mellow 
2. To soften; pulverize; make friable: as, 
earth is mellowed by frost. 
They plough in the wheat stubble in December ; and if 
the weather prove frosty to mellow it, they do not plough 
it again till April. Mortimer, Husbandry. 
3. To soft en in character; render more perfect 
or more agreeable ; tone or smooth down ; ma- 
ture; improve. 
Maturing time 
But mcttmcs what we write, to the dull sweets of rhyme. 
Dryden, To the Memory of Mr. Oldham. 
For Time shall with his ready pencil stand, 
Retouch your figures with his ripening hand, 
Mellow your colours, and imbrown the teint. 
Dryden, To Sir Godfrey Kneller. 
II. in trans. 1. To become soft ; be ripened, 
matured, or brought to perfection. 
Till us death lay 
To ripe and mellow there [in the grave], we're stubborn 
clay. Donne, On Himself, 1. 12. 
The apple mellowed or shriveled up, and then fell off. 
T. Parker, Historic Americans, Franklin. 
2. To soften in character ; become toned down . 
This country, gradually softening towards the neigh- 
bourhood of Mr. Bounderby's retreat, there mellowed into 
a rustic landscape. Dickens, Hard limes, ii. 7. 
mellowly (mel'o-li), adr. [< mellow + -ly 2 .] 
In a mellow manner: softly. 
mellowness (mel'o-nes), n. [< mellow + -ness.] 
The state or quality of being mellow, in any 
sense of that word. 
mellowy (mel'o-i), . [< mellow + -y 1 .] Soft; 
mellow. 
Whose mellowy glebe doth bear 
The yellow ripen'd sheaf. Drayton, Polyolbion, x. 97. 
mell-pellt, adv. [See pell-mell, adv.] Same as 
pell-mell. 
mell-supper (mersnp"er), w. In some parts of 
England, a supper and merrymaking on the 
evening of the last day of reaping; a harvest- 
home. 
At the mell-supper, Ikmrne tells us, "the servant and his 
master are alike, and everything is done with equal free- 
dom ; they sit at the same table, converse freely together, 
and spend the remaining part of the night in dancing and 
singing, without any difference or distinction." 
Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, p. 468. 
melluco(me-16'ko), .. [S. Amer.] A chenopo- 
diaceous plant of the Andes, Ullucus tubero- 
SHS, yielding edible tubers. 
Melo (me'16), n. [NL., < LL. melo, a melon: see 
melon 1 .] A genus of ra- 
chiglossate gastropods 
of the family Volntidce, 
closely related to Cym- 
bium; the melon-shells. 
Melobesia (mel-o-be'si- 
a),. [NL.] A small ge- 
nus of coralline marine 
alg, giving its name to 
the former tribe Melobe- 
siea?. The fronds are cal- 
careous, horizontally expand- 
ed, orbicular or becoming 
confluent, and indefinite in 
outline. They were regarded 
as corals by the earlier writers. 
Melobesiese (mel"o-be- 
si'e-e), n. pi. [NL. 
(Ag'ardh, 1852), < Melo- 
besia + -ea!.] A former 
tribe of calcareous algee, 
taking its name from the genus Melobesia, 
which is now placed in the suborder Corallinea; 
of the order Floridex. Sometimes called Melo- 
besiaceai. 
Melocactus (mel-o-kak'tus), )?. [NL. (Link 
and Otto, 1827), < LL. melo(n-), a melon, + cac- 
tus, cactus.] A genus of plants of the natural 
order Cactacew, the cactus family, and the tribe 
Echinocactecs. The stem is flat at the base, and is 
crowned by a narrower, cylindrical flower-bearing head, 
which is covered with woolly hairs. There are about 30 
species, which are found in the West Indies, Mexico, 
Brazil, and Colombia. The species in general are called 
melon-cactus or melon-thistle. The best-known is M. com- 
munis, the turk's-cap or pope's-head. It has a height of 
a foot or a foot and a half. It grows profusely over bar- 
ren tracts in parts of the West Indies and South America, 
and is common in cultivation. 
melocoton, melocotoon (mel'o-kot-on, -ko-ton), 
n. [Formerly also melocotone, meticotton, and 
corruptly malakatoon, < Sp. melocoton, a peach- 
tree grafted into a quince-tree, or the fruit of 
the tree, = It. melocotogno, quince-tree, < ML. 
melurn cotoneum, meltim Cydonium, < Gr. fiffl^n 
Kviuviov, a quince, lit. apple of Cydonia: /i-ijtov, 
apple ; Kvd&vtof , of Cydonia, in Crete : see quine, 
quince.'] 1. The quince-tree or its fruit. 2. 
A large kind of peach. 
In September come . . . melocotottes, nectarines, corne- 
lians. Bacon, Gardens (ed. 1887). 
3700 
A strawberry breath, cherry lips, apricot cheeks, and a 
soft velvet head, like a melicotton. 
B. Janson, Bartholomew Fair, i. 1. 
Deuce-ace, the wafer-woman, that prigs abroad 
With musk-melons and malakatoones. 
Webster, Devils Law-Case, i. 2. 
meiodeon (me-16'de-qn), . [Also melodimn; 
< L. melodia, <. Gr. (UMfS'ui, a singing: see mel- 
ody. Cf. melotlion.] A reed-organ or harmo- 
nium. 
melodia (me-16'di-a), n. [NL. use of LL. melo- 
dia, melody: see melody.] In organ-building, 
a stop closely resembling the clarabella ; a va- 
riety of stopped diapason. 
melodic (me-lod'ik), a. [= F. melodiqiie = Sp. 
melodico = It. melodico, < LL. melodious, < Gr. 
Mrlo diadema. 
Hc/.u6iK6i;, of or for melody, melodious, 
melody: see melody.] in music: (a) Melodious ; 
pertaining to a pleasing succession of sounds. 
(6) Pertaining to melody as distinguished from 
harmony and rhythm Melodic Interval. See in 
terval, 5. 
melodica (me-lod'i-ka), n. [NL., fern, of LL. 
melodicus, melodious:" see melodic.] A small va- 
riety of pipe-organ, invented by J. A. Stein in 
1770, which was intended to be set upon a harp- 
sichord or similar instrument so that a melody 
could be played upon it while the accompani- 
ment was played upon the harpsichord, its com- 
pass was about 3J octaves. The tone produced was flute- 
like in quality, and crescendo and diminuendo effects were 
produced by simply altering the pressure of the fingers. 
melodicaily (me-lod'i-kal-i), adv. 1. Melodi- 
ously. 2. In a melodic manner; in a way in- 
volving a succession of tones : opposed to har- 
monically and rhythmically. 
melodico (me-lod'i-ko), a. [It.: see melodic.] 
In music, melodious; soft: noting passages to 
be so rendered. 
melodicon (me-lod'i-kon), n. [NL., < Gr. ftc'^i- 
fimov, neut. of /tefyrfticAs, of or for melody: see 
melodic.] A variety of pianoforte, invented by 
P. Riffelsen in 1803, in which the tone was pro- 
duced from tuning-forks or steel bars instead of 
wires. 
melodies (me-lod'iks), n. [PI. of melodic : see 
-ics.] That branch of musical science that is 
concerned with the pitch and succession of 
tones that is, with melody in the technical 
sense. 
melodiograpb. (me-16'di-o-graf ), H. [< Gr. /;Efy)- 
<Ua, melody, + ypafyuv, write.] Same as melo- 
grapli. 
melodion (me-16'di-on), n. [< LL. melodia, < Gr. 
lief.u?iia, melody : see melody. Cf. meiodeon.] A 
musical instrument, invented in 1806 by J. C. 
Dietz, consisting of a graduated series of metal 
bars which could be sounded by being pressed 
against a rotating cylinder. It was played from 
a keyboard. 
melodious (me-16'di-us), a. [< F. melodieux = 
Sp. Pg. It. melodioso, < LL. as if "melodiosus, < 
melodia, melody: see melody.] 1. Containing 
or characterized by melody ; musical ; agree- 
able to the ear; characterized by a pleasant 
succession of sounds. 
Those who, in their course, 
Melodious hymns about the sovran throne 
Alternate all night long. Milton, P. L., v. 656. 
Tone of silver instrument 
Leaves on the wind melodious trace. 
Emerson, Forerunners. 
2. Producing agreeable, especially musical, 
sounds. 
And then tempered all these knowledges and skilles with 
the exercise of a delectable Musicke by melodious instru- 
ments, which withall serued them to delight their hearers. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 6. 
= Syn. Tuneful, sweet, dulcet. See euphony. 
melodiously (me-16'di-us-li), adv. In a melo- 
dious manner; sweetly; musically. 
melodiousness (me-16 di-us-nes), n. The qual- 
ity, in a sound or in music, of being pleasing 
to the ear; the character of having a flowing 
and beautiful melody. 
melodise, v. See melodize. < 
melodist (mel'o-dist), n. [= F. m.elodiste ; as 
melody + -ist.] 1. A composer or singer of 
songs and melodies: sometimes opposed to 
harmonizer. 
Happy melodist, unwearied, 
For ever piping songs for ever new. 
Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn. 
Milton was a harmonist rather than a melodist. 
Lmcell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 284. 
2. A collection of songs, melodies, tunes, etc. 
melodium (me-16'di-um), n. See meiodeon. 
melodize (mel'o-diz), v. ; pret. and pp. melo- 
dized, ppr. melodizing. [< melod-y + -i:e.] I. 
trans. To make melodic or melodious. 
melody 
Whose murmurs melodise my song : 
Langhorn, Ode to the Eiver Eden. 
These repeated attempts of the learned English . . . 
to melodize our orthoepy. 
/. D' Israeli, Amen, of Lit, II. SO. 
II. intrinift. 1. To compose or sing melodies. 
2. To make melody; harmonize. 
Such a strain, with all o'erpowering measure, 
Might melodize with each tumultuous sound. 
Scott, Vision of Don Roderick, Int. 
Also spelled melodise. 
melodram (mel'S-dram), n. [G.: see melodra- 
ma.] Same as melodrama, 2. 
A romantic tragedy by Friedrich Duneker, for which 
Beethoven . . . composed a soldiers' chorus, ... a ro- 
mance, . . . and a melodram with harmonica. 
Grove, Diet. Music, II. 122. 
melodrama (mel-o-dra'ma), n. [Also melo- 
drame, < F. me'lodramc = Sp. Pg. melodrama = 
It. melodramma = G. melodram, < NL. melodra- 
ma, < Gr. iti/-of, song, + 6pa.fia, action, a play: 
see drama."] 1. Properly, a dramatic compo- 
sition in which music is used, or an opera in 
the broad sense. 2. A drama with incidental 
music, or an operetta with more or less spoken 
dialogue ; a piece in which speech and song (or 
instrumental music) alternate. Also melodram. 
3. A form of the drama characterized by com- 
positions in which the music is of but moderate 
importance or value, and the plot and scenes 
are of a decidedly romantic and sensational 
nature. 
melodramatic (mel"o-dra-mat'ik), a. [= F. 
melodramatiquc = Sp. melodramatieo; as melo- 
drama(t-) + -ic.] Pertaining to, suitable for, 
or having the character of melodrama. 
A set of highly-coloured pictures, full of contortion and 
melodramatic postures, would captivate a larger multi- 
tude than a series of paintings by Raphael. 
Sir 6. C. Lewis, Authority in Matters of Opinion, vi. 
[(Latham.) 
The traveller in Sicily needs no gayer melodramatic ex- 
hibition than the table d'hbte of his inn will afford him in 
the conversation of the joyous guests. 
Emerson, Eloquence. 
melodramatical (mel''6-dra-mat'i-kal), a. [< 
melodramatic + -al.] Same as melodramatic. 
melodramatically (meFo-dra-mafi-kal-i), adv. 
In a melodramatic manner; with exaggerated 
speech or action. 
melodramatist (mel-o-dram'a-tist), n. [< mel- 
odrama^) + -ist.] A writer of melodramas ; 
a melodramatic author. 
Perils greater than any which the most daring romance- 
writer or melodramatist ever imagined. 
W. Matthews, Getting on in the World, p. 26. 
melodrame (mel'S-dram), . [< F. melodrame, 
< NL. melodrama : see melodrama.] Same as 
melodrama. 
To perform a subordinate part in this splendid melo- 
drame of the Elements. 
Lady Morgan, On France, II. 345. 
Melodusae (mel-o-du'se), n. pi. [NL., < Gr. 
/iftyfiovata, fern. pi. of fit')u t >6wi', singing, ppr. of 
/itf.uieiv, sing, < /if^.^of, singing: see melody.] 
In Gloger's arrangement of birds (1834), one of 
two suborders of passerine birds, including the 
singing Passeres, and nearly equivalent to the 
Acromyodi or Oscinex. 
melodusine (mel-o-du'sin), o. Having the char- 
acters of or pertaining to the Melodusa 1 ; oscine 
or oscinine ; acrpmyodian. 
melody (mel'o-di), n.; pi. melodies (-diz). [< 
ME. melody, mclodye (= D. melodie = G. melo- 
d!e, mclodci = Dan. Sw. melodi), < OF. melodie, 
F. melodie = Sp. melodia = Pg. It. melodia, < 
LL. melodia, < Gr. fit'Xi^Sla, a singing, a tune to 
which lyric poetry is set, \ fie^.i^^ (>LL. melo- 
dus), singing, musical, < fie^of, song, strain, 
melody, + 5<;, song, ode: see ode. Cf. com- 
edy.] 1. In general, a succession of agreeable 
musical sounds; sweet sound; song; tune; 
music. 
Thus endured the ioye and the melodye all the mete 
while. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ill. 454. 
The birds chant melody on every bush. 
Shak., Tit. And., ii. 3. 12. 
Specifically 2. In music: (a) A succession of 
tones, whether pleasing or not. In this sense mel- 
ody is coordinate with harmony and rhythm ns the three 
necessary constituents of all music. It depends essentially 
upon tones of relative pitch, successively arranged. (6) A 
series of tones so related to one another as to 
produce a distinct musical phrase or idea. The 
underlying relationship may be variously established: by 
any particular rhythmic arrangement, as in some popular 
dance-tunes; by the intervals of a single chord, as in ar- 
peggio phrases ; by a diatonic order, as in scale passages : 
by the harmonic connections between successive chords 
of which the melody in question forms one of the voice- 
parts, as in simple choral writing ; and by innumerable 
