'He did so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant, how he mammocked it!'—Shakespeare, Coriolanus, i. 3.
*Mander. To order about in a worrying dictatorial fashion (S.). 'Measter do mander I about so.'—S.W.
Mandy (long a). (1) Frolicsome, saucy, impudent (A.B.C.): now only used by very old people.—N.W. *(2) Showy (C.).—N.W., obsolete.
Mar. See More.
Marlbro'-handed. People who used their tools awkwardly were formerly called 'Marlbro'-handed vawk,' natives of Marlborough being traditionally famed for clumsiness and unhandiness.—N.W. (Clyffe Pypard.)
Marley. Streaky, marbled; applied to fat beef, or bacon from a fat pig, where the fat seems to streak and grain the lean.—N.W.
Martin, Free-martin. A calf of doubtful sex.—N.W. An animal with an ox-like head and neck, which never breeds, but is excellent for fatting purposes. It is commonly supposed that a female calf born twin with a male is always a free-martin. Recent investigations, however, have proved that though the external organs of a free-martin may be female the internal are in all cases male. The rule laid down by Geddes and Thomson is that twin calves are always normal when of opposite sex or both female; but that if both are male one is invariably thus abnormal (Evolution of Sex, ch. iii. p. 39). Compare Scotch ferow or ferry cow, a cow not in calf, and mart, an ox; also A.S. fear, a bullock (Folk-Etymology).
Masked. See A-masked.
Mathern, Mauthern. *(1) Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, L., Ox-eye Daisy (A.D.H.Wr.).—N.W. (2) Wild Camomile (Great Estate, ch. viii).—N.W.