Macaroni, mak-a-rō′ni, n. a kind of paste or dough prepared from the glutinous granular flour of hard varieties of wheat, pressed out through a perforated vessel into long tubes, and then dried: a medley: something fanciful and extravagant: a fool: a fop:—pl. Macarō′nis, Macarō′nies.—n. Macaron′ic, a confused heap, a medley: a macaronic poem.—adjs. Macaron′ic, Macarō′nian, like a macaroni, trifling, affected: of a kind of burlesque verse, consisting of modern words Latinised, or Latin words modernised, intermixed with genuine Latin words. [Old It. maccaroni—maccare, to crush.]
Macaroon, mak-a-rōōn′, n. a sweet biscuit made chiefly of almonds and sugar. [Fr.,—It. maccaroni above.]
Macassar-oil, ma-kas′ar-oil, n. an oil much used for the hair, imported from India and other Eastern countries. [From Macassar in Celebes.]
Macaw, ma-kaw′, n. a genus of large and beautiful birds with a long tail, found in tropical America, closely allied to the parrots. [Brazil. macao.]
Maccabean, mak-a-bē′an, adj. pertaining to Judas Maccabeus, or to the Maccabees, an ancient Jewish family who rescued Judea from the persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, about 166 B.C.—as related in two historical books of the Apocrypha.
Mace, mās, n. a staff used as a mark of authority: a light, flat-headed stick in use at billiards before the introduction of the bridge or cue-rest: formerly, a weapon of war, consisting of a staff headed with a heavy spiked ball of iron: a mallet used by a currier in dressing leather.—n. Mace′-bear′er, one who carries the mace in a procession, or before men in authority—also Mac′er. [O. Fr. mace (Fr. masse)—obs. L. matea, whence L. dim. mateola, a mallet.]
Mace, mās, n. a kind of spice: the second coat of the nutmeg. [O. Fr. macis—L. macer—Gr. maker.]
Macerate, mas′ėr-āt, v.t. to steep: to soften by steeping: to make lean: to mortify.—n. Macerā′tion, act of softening by steeping: mortification of the flesh by fasting and other severe modes of living. [L. macerāre, -ātum, to steep.]
Machete, ma-chā′tā, n. a heavy knife or cutlass used by the Cubans, &c. [Sp.]
Machiavellian, mak-i-a-vēl′yan, adj. destitute of political morality, following expediency rather than right: cunning, crafty, perfidious.—n. one who imitates Machiavel—more correctly, Niccolo Machiavelli—of Florence (1469-1527): any cunning and unprincipled statesman.—n. Machiavell′ianism, the principles taught by Machiavel, or conduct regulated by them: cunning statesmanship.