bverse. Reverse, 
eis of Portugal. (Size of the 
original.) 
milreis 
< mil L. millr), a thousand, + reis, pi. of 
real = Sp. real, a small coin : see real 3 , n.~\ 1 . A 
Portuguese unit of 
money, equivalent 
to 1,000 reis, and 
worth about fl.08. 
2. A Brazilian 
unit of money, 
equal to about 55 
United Statescents. 
milset, ". t. [ME. 
milxi'ii, mileen, mil- 
den, < AS. mildsian, miltsian, gemilteian, be 
merciful, < milds, milts, kindness, mercy, < 
milde, mild: see mild, a.] To be merciful to; 
show clemency to. 
milsey(mil'si)iM. [Conti. of milk-sieve.] Asieve 
for straining milk. [Local, Great Britain.] 
milt^Kmilt),* [<ME.milte,<AS.milte=OFTieB. 
milte = D. milt = MLG. LG. milte OHG. milzi, 
MHO. milze, G. milz (> It. milza = Sp. melsa) = 
Icel. tnilti = Sw. mjelte = Dan. milt, the spleen; 
prob. from the root of melt.] In anat., the 
spleen. 
Yet do they offer Swine to the Moon & Bacchus . . . 
when the Moon is at full. In this sacrifice they burne the 
taile, in/if, and leafe. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 577. 
milt 2 (milt), n. [A corruption of milk, in this 
sense appar. of Scand. origin : < Sw. mjolke, milt 
(< mjolk, milk), = Dan. melke, milt, = G. milch 
= MLG. melk, milk, also milt : see milk, n. The 
D. milt, milt, is appar. < E.] The male genera- 
tive organ of a fish ; the spermatic organ and 
its secretion ; the soft roe, corresponding to the 
roe or spawn of the female. Sometimes melt. 
You shall scarce or never take a male carp without a 
melt, or a female without a roe or spawn. 
1. Walton, Complete Angler (ed. 1658X p. 102. 
milt 2 (milt), v. t. [< milt 2 , n.] To impregnate 
the roe or spawn of (the female fish). 
milter (mil'ter), n. }= D. milter (prob. < E. ?) 
= G. milcher; as mil$ + -er 1 .] That which has 
or sheds milt; a male fish in breeding-time. 
Also meltcr. 
For the purpose of breeding he had, as the rule is, put 
in [a pond) three metiers for one spawner. 
I. Walton, Complete Angler (ed. 1875), p. 143. 
Miltonian (mil-to'ni-an), a. [< Milton (see def.) 
+ -ian.] Of or relating to the great English 
poet John Milton (1608-74), or resembling his 
style. 
Merely a Miltonian way of saying . . . that moral no 
less than physical courage demanded a sound body. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser. , p. 267. 
Miltonic (mil-ton'ik), a. [< Milton (see Mil- 
tonian) + -ic.] Relating or pertaining to Mil- 
ton or his works; Miltonian. 
If Time, the Avenger, execrates his wrongs, 
And makes the word Miltonic mean "sublime." 
Byron, Don Juan, Ded., st. 10. 
miltwaste (milt' wast), n. [Formerly miltieast 
(Skinner); appar. < milfl- + waste: so called, it 
is said, because formerly believed to be a rem- 
edy for wasting or disease of the spleen or milt ; 
cf. spleenwort.] The scaly fern, Asplenium Cete- 
racli. 
Milvago (mil-va'go), n. [NL. (cf. L. milua- 
oo, milvayo, a kind of fish), < L. milrus, a kite 
(also a kind of fish) : see Milvus.] 1. A genus 
of South American vulture-hawks, of the family 
Fafe0irfrt;andsubfaniilyP6%ft&Tia?, founded by 
Spix in 1824. There are two species, M. chima- 
cliima and M. chimango. 2. [I. c.] A member 
of this genus. 
Milvinae (mil-vl'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Milvus + 
-inte.] A subfamilypf Fata>trf<e, typified by the 
genus Milvus ; the kites. The scapular process of the 
coracoid does not reach the clavicle, the face is not ruffed, 
and the beak is not toothed ; the tarsus is shorter than the 
tibia ; and the tail is either forked or much shorter than the 
long pointed wings. The MUvinae are birds of less than 
average size for this family, and of comparatively weak or- 
ganization, preying chiefly upon reptiles, insects, andother 
humble quarry. There are a number of genera besides Mil- 
vus, as Elanm, Elanoides, ffauclerus, Ictinia, etc. See cuts 
under Elanoides and Htel, 1. 
milvine (mil'vin), a. and n. [< L. milvinus, be- 
longing to the kite, < milvus, the kite, a bird of 
prey.] I. a. Pertaining to the Milvince, or hav- 
ing their characters. 
II. x. A member of the Milvince; any kite. 
Milvulus (mil' vu-lus), n. [NL. (Swainson. 
1827), dim. of L. milvus^ a kite : see Milvus.] A 
genus of clamatorial birds of the family Tyran- 
uidce, having an extremely long forficate tail 
like the kite, whence the name; the scissortails, 
or swallow-tailed flycatchers. M. tyrannus and M. 
.forflcatus are two species. The former is chiefly a tropi- 
cal American bird, but it sometimes strays into the United 
3768 
States ; it is ashy above and white below, the top and sides 
of the head black, the crown-patch yellow ; the tail is black 
edged with white, and 
sometimes grows to a 
foot in length, with a 
forking of 8 or 8 inches, 
though the body of the 
biril is no larger than 
that of the common 
king-bird. The other 
abounds in Texas and 
southward, sometimes 
straying through most 
of the States. It is a 
very showy bird, of a 
hoary ash color, paler 
or white below, various- 
ly tinged with crim- 
son or salmon-red, the 
crown-patch orange or 
scarlet. The tail is gen- 
erally 8 or 10 inches 
long, forked 5 or 6 inch- 
es, black and white or 
rosy. The display it 
makes in opening and 
shutting this ornament 
gives the name scissor- 
tail. 
MilVTlS (mil'vus), 
n. [NL. (Cuvier, 
1800), < L. milvus, a 
>rk-tailed Flycatcher t 
tyrannus}. 
kite.] The typical 
genus of Milvince, 
having a long forked tail. The leading species is 
the common kite or glede of Europe, M . ictinus or regalis; 
M. ater is the black kite of the same continent. 
milwellt (niil'wel), . [Also myllewell; < ME. 
mulwell; origin obscure; cf. milwyn.] A kind 
of fish. See the first quotation. 
Myllewett, a sort of flsh, the same with what in Lincoln- 
shire is called millwyn, which Spelman renders green fish ; 
but it was certainly of a different kind. 
Eennett, Paroch. Antiq. Gloss (1695). (Davies.) 
Item, ij. saltyng tubbes. Item, viij. lynges. Item, iiij. 
mvlwell-tyche. Paetan Letters (Inventory), I. 490. 
The yellow ling, the milwett fair and white. 
John Dennys (Arber's Eng. Garner, I. 166). 
milwyn (mil'win), . [Also millwyn; cf. mil- 
well.] Green fish. Skinner; Halliwell. See the 
first quotation under 
milwett. [Prov. Eng.] 
Milyas (mil'i-as), . 
[NL., < L. Milyas, a 
district in Lycia.] 1. 
A genus of noctuid 
moths, erected by 
Walker in 1858 for the 
African M. mixtura. 
2. A notable genus of 
predaceous bugs of the 
family Reduviidce. They 
are mainly American, and 
M. cinctus is one of the best- 
known heteropters of the 
I'nited States, of a waxy or 
orange-yellow color, with 
the legs and antennae band- 
ed with black. St&hl, 1861. 
Many-banded Robber (Milyas 
dnctus). (Line shows natural 
size.) 
>, j 
milzbrand (milts'- 
brant), n. [G., < milz, 
milt, spleen, + brand, 
burning inflammation: see milt 1 and brand.] 
Same as malignant antlirax (which see, under 
anthrax), 
mini (mim), a. [A minced form of mum 1 , silent.] 
Primly silent ; prim; demure; precise; affect- 
edly modest; quiet; mute: also used adverbi- 
ally. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] 
See, up he's got the word of God, 
An' meek an' mim has view'd it. 
Burnt, Holy Fair. 
Lightning-storms seem to come quite natural to you, 
for all as prim and mim as you are ! 
W. Black, In Far Lochaber, iv. 
mima (mi'ma), . [Burmese.] A young Bur- 
mese woman; a girl. 
Make war or peace ; build or burn ; . . . only leave me 
to my mimas and my stranger's drink. 
J. W. Palmer, Up and Down the Irrawaddi, p. 161. 
Mimas (mi'mas), . [NL., < Gr. M^af, the 
name of a centaur.] 1. The innermost and 
smallest of the satellites of Saturn, revolving 
about its primary in 22 hours 37 minutes. 2. 
[I. c.] In zool., a golden-green South American 
beetle, Searabaius mimas. 
mimbar, minbar (mim'-, min'bar), . [Turk. 
minber = Pers. Hind, mimbar, <"Ar. manbar, a 
pulpit.] The pulpit in a mosque. It consisted 
originally of a plain low platform approached by three 
steps, but is now often an elevated structure surmounted 
by a richly ornamented canopy. It differs from a pulpit 
especially in that it is entered by stairs in front instead of 
at the side or in the rear. See cut in next column. 
mime (mim), . [< F. mime = Sp. Pg. It. mimo, 
< L. mimus, < Gr. fti/iof, an imitator, actor, also 
a kind of drama; cf. fUftetaOat, imitate; prob. 
mimetic 
akin to L. iinitari, imitate: see imi- 
tate.] 1. An imitator; one skilled 
in mimicry; a mimic; specifically, 
a mimic actor; a performer in the 
ancient farces or burlesques called 
mimes. 
Let him go now and brand another man in- 
juriously with the name of Mime, being him- 
selfe the loosest and most extravagant Miine 
that hath been heard of ; whom no lesse then 
almost halfe the world could serve for stage 
roome to play the Mime in. 
Milton, Apology for Smectymnuus. 
The strolling mimes carried the last, and 
probably many of the worst, reminiscences 
of the Koman acting drama across the 
period of those great migrations which 
changed the face of the Western world. 
A. W. Ward, Eng. Dram. Lit, 1. 11. 
2. A dramatic entertainment 
among the ancient Greeks of 
Sicily and southern Italy and 
the Romans, consisting 
generally of farcical mim- 
icry of real events and per- 
sons. The Greek mimes com- 
bined spoken dialogue of some- Mimbar in M of 
what simple and familiar charac- Sultan Selim, Adriuopte. 
ter with action ; the Raman con- Turkey, 
sisted chiefly of action, often of a 
coarse and even indecent character, with little speaking. 
See pantomime. 
This we know in Laertius, that the Mimes of Sophron 
were of such reckning with Plato, as to take them nightly 
to read on and after make them his pillow. Scaliger 
describes a Mime to be a Poem imitating any action to 
stirre up laughter. Milton, Apology for Smectymnuus. 
mime (mim), . i. ; pret. and pp. mimed, ppr. 
miming. [< mime, n.] To mimic, or play the 
buffoon ; act in a mime. 
Acts Old Iniquity, and in the fit 
Of miming gets the opinion of a wit. 
B. Jonson, Epigrams, cxv. 
mimeograph (mim'e-o-graf), . [Irreg. < Gr. 
fiifieladai, imitate, + Yp&fecv, write.] An ap- 
paratus invented by Edison, by which stencils 
of written pages may be obtained for the pro- 
duction of an indefinite number of copies. A 
pointed stylus is moved as in writing with a lead-pencil 
over a kind of tough prepared paper placed on a finely 
grooved steel plate, and the writing is thus traced in a 
series of minute perforations. Stencils may also be pre- 
pared on typewriters. 
Mimesa (mi-me'sa), . [NL. (Shuckard, 1837), 
irreg. < Gr. filfir/aif, imitation : see mimesis.] 
The typical gjenus of Mimesidce, having the inner 
spur of the hind tibi broadly flattened. Eleven 
North American and seven European species 
are known. 
Mimesidse (mi-mes'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Mimesa 
+ -4dce.] A family of fossorial hymenopterous 
insects. The prothorax is narrow, the fore wings have 
three snbmarginal cells, the abdomen is petiolate with the 
petiole depressed and generally furrowed above, the an- 
tennal flagellum is thickened at the apex, and the middle 
tibiae have only one apical spur. The family comprises 
the two genera Mimesa and Paen. 
mimesis'( m J- m e'sis), [NL., < Gr. /u'^off, 
imitation, < /tifieiadat, imitate: see mime.] 1. 
In rhet., imitation or reproduction of the sup- 
posed words of another, especially in order to 
represent his character. See prosopceia. 2. 
In zool., mimicry; simulated resemblance; 
physical or physiological simulation by one 
animal of another, or of a plant or other part 
of its surroundings. See mimicry, 3. 
mimetene (mim'e-ten), n. [So called from its 
close resemblance to pyromorphite ; < Gr.ui/Jt/- 
TT/f, an imitator (see mimetic), + -enf.] Same 
as mimetite. 
Mimetes (ml-me'tez), n. [NL. , < Gr. fiipr/rfc, an 
imitator.] 1. Inentom.: (a) A genus of noctuid 
moths. Hubner, 1816. (6) A genus of weevils 
of the subfamily Otiorliynchince. EsclischoUz, 
1818. 2. In mammal., a genus of anthropoid 
apes of the family Simiidce, a type of which is 
the chimpanzee : so called from the likeness to 
man. This genus was proposed by W. E. Leach about 
1816, and antedates both Troglodytes of Geoffrey and An- 
thropopithecus of De Blainville; but these synonyms are 
more frequently used. See cut under chimpanzee. 
3. In ornitli. : () A genus of Australian ori- 
oles of the family Oriolidce. King, 1826. Also 
Mimeta ( Vigors and Horsfield, 1826). (6) Same 
as Mimus. C. W. L. Gloger, 1842. 
mimetesite (mi-met'e-sltj, n. [Irreg. < Gr. /u/ir/- 
1%, an imitator (see Mimetes), + -ife 2 .] Same 
as mimetite. 
mimetic (mi-met'ik), a. [= It. mimetieo, < 
Gr. fufiifriK.6i;, imitative, < /ji/jr/Tr/f, an imitator, 
< /up:laSai, imitate: see mime.] 1. Pertain- 
ing to mimiory or imitation ; apt in mimicry ; 
aping. 
