miter 
4. In conch., a miter-shell. 5. In carp.: (a) A 
scribe or guide for making saw-cuts to form 
miter-joints, (4) A combined square and miter- 
edge or pattern, (c) Same as miter-joint. 6. 
A gusset in seamstresses' work, knitting, and 
the like Miter gearing. Same as beveled yearing 
(which see, under gearing). 
miter, mitre (mi'ter), i\; pret. and pp. mitered, 
mitred, ppr. mitering, mitriity. [Early mod. E. 
also myter, mytre; < ME. mitren, mytren, < OF. 
mitrer, F. mitrer = Sp. Pg. mitrar = It. mitrare, 
Olt. metrare, < ML. mitrare, < mitra, a miter: 
see miter, , .] I. trans. 1. To bestow a miter 
upon; raise to a rank to which the dignity of 
wearing a miter belongs, especially to episco- 
pal rank. 
More than al thy marchauns other thy mytrede bisshopes. 
Piers Plowman (C), v. 193. 
From such apostles, O ye mitred heads, 
Preserve the church ! Cowper, Task, ii. 329. 
2. To ornament with a miter. 
Your first essay was on your native laws ; 
Those having torn with ease and trampled down, 
Your fangs you fasten'd on the mitred crown. 
Dryden, Hind and Panther, i. 202. 
3. In carp., to join with a miter-joint; make a 
miter-joint in. See miter-joint. 4. In needle- 
work, to change the direction of, as a straight 
baud, border, or the like, by cutting it at an ab- 
rupt angle, sacrificing a three-cornered piece, 
and bringing the cut edges together: a term 
derived from carpenter-work. 5. In bookbind- 
ing, to join perfectly, as lines intended to meet 
at right angles Cut and mitered string. See 
string. Mitered abbey or monastery, an abbey or 
monastery presided over by a mitered abbot. 
The abbess received a ring, which, however, was not be- 
stowed on any abbot unless his house were a mitred ab- 
bey. Rock, Church of our Fathers, ii. 194. 
Mitered abbot, back, border, etc. See the nouns. 
II. intrans. In arch., to meet in a miter-joint. 
miter-block (ml'ter-blok), n. In joinery, a block 
arranged for sawing pieces to an angle of 45. 
E. H. Knight. 
miter-board (mi'ter-bord), H. A miter-box in 
which a piece is laid while the saw reciprocates 
between guides which cause it to make the kerf 
at the prescribed angle. E. H. Knight. 
miter-box (ml'ter-boks), n. In carp., a long 
narrow wooden box consisting of a bottom and 
two sides in which kerfs at an angle of 45 (or 
some other angle) are cut for the reception of 
a saw: used in cutting pieces of wood to form 
miter-joints. The piece of wood to be mitered is laid 
in the box, and the saw, being worked through the guide- 
cuts in the vertical sides, cuts the wood to the necessary 
angle. (See miter-joint.) Another form consists of a bed 
and a fence, against which the work rests, and an adjusta- 
ble guide for the saw, so that it admits of cutting at any 
required angle. In printing the name is given to a square 
channel of wood or iron having diagonal cuts in the sides, 
in which a saw can move freely in cutting pieces of wood 
or brass of uniform angles. 
miter-cut (mi'ter-kut), n. In glass-manuf., a 
groove cut in the surface of plate-glass for or- 
namentation. The cross-section of the groove 
or cut is very nearly an equilateral triangle. 
miter-dovetail (mi'ter-duv"tal), n. In joinery, 
a form of concealed dovetail presenting only a 
single joint-line, and that on the angle. E. H. 
Knight. 
miter-drain (mi'ter-dran), n. A drain laid 
within the metaling of roads, to convey the 
water to the side drains. 
miter-flower (mi'ter-flou"er), n. A plant of the 
genus Cyclamen. 
miter-gage (mi'ter-gaj), . A gage for deter- 
mining the angle of a miter-joint or bevel-joint 
for picture-frames, moldings, etc. E. H. Knight. 
mitering-machine (ml'ter-ing-ma-shen"), n. 1. 
In carp, and joinery, a machine for sawing or 
cutting to a true angle of 45 the ends of pieces 
to be joined, in order that they may be united by 
a miter-joint, or for cutting the pieces to any 
desired angle to make a bevel-joint. One form of 
this machine consists of a table with a circular saw and 
adjustable guides or fences ; another consists of a bed and 
guide, with two blades at right angles, for making a down- 
ward cut, fixed at an angle of 45' to the guide and actu- 
ated by a lever. The latter form is used for mitering 
picture-frames and small moldings. 
2. In printing, a mechanism of iron and steel, 
designed to cut the ends of metal rules with 
exact bevels and secure true joints at any an- 
gle. This is done in some machines by a saw, 
in others by a file or chisel. 
miter-iron (ml'ter-l"ern), . A fagot for forging, 
composed of a group of bars of angular section 
wedged about a cylindrical bar within a hoop. 
miter-jack (mi'ter-jak), n. A simple form of 
miter-box or templet, consisting merely of a bed 
3804 
and a fence, against which the work rests. It is 
used for making miter-joints on small moldings. 
miter-joint (mi'ter-joint), n. A joint in which 
the plane of the abutting surfaces bisects the 
angle (properly 90) form- 
ed by the abutting pieces. 
Each of the abutting pieces is 
dressed to an angle of 45' ; when 
they are dressed to an angle greater 
or less than 45 they are general- 
ly termed bevel-joints. When the 
angle formed by the junction of 
if division bisects this 
1. In mcch., a 
a a a. Miter-joint. 
two parts is 45, and the plane 01 
angle, the joint is sometimes called a half miter-joint. 
Also called miter. 
miter-mushroom (ml'ter-mush"r6m), n. A 
kind of mushroom of the genus Helvella, H. 
crinl/a : so named from the shape of the pileus. 
It grows in woods, and is delicate eating. 
miter-plane (mi'ter-plan), . In carp. : () A 
plane in which the bit is set at an acute angle 
with the longitudinal axis of the stock. The 
effect of this arrangement is to give the action 
of the plane the character of a draw-cut. (6) A 
plane which runs in a race in angular relation 
to fences or gages, usually adjustable, by which 
the stuff to be planed is held to the action of 
the tool. 
miter-post (mi'ter-post), n. Same as meeting- 
post. 
miter-shaped (ml'ter-shapt), a. Having the 
shape of a miter : said especially of a form of 
head-dress worn by women in the middle of the 
fifteenth century. 
miter-Shell (mi'ter-shel), n. The turreted shell 
of a mollusk of the genus Mitra or family Mi- 
tridte; a tiara-shell. See cut under Mitra. 
miter-sill (mi'ter-sil), n. A raised step against 
which the foot of a canal-lock gate shuts on the 
floor of a lock-bay. E. H. Knight. 
miter-square (mi'ter-skwar), n. In carp., an 
immovable bevel for striking upon a piece of 
stuff an angle of 45. 
miter-valve (mi'ter-valv), . A valve of which 
the lid or plug is the frustum of a cone, the face 
of the seat being inclined at an angle of 45 to 
the axis of the valve. 
miter-wheel (mi'ter-hwel), n. 
particular kind of bevel-wheel, 
the bevel being limited to an 
angle of 45, and the teeth of 
the wheel meshing with the 
teeth of another of the same 
bevel and diameter. The shafts 
of the wheels are at right angles with 
each other ; and rotary motion in any 
plane is, by this mechanism, trans- 
lated, without change of velocity, into Miter-wheels, 
motion in another plane at right an- 
gles with the first. Miter-wheels are much used in mill- 
work. See bevel-wheel and bevel-gear. 
2. In glass-cutting, a wheel used for cutting a 
groove of triangular section. 
miterwort (mi'ter-wert), . A name common 
to all plants of the genus Mitella False miter- 
wort. See codwort and Tiarella. 
mithet, . ' [ME. mithen, < AS. mitiian (= OS. mi- 
than = Ofiies.for-mitha = OHG. midan, MBG. 
widen, G. meiden), avoid, conceal, refrain from, 
forbear, intr. lie concealed: see miss 1 .'] To 
avoid; conceal. 
His sorwe he couthe ful wel milhe. 
Havelok, 1. 948. 
Blither (miTH'er), n. A Scotch form of mother^. 
mithict, . An obsolete spelling of mythic. 
Mithra, . See Mithras. 
MithradatiC (mith-ra-dat'ik), a. Same as 
Mitliridatic, 1. 
Mithraeum (mith-re'um), n. [NL.,< L. Mithras, 
Mithras: see Mithras.'] In Bom. antiq., a shrine 
or sanctuary of Mithras: usually an under- 
ground cell, grotto, or crypt in which the se- 
cret mysteries of Mithras were celebrated. 
In the Mithrceum there were there are still, because 
we have saved the place from destruction, and added it to 
the curiosities of Rome the remnant of the seven torches 
. . . which were kept burning before the image of Mithras 
Tauroktonos. 
Lanciani, Anc. Borne in the Light of Mod. Discov., p. 192. 
Mithraic (mith-ra'ik), a. [< Mithras + -ic."] Of 
or pertaining to the ancient Persian and late 
Roman god Mithras. 
Two statues of Mithraic torch-bearers. 
C. 0. Miiller, Manual of Archueol. (trans.), 206. 
The Mithraic doctrines appear to have comprised all 
the prominent features of the Magian or Chaldean sys- 
tem, and we need not be surprised, therefore, that they 
are represented as embracing magical, occult, and thau- 
niutnrpical science. 
A. Wilder, in Knight's Anc. Art and Myth. (1876), p. xix. 
Mithraicism (mith-ra'i-sizm), n. [< Mitl/mit- 
+ -ism.'] Same as Mithraism. 
mitigate 
Mithraicism, with explanations of its alliance with Oc- 
cidental Christianity. 
Fop. Sci. Mo., Literary Notices, XXXII. 560. 
Mithraism (mith'ra-izm), )(. [< Mithras + 
-16-m.] The worship of Mithras. 
The religion of Mithra . . . played an important part 
in the thought of the early centuries of the Christian era, 
yet little is known of Mithraism at the present time. 
Pop. Sci. Mo., XXXIII. 283. 
Mithraist (mith'ra-ist), n. [< Mithras + -ist.~] 
A worshiper of Mithras. 
This fact suggests a question . . . whether the Chris- 
tians borrowed from the Mitliraitts, or the Mithraisls from 
the Christians, or whether the coincidences are casual. 
fop. Sci. Mo., XXXIII. 283. 
Mithraize (mith'ra-iz), v. i.; pret. and pp. 
Mithraised, ppr. Mithraizing. [< Mithras + 
-i:e.~] To teach, profess, or practise Mithraic 
doctrines ; observe the rites of Mithras. 
Mithras, Mithra (mith'ras, mith'ra), n. [L. 
Mithras, Mithres, < Gr. tJiidpaf, < OPers. Mitra 
= Skt. Mitra, lit. 'friend.'] 1. A deity of the 
ancient Persians, the god of light or of the sun, 
who came at last to be regarded as the ruler of 
both the material and the spiritual universe, 
and was worshiped with an elaborate ritual, 
with accompaniment of ceremonial mysteries. 
In this form his worship was adopted by the Romans under 
the early empire, and enjoyed great popularity. Represen- 
tations of Mithras are common in Roman art, usually show- 
ing him as a youth in Oriental dress performing the mystic 
sacrifice of a bull. Sacred caves or grottos were the reg- 
ular seats of his worship. 
They call upon no peculiar name of God, but only Myth- 
ra; in the which word they all agree together in one na- 
ture of the divine Majesty, whatsoever it be. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), ii. 11. 
The sacred grotto of Mithras, in the Campus Martius 
[Rome), . . . in the plot of ground which is now occupied 
by the Marignoli palace. 
Lanciani, Anc. Rome in the Light of Mod. Discov., p. 166. 
2. A genus of South American lycrenid butter- 
flies. Eubner, 1816. 3. A genus of spiders. 
Koch, 1835. 
mithridatet (mith'ri-dat), . [Also methridate, 
and improp. mithradite; < OF. mithridat, methri- 
dat, F. mithridate = Sp. It. mitridato = Pg. 
mithridato, < ML. mithridatum for LL. mithri- 
datium, an antidote, neut. of L. Mithridatius, 
Mithridateus, of Mithridates, < Mithridates, < 
Gr. Midpadanif, ~M.i6pi66.Trjf, Mithridates VI., King 
of Pontus (died about 63 B. C.), who fortified 
himself against poisons by taking antidotes; 
a name of Pers. origin: cf. Mithras.] In old 
phar., one of various compositions of many in- 
gredients in the form of electuaries, supposed 
to serve either as an antidote or as a preserva- 
tive against poison. 
I feel me ill ; give me some mithridate; 
Some mithridate and oil, good sister, fetch me. 
B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, iv. 6. 
Wine, an it be thy will ! strong lusty wine ! 
Well, fools may talk of mithridate, cordials, and elixirs ; 
But from my youth this was my only physic. 
Fletcher (and another), Sea Voyage, v. 2. 
This is a course that will . . . alter Blander into piety, 
. . . that the viper's flesh may become mithradite. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835X I. 753. 
Mithridate mustard, a kind of penny-cress. See pep- 
perwort. 
Mithridatic (mith-ri-dat'ik), a. [= F. mitlirida- 
tique = Pg. mithridatico, < L. Mithridaticus, 
pertaining to Mithridates, < Mithridatex, Mith- 
ridates: see mithridate."] 1. Of or pertaining 
to Mithridates, specifically to Mithridates VI. 
of Pontus (died about 63 B. c.): as, the Mithri- 
datic wars. Also Mithradatic. 2f [I.e."] Per- 
taining to or of the nature of mithridate. 
niithridatumt, n. [Improp. methridatum (after 
methridate) ; < ML. mithridatum for LL. mith- 
ridatium, an antidote : see mithridate.] Same 
as mithridate. 
But what brave spirit could be content to sit in his shop, 
with a flappet of wood before him, . . . selling Mithri- 
datum and dragons-water to visited houses [during the 
plague) ? Beau, and Fl., Knight of Burning Pestle, i. 3. 
mitigable (rait'i-ga-bl), a. [< LL. "mitigabilis 
(in adv. mitigabiliter), < mitigare, mitigate: see 
mitigate.'] Capable of being mitigated. 
The vigour of that ceremonious law was mitigable. 
Barrow, Works, II. xv. 
mitigant (mit'i-gant), a. [= F. mitiijaut = Sp. 
It. mitigante,< Tu."mitigan(t-)s, ppr. of mitigare, 
mitigate : see mitigate."] Mitigating; lenitive; 
soothing; alleviating. Bailey, 1727. 
mitigate (mit'i-gat), . t. ; pret. and pp. mitigated, 
ppr. mitigating. [< L. mitigatus, pp. of mitigare 
(> It. mitigare = Sp. Pg. mitigar = F. mitiger), 
make mild, gentle, soft, or tender, < mitts, mild, 
etc., + agere, make: see agent."] 1. To make 
milder or more tolerable ; reduce in amount or 
degree, as something objectionable, repreheu- 
