mooring-bend 
mOOring-bend (nior'in^-liend). n. \tit., the 
heiid l>y which a cable or hawser is secured to 
a post or rine;. 
mooring-bitts (inor'in^-bits). . /</. Strong 
posts of wood or iron fastened in 1111 upright 
position on a ship's deck, for securing mooriug- 
chains or cables. 
mooring-block (mor'ing-blok), . A sort of 
cast -iron anchor used in some ports for mooring 
ships. 
mooring-bridle (mor'ing-brl'dl), n. .v/., a 
chain or hawser attached to permanent moor- 
ings, and taken on board through the hawse- 
pipe in mooring. 
mooring-chocksOnor'ing-choks), ii. ill. Large 
blocks of hard wood fastened in a snip's port- 
holes, with scores in them to hold the moorings. 
mooring-pall (tnor'ing-pal), H. Same as w// - 
mooring-post (mor'ing-post), n. 1. A strong 
upright post of wood, stone, or iron, fixed firm- 
ly in the ground, for securing vessels to a land- 
ing-place by hawsers or chains. 2. pi. Same 
as mniiriiiti-liitls. 
mooring-shackle (mdr'ing-shak"l), . Same as 
mooring-swivel. 
mooring-stump (mor'ing-stump), n. A fixture 
to which boats were formerly moored. It consist- 
ed of a large stone, weighing from 8 to 4 tons, with a hole in 
the mlddleabouty inches in diameter, Into which a straight 
white oak butt, about 17 feet long, was inserted, so that at 
high tide some 3 or 4 feet 
of the stump appeared 
above the water. To It 
were attached a crab and 
a piece of cable, which 
were kept afloat by a 
buoy. [Gloucester, Mass- 
achusetts. ] 
mooring-swivel 
(m6r'iug-swiv"l), n. 
Naut., a swivel used 
in mooring a ship to 
shackle two chains 
together so that 
they may not be- 
come twisted. AISO Moorinl j. swivel or Mooring-shackk. 
iiiooriiiH-xhackle. 
moorish 1 (mSr'ish), a. [< moor 1 + -ishl.~] 1. 
Marshy ; resembling a moor. 
There now no rivers course is to be seene, 
But moorish fennes, and marshes ever greene. 
Spenser. Ruins of Time, 1. 140. 
The Ground here [Amsterdam J, which is all 'twixtMash 
and Moorish, lies not oidy level but to the apparent Sight 
of the Eye far lower than the Sea. Hovell, Letters, I. L 5. 
Along the tnoorish fens 
Sighs the sad geniua of the coming storm. 
Thomson, Winter, L Otl. 
2. Belonging to a moor; growing on a moor: 
as, moorish reeds. 3. Having the qualities of 
a moor; characterless; barren. 
They be pathless, moorish minds, 
That, being once made rotten with the dung 
Of damned riches, over after sink 
Beneath the steps of any villainy. 
B. Janson, Poetaster, v. 1. 
858 
in Egypt, but Is generally itifcni.r in dignity, rcnncmcni, 
and variety. I.Ike other Saracenic art, it is nearly devolu 
of the representation of animal or vegetable life, and Is 
: ill) iirh iii piifly riMitriitiunal or geometrical pat- 
terns, such as interlacing!*, produced in stamped :u 
"p <1 plaster, In glazed and painted tiles, in carving, etc. 
Alhambralc art Is a late development of the Moorish. See 
cut under arabesque. Moorish drum, a tanilHuirine. 
Moorish pottery, |>"ttrry made by the people nf north- 
ern Africa: a name specifically given to the Imrini hnilt 
into the walls of ancient Italian churches, assumed by 
modern writers to have been brought from Africa as tro- 
phies. 
-^ 
Moorish 11 (mor'ish), a. [< Moor* + -*>. Cf. 
Morisco, Moresque, morris 1 .'] Of or pertaining to 
the Moors Moorish art, decoration, etc., the art of 
the Mohammedan people of northern Africa both at home 
and In Spain during their occupation of that country. It 
Is a branch of the Saracenic art, and bears a close general 
resemblance to Arabic art, as seen In Syria, and especially 
' 
Moorish Art. Doorway of M.wque, Tangier*. Morocco. 
. 
moorland (mor'hind), n. and a. [< ME. *u>r- 
/mill, < AS. HKirliniil, < mfir, moor, -r land, land.] 
I. n. A tract of waste land ; a moor. 
the dreary, dreary moorlanit ! O the barren, barren shore ! 
Tennyson, Lockslcy Hall. 
II. n. Consisting of moorland; having the 
properties of a moor. 
Moorman (mOr'man), u.; pi. Moormen (-men). 
[< Moor* + -man.'] A Moor; one supposed to 
be a Moor: specifically applied to Mohamme- 
dan tradesmen of Arabic descent in Ceylon. 
l.i >kn- Appu. tying the Moorman up In the aack, and tak- 
ing hia clothes and bundle of cloth, then hid himself. 
The Orientalist, M. 6.1. 
moor-monkey (mor'mung''ki), n. A book- 
name of a Bornean macaque, Macacitg mum >: 
so called from the blackish color. It is about 
18 inches long, with scarcely any tail. 
moornt, < An obsolete spelling of mourn 1 . 
moorpan (mor'pan), n. [< moor 1 + ]>a>i. Cf. 
liard-inm.] A hard clayey layer, frequently 
ferruginous, found at a depth of 10 or 12 inches 
in mossy districts. Also momband. 
moor-peat (mOr'pet), n. Peat derived chiefly 
from varieties of sphagnum or moss. [Eng.] 
moorstone (mor'ston), . Granite. [Cornwall 
and Devonshire, Eng.j , 
Hard grouan 1s granite or moontone. Pryee (1778). 
moor-tit (mor'tit), n. 1. The stonochat or 
wheatear, Saxicokt oenanthe. 2. The whinchat. 
Pratineula rubicola. 3. The meadow-pipit, JH- 
thus pratensis. [Local Eng. in all senses.] 
moorva (mor'vii), n. [E. Ind., < Skt. niuird.] An 
East Indian pliant, Sanxrvirria Zeylanica ; also, 
its long, tenacious, silky fiber, which makes an 
excellent cordage. Also called marool, and, 
with other species of the genus, boirntring hemp. 
moor-whin (mor'hwin), N. See whin. 
moorwort (moVwert), . A shrub, Andromi-ila 
pnlifolin. See rosemary. 
moory 1 (mSr'i), . [< ME. *mory, < AS. morig, 
moory, < mor, moor: see moor 1 and -y 1 .] 
Marshy; fenny; boggy; watery. 
In process of time [they] became to be qult overgrowne 
with earth and moulds ; which moulds, wanting their due 
aadnesse, are now turned Into moorie plot*. 
UoKnshed, Descrfp. of England, nil. 
The dust the Heidi and pastures covers, 
As when thick mists arise from moory rales. 
Fairfax. 
moory 2 (moVi), . [E. Ind.] A blue cloth 
principally manufactured in the presidency of 
Madras in India and exported to the Malay peo- 
ples of the south. Bnifonr. 
moost, ii. An old form of moone. 
moose (mos), ii. [Formerly also mooitix; < Al- 
gonkin musv, Kmsteneaux moustrnli : said to 
mean 'wood-eater.'] An animal of the fam- 
ily Cervidte, the Cerrun alces or Alee* malchix of 
those who hold that it is the same as the elk of 
Europe; the moose-deer of America, by some 
considered specifically distinct from the elk of 
Europe, and then called Alces nmcricana. It U 
the largest animal of iU kind In America, and corresponds 
to the elk of Europe, being very different from the Ameri- 
can elk or wapiti, Elaphus (Germs) canadtnsis. The male 
may attain the height of 17 hands, and weigh 1,000 pounds 
or more. The form is very ungainly, with humped withers 
and sloping quarto's, and a very heavy, unshapely head. 
The horns are enormous and completely palmate, with 
many short points. A kind o( bag or pouch hangs from 
the throat. The limbs are thick, with broad hoofs; the 
tall is very short ; the ears are large and slouching ; and 
the muzzle Is very broad, with a thick pendulous upper 
lip. The color is brown of variable shade. The female 
is hornless, and much smaller and more slightly built than 
the male. The moose inhabits the northernmost part of 
the Vnlted States, as northern New England, and much 
of British America, The cut at die is an equally good fig- 
ure of the moose. 
The Beasts (of New England) be as followeth : 
The Kingly Lion and the strong arro'd Bear, 
The large-limb'd Moosis with the tripping Dear; 
Quit-darting Porcupines and Rackcames be, 
Castled in the hollow of an aged Tree. 
S. Clarice, Four Plantations in America (1670X p. 32. 
moose-bird (mds'berd), ii. The Canada jay or 
whisky-jack, Perigoreus canadenxig : so called 
from its frequent association with the moose. 
moose-call (moVkal). n. A trumpet of birch- 
bark used by hmitrrs in calling moose to an 
moot 
ambuscade or blind. Njiortsman'* Gazetteer. 
[ 1 '. S. and Canada J 
moose-deer (miis'der), H. The moose. 
moose-elm < mo-'i-lin), n. 8e elm. 
moosewood imos'wud), n. 1. The leatlu-r- 
woml, Itii.H /Hi/nutria. 2. The striped maple, 
.!/<; /'I-HII*I/II-IIIIII-HIH. See maple 1 . 
moose-yard (moVyard), n. A space or ar> 
the oods occupied by a herd of moose in win- 
ter, -hut in on all sides by deep snow. The inow 
where the animals herd together to browae upon moose 
wood, nions, etc., being trampled down, a sort of Ineloture 
Is formed, which may be occupied by many Individuals u 
long as the supply of food but*. [U. 8. and Canada.) 
Mooslim, n. and it. Same as Moult in. 
moostt, ' A Middle English form of 
moot 1 (m8t), n. [< ME. moot, mote, mot, i 
< AS. uKit (found only in comp.), usually gemot, 
meeting, assembly (iritena gemot, assembly of 
counselors, parliament: gee tcitena-yrtuot), = 
<)S. MI,/, muot = MLO. mote, mute, LO. mote 
= MHG. muos = Icel. mot = Goth, 'garnet (in 
dcriv. gtimotjan, meet), a meeting (cf. Bw. mote, 
Dan. mode = E. inert, n.). Hence moot 1 , r., and 
meet 1 .'} If. A meeting; a formal assembly. In 
this sense obsolete, except ai used, chiefly In the archaic 
(Middle English) form mate, In certain historical terms, as 
fullnnout or/otlnnote, haUmate, etc. See del. S. 
Alle the men In that mote maden much joye 
To apere In his presense prestly that tyme. 
Sir Uaiatyne and the Oreen Kmjht (E. E. T. .\ L 10. 
The monke was going to London ward, 
There to holde grete mote. 
Lytelt Oeste of Robyn Uode (Child's Ballads, V. 88). 
2. The place of such a meeting. 3. In early 
Eng. hist., a court formed by assembling the 
men of the village or tun, the hundred, or the 
kingdom, or their representatives. It exercised 
political and administrative functions with some judicial 
powers. Compare iritena-yemot. See the quotation. 
The four or ten villagers who followed the reeve of each 
township to the general mustr of the hundred were held 
to represent the whole body of the township from whence 
they came. Their voice was its voice, their doing Iti do* 
ing, their pledge Its pledge. The hundred-moot, a moot 
which was made by this gathering of the representative* 
of the townships that lay within Its bounds, thus became 
at once a court of appeal from the mooU of each separate 
village as well as of arbitration in dispute between town- 
ship and township. The Judgment of graver crimes, and 
of life or death, fell to Its share; while It necessarily pos- 
sessed the same right of law-making for the hundred that 
the village-moot possessed for each separate village. And 
as hundred-moot stood above town-moot, so above the 
hundred-moot stood the Folk-moot, the general muster of 
the people in arms, at once war-host and highest law. court, 
and general Parliament of the tribe. But whether In Folk- 
moot or hundred-moot, the principle of representation was 
preserved. In both the constitutional forms, the forms 
of deliberation and decision, were the same. In each the 
priests proclaimed silence, the ealdormen of higher blood 
spoke, groups of freemen from each township stood round, 
shaking their spears In assent, clashing shields In applause, 
settling matters in the end by loud shouts of "Aye" or 
" Nay. J. R. Oreen, Hist of Eng. People, I. I. 
4. Dispute ; debate ; discussion ; specifically, 
in law, an argument on a hypothetical case by 
way of practice. 
The pleadynge used In conrte and chauncery called 
motes, where ... a case Is appoynted to be moted by 
certayne yonge men, contaynyng some doubtefull contro- 
nersie. Sir T. Kfyot, The Oovernour, L 14. 
I hard that your Grace, In the disputes of al purposes 
quherwlth, after the exemple of the wyse in former ages, 
you use to season your moat. 
A. lliniii-. orthographic (E. E. T. H.), Ded., p. _'. 
Orators have their declamations; lawyers have their 
until*. Bacon, Church of Eng. 
Hark moot, see mart. . Swain moot or mote. In old 
Kng, lav, a court of the forests, held periodically before 
the verderers, and having Jurisdiction of poaching, etc. 
Sometimes written mean moot. Wood moot or mote, 
In old Eng. forest law, an inferior court held every forty 
days, a sort of minor "regard* or Inspection, In which 
presentments were made and attachments received. 
Stubt*. 
moot 1 (mot), a. [As an adj., to be regarded as 
contracted from mooti-d. Otherwise moot point 
and moot ease must be compounds, < moot*, n., 
+ point, ooac 1 .] Relating to or connected with 
debatable questions ; subject to discussion ; dis- 
cussed or debated ; debatable; unsettled. 
For it was a moot point in heaven whether he could al- 
ter fate or not : and Indeed some passages In Virgil would 
make us suspect that he was of opinion Jupiter might 
defer fate, though he could not alter It. 
Drydrn, Epic Poetry. 
Whether this young gentleman . . . combined with the 
miserly vice of an old one any of the open-handed vices of 
a young one was a moot point 
Ditkrnt, Our Mutual Friend, U. 5. 
Hoot court. See court. 
moot 1 (m8t), r. [< ME. moten, mooten, motien, 
cite to a meeting, discuss, < AS. motion, cite to 
a meeting. < mot, fit mot, a meeting: see moot 1 , 
n.] I. frnii.v. 1. to debate; discuss; argue for 
and against; introduce or submit for discns- 
sion. 
