet magick was in general held unlawful: sorcery; enchantment. She once being looft,

The noble ruin of her magick, Antony Claps on his sea-wing. Shakspeare. What charm, what magick, can over-rule the force of all these motives? Rogers. . The secret operations of natural powers. The writers of natural magick attribute much to the virtues that come from the parts of living

creatures, as if they did infuse immaterial virtue into the part severed. Bacon. MAGICK. adj.

1. Acting or doing by powers superiour to the known power of nature; enchanted; necromantick.

Upon the corner of the moon There hangs a vap'rous drop, profound; I'll catch it ere it come to ground: And that distill'd by magick slights Shall raise such artificial sprights, As by the strength of their illusion, Shall draw him on to his confusion. Shakspeare. Like castles built by magick art in air, That vanish at approach, such thoughts appear. Granville. 2. Done or produced by magick.

And the brute earth would lend her nerves, and shake

Till all thy magick structures rear'd so high, Were shatter'd into heaps. Milton. MAGICIAN. 2.s. [magicus, Latin.] One skilled in magick; an enchanter; a ne

[blocks in formation]

Such a government is paternal not magisterial. King Charles. He bids him attend as if he had the rod over him; and uses a magisterial authority while he instructs him. Dryden. . Lofty; arrogant; proud; insolent; despotick.

We are not magisterial in opinions, nor, dictatorlike, obtrude our notions on any man.

Brown. Pretences go a great way with men that take. fair words and magisterial looks for current payL'Estrange

ment.

Those men are but trepanned who are called to govern, being invested with authority, but bereaved of power; which is nothing else but to mock and betray them into a splendid and magisterial way of being ridiculous. South. 3. Chymically prepared, after the manner of a magistery.

Of corals are chiefly prepared the powder ground upon a marble, and the magisterial salt, to good purpose in some fevers: the tincture is no more than a solution of the magisterial salt. Grew.

MAGISTERIALLY. adv. [from magisterial.] Arrogantly; with an air of authority.

A downright advice may be mistaken, as if it were spoken magisterially. Bacon.

Over their pots and pipes, they claim and en gross all wholly to themselves, magisterially censuring the wisdom of all antiquity, scoffing at all piety, and new modelling the world. South. MAGISTE RIALNESS. n. 5. [from magisterial.] Haughtiness; airs of a master.

Peremptoriness is of two sorts; the one a m gisterialness in matters of opinion, the other a

positiveness in relating matters of fact: in the ne we impose upon men's understandings, in the other on their faith. Gov. of the Tongue. MAGISTERY. n. s. [magisterium, Latin.]

Magistery is a term made use of by chemists to signify sometimes a very fine powder, made by solution and precipitation; as of bismuth, lead, &c. and sometimes resins and resinous substances; as those of jalap, scamony, &c. but the most genuine acceptation is to express that preparation of any body, wherein the whole, or most part, is, by the addition of somewhat, changed into a body of quite another kind; as when iron or copper is turned into crystals of Mars or Venus. Quincy.

Exploding many things under the name of trifles, is a very false proof either of wisdom or magnanimity, and a great check to virtuous actions with regard to fame. Swift. MAGNANIMOUS, adj. [magnanimus, Lať.] Great of mind; elevated in sentiment; brave.

To give a kingdom hath been thought
Greater and nobler done, and to lay down
Far more magnanimous, than to assume. Milt.
In strength

All mortals I excell'd, and great in hopes,
With youthful courage and magnanimous
thoughts

Of birth from heaven foretold, and high exploits. Milton. Magnanimous industry is a resolved assiduity and care, answerable to any weighty work. Brown.

Paracelsus extracteth the magistery of wine, exposing it unto the extremity of cold; whereby the aqueous parts will freeze, but the spirit be uncongealed in the centre.

[ocr errors]

The magistery of vegetables consists but of the more soluble and coloured parts of the plants that atford it. Boyle. MAGISTRACY. n. s. [magistratus, Lat.] Office or dignity of a magistrate.

You share the world, her magistracies, priesthoods,

Wealth, and felicity, amongst you, friends. Ben Jonson He had no other intention but to dissuade men from magistracy, or undertaking the pub Lick offices of state. Brown. Some have disputed even against magistracy itself. Atterbury. Duelling is not only an usurpation of the divine prerogative, but it is an insult upon magistracy and good government. MAGISTRALLY. adv. [magistralis, low Latin.] Despotically; authoritatively; magisterially.

Clarissa.

What a presumption is this for one, who will not allow liberty to others, to assume to himself such a licence to controul so magistrally? Bramball.

MA'GISTRATE. n. s. [magistratus, Lat.] A man publickly invested with authority; a governour; an executor of the laws.

They chuse their magistrate! And such a one as he, who puts his shall, His popular shall, against a graver bench Than ever frown'd in Greece.

Shaksp.

I treat here of those legal punishments which magistrates inflict upon their disobedient subjects. Decay of Piety. MAGNALITY. n. s. [magnalia, Lat.] A great thing; something above the common rate. Not used.

Too greedy of magnalities, we make but favourable experiments concerning welcome truths. Brown.

MAGNANIMITY. n. s. [magnanimité, Fr.
magnanimita, Lat.] Greatness of mind;
bravery; elevation of soul.

With deadly hue, an armed corse did lye,
In whose dead face he read great magnanimity.
Spenser.

Let but the acts of the ancient Jews be but indifferently weighed, from whose magnanimity, in causes of most extreme hazard, those strange and unwonted resolutions have grown, which, for all circumstances, no people under the roof of heaven did ever hitherto match. Hooker.

They had enough reveng'd, having reduc'd
Their foe to misery beneath their fears;
The rest was magnanimity to remit,

If some convenient ransom was propos'd. Milt.

Grew

MAGNA NIMOUSLY. adv. [from magnanimous.] Bravely; with greatness of mind.

A complete and generous education fits a man to perform justly, skilfully, and magnanimously, all the offices of peace and war. Milton MAGNET. n. s. [magnes, Lat.] The loadstone; the stone that attracts iron. Two magnets, heav'n and earth, allure to bliss, The larger loadstone that, the nearer this.

Dryden.
It may be reasonable to ask, Whether obeying
the magnet be essential to iron?
Locke.
MAGNETICAL.
MAGNETICK.

} adj. [from magnet.]

1. Relating to the magnet.
Review this whole magnetick scheme.

Blackmore.

Water is nineteen times lighter, and by consequence nineteen times rarer, than gold; and gold is so rare as very readily, and without the least opposition, to transmit the magnetick efflu via, and easily to admit quicksilver into its pores, and to let water pass through it. Newton. 2. Having powers correspondent to those of the magnet.

The magnet acts upon iron through all dense bodies not magnetick, nor red hot, without any diminution of its virtue; as through gold, silver, lead, glass, water. Newton.

3. Attractive; having the power to draw things distant.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Worthy to be extolled or praised. Unusual.

Number, though wonderful is itself, and sufficiently magnifiable from its demonstrable affection, hath yet received adjections from the multiplying conceits of men. Brown. MAGNIFICAL. MAGNIFICK. great; noble.

adj. [magnificus, Lat.] Illustrious; grand;

Proper, but little used.

The house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnificul, of fame and glory throughout all countries. 1 Chronicles. Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, pow'rs!

If these magnifick titles yet remain,
Not merely titular.

Milton.

Milton.

O parent! these are thy magnifik deeds; Thy trophies! MAGNIFICENCE. . . [magnificentia, Lat.] Grandeur of appearance; splendour.

[blocks in formation]

If he were magnificent, he spent with an aspiring intent: if he spared, he heaped with aspiring latent. MAGNIFICENTLY. adv. [from magnificent.] Pompously; splendidly. Beauty a monarch is,

Which kingly power magnificently proves,
By crowds of slaves and peopled empire's loves.
Dryden.

work.

We can never conceive too highly of God; so neither too magnificently of nature, his handy Grew. MAGNIFICO. n. s. [Italian.] A grandee of Venice.

The duke himself, and the magnificoes Of greatest port, have all proceeded with him. Shakspeare.

MAGNIFIER. z. s. [from magnify.] 1. One that praises; an encomiast; an extoller.

The primitive magnifiers of this star were the Egyptians, who notwithstanding chiefly regarded it in relation to their river Nilus. Brown.

2. A glass that increases the bulk of any object.

To MAGNIFY. v. a. [magnifico, Lat.]

1. To make great; to exaggerate; to anplify; to extol.

The ambassador, making his oration, did so magnify the king and queen, as was enough to glut the hearers. Bacon.

2. To exalt; to elevaté; to raise in estímation.

Greater now in thy return,

Than from the giant angels: thee that day
Thy thunders magnify'd; but to create
Is greater than created to destroy.
3. To raise in pride or pretension.

4.

Milton.

He shall exalt and magnify himself above every god.

Daniel.

If ye will magnify yourselves against me, know now that God hath overthrown me.

Job. He shall magnify himself in his heart. Daniel. To increase the bulk of any object to the eye.

How these red globules would appear, f glasses could be found that could magnify them a thousand times more, is uncertain. Locke

By true reflection I would see my face; Why brings the fool a magnifying glass? Gran. The greatest magnifying glasses in the world are a man's eyes, when they look upon his own

person.

Pope.

As things seem large which we through mists descry,

Dulness is ever apt to magnify.

5. A cant word for to have effect.

Pope.

My governess assured my father I had wanted for nothing; that I was almost eaten up with the green sickness: but this magnified but little with my father. Spectator. MAGNITUDE. n. s. [magnitudo, Latin.] 1. Greatness; grandeur.

He with plain heroick magnitude of mind, And celestial vigour arm'd,

Their armories and magazines contemns. Milt. 2. Comparative bulk.

This tree hath no extraordinary magnitude, touching the trunk or stem; it is hard to find any one bigger than the rest. Raleigh.

Never repose so much upon any man's single counsel, fidelity, and discretion, in managing affairs of the first magnitude, that is, matters of religion and justice, as to create in yourself, or others, a diffidence of your own judginent.

King Charles.

When I behold this goodly frame, this world, Of heav'n and earth consisting; and compute Their magnitudes; this earth, a spot, a grain, An atom, with the firmament compar'd. Milt. Convince the world that you 're devout and

true;

Whatever be your birth, you're sure to be
A peer of the first magnitude to me. Dryden.

Conceive these particles of bodies to be sa disposed amongst themselves, that the intervals of empty spaces between them may be equal in magnitude to them all; and that these particles may be composed of other particles much smaller, which have as much empty space between them as equals all the magnitudes of these smaller particles. Newton. MAGPIE. n. s. [from pic, pica, Latin, and mag, contracted from Margaret, as phil is used to a sparrow, and poll to a parrot.] A bird sometimes taught to talk. Augurs, that understood relations, have By magpies and by choughs, and rooks brought

forth

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

So have I seen in black and white,

A prating thing, a magpie kight,
Majestically stalk;

A stately worthless animal,

That plies the tongue, and wags the tail, All flutter, pride, and taik.

Swift.

MAʼGYDARE. n.s. [magudaris, Lat.] Än herb. Ainsworth. MAID.. 7 n. s. [mæden, mæzden, MAIDEN. Saxon; maegd, Dutch.] 3. An unmarried woman; a virgin. Your wives, your daughters,

Your matrons, and your maids, could not fill up The cistern of my lust. Shakspeare.

This is a man old, wrinkled, faded, wither'd, And not a maiden, as thou say'st he is. Shaksp. I am not solely fed

By nice direction of a maiden's eyes. Shaksp. She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens.

Carew.

Your deluded wife had been a maid; Down on the bridal bed a maid she lay, A maid she rose at the approaching day. Dryd. Let me die, she said,

Rather than lose the spotless name of maid.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

2. Newness; freshness; uncontaminated state. This is now become a low word. The devil and mischance look big Upon the maidenhead of our affairs.

Sheksp

Some who attended with much expectation, at their first appearing have stained the maidenbead of their credit with some negligent performance. Walton.

Hope's chaste kiss wrongs no joy's maidenhead, Then spousal rites prejudge the marriage-bcd.

Crasbaw.

MAIDENLIP. n. s. [lappago.] An herb. Ainsworth. MAIDENLY. adj. [maiden and like.] Like a maid; gentle, modest, timorous, de"Tis not maidenly;

cent.

Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it. Shakspeare.

You virtuous ass, and bashful fool; must you be blushing? what a maidenly man at arms are you become? Shakspeare. MAIDHOOD. n. s. [from maid.] Virgi nity.

By maidhoed, honour, and every thing, I love thee.

Shakspeare. MA'IDMARIAN. n. s. [puer ludius, Lat.] A kind of dance, so called from a butfoon dressed like a man, who plays tricks to the populace.

A set of morrice-dancers danced a maidmarian with a tabor and pipe. Temple. MA'IDPALE. adj. [maid and pale.] Pale like a sick virgin.

Change the complection of her maidpale peace To scarlet indignation. Shakspeart. MAIDSERVANT. 2.s. A female servant. It is perfectly right what you say of the indifference in common friends, whether we are sick or well; the very maidservants in a family have the same notion. Swift. MAJE ́STICAL. MAJE STICK. adj. [from majesty.] 1. August; having dignity; grand; imperial; regal; great of appearance. They made a doubt

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

3. Sublime; elevated; lofty.

Which passage doth not only argue an infinite abundance, both of artizans and materials, but likewise of magnificent and majestical desires in

every common person.

Wotton. The least portions must be of the epick kind; all must be grave, majestical, and sublime. Dryd MAJESTICALLY. adv. [trom majestical.] With dignity; with grandeur. From Italy a wand'ring ray Of moving light illuminates the day; Northward she bends, majestically bright,

And here she fixes her imperial light. Granv.
So have I seen in black and white,

A prating thing, a magpie hight,
Majestically stalk;

A stately worthless animal,

That plies the tongue, and wags the tail,
All flutter, pride, and talk.

Swift.

MAJESTY. n.s. [majestas, Latin.] 1. Dignity; grandeur; greatness of appearance; an appearance awful and solemn.

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

Psalms.

The Lord reigneth; he is cloathed with majesty.
Psalms.
Amidst
Thick clouds and dark, doth heav'n's all-ruling
Sire

Chuse to reside, his glory unobscur'd
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne.

Milton.

Great, without pride, in sober majesty Pope.

2. Power; sovereignty.

Thine, O Lord, is the power and majesty.
1 Chronicles.
To the only wise God be glory and majesty.
He gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father majesty.
Jude.
Daniel.

3. Dignity; elevation of manner.
The first in loftiness of thought surpass'd,
The next in majesty.

4 The title of kings and queens.

Most royal majesty,

Dryden.

I crave no more than what your highness offer'd, Nor will you tender less.

Shakspeare.

I have a garden opens to the sea, From whence I can your majesty convey,

To some nigh friend.

Waller.

He, who had been always believed a creature of the queen, visited her majesty but once in six Clarendon.

weeks.

I walk in awful state above

The majesty of heaven. MAIL. . S.

Dryden.

[maille, Fr. maglia, Ital. from

maille, the mesh of a net. Skinner.] 1. A coat of steel network worn for defence.

Being advised to wear a privy coat, the duke gave this answer, That against any popular fury, a shirt of mail would be but a silly defence.

2. Any armour.

Wotton.

We stript the lobster of his scarlet mail. Gay. Some shirts of mail, some coats of plate put on, Some don'd a curace, some a corslet bright. Fairf Some wore coat-armour, imitating scale, And next their skin were stubborn shirts of mail; Some wore a breast-plate. Dryden. 3. A postman's bundle; a bag. [male, mollette, Fr.]

To MAIL. v. a.

VOL. III.

[from the noun.]

[blocks in formation]

And thou a prince, protector of this land;
Methinks I should not thus be led along,
Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back.
Shakspeare.

To MAIM. v.a. [maitan, Gothick, to cut off; mebaigner, to maim, old French; mehaina, Armorick; mancus, Latin.] To deprive of any necessary part; to cripple by loss of a limb: originally written from the French mayhem.

You wrought to be a legate; by which power You maim'd the jurisdiction of all bishops." Shakspeare.

The multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, and the lame to walk; and they glorified God. Matth. MAIM. n. s. [from the verb.]

1. Privation of some essential part; lameness, produced by a wound or amputation.

Surely there is more cause to fear, lest the want thereof be a maim, than the use a blemish. Hooker.

Humphry, duke of Glo'ster, scarce himself, That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once; A lady banish 't, and a limb lopt off?

2. Injury; mischief.

Not so deep a maim,

As to be cast forth in the common air,
Have I deserved.

3. Essential defect.

Shaksp.

Shakspeare.

A noble author esteems it to be a maim in history, that the acts of parliament should not be recited. Hayward. MAIN. adj. [magne, old Fr. magnus, Lat.] 1. Principal; chief; leading.

In every grand or main publick duty which God requireth of his church, there is, besides that matter and form wherein the essence thereof consisteth, a certain outward fashion, whereby the same is in decent manner administered. Hooker.

There is a history in all men's lives, Figuring the nature of the times deceased; The which observ'd a man may prophesy, With a near aim, of the main chance of things As yet not come to life. Shakspeare.

He is superstitious grown of late, Quite from the main opinion he had once Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies. Shaksp. There arose three notorions and main rebellions, which drew several armies out of England.

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »