maire, n.m., mayor.
mairie, n.f., mayoralty; town-hall.
maïs (mah-is), n.m., maize, Indian wheat.
mais (mè), conj., but; why. — encore; but yet. —, qu’ai-je fait? why, what have I done? —, oui; why, yes; yes, of course. —, non; why, no; no, of course. Je n’en puis —; I cannot help it; I have nothing to do with it.
maison, n.f., house, household, home, habitation; family, race; (com.) firm. Le devant, le derrière, d’une —; the front, the back, of a house. — de campagne; country-house, country-seat. — seigneuriale; mansion. — de ville, — commune; town-hall. À la —; at home. Tenir —; to keep house. Faire — nette; to dismiss all the servants; to make a clean sweep (of servants). Faire — neuve; to change all one’s servants. Garder la —; to keep at home; to be confined to the house. Petites-—s; mad-house. — garnie; furnished house. — d’éducation; school, boarding-school. — de jeu; gaming-house. La — du roi; the king’s household.
maisonnée, n.f., whole house or family. Faire des demandes par dessus les —s; to make most unreasonable demands.
maisonnette, n.f., small house, cottage, lodge.
maître, n.m., master, owner, proprietor, landlord; ruler; instructor, teacher, governor, director; chief, head; (nav.) boatswain. — d’école; school-master. — de pension; boarding-school, or house, master. — d’étude; usher. — de chapelle; precentor. — de conférences; lecturer. — de forges; iron-master. — Jacques; factotum; Jack-of-all-work. — à danser, — de danse; dancing-master. — d’armes; fencing-master. — des hautes œuvres; executioner. —-des-arts; master of arts. — d’hôtel; steward, butler, major-domo. Un petit-—; (—s-—s) a beau, a dandy; a fop. — homme; superior man. Se rendre — de la conversation; to monopolize the whole conversation. Vous êtes le — d’y aller; you are at perfect liberty to go there. Il a trouvé son —; he has met with his match. Tel —, tel valet; like master, like man. Compter de clerc à —; to render a minute account. Heurter en —; to rap hard. De main de —, en —; in a masterly manner. — clerc; chief clerk (of a lawyer). Le —-autel (—s-—s); the high-altar. — câble; sheet cable. — d’équipage; boatswain (of a ship of war). — canonnier; master-gunner. — de port; harbor-master. — de vaisseau; commander of a merchant-ship. Ce tableau est d’un grand —; that picture is by a great master. Coup de —; masterly stroke. Main de —; masterly hand. Un — gonin; an arch cheat.
maîtresse, n.f. and adj., sweetheart, lady-love, mistress; teacher, governess; landlady. adj., chief, head, leading, governing; main, consummate. Petite-—; lady of studied elegance. — de pension; school-mistress. — d’hôtel; landlady, hotel-keeper. — femme; superior woman. — ancre; sheet anchor.