Mang, to talk.—Scotch.
Man-handle, to use a person roughly, as to take him prisoner, turn him out of a room, or give him a beating.
Man in the moon, the gentleman who is supposed to find the “pieces” to pay election expenditure and electors’ expenses, so long as the latter vote his way. See ELECTION INQUIRIES.
Marbles, furniture, movables; “money and MARBLES,” cash and personal effects.
Marchioness, a little, dirty, old-fashioned maid-of-all-work; a title now in regular use, but derived from the remarkable character in the Old Curiosity Shop.
Mare’s nest, a supposed discovery of marvels, which turn out no marvels at all; from a story similar to that about the cock neighing. Three Cockneys, out ruralizing, had determined to find out something about nests. Accordingly, when they ultimately came upon a dungheap, they judged by the signs therein that it must be a MARE’S NEST, especially as they could see the mare close handy. An old preacher in Cornwall up to very lately employed a different simile, as, “It’s like a cow calving up in a tree.”
Marine, or MARINE RECRUIT, an empty bottle. This expression having once been used in the presence of an officer of marines, he was at first inclined to take it as an insult, until some one adroitly appeased his wrath by remarking that no offence could be meant, as all that it could possibly imply was, “one who had done his duty, and was ready to do it again.”
Mark, to make one’s MARK is to achieve a success literary, artistic, or otherwise. Men of eminence are said to leave their MARKS on the earth’s surface. An American poet has described this ambitious, albeit somewhat rare, proceeding as leaving “footprints on the sands of time.”
Marketeer, a betting man who devotes himself, by means of special information, to the study of favourites, and the diseases incident to that condition of equine life. The MARKETEER is the principal agent in all milking and knocking-out arrangements.
Market-horse, a horse simply kept in the betting-lists for the purpose of being betted against.