Massicot. The name of an ancient pigment of a dull orange colour.
Mastaba, Mastabê, Egyp. An outer chapel attached to Egyptian burial-places; it was generally a small quadrangular building, the door of which faced the East.
Master Arch, O. E. The central or widest arch of a bridge.
Mastic. A resin used for varnish. (Dissolve one part of mastic resin in two of oil of turpentine.) (See Varnish.) In France, the term is applied to a cement used to fill up joints in masonry; in joinery, to a composition of wax, resin, and pounded brick, applied to fill up knots and chinks in the wood. Putty is also so called.
Mastigophorus, Gr. and R. (μαστιγο-φόρος). A slavedriver, and thence an officer who fulfilled the same functions as our policemen. The mastigophori were so named because they carried a whip (μάστιγα φέρειν), in order to put down any crowding or tumult; it was also part of their duty to repress any infringement of the regulations at the public games.
Match-lock. A gun which was exploded by means of a match, before the introduction of the flint and steel. (See Fire-lock.)
Materiatio, R. (materia, materials). The timber-work of a roof, consisting of two principal rafters (canterii), a tie-beam (tignum), a ridgepiece (calcimen), beams (trabes), struts (capreoli), purlines (templa), and common rafters (asseres).
Materis, R. A Celtic javelin with a broad head.
Matralia, R. (i. e. pertaining to a mother). The festival of Matuta (the Ino of the Greeks), which was held at Rome every year on the third of the ides of June (11th of June). Prayers were offered by the Roman matrons on behalf of their nephews, they being afraid to pray for their own children, since those of Matuta had turned out so unfortunately.
Matronalia, R. A festival of the Roman matrons held on the calends of March, at which matrons offered sacrifices to Mars and Juno Lucina.