Malt, mawlt, n. barley or other grain steeped in water, allowed to sprout, and dried in a kiln, used in brewing ale, &c.—v.t. to make into malt.—v.i. to become malt: (hum.) to drink malt liquor.—adj. containing or made with malt.—ns. Malt′-dust, grain-sprouts produced and 'screened off' in malt-making; Malt′-floor, a perforated floor in the chamber of a malt-kiln, through which heat rises; Malt′-horse, a heavy horse, such as used by brewers—hence (Shak.) used in reproach for a dull, stupid person; Malt′ing; Malt′-kiln; Malt′-mill, a mill for grinding malt; Malt′ose, a hard, white, crystalline sugar, formed by the action of malt or diastase on starch; Malt′ster, Malt′man, one whose trade or occupation it is to make malt (-ster was up to the end of the 13th century a feminine affix); Malt′worm (Shak.), a lover of malted liquors, a tippler.—adj. Malt′y.—Malt liquor, a liquor, as beer, ale, or porter, formed from malt; Malt tea, the liquid infusion of the mash in brewing. [A.S. mealt, pa.t. of meltan, to soften; cf. Ger. malz.]
Maltalent, mal′tal-ent, n. (Spens.) bad inclination, ill-humour.
Maltese, mal-tēz′, n. a native, or the natives, of Malta: the dialect, a corrupt Arabic mixed with Italian.—adj. belonging to Malta, or to its inhabitants.—Maltese cross (see Cross); Maltese dog, a very small spaniel with long silky hair.
Maltha, mal′tha, n. a thick mineral pitch: any similar preparation used by the ancients as a cement, stucco, or mortar. [L.]
Malthusian, mal-thū′zhan, adj. relating to Malthus or to the principles he taught regarding the necessity of preventing population from increasing faster than the means of living.—n. a disciple of Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834).
Maltreat, mal-trēt′, v.t. to abuse: to use roughly or unkindly.—n. Maltreat′ment. [Fr. maltraiter—L. male, ill, tractāre, to treat.]
Malvaceous, mal-vā′shus, adj. (bot.) pertaining to plants of the mallow family.
Malversation, mal-vėr-sā′shun, n. evil conduct: misbehaviour in office: corruption: extortion. [Fr.—L. male, badly, versāri, -ātus, to occupy one's self.]
Malvoisie, mal′vwä-zē, n. Same as Malmsey.
Mambrino, mam-brē′no, n. a medieval iron hat, from its likeness to the barber's basin in Don Quixote.