MORTISE, a hole cut in wood, so that another piece may be fitted into it.
MORTS, Fr. The dead on a field of battle are so called.
MOT, Fr. Parole, watchword.—This word bears the same import in French that it does in English. See [Parole].
Donner le MOT, Fr. To give the parole, or watch-word.
Aller prendre le MOT, Fr. To go for the parole or watch-word.
On l’envoya porter le MOT, Fr. he was sent with the parole or watch-word.
In the French service parole and countersign are frequently comprehended under the word mot, viz. Le mot qu’on avoit donné le jour du combat, étoit Saint Louis et Paris; which according to the English method of giving out orders would have stood thus:—Parole St. Louis, countersign Paris.
Mot de ralliement, Fr. Rallying word.
MOTHIR al moolk. In Indian fortification, barricadoes, intrenchments, or breastworks, are so called.
MOTION, is defined to be the continued and successive change of place.—There are three general laws of motion: 1. That a body always perseveres in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a right line, till by some external force it be made to change its place: for as a body is passive in receiving its motion, and the direction of its motion, so it retains them without any change, till it be acted on by something external. 2. The second general law of motion is, that the change of motion is proportional to the force impressed, and is produced in the right line in which that force acts. 3. The third general law of motion is, that action and re-action are equal, with opposite directions, and are to be estimated always in the same right line.