Chapter Marbly to Marian of M by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Mareschal
(Mare"schal) n. [OF. mareschal, F. maréchal. See Marshal.] A military officer of high rank; a marshal. [Obs.]

Mare's-nest
(Mare's"-nest`) n. A supposed discovery which turns out to be a hoax; something grossly absurd.

Mare's-tail
(Mare's"-tail`) n.

1. A long streaky cloud, spreading out like a horse's tail, and believed to indicate rain; a cirrus cloud. See Cloud.

Mackerel sky and mare's-tails
Make tall ships carry low sails.

Old Rhyme.

2. (Bot.) An aquatic plant of the genus Hippuris having narrow leaves in whorls.

Margarate
(Mar"ga*rate) n. [Cf. F. margarate.] (Physiol. Chem.) A compound of the so- called margaric acid with a base.

Margaric
(Mar*gar"ic) a. [Cf. F. margarique. See Margarite.] Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; pearly.

Margaric acid. (a) (Physiol. Chem.) A fatty body, crystallizing in pearly scales, and obtained by digesting saponified fats (soaps) with an acid. It was formerly supposed to be an individual fatty acid, but is now known to be simply an intimate mixture of stearic and palmitic acids. (b) (Chem.) A white, crystalline substance, C₁₇H₃₄O₂ of the fatty acid series, intermediate between palmitic and stearic acids, and obtained from the wax of certain lichens, from cetyl cyanide, and other sources.

Margarin
(Mar"ga*rin) n. [Cf. F. margarine. See Margarite.] (Physiol. Chem.) A fatty substance, extracted from animal fats and certain vegetable oils, formerly supposed to be a definite compound of glycerin and margaric acid, but now known to be simply a mixture or combination of tristearin and tripalmitin.

Margaritaceous
(Mar`ga*ri*ta"ceous) a. Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; pearly.

Margarite
(Mar"ga*rite) n. [L. margarita, Gr. a pearl; cf. F. marguerite.]

1. A pearl. [Obs.] Peacham.

2. (Min.) A mineral related to the micas, but low in silica and yielding brittle folia with pearly luster.

Margaritic
(Mar`ga*rit"ic) a. [Cf. F. margaritique.] (Physiol. Chem.) Margaric.

Margaritiferous
(Mar`ga*ri*tif"er*ous) a. [L. margaritifer; margarita pearl + ferre to bear: cf. F. margaritifère.] Producing pearls.

Margarodite
(Mar*gar"o*dite) n. [Gr. pearl- like.] (Min.) A hidrous potash mica related to muscovite.

Margarone
(Mar"ga*rone) n. [Margaric + -one.] (Chem.) The ketone of margaric acid.

Margarous
(Mar"ga*rous) a. (Chem.) Margaric; — formerly designating a supposed acid. [Obs.]

Margate fish
(Mar"gate fish") (Zoöl.) A sparoid fish (Diabasis aurolineatus) of the Gulf of Mexico, esteemed as a food fish; — called also red-mouth grunt.

Margay
(Mar"gay) n. (Zoöl.) An American wild cat ranging from Mexico to Brazil. It is spotted with black. Called also long-tailed cat.