meander 
UflTo 
3t. Understanding; knowledge ; remembrance. 
"Ichhauenokyndeknowyng," quathlch, "3emotekenne 
roe bettere, 
By whatwey hit wexlth nd wheder out of my menyng." 
Pirn Plowman (C), u. 188. 
In menyng of manerez mere, 
Thin burne now schal vu bryng. 
Sir Uawayne and the Ortm Knight (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 924. 
= Syn. 1. Design. 2. Sense, explanation, interpretation, 
purport, acceptation. See significance. 
meaning (me'ning),j. a. Significant; express- 
/t _ _. ing thought or purpose: as, a meaning look. 
*. To wind, turn, or now round. ' [Rare.] meaningful (me'mng-ful), a. [< Meaning, ., 
A waving glow the bloomy beds di.play + -/'] Full of meaning ; significant. 
--\lt meander d o'et. 
Pope, Moral Essays, ir. 
2. To form into meanders; cause to twist me aningless (me'ning-les), a. [< meani>i</ + 
-lens.'] Having no meaning; destitute of sense 
or significance. 
ject, forming right or oblique angles with one 
another, or even curved with interfacings, etc. 
The name is used especially for the fret- or key- 
ornament. 
In a small fragment of similar drapery a minute maean- 
der pattern is painted In black on a red ground. 
.1. 5. Murray, Ureek Sculpture. 1. 113. 
8. A path on which the directions, distances, 
and elevations are noted, as a part of a survey 
of a country, 
meander (me-an'der), v. JX meander, n.] I. 
measles 
All this performed with a careful economy that nerer 
descends to meannem. Lamb, Old and New Schoolmaster. 
Meannem, however, has a wider sphere than Liberality, 
and refers not merely to the taking or refusing of money, 
but to taking advantages generally : In this wider 
the opposite virtue Is Generosity. 
=8yn. 
. 
//. Stdfwiet, Methods of Ethics, p. I 
AbJectne,lowneia,lowUneaa.icntln,. 
derness. See abject.- 2 and 8. Littltnem, Meanneu. UUb 
i-nilily, sordldnesa, peiiurionsneas, closeness, miserliness. 
pplies to more than meannea applies to, as the 
ing and the affections ; It Is the opposite of all 
f nature, and especially of magnanimity. Mean- 
, , closeness, mis 
Littleness applies to more than meannea applies to, as the 
understanding and the affections ; It Is the opposite of all 
tMtt of nature, and especially of magnanimity. Mean- 
Is directly selfish, but In a sordid, groveling, pinching 
fashion ; It is the opposite of mMeitess and generality. Sec 
.......... .. ------- . . .. penurviuxneu. 
With silver-quivering rills meander d o'er. The meaningful adjuncts to root-words In substan- rneanort n. fBv apheresis from demeanor.] 
.85. tire, verbal, and other terminations. Science, XII. 292. Behavi o' r; demeanor; conduct. 
about. [Rare.] 
Those arma of sea that thrust Into the tinny strand, 
By their meand'red creeks Indenting of that land. 
Drayton, I'olyolbion, 1. 168. 
II. in trans. 1. To proceed by winding and 
turning; make frequent changes of course; 
move or flow intricately: as, a meandering river; 
to meander from point to point in a walk. 
Pierce my vein, 
Take of the crimson stream meandering there. 
And catechise it well Cowper, Task, ill. 202. 
2. To make a rough survey of a country by go- 
ing over it, measuring the bearings, distances, 
and changes of elevation of the path pursued, 
As if his meanar . . . were not a little culpable. 
/(;). HaeM, Abp. Williams, 1. 108. (Dana.) 
means (menz), n. pi. See mean*, ., 7. 8, 9. 
mean-spirited (men'spir'i-ted), a. Having a 
mean spirit; spiritless; groveling. 
He [Preston] was at best a mean-ipirited coward. 
Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvIL 
He bored me with his meaningless conversation. 
T. Hook, Jack Brag. (Lathnui.) 
The process of loading a gun is meaningless until the 
subsequent actions performed with the gun arc known. 
H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, 1 1. 
Theterm "ought" . . . Is meaningless without the con- meant (ment). Preterit and past participle of 
ceptlon of duty. Mimrt, Nature and Thought, p. 207. ,,!. 
meaninglessly (me'ning-les-li), adv. Without meantime (men'tlm'), adv. [An ellipsis of in 
meaning or significance. [Rare.] the mean time : see B*an s , a., 3.] During the 
A fact inexplicable on the theory that the tenses are interval; in the interval between one specified 
used meaningtealy, by nxed habit _ .,, , period and another. 
Amtr. Jour. Philol., IX. 159. 
Meantime in shades of night .Eneas lies. 
* " , jaeufwiine ill OM*MJC m ii(g..v 
and noting the positions of neighboring topo- meaninglessness (me'ning-les-nes), n. The meantime (m e n 'tim'),. The interval between 
...< nl> i A.. 1 fmi t- 1 in.ia - 1 * AW nt Yinin** vnfianfnrvlficio M* unrhftllT A***'**** v****^ it 
graphical features. character of being meaningless, or without 
meander-line (me-an'der-lin), . A line form- significance or import. [Rare.] 
ing apart or the whole of a meander in sense 3. meaningly. (me'nWu), a*.. In a meaning 
meandrian (me-an'dri-an), a. [< meander + ma nner; significantly; with intention: as, to 
-an ; after L. Manndrius, pertaining to the river i ook at a pe reon meaningly. 
Matander.1 Winding; having many turns. meaningness (me'uing-nes), n. The character 
This serpent, surrepent generation, with their meandri- of being meaning; significance. 
on turnings and windings, their mental reservations she ... looked so lo 
meAn i ag m , anirl?nett . 
an turnings and windings, their mental rcscrvauons. she . . looked so lovely, so silly, and so full of un 
Dean King, Sermon, Nov. 5, 1808, p. 27. (Latham.) 
meandrically (me-an'dri-kal-i), adv. In a 
meandering way; in an irregular course. Amer. meanlesst (men'les), a. [< mean 3 + -less.] 
Naturalist, XXI. 936. Performed without the aid of means or second 
meandrine (me-an'drin), a. [< meander + 
-ine 1 ."] 1. Meandrous; winding; characterized 
by windings and turnings. 2. Gyrate, as a 
brain-coral ; specifically, of or pertaining to the meanly 1 (men'li), adv. [< ME. 'meneliche, < 
genus Matandrina. Also spelled maiandrine. AS.gemaineticc, commonly, generally, <gema;ne- 
lic, common: see meanly 1 , a.] 1. In a mean, 
low, or humble degree ; basely. 
His daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage. 
Shot., Rich. HI., iv. 3. 87. 
one specified period and another: only in the 
phrase in the meantime, formerly also the mean- 
time: properly two words (in the mean time), 
conventionally written as one, after the adverb. 
In the menetyme that they en tended, a-boute this mater, 
come Merlyn to Blase. Merlin < E. E. T. S.\ L 28. 
The mean time, lady, 
111 raise the preparation of a war. 
... Shalt., A. and C., lit 4. 25. 
Jtichardson, Sir Charles Grandison, VI. 841. meanwUle (m en'hwil), adv. [An ellipsis of 
in the mean while : see mean*, a., 3.] Same as 
meantime. 
causes. 
since his ascention Into heaven nuandow mbvcles are 
ceued. *,/,, ch 
Shew 
herselfe 
weitc, common, geuerui, \ f/rmurnr, vuiu. 
see mean 2 , a., and -fy 1 .] 1. Common; general. 
2. Moderate; mild. 
Lyhte and meenelyche remedle 
By this serial growth the corallum becomes gyrate or 
meandrine. Encyc. Brit. . VI. 878. 
Meandrinidse (me-an-drin'i-de), n. pi. See 
Mit'aiidrinidaf. 
meandrous (me-an'drus), a. [Formerly also 
mtetmdroHS ; < meander + -ous.] Winding; 
flexuous; meandering. 
With virtuous rectitude meandrou, falsehood Is incon- 2. With a low estimate ; disrespectfully : con 
sistent. Lovcday, Letters (1802), p. 26S. (Latham.) temptuously : as, to think or speak meanly ot a 
Ouse it self in this shire, more moeandrmu than Mnan- person. 
der. Fuller, Worthies, Bedfordshire, meanly 1 1, a. [ME. menelich, mamelich, < AS. ge- 
meandryt (me-an'dri), a. [< meander + -y 1 .] iiuenelic, common, general, <gemame, common: 
Same as meandrous. 
The river Styx, with crooked and meandry turnings, en- 
clrcleth the palace of the infernal Dls. Bacon. 
meanet. An obsolete form of mean 1 , mean 2 , 
mean*, and mien. meanly'-t (men'li), adv. [< maw + -ly*.} In 
meanert . One who means or expresses a a mean or middling manner or degree, (a) Mod- 
erately. 
The Husbandman was meanly well content 
Triall to make of his endevourmeut 
Spenser, Mother Hub. Tale, L 297. 
My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys. 
Made daily motions for our home return. 
Shot., C. of E., L I. 50. 
In the reign of Domltian, poetry was but meanly culti- 
vated. Dryden, tr. of Dufresnoy's Art of Painting. 
(t>) Indifferently; poorly. 
He was a person but meanly qualified for the station he 
was in. Dampier, Voyages, II. L 102. 
meanness (men'nes), n. [< ME. *menenes,< AS. 
tjemcennes, < gemcene, common: see mean 2 .] 1. 
The enemy meanwhile had made his way up the pass. 
Macaulay, Hist Eng., xili. 
meanwhile (men'hwil), n. Same as meantime : 
only in the phrase in the meanwhile: two words, 
written as one. 
meanyt, . See meiny. 
mear't, An obsolete form of mere 1 . 
mear 2 t, . and r. See mere 2 . 
mear 3 . n. An obsolete ordialectal form of mare 1 . 
"""^^ , c h" 8 r ' d / r m , arrylnB * meanl! '' be '" g mearsmant, . An obsolete form of MVMMM. 
e allied to the Royal '^n, DUry. July 22. 1674. Sease-T, ' [Also m**, mite; < ME. **.* 
ith ft low estimate: disresnectf ullv : con- '**. < OP. meise, maue, meze, mese, mate, t. 
meaning or thought. 
This room was built for honest meaneri, that deliver 
themselves hastily and plainly, and are gone. 
Beau, and Fl., Scornful Lady, I. 1. 
meaning (me'ning),n. [<ME.menyn<7(=OFries. 
nii'iiiiKji' = IX >iiccni>ifi= MLG. wcMi'j/* = OHG. 
iiii'iniiiiiin. .MHO. in : in it n (jc, G. mcinung = Iccl. 
Hici(;/ = Sw. Dan. meniinj, opinion); verbal n. 
of mean 1 , r.] 1. That which exists in the mind, 
view, or contemplation as an aim or purpose ; 
that which is meant or intended to be done ; in- 
tent; purpose; aim; object. 
And speres thaim sadly |ask them soberly] of the same. 
So shall 30 stabely vmllrstande 
Ther myiide and ther menyng. York Plays, p. 131. 
I am no honest man if there be any good meaning to- 
wards you. Shot., Lear, L 2. 190. 
2. That which is intended to be or actually is 
expressed or indicated in any way ; the sense 
or purport of anything, as a word or an alle- 
gory, a sign, symbol, act, event, etc. ; signi- 
fication; significance; import. 
What is your will ? for nothing you can ask. 
So full of goodness are your words mid meanings, 
Must be denied : speak Iwldly. 
Fletcher, Double Marriage, iv. S. 
He that hath names without idtas wants meaning in 
his words, and speaks only empty sounds. 
Locke, Human I "ndentamllng. III. x. 31. 
Old events have modern mianimjf. Lmrcll, Mahmood. 
Will-known things did seem 
But pictures now or figures in a dream, 
With all thi-lr meanimi lost 
William Morrii, Earthly Paradise, II. 311. 
and m., also meix, mei, m., a messuage, dwell- 
ing, garden, < ML. mansa, t., mansus, m., a 
dwelling: see manse 2 , and cf. messuage.'] A 
dwelling or a messuage. 
And. richly clad In thy fair Golden Fleece, 
Doo'st hold the First House of Heav'ns spacious Meese. 
Sylaetter, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 4. 
mease 2 (mes or mez), n. K OF. mese, mtze, 
maise, mase, meisse, moise (ML. mesa, meisa), a 
barrel (of herring, etc.).] 1. A tale of 500 her- 
rings. Also maze. [Pro v. Eng.] 2f. A mea- 
sure or allowance. 
I want my mease of milk when I go to my work. 
Greene and Lodgr, Looking Glass for Lend, and Eng. 
measle (me'zl), n. [Also meazel; the rare sin- 
gular of measles, q. vj 1. A spot or an excres- 
cence on a tree. See measles, 3. 
A mcaull or blister growing on tree*. Florio. 
2. An individual Cysticercvs cellulosa>, the larval 
or scolecif orm stage of the pork-tapeworm, Ta- 
nia snlium, producing the disease called measles 
in swine (but not human measles); hence, any 
, , .. similar larva. 
The state of being mean in grade or quality; measled (me'zld), a. [< ME. maselvd; < measle 
Affected with measles or larval tape- 
worms; measly. 
Steward, you are an ass, a metaled mongrel. 
Beau, and Fl, Scornful Lady, 1L 8. 
Thou vermin wretched 
As e'er in meailed pork was hatched. 
S. Butler, lludibrms, L li 688. 
want of dignity or distinction; commonness; 
poorness; rudeness. 
Worship, ye sages of the east, 
The king of Gods in meannea drest. 
Sp. Hall, Anthems, For Christmas Day. 
Bough diamonds are sometimes mistaken for pebbles ; 
and mmn*maybe rich in accomplishments which riches 
in vain desire. Sir T. Browne, Christ Mor, I. 27. measle8 (m e' z l z ), . [Early mod. E. also mea- 
Thls wonderful Almighty person .. . had not so much ^ meazles, meazels, measils, maisils, naustiles; 
rarely and erroneously in sing.(in sense 1), early 
mod. E. metyll, mastil, mazil; < ME. mettles, ma- 
seles, meselle, mesylle, measles (glossing ML. mor- 
bitlus, serpcdo, variola, OF. rugeroles), < MD. 
maselen, masselen, also maseren, masseren = G. 
masem, measles, lit. 'little spots '(cf. smallnor, 
In the same world as where to lay his head, by reason of 
the meanness of his condition. South, Sermons, IV. x. 
2. Want of mental elevation or dignity; desti- 
tution of spirit or honor; contemptibleness ; 
baseness. 
Lives there a man so dead to fame, who dares 
To think such meannea, or the thought declares? 
Pope, Iliad, xlv. 108. 
3. Sordid illiberality; stinginess: <,v ( >r-selfish 
economy in small things ; niggardliness. 
orig. small pocks, 'little pustules'), pi. of MD. 
'ni<mtl. mti"<-hfl = MLG. masele, massele, a spot, 
eruption, pustule, = OHG. masala, a bloody tu- 
