martingale 
martingale, martingal (niiir'tiiig-giii, -gal), . 
[< F. mtii'tiiti/iilr, a martingale (dc'f. 1 ), a particu- 
lar IISC I if Hill I'll Ill/Ill' (('/111 llwxi'llll Illlll lilll/ll /')( = 
Sp. It. mia'tini/ala), a kind of breeches (cf. OF. 
niiii'ti'iiijiilli ", a kind of dance common in Prov- 
ence), < .Martiijul, an inhabitant of Miirtigues, < 
Miirtii/Hi'x, a place in Provence.] 1. In a horse's 
harness, a strap passing between the fore legs, 
fastened 1 at one end to tne girth under the belly, 
and at the other to the bit or the musrol, or 
forked and ending in two rings through which 
the reins arc passed, intended to hold down I lie 
head of the horse. See cut under harness 1 *. 
What a hunting head she carries ! sure she has been rid- 
den with a inartinyale. Beau, ami /'.'., Scornful Lady, 11. 1. 
2. yant., a short perpendicular spar under the 
bowsprit-end, used for guying down the head- 
stays. Also called dwphin-xlriki-r. See cut 
under dolpltin-xtriki'i: 3. A mode of play in 
such games as rouge et noir which consists in 
staking double the amount of money lost. The 
American Hoyle. 
You have not played us yet? Do not do so; above all, 
avoid a inartinyiile if you do. Flay ought not to be an af- 
fair of calculation, but of inspiration. 
Thackeray, \ewcoines, xxvllt. 
The fallacy of those who devise sure methods of defeat- 
ing the bank (martini/ales, as they are termed) lies in the 
fact that they neglect to consider that the fortune of any 
one gambler, compared to that of the bank, is small. 
Science, X. 44. 
Martingale backropes, small chains or ropes extending 
from the lower end >f the martingale to the ship's bows on 
either Bide: same as yob-lineg. Martingale Stays or 
guys, small chains or wire ropes extending from the outer 
ends of the jib boom and Hying jib boom to the lower end 
of the martingale. 
Martini-Henry rifle. See rifle. 
Martinisht (mar'tin-ish), a. [< Martin (see 
Martiuixt, 1) + -ish 1 ."] Of or pertaining to the 
Martiuists. See Martinist, 1. 
This Minting/, and Counter-martlnlsh age. 
G. Harvey, Four Letters. 
Martinist (mar'tin-ist), H. [Also Martenist; 
< Martin (see def.) + -i'st.] 1. One of those 
who wrote the tracts or pamphlets attacking 
prelacy (1588-9) which gave rise to the Mar- 
prelate controversy, or a defender or supporter 
of them. See Marprelate controversy. 
Biting petitions and Satyrick i'asquils (worthy of such 
Bp. Oaiiden, Tears of the Church, p. 81. (Daeirs.) 
This pure Martinist, if he were not worse. Greene. 
Pap Hutchet talketh of publishing a hundred mery tales 
of certalne poore Marlinists. 
O. Harvey, Pierce's Supererogation. 
2. A member of a school of religionists formed 
originally by the Chevalier St. Martin (1743- 
1803), a few years before the French Revolution 
broke out: a kind of pietistic imitation of free- 
masonry. The Martinists were transplanted to 
Kussia during the reign of Catherine II. Rliiut, 
Diet, of Sects. 
martinite (miir'tin-it), . A hydrous calcium 
phosphate occurring as a pseudomorph after 
gypsum in the island of Curacao, West Indies. 
Martinmas (miir'tin-mas), H. [Formerly also 
Martiuiax, .Martli'iiitix: <. Martin (see def.) + 
maxgl. Hence, by abbr., mart 3 .] A church 
festival formerly kept on November llth, in 
honor of St. Martin, tne patron saint of France. 
He was bishop of Tours during the latter part of the fourth 
century, and destroyed in large measure the heathen al- 
tars remaining in his day. In Scotland this day is a half- 
yearly term-day on which rents are paid, servants enter on 
their engagements, etc. Martinmas beef, beef galled or 
smoked at Martinmas for whiter use. Cf. mart\ -2. 
I'nder Charles the Second It was not till the beginning 
of November that families laid In their stock of salt provi- 
sion, then called Mnrtinina* beef. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ill. 
Martin process. See process. 
martin-snipe ( miir'tin-snip), . The green sand- 
piper. Totaiinx ochropus: so called from some 
fancied resemblance to the house-martin. >'/<- 
n-iixoii, Birds of Norfolk. [Norfolk, Eng.] 
martin-swallow (mar' tin-swol'6), M. The 
European house-martin, Chi-lidim nrbica. 
martiret. An obsolete form of martyr and niiir- 
martite (imir'tit), ii. [Prpb. < L. Mars (Mart-), 
Mars tin Ml,, applied to iron), + -itf'*.~\ Iron 
sesquioxid in isometric crystals, probably pseu- 
domorph after magnetite. It occurs occasional- 
ly on a large scale, as in the Lake Superior iron 
region and the Cerro de Mercado in Mexico. 
Martlemas (miir'tl-mas), . A corruption of 
8Mfl 
But, like the martlet, 
Builds in tin- weather >n the mitward wait. 
Shak., M. ..[ \ , il. 9. it-. 
martlet- i miirt 'let), n. [Appar. for marlet, < 
OF. niri'liiti , also Hii-rlottr, ii martlet, in heral- 
dry. Cf. mcrlcttr.'] In her., a bird represented 
with the wings closed and without feet, but often 
retaining the tufts of feathers 
which cover the thighs, it is a 
very common bearing In English her- 
aldry, and is used In differencing to 
indicate the escutcheon of the fourth 
son. Bee marts of cadency (under ra- 
deiu-n), and compare catinet. 
Martling-men (mart ' ling- 
meii), n. pi. [So called from 
their habit of assembling in 
"Martling's Long Boom" in Martlet. 
New York city.] In U. S. hist., 
a coalition of two factions of the Democratic- 
Republican party in the State of New York, the 
Burrites and Lewisites, formed about 1807. 
The members afterward became known as 
martyre 
Dolnitiaii, anil released unscathed, were always re 
ifiu.li .1 us martyrs. | 
2. One wlio willingly MI tier-, death rntlier than 
surrender lii> religious faith; one who bears 
witness to the sincerity of his faith by submit- 
ting to death in asserting it; specifically, one 
i >f those Christian-- \\lni in former times were 
put to death because they would nut rcnnun.-c 
their religious belief: as, Stephen was the first 
martyr (called the prutniiniiti/i'); the blood of 
the martyrx is the seed of the church. 
I'ndre that Chirche, at 30 Degrees of Depnewe, weren 
entered 12000 Martin*, In the tyme of Kyng Coolroe, that 
theLyoun metU.> with alle in a nyghte, be the wllleof God. 
Mamlerille, Travels, p. 94. 
The noble army of Martyr* praise Thee. 
BiKik ofCnmnu. 
martnett, . [Cf. martinet^.] Same as mar- 
martret, An obsolete form of marten 1 . 
martrint, See martcrin. 
mart-townt (mart'toun), . Same as market- 
tuirii. 
In the time of the Saxons, the said cltie of London was 
... a Mart-totrne for many nations. 
Hakluyt'i Voyages, To the Reader. 
Martynia (mar-tin 'i-a), H. [NL. (Linnteus. 
1737), named after John Martyn, professor of 
botany at Cambridge, who died in 1768.] A ge- 
nus of dicotyledonous gamopetalous plants of 
the natural order Pedalinete and the tribe Marty- 
n n iv. it is characterized by a partially bell-shaped blad- 
der-like calyx, which Is unemially .'.-toothed or 5-partd, 
and by a corolla-tube spreading above. The fruit is a 
woody wrinkled capsule terminating in two long curved 
hooks or beaks. '1 here are about 10 species, indigenous to 
martlet 1 (miirt'let). H. [A corruption of marti- 
net, a martin, martlet: see martini/^.} The 
martin, a bird. 
Flowering Plant of Martynia probostidta tunicorn-plant'. 
a. the fruit. 
South America and the warmer parts of North America. 
They are prostrate or suberect branching herbs, covered 
with clammy hairs, and bearing roundish long petiolate 
leaves and large rose-purple or pale-yellow flowers, which 
grow in short terminal racemes. From the form of the 
pod, Mdi-t/t, tin has been designated unicorn plant, es- 
pecially M. proboscidea, which is also called elephant's- 
fruuJr. This coarse, heavy scented species Is wild in the 
Mississippi region as far north as Illinois, and is sometimes 
grown in gardens for the sake of its pods, which serve as 
a pickle. M. fragrans, from Mexico, is less stout and clam- 
my, and is sometimes cultivated for Its showy flowers, 
which are reddish or violet-purple, streaked with yellow, 
and exhale a fragrance like that of vanilla. 
Martynieae (mar-ti-ni'e-e), n. pi. [NL. (Ben- 
t lia m and Hooker, 1876), < Martynia + -e<e.] A 
tribe of dicotyledonous gamopetalous plants of 
the natural order Pcdalinete. It embraces 8 genera, 
of which Martynia Is the type, and about 13 species, found 
In South America and the wanner purl s of North America. 
martyr (mar'ter), H. [< ME. martyr, mttrtir. 
wiirti-r, < AS. martyr = OS. OFries. martir = 
OHG. martyr = Sw. Dan. martyr = Goth, martyr 
(also with added suffix, D. martelaar = ML(i. 
martetere = OHG. martirari, MHG. marterer, 
mri'tci'i-r. nmrtili r. nn rii'br, marteratre, G. ma'f- 
tyrer) = OF. martir, F. martyr = Pr. martyr = 
Sp. martir = Pg. martyr = It. martirr, < LL. 
martyr, < Gr. /laprvp, /j&prvf, a witness, LGr. 
one who by his death bore witness to the Chris- 
tian faith; lit. 'one who remembers' (cf. i>tp- 
/tfpoc, anxious. L. memt: remembering), < [tap 
= Skt. v/ finar, remember: see memory.] 1. 
Originally, a witness: one who bears testimony 
to his faith. (Thus the grandsons of Judas, accused 
mm frugal', Te Deuru. 
3. One who suffers death or grievous loss in 
defense or on behalf of any belief or cause, or 
in consequence of supporting it : as, he died a 
martyr to his political principles or to his devo- 
tion to science. 
Who would die a Martyr to SI-MS,- in a Country where 
the Religion is Folly ? Conyrece, Love for Love, L 2. 
For these humble martyr* of passive obedience and he- 
reditary rights nobody has a word to say. 
Mncaulnii. Hist. Eng., si. 
Hence 4. One who suffers greatly from any 
cause ; one who is afflicted ; a victim of misfor- 
tune, calamity, or disease : as, a martyr to gout, 
or to tight lacing. 6. [< martyr, .] An old 
instrument of torture in which the victim was 
subjected to agonizing pressure. Hence 6. 
In wine-makiny, a wooden box used for pressing 
grapes. 
The use of a martyr for the purpose {pressing] is, per- 
haps, most general ; this is a wooden box, having a bot- 
tom formed of laths so closely set that the grapes cannot 
pass between them. Spins? Encyc. MantiJ., I. 435. 
Acts of the Martyrs, seearfa. Era of Martyrs, see 
era. The Order of the Martyrs. See Order of SU Cos- 
mo and Dainian, under order. 
martyr (mar'ter), v. t. [< ME. martyrrn. mar- 
tircn, < OF. martirer, make a martyr of, < mar- 
tir, martyr: see martyr, .] 1. To put to death 
as a punishment for adherence to some reli- 
gious belief, especially for adherence to Chris- 
tianity; hence, to put to death for the main- 
taining of any obnoxious belief or cause. 
The primitive Christians . . . before the face of their 
enemies would acknowledge no other title but that, though 
hated, reviled, tormented, martyred tor it. 
Up. Pearson, Expos, of Creed, 11. (Latham. ) 
2f. To put to death for any cause; destroy, as 
in revenge or retaliation ; torture. 
To mete hym in the mountes, and wartyre hys knyghtes, 
Stryke theme doune in stratesand struye theme fore evere. 
Morte ArOam (E. E. T. S.X L S0. 
Hark, wretches ! bow I mean to martyr you : 
This one hand yet is left to cut your throats. 
Shalt., Tit. And., v. 2. 181. 
3. To persecute as a martyr; afflict; despoil; 
torment. 
Me and wrecched Palamoun 
That Theseus wartyreth In pHsoun. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, L 704. 
The lovely Amoret, whose gentle hart 
Thou martyrrst with sorow and with smart. 
Sixnser, f. Q., IV. vll. 2. 
martyrdom (mar'ter-dum), M. [< ME. marlyr- 
dinne, martirdom, marterdom ; < AS. martyrdom 
(= G. martyrrrthum = Sw. Dan. martyrdom), < 
martyr, martyr, + tlom, condition: see martyr 
and -riom.] 1. The state of being a martyr; the 
death or sufferings of a martyr; the suffering 
of death or persecution for the sake of one's 
faith or belief. 
Aboute .1]. myle from Rama is the towne of Lydya, where 
seynt George sitlfred marterdome and was hedyd. 
Str R. Gn{forde, Pylgrymage, p. 17. 
So saints, by supernatural power set free, 
Are left at last in martyrdom to die. Dryden. 
A man does not come the length of the spirit of mar- 
tyrdom without some active purpose, some equal motive, 
some flaming love. Emerson, War. 
2. A state of suffering for any cause; persecu- 
tion; affliction ; torment: as, tight lacing is a 
fashionable martyrdom. 
Who couthe ryme in English proprely 
His niartirdi'tii f for sothe it am nat I. 
Chaucer, Knight's Tale, L 602. 
3t. Destruction; slaughter; havoc. 
As soone as the kynge Ban come In to the medlee he 
be-gan to do so grete martirdom of peple. and so grete 
Decision, that on alle partyesthei nedde from hlsswerde. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 163. 
martyret, "- [ME. martire, < OF. martyre, mar- 
Hi''. F. martyre = Sp. martyrio = Pg. martyrin 
= It. martirin, < LL. miirtyrium, a testimony, 
martyrdom, a martyr's grave, a church dedi- 
cated tn a martyr. < Gr. iiapriptm; testimony, 
