n. [ OE. masse, messe, AS. maesse. LL. missa, from L. mittere, missum, to send, dismiss: cf. F. messe. In the ancient churches, the public services at which the catechumens were permitted to be present were called missa catechumenorum, ending with the reading of the Gospel. Then they were dismissed with these words : “Ite, missa est” [ sc. ecclesia ], the congregation is dismissed. After that the sacrifice proper began. At its close the same words were said to those who remained. So the word gave the name of Mass to the sacrifice in the Catholic Church. See Missile, and cf. Christmas, Lammas, Mess a dish, Missal. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (R. C. Ch.) The sacrifice in the sacrament of the Eucharist, or the consecration and oblation of the host. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) The portions of the Mass usually set to music, considered as a musical composition; -- namely, the Kyrie, the Gloria, the Credo, the Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei, besides sometimes an Offertory and the Benedictus. [ 1913 Webster ]

Canon of the Mass. See Canon. --
High Mass, Mass with incense, music, the assistance of a deacon, subdeacon, etc. --
Low Mass, Mass which is said by the priest throughout, without music. --
Mass bell, the sanctus bell. See Sanctus. --
Mass book, the missal or Roman Catholic service book. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To form or collect into a mass; to form into a collective body; to bring together into masses; to assemble. [ 1913 Webster ]

But mass them together and they are terrible indeed. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Massed p. pr. & vb. n. Massing. ] To celebrate Mass. [ Obs. ] Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. masse, F. masse, L. massa; akin to Gr. &unr_; a barley cake, fr. &unr_; to knead. Cf. Macerate. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A quantity of matter cohering together so as to make one body, or an aggregation of particles or things which collectively make one body or quantity, usually of considerable size; as, a mass of ore, metal, sand, or water. [ 1913 Webster ]

If it were not for these principles, the bodies of the earth, planets, comets, sun, and all things in them, would grow cold and freeze, and become inactive masses. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A deep mass of continual sea is slower stirred
To rage. Savile. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Phar.) A medicinal substance made into a cohesive, homogeneous lump, of consistency suitable for making pills; as, blue mass. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A large quantity; a sum. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the mass of gold that comes into Spain. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had spent a huge mass of treasure. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Bulk; magnitude; body; size. [ 1913 Webster ]

This army of such mass and charge. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The principal part; the main body. [ 1913 Webster ]

Night closed upon the pursuit, and aided the mass of the fugitives in their escape. Jowett (Thucyd.). [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Physics) The quantity of matter which a body contains, irrespective of its bulk or volume. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Mass and weight are often used, in a general way, as interchangeable terms, since the weight of a body is proportional to its mass (under the same or equal gravitative forces), and the mass is usually ascertained from the weight. Yet the two ideas, mass and weight, are quite distinct. Mass is the quantity of matter in a body; weight is the comparative force with which it tends towards the center of the earth. A mass of sugar and a mass of lead are assumed to be equal when they show an equal weight by balancing each other in the scales. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blue mass. See under Blue. --
Mass center (Geom.), the center of gravity of a triangle. --
Mass copper, native copper in a large mass. --
Mass meeting, a large or general assembly of people, usually a meeting having some relation to politics. --
The masses, the great body of the people, as contrasted with the higher classes; the populace. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Massacred p. pr. & vb. n. Massacring ] [ Cf. F. massacrer. See Massacre, n. ] To kill in considerable numbers where much resistance can not be made; to kill with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to the usages of nations; to butcher; to slaughter; -- limited to the killing of human beings. [ 1913 Webster ]

If James should be pleased to massacre them all, as Maximian had massacred the Theban legion. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. LL. mazacrium; cf. Prov. G. metzgern, metzgen, to kill cattle, G. metzger a butcher, and LG. matsken to cut, hew, OHG. meizan to cut, Goth. máitan. ] 1. The killing of a considerable number of human beings under circumstances of atrocity or cruelty, or contrary to the usages of civilized people; as, the massacre on St. Bartholomew's Day; the St. Valentine's Day massacre; the Amritsar massacre; the Wounded Knee massacre. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

2. Murder. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Massacre, Butchery, Carnage. Massacre denotes the promiscuous slaughter of many who can not make resistance, or much resistance. Butchery refers to cold-blooded cruelty in the killing of men as if they were brute beasts. Carnage points to slaughter as producing the heaped-up bodies of the slain. [ 1913 Webster ]

I'll find a day to massacre them all,
And raze their faction and their family. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,
Brhold this pattern of thy butcheries. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such a scent I draw
Of carnage, prey innumerable! Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who massacres. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. (Med.) To treat by means of massage; to rub or knead; as, to massage a patient with ointment. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. ] A rubbing or kneading of the body, especially when performed as a hygienic or remedial measure. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices massage; a masseur or masseuse. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]