Meter, a form of metre.
Meter, mē′tėr, n. one who, or that which, measures, esp. an apparatus for recording automatically the quantity of a fluid passing through it, as in gas-meter, water-meter, &c.—v.t. to measure by a meter.—n. Mē′terage.—Dry meter, a gas-meter with bellows-like apparatus and no liquid. [Metre.]
Methane, meth′ān, n. marsh-gas, the simplest hydrocarbon, found wherever the decomposition of vegetable matter is taking place under water, also in coal-mines, forming when mixed with air the deadly fire-damp.—n. Methanom′eter.
Metheglin, meth-eg′lin, n. mead, a fermented liquor made from honey.—n. Mether (-th′-) a vessel for mead. [W. meddyglyn—medd, mead, llyn, liquor.]
Methinks, me-thingks′, (B.) Methink′eth, v.impers. it seems to me: I think:—pa.t. methought (me-thawt′). [A.S. mé thyncth, it seems to me. Þyncan, to seem, is often confused with Þencan, to think. Cf. Ger. dünken, to seem, denken, to think.]
Method, meth′ud, n. the mode or rule of accomplishing an end: orderly procedure: manner: orderly arrangement: system, rule, classification: manner of performance: an instruction-book systematically arranged.—adjs. Method′ic, -al, arranged with method: disposed in a just and natural manner: formal.—adv. Method′ically.—v.t. Meth′odise, to reduce to method: to dispose in due order.—ns. Meth′odism, the principles and practice of the Methodists; Meth′odist, one who observes method: one of a sect of Christians founded by John Wesley (1703-91), noted for the strictness of its discipline: one who is very strict in religion.—adjs. Methodist′ic, -al, resembling the Methodists: strict in religious matters.—adv. Methodist′ically.—n. Methodol′ogy, the science of method in scientific procedure. [Fr.,—L. methodus—Gr. methodos—meta, after, hodos, a way.]
Methomania, meth-o-mā′ni-a, n. morbid craving for alcohol. [Gr. methy, drink, mania, madness.]
Methought. See Methinks.
Methuselah, me-thū′ze-la, n. a patriarch said to have lived 969 years (Gen. v. 27): any very aged person.
Methyl, meth′il, n. (chem.) the name given to the hypothetical radical of methylic alcohol or wood spirit.—n. Meth′ylene, a highly inflammable and volatile liquid, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood.—adj. Methyl′ic, denoting alcohol obtained by the destructive distillation of wood.—Methylated spirit, a mixture of nine parts of alcohol with one of pyroxylic or wood spirit (to prevent people drinking it), used for spirit-lamps, varnishes, &c. [Gr. meta, after, with, hylē, wood.]