Master

mas′tėr, n. one who commands: a lord or owner: a leader or ruler: a teacher: an employer: the commander of a merchant-ship: formerly the navigator or sailing-master of a ship-of-war: one eminently skilled in anything: the common title of addre to a young gentleman, .: a title of dignity or office—a degree conferred by universities, as Master of Arts , ., the title of the eldest son of a Scotch viscount or baron, the head of some corporations, as Balliol College, ., of a lodge of freemasons, .: a husband.— adj. the chief, predominant: belonging to a master, chief, principal, as in Master-builder , .— v.t. to become master of: to overcome: to become skilful in: to execute with skill.— ns. Mas′ter-build′er , a chief builder, one who directs or employs others; Mas′terdom , power of control.— adj. Mas′terful , exercising the authority or power of a master: imperious: having the skill of a master.— adv. Mas′terfully , in a masterful or imperious manner.— ns. Mas′terfulne ; Mas′ter-hand , the hand of a master: a person highly skilled; Mas′terhood ; Mas′ter-joint , the most marked system of joints or divisional planes by which a rock is intersected; Mas′terkey , a key that opens many locks: a clue fitted to guide one out of many difficulties.— adj. Mas′terle , without a master or owner: ungoverned: unsubdued: beyond control.— n. Mas′terline , quality of being masterly: masterly skill.— adj. Mas′terly , like a master: with the skill of a master: skilful: excellent: overbearing.— adv. with the skill of a master.— ns. Mas′ter-mar′iner , the captain of a merchant-ve el or fishing-ve el; Mas′ter-mā′son , a freemason who has attained the third degree; Mas′ter-mind ; Mas′ter-pa ′ion ; Mas′terpiece , a piece of work worthy of a master: a work of superior skill: chief excellence; Mas′tership , the office of master: rule or dominion: superiority; Mas′terstroke , a stroke or performance worthy of a master: superior performance; Mas′ter-wheel , the wheel in a machine which imparts motion to other parts; Mas′ter-work , work worthy of a master: masterpiece; Mas′terwort , a perennial umbelliferous herb, native to northern Europe, its root reputed as a stomachic, sudorific, diuretic, .; Mas′tery , the power or authority of a master: dominion: victory: superiority: the attainment of superior power or skill.— Master of ceremonies , of the Rolls , . (see Ceremonies , Rolls , .); Master of the horse , the Roman Magister Equitum , an official appointed by the dictator to act next under himself: an equerry, esp. the exalted official bearing this name at the British court; Master of the Temple , the preacher of the Temple Church in London; Masters of the schools , at Oxford, the conductors of the first examination ( Responsions ) for the degree of B.A.— Masterly inactivity , the position or part of a neutral or a Fabian combatant, carried out with diplomatic skill, so as to preserve a predominant influence without risking anything.— Pa ed , or Past , master , one who has occupied the office of master, esp. among freemasons—hence any one known to po e ample knowledge of some subject; The little masters , a 16th-17th cent. group of followers of Dürer, notable for fine work on wood and copper; The old masters , a term applied collectively to the great painters about the time of the Renai ance, esp. the Italians.— Be master of one's self , to have one's pa ions or emotions under control. [O. Fr. maistre (Fr. maître )—L. magister , from root of magnus , great.]