‖n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_; an Indian spice plant. ] (Bot.) A genus of aromatic plants. It includes species which bear cardamoms, and grains of paradise. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. A genus of tendril-climbing herbs or shrubs whose seeds have a white heart-shaped spot.
Syn. -- genus Cardiospermum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. a genus consisting of one species, the Moreton Bay chestnut.
Syn. -- genus Castanospermum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L., fr. Gr. &unr_;; chryso`s gold + &unr_; flower. ] (Bot.) A genus of composite plants, mostly perennial, and of many species including the many varieties of garden chrysanthemums (annual and perennial), and also the feverfew and the oxeye daisy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a large genus of annual or perennial herbs of the Old World and North America; some are grown for their flowers and some for their attractive evergreen leaves.
Syn. -- genus Erysimum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. the point located farthest from the middle of something.
Syn. -- extreme point, extreme, extremity. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. the most extreme possible amount or value.
Syn. -- peak. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Per. or Ar. hammān. ] A sweating bath or place for sweating. Sir T. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Maxima [ L., neut. from maximus the greatest. See Maxim. ] The greatest quantity or value attainable in a given case; or, the greatest value attained by a quantity which first increases and then begins to decrease; the highest point or degree; -- opposed to minimum. [ 1913 Webster ]

Good legislation is the art of conducting a nation to the maximum of happiness, and the minimum of misery. P. Colquhoun. [ 1913 Webster ]

Maximum thermometer, a thermometer that registers the highest degree of temperature attained in a given time, or since its last adjustment. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Greatest in quantity or highest in degree attainable or attained; as, a maximum consumption of fuel; maximum pressure; maximum heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. meshmbri`a midday + 'a`nqos flower. ] (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous or suffruticose plants, chiefly natives of South Africa. The leaves are opposite, thick, and fleshy. The flowers usually open about midday, whence the name. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Minima [ L., fr. minimus. See Minim. ] The least quantity assignable, admissible, or possible, in a given case; hence, a thing of small consequence; -- opposed to maximum. [ 1913 Webster ]

Minimum thermometer, a thermometer for recording the lowest temperature since its last adjustment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Silence. [ R. ] Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Of imitative origin. Cf. Mumble. ] Silent; not speaking; as, to keep mum. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

The citizens are mum, and speak not a word. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

mum's the word keep this a secret; don't tell anybody. [ PJC ]

interj. Be silent! Hush! [ 1913 Webster ]

Mum, then, and no more. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ G. mummere, fr. Christian Mumme, who first brewed it in 1492. ] A sort of strong beer, originally made in Brunswick, Germany. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

The clamorous crowd is hushed with mugs of mum. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mumbled p. pr. & vb. n. Mumbling ] [ OE. momelen; cf. D. mompelen, mommelen, G. mummelen, Sw. mumla, Dan. mumle. Cf. Mum, a., Mumm, Mump, v. ] 1. To speak with the lips partly closed, so as to render the sounds inarticulate and imperfect; to utter words in a grumbling indistinct manner, indicating discontent or displeasure; to mutter. [ 1913 Webster ]

Peace, you mumbling fool. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wrinkled hag, with age grown double,
Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself. Otway. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To chew something gently with closed lips. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To utter with a low, inarticulate voice. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To chew or bite gently, as one without teeth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gums unarmed, to mumble meat in vain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To suppress, or utter imperfectly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A talebearer. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who mumbles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A game played with a pocketknife, the object of which is to throw the knife in any of a vairety of ways (such as over the back), or from various positions, and have it stick in the ground or another surface. Also called mumble-the-peg and mumble peg. [ PJC ]

a. Low; indistinct; inarticulate. -- Mum"bling*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ Perh. fr. the native name of an African god. ] 1. Among the Mandingos of the western Sudan, a bugbear by means of which the women are terrified and disciplined by societies of the men, one of whom assumes a masquerade for the purpose; hence, loosely, any Negro idol, fetish, or bugaboo. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

The miserable Mumbo Jumbo they paraded. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An object of superstitious homage and fear. Carlyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Incomprehensible or senseless language, usually intended to avoid answering plainly, confuse a listener, or obscure an issue. [ PJC ]

4. Language so arcane or obscure as to be unintelligible to the listener. [ PJC ]

n. 1. A game of hazard played with cards in silence. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] Decker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A silent, stupid person. [ Prov. Eng. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Silent and idle. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Boys can't sit mum-chance always. J. H. Ewing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Mummed p. pr. & vb. n. Mumming. ] [ D. mimmen to mask, mom a mask; akin to G. mumme disguise; prob. of imitative origin, and akin to E. mum, mumble, in allusion to the indistinctness of speech occasioned by talking from behind a mask. Cf. Mumble, Mummery. ] To sport or make diversion in a mask or disguise; to mask. [ 1913 Webster ]

With mumming and with masking all around. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. mommeur. See Mumm, and cf. Momier. ] One who mumms, or makes diversion in disguise; a masker; a buffon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jugglers and dancers, antics, mummers. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Mummeries [ F. momerie, of Dutch or German origin. See Mumm. ] 1. Masking; frolic in disguise; buffoonery. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mummery of foreign strollers. Fenton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Farcical show; hypocritical disguise and parade or ceremonies. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Amer. Indian name. ] (Zool.) Any one of several species of small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and of allied genera; the killifishes; -- called also minnow. [ Written also mummychog, mummachog. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Mummify. ] The act of making a mummy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Converted into a mummy or a mummylike substance; having the appearance of a mummy; withered. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Mummy + -form. ] Having some resemblance to a mummy; -- in Zoology, said of the pupae of certain insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mummified p. pr. & vb. n. Mummifying ] [ Mummy + -fy: cf. F. momifier. ] To embalm and dry as a mummy; to make into, or like, a mummy. Hall (1646). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To turn into a mummy-like corpse; to dry up with unusually little decomposition; -- said of dead animals; as, A mummified body was found in the attic. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Mummies [ F. momie; cf. Sp. & Pg. momia, It. mummia; all fr. Per. mūmiyā, fr. mūm wax. ] 1. A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means, in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dried flesh of a mummy. [ Obs. ] Sir. J. Hill. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; -- formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties. [ Obs. ] Shak. Sir T. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A brown color obtained from bitumen. See Mummy brown (below). [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Gardening) A sort of wax used in grafting, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. One whose affections and energies are withered. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mummy brown, a brown color, nearly intermediate in tint between burnt umber and raw umber. A pigment of this color is prepared from bitumen, etc., obtained from Egyptian tombs. --
Mummy wheat (Bot.), wheat found in the ancient mummy cases of Egypt. No botanist now believes that genuine mummy wheat has been made to germinate in modern times. --
To beat to a mummy, to beat to a senseless mass; to beat soundly. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mummied p. pr. & vb. n. Mummying. ] To embalm; to mummify. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Mummichog. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Akin to mumble; cf. D. mompen to cheat; perh. orig., to whine like a beggar, D. mompelen to mumble. See Mumble, Mum, and cf. Mumps. ] 1. To move the lips with the mouth closed; to mumble, as in sulkiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

He mumps, and lovers, and hangs the lip. Taylor, 1630. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To talk imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly; to chatter unintelligibly. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cheat; to deceive; to play the beggar. [ 1913 Webster ]

And then when mumping with a sore leg, . . . canting and whining. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To be sullen or sulky. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mumped p. pr. & vb. n. Mumping. ] 1. To utter imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Old men who mump their passion. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To work over with the mouth; to mumble; as, to mump food. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To deprive of (something) by cheating; to impose upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A beggar; a begging impostor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Deceived by the tales of a Lincoln's Inn mumper. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sullen, sulky. -- Mump"ish*ly, adv. -- Mump"ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prov. E. mump to be sulky. Cf. Mump, Mumble, and Mum. ] 1. pl. Sullenness; silent displeasure; the sulks. Skinner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Prob. so called from the patient's appearance. ] (Med.) A specific infectious febrile disorder characterized by a nonsuppurative inflammation of the parotid glands, and sometimes causing inflammation of the testes or ovaries; also called epidemic parotitis or infectious parotitis. It is caused by infection with a paramyxovirus. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

{ ‖ } n. [ L. opobalsamum, Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; vegetable juice + &unr_; balsam. ] (Med.) The old name of the aromatic resinous juice of the Balsamodendron opobalsamum, now commonly called balm of Gilead. See under Balm. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Best possible or most desirable; -- usually under a restriction expressed or implied; as, an optimum return on capital; optimum concentration of a drug; an optimum result.
Syn. -- optimal. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The most favorable condition, greatest degree, or largest amount possible under given circumstances. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖ [ L., first cause of motion. ] (Astron.) In the Ptolemaic system, the outermost of the revolving concentric spheres constituting the universe, the motion of which was supposed to carry with it all the inclosed spheres with their planets in a daily revolution from east to west. See Crystalline heavens, under Crystalline. [ 1913 Webster ]

The motions of the greatest persons in a government ought to be, as the motions of the planets, under primum mobile. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ L. ] (Philos.) The supreme or highest good, -- referring to the object of human life. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ NL., fr. Gr. xy`lon wood + ba`lsamon the balsam tree, balsam; cf. L. xylobalsamum balsam wood, Gr. xyloba`lsamon. ] (Med.) The dried twigs of a Syrian tree (Balsamodendron Gileadense). U. S. Disp. [ 1913 Webster ]