<B>modality, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the quality or fact of being modal. <DD><B> 2. </B>a modal attribute or circumstance; mode. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Medicine.) a form, method, or apparatus of therapy, especially physiotherapy or electrotherapy. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Logic.) the character of a proposition as asserting or denying necessarily, possibly, or without such qualification. </DL>
<A NAME="modcon">
<B>mod. con.,</B> pl. <B>mod.</B> <B>cons.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (British.) modern convenience. <BR> <I>Ex. We live in a small flat with all mod. cons. (Punch).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="mode">
<B>mode</B> (1), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the manner or way in which a thing is done; method. <BR> <I>Ex. Riding on a donkey is a slow mode of travel.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the manner or state of existence of a thing. <BR> <I>Ex. Heat is a mode of motion. Reflection is a mode of consciousness. The present transition of the Greenlanders' mode of life from seal-hunting to cod-fishing (Science News).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Grammar.) <DD><B> a. </B>the property of verbs that indicates whether the act or state is thought of as a fact, command, or wish; mood. <BR> <I>Ex. the indicative mode, the imperative mode, the subjunctive mode.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a distinctive verb form (or set of forms) or verb phrases thus used. <DD><B> 4. </B>(Music.) <DD><B> a. </B>any of various arrangements of the tones of an octave. <DD><B> b. </B>either of the two classes (major and minor) of keys. <DD><B> c. </B>any of the various scales used in ancient Greek and medieval music, having the intervals differently arranged. <DD><B> d. </B>a rhythmical pattern, especially in medieval mensurable music. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Statistics.) the value of the variable with the highest frequency in a set of data. <DD><B> 6. </B>(Logic.) <DD><B> a. </B>the form of a proposition with reference to the necessity, contingency, possibility, or impossibility of its content. <DD><B> b. </B>any one of the various forms of valid syllogisms, depending on the quantity and quality of their constituent propositions. <DD><B> 7. </B>the actual mineral composition of a rock, stated quantitatively in percentages by weight. <DD><B> 8. </B>(Physics.) any one of various patterns in which vibration may occur. In a freely vibrating system, oscillation is restricted to certain characteristic patterns of motion at certain characteristic frequencies. <DD><B> 9. </B>(Philosophy.) a formal manifestation or particularized scheme of arrangement necessarily assumed by anything as an essential of its real existence. </DL>
<A NAME="mode">
<B>mode</B> (2), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the style, fashion, or custom that is current; the way most people are behaving, talking, or dressing. <BR> <I>Ex. Bobbed hair became the mode around 1920.</I> (SYN) vogue. </DL>
<A NAME="model">
<B>model, </B>noun, verb, <B>-eled,</B> <B>-eling</B> or (especially British) <B>-elled,</B> <B>-elling,</B> adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a small copy. <BR> <I>Ex. a model of a ship or an engine, a model of an island.</I> <DD><B> 2a. </B>an object or figure made in clay, wax, or the like, that is to be copied in marble, bronze, or other material. <BR> <I>Ex. a model for a statue.</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a design or representation of anything made to scale. <BR> <I>Ex. a model of the DNA molecule, a model of a stage set.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>the way in which a thing is made; design; style. <BR> <I>Ex. an airplane of an advanced model. Our car is a late model. I want a dress like yours, for that model is becoming to me.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>any formula, diagram, or scheme used to explain or describe relationships. <BR> <I>Ex. a mathematical model of communications, the mechanistic model of the universe. A tree is often used as a model showing the relationship between languages.</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>(Figurative.) a thing or person to be copied or imitated; exemplar. <BR> <I>Ex. a model of courage. Make your father your model, and you will become a fine man.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>a person who poses for artists and photographers. <BR> <I>Ex. Nearly every individual of their number might have been taken for a sculptor's model (Herman Melville).</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>a person, especially a woman, who wears new clothes in a clothing store, at a fashion show, or the like, in order to show customers how the clothes look; mannequin. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to make, shape, or fashion; design or plan. <BR> <I>Ex. Model a horse in clay.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to follow as a model; form (something) after a particular model. <BR> <I>Ex. (Figurative.) Model yourself on your father.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to wear as a model. <BR> <I>Ex. to model a dress.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(in drawing or painting) to give an appearance of natural relief to. <BR> <I>Ex. Model the trees by shading.</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to make models; design. <BR> <I>Ex. She models in plaster as a hobby.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>to be a model; pose. <BR> <I>Ex. She models for an illustrator.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(of the portions of a drawing in progress) to assume the appearance of natural relief. <BR> <I>Ex. The trees model as you add shading.</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>just right or perfect, especially in conduct; exemplary. <BR> <I>Ex. She is a model child.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>serving as a model. <BR> <I>Ex. a model house. A model home is being prepared for display by the middle of June (New York Times).</I> noun <B>modeler,</B> (especially British,) <B>modeller.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="modeling">
<B>modeling, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the act or art of a person who models. <BR> <I>Ex. Miss Carter ... said she would like to take up modeling as a profession (Baltimore Sun).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the production of designs in some plastic material, such as clay or wax, especially for reproduction in a more durable material, such as marble or bronze. <DD><B> 3. </B>the representation of solid form, as in sculpture. <DD><B> 4. </B>the bringing of surfaces into proper relief, as in carving. <DD><B> 5. </B>the rendering of the appearance of relief, as in painting. </DL>
<B>modello, </B>noun, pl. <B>-los.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a finished sketch or other study for a large picture or decoration. <BR> <I>Ex. A series of modellos by the Baroque painters brings down to a scale convenient for appreciation the compositions with which they covered vast spaces of wall and ceiling (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="modelocked">
<B>mode-locked, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having the light phases of a laser modulated to produce pulses of extremely short duration. </DL>
<A NAME="modelt">
<B>Model T,</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Trademark.) an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927. It began the era of mass-produced automobiles in the United States. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Figurative.) any early or outdated type or model. <BR> <I>Ex. The present plants being planned will soon be the Model T's of the atomic power field (New York Times).</I> adj. <B>Model-T.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="modem">
<B>modem, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a device used in telecommunications to convert digital signals to analogue form and vice versa. <BR> <I>Ex. Modems ... adapt alphanumeric information (letters and numerals) for transmission over standard voice channels (Scientific American).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="moderacy">
<B>moderacy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the holding of moderate opinions, especially in politics; moderateness. <BR> <I>Ex. [He] seems to think that moderacy is the only test to be applied to the candidates (London Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="moderantism">
<B>moderantism, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a moderate political policy, especially during the French Revolution. </DL>
<A NAME="moderate">
<B>moderate, </B>adjective, noun, verb, <B>-ated,</B> <B>-ating.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>kept or keeping within proper bounds; not extreme. <BR> <I>Ex. moderate expenses, moderate styles.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>not violent, severe, or intense; calm. <BR> <I>Ex. moderate in speech or opinion.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>fair; medium; not very large or good. <BR> <I>Ex. to make a moderate profit.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(in the U.S. Weather Service wind scale) denoting a breeze having a velocity of 13-18 miles per hour (on the Beaufort scale, force 4), or a gale of 32-38 miles per hour (Beaufort force 7). <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who holds moderate opinions, especially in politics or religion. <DD><B> 2. </B>Usually, <B>Moderate.</B> a member of a political party whose aims are considered moderate. <DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to make less violent, severe, or intense. <BR> <I>Ex. He ... did what he could to moderate the grief of his friend (Anthony Trollope).</I> (SYN) diminish, lessen. <DD><B> 2. </B>to act in as moderator; preside over. <BR> <I>Ex. The commissioner moderated the public meeting.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Nuclear Physics.) to slow down or lower the energy of (a particle, especially a neutron). <DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to become less extreme or violent. <BR> <I>Ex. The wind is moderating.</I> (SYN) diminish, lessen. <DD><B> 2. </B>to act as moderator; preside. adv. <B>moderately.</B> noun <B>moderateness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="moderation">
<B>moderation, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the action or fact of moderating. <BR> <I>Ex. We all welcomed the moderation of the uncomfortably hot weather.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>freedom from excess; proper restraint; temperance. <BR> <I>Ex. The government adopted a policy of moderation during the crisis.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>calmness; lack of violence. <BR> <I>Ex. By common understanding, by tolerance and by the virtue of moderation (New York Times).</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>in moderation,</B> </I>within limits; not going to extremes. <BR> <I>Ex. The doctor advised him to eat and drink in moderation.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>Moderations,</B> </I>(British.) (at Oxford University) the first public examination for the degree of B.A., informally called Mods. <BR> <I>Ex. The Tutor or Lecturer ... will be expected to teach for Honour Moderations (Economist).</I> </DL>
