myrmicinæ

pl. [Mod. Lat. myrmic(a); Lat. fem. pl. adj. suff. -inæ.] Entom.: A sub-family of Form i cide, containing ants in which the abdominal petiole has two knots. mỹr-mi-çine, a . [MYRMICINE.] Entom. Of or belonging to the sub-family Myrmicine (q. v.). "Another Myrmicine ant (Myrmica scabrinodis)." Ca ell's Nat . Hist ., v. 381. mỹr-mi-dồn, s. [Lat. Myrmidones, from Greek Myrmidones. See def.] 1. Gr. Antiq .: One of a warlike people of Thrace, ruled over by Achilles, and taken by him as his followers to the siege of Troy. "Come here about me, you my Myrmidons." Shakesp.: Troilus and Cre ida, v. 7. 2. A soldier of a rough character; a ruffian, a brutal fellow; one who executes the orders of his superiors ruthle ly and pitile ly; an unscrupulous follower. IMG:content-1532.png:[blocks in formation] marine; gō, põt, IMG:content-1533.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1534.png:[blocks in formation] 2. Chem .: A gum resin which exudes from Bal- samodendron myrrh a , a shrub growing in Arabia and Aby in i a. It occurs in irregular, roundish of South America, the East Indies, Australia, the ma es, called "tears," varying in size from small grains to pieces as large as an egg, semi-trans- parent, and po e ing a reddish-brown color. It has a peculiar and agreeable fragrance, with an aromatic, bitter, and acrid taste; slightly soluble in water and alcohol, but very soluble in chloro- form. 3. Pharm.: There is a tincture of myrrh and a pill of aloes and myrrh. Myrrh is a stimulant, an antispasmodic, and an emmenagogue. It is given internally in amenorrhea, leucorrhoea, chronic bronchitis, and phthisis. Externally it is applied to aphthous sore mouth, spongy gums, . ( Gar- myrrh-ine, a. & s. [Lat. myrrh in us.] [MUR- RHINE.] A. As adj .: Made of the myrrhine stone. "Crystal and myrrhine cups embo ed with gems." Milton: P. R. , iv. 119. B. As subst.: Murrhine; myrrhite (q. v.). myrrh-is, s . [Gr. Sweet Cicely.] Bot.: Cicely; a family of umbelliferous plants, family Caucalinide. The umbels are compound, many-rayed; the bracts few or none; the bracteolce many, membranous; the fruit very elongate, with the commi ure broad; the carpels very convex at the back. Two species are known. One, Myrrhis odorata , has deltoid, thrice-pinnate leaves, is aro- matic and stimulant. Formerly it was cultivated as a pot herb, and is still used in Italy in salads. IMG:content-1535.png:[blocks in formation] who, "as it began to dawn, came to see the sepul cher." They are represented as bearing vases of myrrh in their hands. *myrrh-ý, a. [Eng. myrrh; -y.] Redolent of myrrh. Bot.: Ardisiads; an order of Perigynous Exogens, alliance Cortusales. It consists of trees or hand- some shrubs, with smooth, coriaceous, exstipulate leaves, aves, sometimes ternate. Inflorescence, generally axillary, in umbels, corymbs, or panicles; flowers calyx, four to five cleft, persistent; corolla four or small, white or red, often with sunken dots or lines; site the segments of the corolla, there also in some five cleft; stamens four or five, with anthers, oppo- placenta and a definite or indefinite number of or half inferior, one-celled, with a free central ovules; fruit fleshy, generally one-seeded. Found in tropical islands, also in Asia, Africa, and America. ( Lindley .) myrtle-berry, s. The fruit of the myrtle. myrtle-bilberry, s . Bot.: Vaccinium myrtillus . myrtle-bloom, s. Bot.: Myrtle-blooms; an order of Epigynous Exo- gens, alliance Myrtales. It consists of trees or shrubs, with opposite or alternate entire leaves, Lis sometimes omitted in poetry. usually with transparent dots and a vein running parallel to the margin. Inflorescence generally axil- lary; flowers red, white, or yellow, never blue; calyx valvate, four or five cleft, sometimes falling off in one piece; petals four or five, or wanting; stamens generally twice as many as the petals, rarely the same in number, sometimes indefinite; ovary in- ferior, one, two, four, five, or six celled, with a *mys-tër-I-al, adj . [Eng. mystery; al.] Con- taining a mystery or puzzle; not easily understood or solved; enigmatical. "Beauty and Love, whose story is mysteriall." Ben Jonson: Love's Triumph. *mys-tër-i-arch, s. [Gr. mysteriarches, from mysterion a mystery, and archō =to rule, to direct.] One who presides over mysteries. [MYSTERY (1), 6.) mys-tër-i-oŭs, a . [Fr. mystérieux ; from Lat. mysterium = a mystery (q. v.); Ital. &. Sp. mister- ioso.] Containing or of the nature of a mystery; not plain to the understanding; obscure; beyond human comprehension; mystic, occult, in com pre- hensible. "Mysterious are His ways, whose power Brings forth that unexpected hour." Cowper: Poetical Epistle to Lady Austen . mys-tër-i-oŭs-lý, adv . [Eng. mysterious; -ly .] In a mysterious manner; in a manner beyond hu- man comprehension; mystically, allegorically. "Each stair mysteriously was meant, nor stood There always." Milton: P. L., iii. 516. mys-tër-i-ous-ne , s. [English mysterious ; 1. The quality or state of being mysterious; ob- scurene ; mysticalne , incomprehensiblene . "I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carrieth her."- Revelation , xvii. 7. hidden from the knowledge of others. 2. A secret; something carefully and intentionally "You would pluck out the heart of my mystery." - Shakesp .: Hamlet , iii. 3. "Cared not the Lady to betray Her mystic arts in view of day." zling or hard to understand. 3. An enigma, a puzzle; a riddle; something puzdanlithothan is usually addre ed to God. 4. The Holy Communion. "My duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the dignity of that holy mystery." Common Prayer; Com- muni on Service. 5. ( Pl . ): The consecrated elements in the Euchar- ist. 6. ( Pl .): A term applied among the Greeks and Romans to certain secret rites and ceremonies, only known to and practiced by the initiated; as, the Eleusinian mysteries . mỹs-těr-ý (2), *mỹs-ter-iě (2), s. [A corrupt of Mid. Eng. mistere =a trade, a craft; from O. Fr. mestier (Fr. métier ) ; from Lat. ministerium ser vice, employment; minister =a servant. The proper spelling should be mistery or mistere , the y being due to confusion with mystery (1).] [MISTER.] 1. A trade, an occupation, an employment, a pro- fe ion. 2. A kind of med iæval drama, or dramatic compo- sition, the characters and events of which were drawn from sacred history. They were totally de- void of invention or plot, following the sacred nar- rative or the legends tamely and literally. They were also called miracle-plays. (MIRACLE.] The Mysteries were succeeded in the sixteenth century Londin.) by Moralities, in which we find the first attempts at dramatic art, as they contain some rudiments of a plot, and even attempted to delineate character and to paint manners. Many of these mysteries still exist. They were played by members of the different crafts or trading companies. Thus the collection known as the Chester Mysteries were acted in that city in the year 1327, and contains "The Fall of Lucifer," acted by the Tanners; "The Creation," by the Drapers; "The Last Supper." by the Bakers; "The Resurrection," by the Skinners, . [MORALITY, 4.] IMG:content-1536.png:[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][subsumed][merged small] IMG:content-1537.png:[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed] IMG:content-1538.png:[blocks in formation] sense. *2. Fig .: Of or belonging to fabulous narrations or falsehoods. myth-ic-al-ly, adv. [Eng. mythical; -ly.] In a mythical manner; by means of myths or mythical fables. myth 1-co-, pref. [MYTHIC.) (For definition see compound.) mythico-historical, adj. Partly mythical and partly historical; partaking of the nature both of myth and of history. *mỹth-o-clăs-tic, a. [Gr. mythos a fable, and klastes a breaker; klaō =to break.] Destroying faith in myths and legends. "In this my tho clastic age."- Spectator , Oct. 15, 1881. mỹ-thog-ra-pher, subst . [Gr. mythos a fable, a myth, and graphoto write.] One who writes myths; one who narrates myths, fables, or legends. "The statues of Mars and Venus had been copied from Fulgent i us, Boccacio's favorite mythographer ." - Warton. Hist. Eng. Poetry , vol. i. (Addenda.)