<B>mastitis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>inflammation of the mammary glands or the udder of a cow, sow, or other domestic mammal, caused by bacteria or fungi; garget. <BR> <I>Ex. Mastitis, the most costly disease of dairy cattle in the United States (Science News Letter).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>inflammation of the breast. </DL>
<A NAME="mastodon">
<B>mastodon, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>any one of a group of very large extinct mammals, much like mammoths or present-day elephants. <BR> <I>Ex. Prehistoric relatives of the elephant were the mammoths and mastodons that lived in temperate and frigid climates (A. M. Winchester).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) a very large person or thing; giant. <BR> <I>Ex. It is romantic nonsense to think in terms of world-wide strikes to bring the mastodons of industry to their knees (A. H. Raskin).</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> very large; gigantic. <BR> <I>Ex. Stone has brought forth a mastodon volume, "The Passions of the Mind" (Atlantic).</I> (SYN) mammoth. </DL>
<B>mastoid, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a projection of bone behind the ear of many mammals. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Informal.) mastoiditis. <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>of or near the mastoid. <BR> <I>Ex. the mastoid bone. The mastoid process may be felt as the hard area just behind and below the ear (William V. Mayer).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>of or designating certain air cells near the mastoid. <DD><B> 3. </B>shaped like a breast or nipple. </DL>
<A NAME="mastoidectomy">
<B>mastoidectomy, </B>noun, pl. <B>-mies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> removal of the mastoid. </DL>
<A NAME="mastoiditis">
<B>mastoiditis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> inflammation of the mastoid. </DL>
<A NAME="masturbate">
<B>masturbate, </B>verb, <B>-bated,</B> <B>-bating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> to engage in masturbation. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to subject to masturbation. noun <B>masturbator.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="masturbation">
<B>masturbation, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the stimulation of sexual organs by practices other than sexual intercourse, especially manual self-stimulation; self-abuse; onanism; autoeroticism. </DL>
<B>masturbatory, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with masturbation. </DL>
<A NAME="masurium">
<B>masurium, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the former name of the chemical element technetium. </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>mat</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>matted,</B> <B>matting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a piece of coarse fabric made of woven grass, straw, rope, or fiber, used for floor covering or for wiping mud from shoes. A mat is like a small rug. <BR> <I>Ex. I didn't fancy that the red carpet would be out; some form of mat, perhaps (Sunday Times).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a smaller piece of material, often ornamental, to put under a dish, vase, lamp, or the like. A mat is put under a hot dish when it is brought to the table. <DD><B> 3. </B>a large, thick pad covering part of a floor, used to protect wrestlers or gymnasts. <DD><B> 4. </B>anything growing thickly packed or tangled together. <BR> <I>Ex. a mat of weeds.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>a bag made of matting, used to hold coffee, sugar, spices, or other produce. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to cover with mats or matting. <BR> <I>Ex. This vine ... has clothed and matted with its many branches the four walls (Cardinal Newman).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to pack or tangle thickly (together). <BR> <I>Ex. The swimmer's wet hair was matted together. Willow and cottonwood trees, so closely interlocked and matted together, as to be nearly impassable (Washington Irving).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to pack or tangle together like a mat. <BR> <I>Ex. The fur collar mats when it gets wet.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>go to the mat with,</B> <DD><B> a. </B>to meet (a person) in a contest of wrestling. </I> <I>Ex. The champion went to the mat with the challenger.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>to contend with over a matter of issue. <BR> <I>Ex. the union may go to the mat with the management over wages.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>mat</B> (2), noun, verb, <B>matted,</B> <B>matting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a border or background for a picture, used as a frame or placed between the picture and its frame. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to put a mat around or under. <BR> <I>Ex. to mat a picture.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>mat</B> (3), adjective, noun, verb, <B>matted,</B> <B>matting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>dull; not shiny. <BR> <I>Ex. a mat finish.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>made dull by roughening, as with a tool. <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a dull surface or finish. <DD><B> 2. </B>a tool for producing a dull surface or finish. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to give a dull surface or finish to. Also, <B>matte.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>mat</B> (4), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Printing.) a mold for casting type faces; matrix. </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>mat.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> matins. </DL>
<A NAME="mat">
<B>M.A.T.,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> Master of Arts in Teaching. </DL>
<A NAME="matabele">
<B>Matabele, </B>noun, pl. <B>-le</B> or <B>-les.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a member of a powerful Bantu tribe now occupying the western part of Rhodesia. </DL>
<A NAME="matador">
<B>matador, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the chief performer in a bullfight. It is his duty to kill the bull with his sword. <DD><B> 2. </B>a high-ranking card in certain games such as quadrille and ombre. </DL>
<A NAME="matahari">
<B>Mata Hari,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a woman spy, especially one who seduces men to obtain military secrets. <BR> <I>Ex. ... a Mata Hari from Minnesota who worked for British Intelligence (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="matai">
<B>matai, </B>noun, pl. <B>-tai</B> or <B>-tais</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the hereditary chief or head of a Samoan tribe or family group. </DL>
<A NAME="match">
<B>match</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a short, slender piece of wood or pasteboard tipped with a mixture that takes fire when rubbed on a rough or specially prepared surface. <BR> <I>Ex. The heads of matches have, at the very tip, a chemical called phosphorus sulfide.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a cord or wick prepared to burn at a uniform rate, formerly used for firing guns and cannon. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Obsolete.) a piece of cord, cloth, paper or wood, dipped in melted sulfur, ignited by a tinderbox. </DL>
<A NAME="match">
<B>match</B> (2), noun, verb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person able to contend or compete with another as an equal; an equal. <BR> <I>Ex. to meet one's match. A boy is not a match for a man.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a person or thing equal to another or much like another in some respect. <BR> <I>Ex. a period without its match in history.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a person or thing that is like or forms an exact pair with another; a mate. <BR> <I>Ex. The all-seeing sun Ne'er saw her match (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>two persons or things that are alike or go well together. <BR> <I>Ex. Those two horses make a good match.</I> <DD><B> 5a. </B>a game; contest. <BR> <I>Ex. a tennis match, a boxing match.</I> (SYN) competition, tournament, tourney. <DD><B> b. </B>an engagement for a game or contest. <DD><B> 6. </B>a marriage. <BR> <I>Ex. The match between the duke's daughter and the prince was arranged by the duke and the king.</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>a person considered as a possible husband or wife. <BR> <I>Ex. That young man is a good match.</I> <DD><B> 8. </B>(Obsolete.) an agreement; compact; bargain. <BR> <I>Ex. A match! 'tis done (Shakespeare).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to be equal to in a contest; be a match for. <BR> <I>Ex. No one could match the skill of the unknown archer. The event cannot ... match the expectation (Charlotte Bronte).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to be the same as. <BR> <I>Ex. The color of the skirt does not match that of the coat.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to make like; fit together. <BR> <I>Ex. To match our spirits to our day And make a joy of duty (John Greenleaf Whittier).</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>to find the equal of or one exactly like. <BR> <I>Ex. to match a vase so as to have a pair. To match this scenery you must go a long distance. Modern craftsmen have been unable so far to match objects produced by some of the ancient lost arts.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>to arrange a match for; marry. <BR> <I>Ex. the duke matched his daughter with the king's son.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>to try (one's skill or strength against); oppose. <BR> <I>Ex. He matched his strength against his brother's.</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>to pair as opponents or competitors; provide with an opponent or competitor of equal power. <BR> <I>Ex. The champions of each league were matched for a game. A heavyweight and a lightweight cannot be matched.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to be alike; go well together. <BR> <I>Ex. The rugs and the wallpaper match.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B><B>=marry.</B> noun <B>matcher.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="matchable">
<B>matchable, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> that can be matched. </DL>
<A NAME="matchboard">
<B>matchboard, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a board with a tongue cut along one edge and a groove along the opposite edge, so as to fit together with similar boards, used in floors and siding. </DL>
<A NAME="matchbook">
<B>matchbook, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a folder of safety matches, especially a folder of two rows of safety matches, with a surface for striking at the bottom. </DL>
<A NAME="matchbox">
<B>matchbox, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a cardboard box for holding or carrying matches, usually with a striking surface on one side. </DL>
<A NAME="matchedorder">
<B>matched order,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an instruction to a broker to buy and sell an equal amount of a certain commodity, stock, or other security, at the same price. </DL>
<A NAME="matchingfund">
<B>matching fund,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a sum of money given by some individual, institution, or government, usually in proportion to that raised by contribution. The matching fund is an inducement to obtain enough money in total to pay for some project. </DL>
<A NAME="matchless">
<B>matchless, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> so great or wonderful that it cannot be equaled. <BR> <I>Ex. Daniel Boone had matchless courage.</I> (SYN) unequaled, peerless, unparalleled, unrivaled. adv. <B>matchlessly.</B> noun <B>matchlessness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="matchlock">
<B>matchlock, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an old form of gun fired by lighting the charge of powder with a wick or cord. <DD><B> 2. </B>a gunlock on such gun. </DL>
