Addison. MINGLE. n. s. [from the verb.] Mixture; medley; confused mass. Trumpeters, With brazen din blast you the city's ear, Neither can I defend my Spanish Fryar; though the comical parts are diverting, and the serious moving, yet they are of an unnatural mingle. Dryden's Dufresnoy. MINGLER. n. s. [from the verb.] He vho mingles. MINIATURE. n. s. [miniature, Fr. from minimum, Lat.] 1. Painting by powders mixed with gum and water. A mode of painting almost appropriated to small figures. 2. Representation in a small compass; representation less than the reality. The water, with twenty bubbles, not content to have the picture of their face in large, would in each of these bubbles set forth the miniature of them. Sidney. If the ladies should once take a liking to such 6 2. Minims of nature; some of serpent-kind, Wond'rous in length, and corpulence, involv'd Their snaky folds, and added wings. Milton. This word is applied, in the northern counties, to a small sort of fish, which they pronounce mennim. See MINNOW. MINIMUS. n. s. [Latin.] A being of the least size. Get you gone, you dwarf, You minimus of hind'ring knot grass made; You bead, you acorn. Shakspeare. MINION. n. s. [mignon, Fr.] A favourite; a darling; a low dependant; one who pleases rather than benefits. A word of contempt; or of slight and fa miliar kindness. Minion, said she; indeed I was a pretty one in those days; I see a number of lads that love you. Sidney. They were made great courtiers, and in the way of minions, when advancement, the most mortal offence to envy, stirred up their former friend to overthrow them. Sidney. One, who had been a special minion of Andromanas, hated us for having dispossessed him of her heart. Sidney. Go rate thy minions ; Becomes it thee to be thus bold in terms Before thy sovereign. Shakspeare's Henry v1. His company must do his minions grace, Whilst I at home starve for a merry look. Shaks. Edward sent one army into Ireland; not for conquest, but to guard the person of his minion Piers Gaveston. Davies. If a man should launch into the history of human nature, we should find the very minions of princes linked in conspiracies against their mas L'Estrange ter. The drowsy tyrant by his minions led, To regal rage devotes some patriot's head. Swift. MINIOUS. adj. [from minium, Lat.] Of the colour of red lead or vermillion. Some conceive, that the Red Sea receiveth a red and minious tincture from springs that fall into it. Brows. To MINISH. v. a. [from diminish; minus, Lat.] To lessen; to lop; to impair. Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. Exodus. They are minished and brought low through oppression. Psalms. Another law was to bring in the silver of the realm to the mint, in making all clipt, minished, or impaired coins of silver, not to be current in payments. Bacon's Henry VII. MINISTER.. s. [minister, Lat. ministre, French.] 1. An agent; one who is employed to any end; one who acts not by any inherent authority, but under another. You, whom virtue hath made the princess of felicity, be not the minister of ruin. Sidney, Rumble thy belly full; spit fire, spout rain, Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters; Itax not you, you elements, with unkindness: But yet I call you servile ministers, That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Your high-engender'd battles, 'gainst a head So old and white as this. Shakspeare. Th' infernal minister advanc'd, Seiz'd the due victim. Other spirits govern'd by the will, Dryden. Shoot through their tracks, and distant muscles fili; This sovereign, by his arbitrary nod, Restrains or sends his ministers abroad. Blackm. 2. One who is employed in the administration of government. Kings must be answerable to God, but the ministers to kings, whose eyes, ears, and hands they are, must be answerable to God and man. Bacon. 3. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal functions. Epaphras a faithful minister of Christ. 1 Col. The ministers are always preaching, and the governors putting forth edicts against dancing and gaming. Addison. The ministers of the gospel are especially required to shine as lights in the world, because the distinction of their station renders their conduct more observable; and the presumption of their knowledge, and the dignity of their office, gives a peculiar force and authority to their example. Rogers. Calidus contents himself with thinking, that he never was a friend to hereticks and infidels; that he has always been civil to the minister of Lis parish, and very often given something to the charity-schools. 4. A delegate; an official. If wrongfully Laru. Let God revenge; for I may never lift An angry arm against his minister. Shakspeare. 5. An agent from a foreign power without the dignity of an ambassador. To MINISTER. v. a. [ministro, Lat.] To give; to supply; to afford. All the customs of the Irish would minister occasion of a most ample discourse of the original and antiquity of that people. Spenser. Now he that ministeretb seed to the sower, both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown. 2 Corinthians. The wounded patient bears The artist's hand that ministers the cure. Otway. To MINISTER. v. a. 1. To attend, to serve in any office. At table Eve Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups With pleasant liquors crown'd. 2. To give medicines. Milton. Can'st thou not minister to a mind diseas'd, 1 He who has a soul wholly void of gratitude, should set his soul to learn of his body; for all the parts of that minister to one another. South. There is no truth which a man may more evidently make out than the existence of a God; yet he that shall content himself with things as they minister to our pleasures and passions, and not make enquiry a little farther into their causes and ends, may live long without any notion of such a being. Locke. Those good men, who take such pleasure in relieving the miserable for Christ's sake, would not have been less forward to minister unto Christ himself. Atterbury. Fasting is not absolutely good, but relatively, and as it ministers to other virtues. Smalridge. 4. To attend on the service of God. Whether prophecy, let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministring. Remans. MINISTERIAL. adj. [from minister.] 1. Attendant; acting at commend. Understanding is in a man; comage and vi vacity in the lion; service, and ministerial offi❤ ciousness, in the ox. Brocun. Fro essences unseen, celestial names, 3. 4. Prior. For the ministerial offices in court there must be an eye unto then. Bacon's Advice to Villiers. Abstinence, the apostle det miqes, is of no other real value in religion tn as a ministerial cause of moral effects: as it recails us from the world, and gives a serious turn to our thoughts, Rogers. Sacerdotal; belonging to the ecclesiasticks or their office. These speeches of Jerom and Chrysostom plainly allude unto such ministerial garment as were then in use. Hooker. Pertaining to ministers of state, or persons in subordinate authority. MINISTERIALLY, adv. In a ministerial manner. Supremacy of office, by mutual agreement and voluntary economy, belongs to the father; while the son, out of voluntary condescension, submits to act ministerially, or in capacity of mediator. Waterland. MINISTERY. n. s. [ministerium, Lat.] Office; service. This word is now contracted to ministry, but used by Milton as four syllables. They that will have their chamber filled with a good scent, make some odoriferous water be blown about it by their servants mouths that are dexterous in that ministery. Digby. This temple to frequent With ministeries due, and solemn rites. Milton. MINISTRAL. adj. [from minister.] Pertaining to a minister. MINISTRANT. adj. [from minister.] Attendant, acting at command. &ope accents it, not according to analogy, on the second syllable. Him thrones, and pow'rs, God made him the instrument of his providence to me, as he hath made his own land to him, with this difference, that God, by his ministration to me, intends to do him a favour. Tevlar. Though sometimes effected by the immediate fiat of the divine will, yet I think they are most ordinarily done by the ministration of angels. Hale. 2. Service; office; ecclesiastical function. The profession of a clergyman is an holy profession, because it is a ministration in holy things, an attendance at the altar. Lare. If the present ministration, be more glorious than the former, the minister is mere holy., Atterbury. MINISTRY. 2. s. [contracted from minis- So far is an indistinction of all persons, and, by consequence, an anarchy of all things, so far from being agreeable to the will of God declared in his great household, the world, and especially in all the ministries of his proper household the church, that there was never yet any time, I believe, since it was a number, when some of its members were not more sacred than others. Spratt's Sermons. 2. Office of one set apart to preach; ec- Their ministry perform'd, and race well run, Saint Paul was miraculously called to the ministry of the gospel, and had the whole doctrine of the gospel from God by immediate revelation; and was appointed the apostle of the Gentiles for propagating it in the heathen world. 3. Agency; interposition. Locke. The natural world, he made after a miracuJous manner; but directs the affairs of it ever since by standing rules, and the ordinary ministry of second causes. painting, and is called masticot or massicot; after this put it into a reverberatory furnace, and it will calcine further, and become of a fine red, which is the common minium or red lead: among the ancients minium was the name for cinnabar: the modern minium is used externally, and is excellent in cleansing and healing old ulcers. Hill. MINNOCK. n. s. Of this word I know not the precise meaning. It is not unlikely that minnock and minx are origi nally the same word. An ass's nole I fixed on his head; Anon his Thisbe must be answered, And forth my minnock comes. Shakspeare MINNOW.n.s. [menue, Fr.] A very small fish; a pink: a corruption of minim, which see. Here you this triton of the minnows? Shaks. The mirror, when he is in perfect season, and not sick, which is only presently after spawring, hath a kind of dappled or waved colour, like a panther, on his sides, inclining to a greenish and sky-colour, his belly being milk-white, and his back almost black or blackich: he is a sharp biter at a small worm in hot weather, and in the spring they make excellent minnow tansies; for being washed well in salt, and their heads and tails cut off, and their guts taken out, being fried with yolks of eggs, primroses, and tansy. Walton. The nimble turning of the minnote is the perfection of minnow fishing. Walton's Angler. MINOR. adj. [Latin.] 1. Petty; inconsiderable. If there are petty errours and minor lapses, not considerably injurious unto faith, yet is it not safe to contemn inferiour falsities. Brown. 2. Less; smaller. They altered this custom from cases of high concernment to the most trivial debates, the mi nor part ordinarily entering their protest. Clarenden. The difference of a third part in so large and collective an account is not strange, if we consider how differently they are set in minor and less mistakeable numbers. Brown's Vulgar Errours. MINOR n s. 1. One under age; one whose youth cannot yet allow him to manage his own affairs. King Richard the Second, the first ten years of his reign, was a miror. Davies on Ireland. He and his muse might be miners, but the ligrown. Collier. bertines are full Atterbury. To all but thee in fits he seem'd to go, 4. Business. He safe from loud alarms, Abhorr'd the wicked ministry of arms. Dryden. 5. Persons employed in the publick affairs of a state. I converse in full freedom with many considerable men of both parties; and if not in equal number, it is purely accidental, as happening to have made acquaintance at court more under one ministry than another. Swift. MINIUM. n. s. [Lat.] Red lead. Melt lead in a broad earthen vessel unglazed, and stir it continually till it be calcinated into a grey powder; this is called the calx of lead; continue the fire, stirring it in the same manner, and it becomes yellow; in this state it is used in Long as the year's dull circle seems to run, When the brisk minor pants for twenty-one. Pope. The noblest blood of England having been shed in the grand rebellion, many great families became extinct, or supported only by minors. Swift. A minor or infant cannot be said to be contumacious, because he cannot appear as a defendant in court, but by his guardian. Ayliff's Parergen. 2. The second or particular proposition in the syllogism. The second or minor proposition was, that this kingdom hath cause of just fear of overthrow from Spain. Bacon. He supposed that a philosopher's brain was like a forest, where ideas are ranged like anímals of several kinds; that the major is the male, the minor the female, which copulate by the middle term, and engender the conclusion. Arbuthnot. T MINORATE. V.a. [from minor, Lat.} To lessen; to diminish. A word not yet admitted into the language. This it doth not only by the advantageous assistance of a tube, but by shewing in what deGlanville. grecs distance minorates the object. MINORA TION. n. s. [from minorate.] The act of lessening; diminution; decrease. A word not admitted. Bodies emit virtue without abatement of weight, as is most evident in the loadstone, whose efficiences are communicable without a minoration of gravity. Brown's Vulgar Errours We hope the mercies of God will consider our degenerated integrity unto some mineration of our offences. Brown. MINORITY. n. s [minorité, Fr. from minor, Lat.] 1. The state of being under age. I moved the king, my master, to speak in the behalf of my daughter, in the minority of them both. Shakspeare. He is young, and his minority Is put into the trust of Richard Gloster. Shaksp. These changes in religion should be staid, until the king were of years to govern by himself: this the people apprehending worse than it was, a question was raised, whether, during the king's minerity, such alterations might be made or no. Hayward's Edward VI. Henry the Eighth, doubting he might die in the minority of his son, procured an act to pass, that no statute made during the minority of the king should bind him or his successors, except it were confirmed by the king at his full age. But the first act that passed in king Edward the Sixth's time, was a repeal of that former act; at which time nevertheless the king was minor. Bacon. If there be evidence, that it is not many ages since nature was in her minority, this may be taken for a good proof that she is not eternal. Burnet. Their counsels are warlike and ambitious, though something tempered by the minority of their king. Temple. 1. The state of being less. From this narrow time of gestation may ensue a minority, or smallness in the exclusion. Brown. 3. The smaller number: as, the minority held for that question in opposition to the majority. MINOTAUR. n. s. [minotaure, Fr. minos and taurus, Lat.] A monster invented by the poets, half man and half bull, kept in Dedalus' labyrinth. Thou may'st not wander in that labyrinth, There minotaurs, and ugly treasons lurk. Shaksp. MINSTER. n. s. [minrtene, Sax.] A monastery; an ecclesiastical fraternity; a cathedral church. The word is yet retained at York and Litchfield. MINSTREL. n. s. [menestril, Spanish; menestrallus, low Lat.] A musician; one who plays upon instruments. Hark how the minstrels 'gin to shrill aloud Ite the vulgar am become a jest; Esteemed as a minstrel at a feast. Sandys. Were once the minstrels of a country show; These fellows Follow'd the prizes through each paltry town, Often our seers and poets have confess'd, MINSTRELSEY. n.s. [from minstrel.} Davier. Wrapt in a pleasing fit of melancholy, 2. A number of musicians. Donne Milton, Ministring spirits train'd up in feast and song! Such hast thou arm'd the minstrelsey of heaven. Milton. MINT. n. s. [minte, Sax. menthe, Fr. mentha, Lat.] A plant. Then rubb'd it o'er with newly-gather'd mint, A wholesome herb, that breath'd a grateful scent. Dryden. MINT. n. s. [munte, Dutch; mynetian, to coin, Saxon.] 1. The place where money is coined. What is a person's name or face, that receives all his reputation from the mint, and would never have been known had there not been medals. Addison, 2. Any place of invention, A man in all the world's new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain. Shaks. As the mints of calumny are at work, a great number of curious inventions are issued out, which grow current among the party. Addison. To MINT. v. a. [from the noun.] 1. To coin; to stamp money. 2. Another law was, to bring in the silver of the realm to the mint, in making all clipped coins of silver not to be current in payments, without giving any remedy of weight; and so to set the mint on work, and to give way to new coins of silver which should be then minted. Bacon's Henry VII. To invent; to forge. Bacon. Look into the titles whereby they hold these The visage quite transforms of him that drinks, Milton. 2. The duty paid for coining. Ainsworth. MINTER. n. s. [from mint.] Coiner. Sterling ought to be of pure silver called leaf silver, the minter must add other weight, if the silver be not pure. Camden. MINTMAN. . s. [mint and man.] Que skilled in coinage. MINTMASTER. n. s. [mint and master.] 1. One who presides in coinage. That which is coined, as mintmasters confessed, is allayed with about a twelfth part of copper. Boyle. 2. One who invents. The great mintmasters of these terms, the schoolmen and metaphysicians, have wherewithal to content him. Locke. MINUET. n. s. [menuet, Fr.] A stately regular dance. The tender creature could not see his fate, With whom she danc'd a minuet so late. Stepney. John has assurance to set up for a minuet dancer. Spectator. MINUM. n. s. 1. [With printers.] A small sort of printing letter. 2. [With musicians.] A note of slow time, two of which make a semibrief, as two crotchets make a minum; two quavers a crotchet, and two semiquaBailey. vers a quaver. He's the courageous captain of compliments; he fights as you sing pricksongs, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests his minum, one, two, and the third in your bosom. Shaksp MINUTE. adj. [minutus, Lat.] Small; little; slender; small in bulk; small in consequence. Some minute philosophers pretend, That with our days our pains and pleasures end. Denham. Such an universal superintendency has the eye and hand of providence over all, even the most minute and inconsiderable things. South. Into small parts the wond'rous stone divide, Ten thousand of minutest size express The same propension which the large possess. Blackmore. The serum is attenuated by circulation, so as to pass into the minutest channels, and become fit nutriment for the body. Arbuthnot. In all divisions we should consider the larger and more immediate parts of the subject, and not divide it at once into the more minute and remote parts. Watts' Legick. MINUTE. n. s. [minutum, Latin.] 1. The sixtieth part of an hour. This man so complete, Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when tish law: as, have you made a minute of that contract? To MINUTE. v. a. [minuter, Fr.] To set down in short hints. I no sooner heard this critick talk of my works, but I minuted what he had said, and resolved to enlarge the plan of my speculations. Spectator. MINUTE BOOK. n. s. [minute and book.] Book of short hints. MINUTE GLASS. n. s. [minute and glass.] Glass of which the sand measures a minute. MINUTELY. adv. [from minúte.] To a small point; exactly; to the least part; nicely. In this posture of mind it was impossible for him to keep that slow pace, and observe minutely that order of ranging all he said, from which results an obvious perspicuity. Change of night and day, Locke. And of the seasons ever stealing round, Minutely faithful. Thomson's Summer. MINUTELY. adv. [from minute, the substantive.] 1. Every minute; with very little time intervening. What is it but a continued perpetuated voice from heaven, resounding for ever in our ears? As if it were minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven, to give men no rest in their sins, no quiet from Christ's importunity till they arise from so mortiferous a state. Hammond. 2. [In the following passage it seems rather to be an adjective, as hourly is both the adverb and adjective.] Happening every minute. Now minutely revolts upbraid his faith-breach, Those he commands, move only in command, Nothing in love. Shaksp. Macbeth. MINU TENESS. n. s. [from minúte.] Smailness; exility; inconsiderableness. nuteness. The animal spirit and insensible particles never fall under our senses by reason of their miBentley. MINUTE-WATCH. n. s. [minute and watch.] A watch in which minutes are more distinctly marked than in common watches which reckon by the hour. Casting our eyes upon a minute-ratch, we found that from the beginning of the pumping, about two minutes after the coals had been put in glowing, to the total disappearing of the fire, there had passed but three minutes. Beyle. MINX. n. s. [contracted, I suppose, from minnock.] A young, pert, wanton girl. Lewd minx! Some torches bore, some links, Shakspeare. Hudibras. She, when but yet a tender minx, began To hold the door, but now sets up for man. Dryden. MIRACLE. n. s. [miracle, Fr. miraculum, Latin.] 1. A wonder; something above human power. Nothing almost sees miracles But misery. Shaksp. King Lear. Virtuous and holy, chosen from above, To work exceeding miracles on earth. Shaksp. Be not offended, nature's miracle, Thou art allotted to be ta'en by me. Shaksp |