Mn.
/ɛm/, U.S. /ɛm/ I. The letter M (m).† 4. Typography. In form m (without point). = em n. m quadrat n. = em quadrat at em n. m-thick adj. designating a type having the thickness of an m quadrat. Obsolete.
1. The letter, and the sound it represents.
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society > communication > writing > written character > [noun] > letter
staffc888
bookstaffOE
Kc1000
Yc1000
Zc1000
AOE
EOE
GOE
MOE
ROE
letterc1225
print1340
tawc1400
Wc1465
J1591
stave1866
alphabet1972
X-
OE Ælfric Gram. (St. John's Oxf.) 6 Semivocales syndon seofan: f, l, m, n, r, s, x.
c1175 Names of Letters in N. R. Ker Catal. MSS containing Anglo-Saxon (1957) 337 L l el, M m em, N n en, O o, Q quu, R r er, S s es, T te, [etc.].
a1400 in R. H. Robbins Hist. Poems 14th & 15th Cent. (1959) 160 (MED) Þe frer austynes come of a..Of M comen þe frer menours.
1453 in J. Raine Testamenta Eboracensia (1855) II. 189 (MED) Item, ij coppis of silver playne with M and S in ye grounde.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement Introd. 17 These thre letters M, N or E fynall..be the very and onely causes why these thre vowelles A, E, O, be formed in the brest and sounded by the nose.
a1637 B. Jonson Eng. Gram. i. iv, in Wks. (1640) III M..is pronounc'd with a kind of humming inward, the lips clos'd. Open, and full in the beginning: obscure in the end: and meanly in the midd'st.
1710 R. Steele & J. Addison Tatler No. 260. ⁋5 Which would..pronounce the Letters M or N and in short, do all the Functions of a Genuine and Natural Nose.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. (at cited word) Quintilian observes, that the M sometimes ends Latin Words, but never Greek.
a1854 E. Grant Mem. Highland Lady (1988) I. vi. 128 At Relugas lived an old Mrs Cuming, with one m, the Widow of I don't know who.
1877 W. Lytteil Landmarks Sc. Life & Lang. i. iv. 33 The Celts have aspirated the letter m in gumi.
1900 Pilot 3 Mar. 28 The middle stage of the evolution of the eagle, namely, its transformation from the Gothic M to the fleur-de-lis.
1948 G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics 20 Assonance sometimes takes the place of rhyme; the most frequent examples are of m : n and ng : nd (e.g. tyme : pyne).
1991 M. Atwood in New Yorker 18 Feb. 33/2 There was the innocent, fusty vocabulary that had once inspired him: Manhood with a capital M, courage, honor.
2. As a distinguishing letter, usually as part of an alphabetical sequence, denoting one of a series of things, a point in a diagram, a sheet of a book or quire of a manuscript, etc.
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society > communication > writing > written text > [noun] > piece or quantity of
i-writeOE
writlOE
hand-writc1175
scritec1325
scripta1350
writingc1384
letterc1390
write1428
briefa1450
titlec1450
scroll1534
escript1550
passagec1550
hand write1567
side1579
scrieve1581
manuscript1600
sheetful1711
page1743
slateful1836
chirograph1844
pageful1859
M1899
1421 in J. G. Edwards et al. Hist. Ess. in Honour of J. Tait (1933) 211 (MED) Inventarium librorum..M. Summa Ricardi Britonis de legibus Anglicanis.]
1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. (printer's signature mark) m1.
1850 J. Forshall & F. Madden Wyclif's Bible Pref. 29 The MS. M (Queen's Coll. 23).
1899 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Sept. 354/1 I to M are the most original passages of the hymn.
1900 Dundee Advert. 21 Mar. 5 M Battery Royal Horse Artillery.
1924 A. J. Allmand & H. J. T. Ellingham Princ. Appl. Electrochem. (ed. 2) xix. 450 The cathode and anode effluents are drawn off by the adjustable swan-necks M and N.
1994 Canad. Workshop Sept. 34/1 Glue and nail M and N onto L with mitre joints at the two front corners.
3. The letter with reference to its shape; something having the shape of the letter. M roof n. a roof formed from two ordinary gable roofs with a valley between them, whose section resembles the capital letter M.
Π
1665 R. Hooke Micrographia Pref. sig. E2 The other Mandril..has an even neck instead of a taper one, and runs in a Collar, that by the help of a Screw, and a joynt made like M in the Figure, it can be still adjustned to the wearing or wasting neck.
1733 F. Price Treat. Carpentry 17 Roofs, which are call'd M Roofs, and frequently made use of.
1797 Encycl. Brit. II. 246/2 (Fig. 2) Exhibits an M roof.
1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ Operative Mechanic 573 In roofs of rectangular buildings..a valley is introduced, which makes the vertical section in the form of the letter M, or rather an inverted W; hence it has obtained the name of an M roof.
1842 J. Gwilt Encycl. Archit. Gloss. 996 M Roof, a roof formed by the junction of two common roofs.
1962 Appraisal Terminol. & Handbk. (Amer. Inst. Real Estate Appraisers) (ed. 4) 118 M roof, a type of roof which is made up of two double-pitch roofs.
1991 G. Ehrlich Islands, Universe, Home iv. 36 Two rock tablets, each the size of a five-story building, rise from the center of the steep mountain slope. Together they form an M.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > printing > printed matter > arrangement or appearance of printed matter > [noun] > units of space in printing
M1683
n quadrat1683
em1793
en1793
1683 J. Moxon Mech. Exercises II. 99 Some [types] are m thick; by m thick is meant m Quadrat thick, which is just so thick as the Body is high.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Quadrat There are Quadrats of divers Sizes, as m Quadrats, n Quadrats, &c. which are respectively of the Dimensions of such Letters.
1824 J. Johnson Typographia II. 125 All measures are made to pica m's, and all leads are cast to m's of the above body.
1863 Daily News 10 Aug. Compositors are allowed 60 cents per thousand m's (not reckoning by n's as in England).
II. Symbolic uses (written without a following point, except where otherwise indicated).
5. In form M. The roman numeral symbol for a thousand.In the 15th and 16th centuries it could be substituted for the numeral word in any context; it is now rare except in dates represented in roman numerals. For earlier history see etymological note above.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > specific numbers > hundred and over > [noun] > thousand
thousand971
M1396
thou1867
1396 in Sc. Antiquary (1900) 14 217 The secvnde day of May the yher of our lorde mccc neynty and sex.
c1415 (c1390) G. Chaucer Prioress's Tale (Lansd.) 1628 God ȝeue þe monke a M [v.r. Ml.] last quade ȝere.
?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 3 I..passed the see, in the ȝeer of oure lord Jhesu crist mcccxxii.
1433–4 in J. Raine Fabric Rolls York Minster (1859) 53 In xij.m de stonebrodes, in v.m Scotesemnailes, 5s. 5d. In vij.m dccc Scotesemnailes, 9s. 2d.
a1500 (?a1400) Tale King Edward & Shepherd (Cambr.) (1930) 66 (MED) Þe Kyngys men oon to me A M pounde and mare.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Judges xii. 6 There fell of Ephraim two & fortye M.
1553 tr. Short Catech. 62 b We be feble, weake, subiect to a thousand periles, a M. temptations.
1603 G. Owen Descr. Penbrokshire (1892) 139 The M of oysters at the waterside is vsuallie sold for xd or xijd.
1616 J. Chamberlain Let. 20 July (1939) II. 18 Sir John Roper [was created] baron of Tenem [= Teynham], or Ten Ms [MS: ten ms] as Ned Wiwark terms yt beeing the summe they were rated at.
1655 J. Howell 4th Vol. Familiar Lett. 123 A Doxological Cronogram including this present yeer, mdclv.
1711 in C. R. Lounsbury Illustr. Gloss. Early Southern Archit. & Landscape (1994) 220 4 M Lath..£7, To 16 M Nails..£5, To 9 M Brick..£13. 10. 0, To 10 M Cypress Shingles..£12.
1756 J. Warton Ess. on Pope I. iv. 207 Bartolomeo Bocchini..printed at Venice MDCXLI, a tragico-heroi-comic poem.
1850 Ld. Tennyson In Memoriam facing p. 1 In memoriam A. H. H. obiit MDCCCXXXIII.
1962 D. Diringer Writing vi. 165 Of the twenty-six Etruscan letters, the Romans adopted only twenty-one, another three being converted into numbers. Theta (?) became ?, C (100), phi (Φ) became ?, M (1000) [half-phi became D (500)], and chi (?) became ?, L (50).
1996 S. Lavery et al. Hamlyn Encycl. Complementary Health 77/1 Dilutions are measured according to either the decimal (x), centesimal (c) or millesimal (M) scale.
6. Astronomy. In form M (without point), † M. (with point). Used with following (originally †preceding) numeral to denote indistinct non-stellar objects listed in the catalogue of Charles Messier (cf. Messier n.), originally all classed as nebulae but now recognized as including galaxies and star clusters as well as nebulae.As a catalogue Messier's was superseded by the New General Catalogue (NGC), but the numbers derived from Messier's catalogue remain in use.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > constellation > other non-stellar objects > [noun] > in Messier's catalogue
Messier1850
Messier number1917
M1929
1833 J. F. W. Herschel in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 123 367 [No.] 50..[Synonym] M. 31..[Description and Remarks] The great nebula in Andromeda.
1868 J. N. Lockyer Elem. Lessons Astron. i. 34 The finest ring-nebula is the 57th in Messier's catalogue (written 57 M. for short).
1868 J. N. Lockyer Elem. Lessons Astron. i. 34 33/ M. Piscium, and 99/ M. Virginis, are other examples of this strange phenomenon.
1911 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 332/2 Planetary nebulae, examples: the ‘owl’ nebula (M. 97) in Ursa Major, M.1 in Taurus.
1929 J. H. Jeans Universe around Us i. 30 The most conspicuous of all the spiral nebulae is the Great Nebula (M31) in Andromeda.
1964 Yearbk. Astron. 1965 173 South, in the obscure group Vulpecula.., lies the Dumb-bell Nebula, M27.
1994 Amer. Scientist Oct. 478/1 M31 has long occupied a pivotal position in astronomical research.
7. Science. Now in form m, usually italicized. In mathematical expressions: mass.
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1862 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 152 489 Suppose then a particle of mass m to have for its actual weight W′, [etc.].
1869 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 4th Ser. 38 83 M is the mass of a unit volume of a fluid, and g the accelerating force of gravity.
1885 H. W. Watson & S. H. Burbury Math. Theory Electr. & Magn. I. 46 Let there be at O a particle of matter of mass m.
1935 A. H. G. Palmer & K. S. Snell Mechanics x. 218 The left-hand weight of an Atwood's machine..is of mass m and the other of greater mass M.
1968 M. S. Livingston Particle Physics i. 6 We can compute the energy release through the Einstein equivalence relation E = mc2.
1992 S. P. Maran Astron. & Astrophysics Encycl. 522/1 The scale height in such an atmosphere is defined by H = kT/μmg, where T is the local temperature, k is Boltzmann's constant, μ is the mean molecular weight, m is the proton mass, and g is the local acceleration due to gravity.
8. Mathematics. In form M. = modulus n. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > arithmetic or algebraic operations > logarithm > [noun] > numerical elements
characteristic1654
index1678
exponent1734
modulus1753
base1772
mantissa1846
M1890
1890 Cent. Dict. (at cited word) In math., M or μ stands for modulus.
1897 Chambers' Math. Tables 454 Modulus of common logarithms = M = 0·4342944819.
1989 W. Gellert et al. VNR Conc. Encycl. Math. (ed. 2) ii. 58 The common logarithms..arise from the natural logarithms after multiplication by the constant 1/ln 10 = M10, which is called the modulus of the logarithms to the basis 10.
9. Zoology. Usually in form M (with or without point). In dental formulae: molar(s).
ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. at M In dental formulæ, in zoöl., m. stands for molar.
1967 J. R. Napier & P. H. Napier Handbk. Living Primates i. vi. 21 In the molar series the primitive number of M.1 2 3/ 1 2 3 is generally retained.
1991 G. B. Corbet & S. Harris Handbk. Brit. Mammals (ed. 3) 204/1 [The molars of the field vole are] distinguishable from the molars of the bank vole by..the presence of a fifth loop of enamel on M2.
10. Astronomy. In form M. In the system of classification of stellar spectra into divisions: the division comprising the spectra of the coolest stars, with molecular (particularly titanium oxide) absorption bands; chiefly attributive (esp. in M-star, M-type star), designating a red star with a surface temperature of approx. 2,400–3,500 K which emits such a spectrum.
ΚΠ
1890 E. C. Pickering Draper Catal. Stellar Spectra in Ann. Astron. Observatory Harvard Coll. 27 3 When a spectrum is of the third type it is indicated by the letter M.
1957 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 320/1 In the Draper classification, now universally recognized, a continuous sequence of types is recognized denoted by the letters O, B, A, F, G, K, M... The sequence O to M corresponds to progression in colour from blue to red, and progression in temperature from the hottest to the coolest stars.
1977 Whitaker's Almanack 152/2 The M stars, like Betelgeuse, show very complex molecular spectra, chiefly of titanium oxide.
1978 J. M. Pasachoff & M. L. Kutner University Astron. ii. 40 M stars are cooler yet... Betelgeuse is an example of such a reddish star of spectral class M.
1991 C. A. Ronan Nat. Hist. Universe 84/2 Very small stars, of about a quarter the mass of the Sun, enter as M-type red dwarfs.
11. Physics.
a. In form M. Designating the series of X-ray emission lines obtained by exciting the atoms of any particular element which are of longer wavelength than the L-series (cf. L n. 6a), and arise from electron transitions to the atomic orbit of third lowest energy, with principal quantum number 3. M-capture n. the capture by an atomic nucleus of one of the M-electrons. M-electrons n. electrons in the atomic orbit of third lowest energy, having principal quantum number 3. M-shell n. the shell of M-electrons.
ΚΠ
1911 C. G. Barkla in London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 22 408 From the similarity of the behaviour of all the elements we must then admit..the possibility of further series M, N, &c.
1923 H. L. Brose tr. A. J. W. Sommerfeld Atomic Struct. & Spectral Lines iii. 145 Electronic transitions that end in the M-shell, furnish differences of energy that correspond to emissions of lines of the M-series.
1924 London, Edinb. & Dublin Philos. Mag. 6th Ser. 48 722 Krypton..has 2 K, 8 L, 18 M, and 8 N electrons.
1924 R. W. G. Wyckoff Struct. Crystals ii. 72 The M-lines have been observed from the elements from dysprosium..to uranium.
1934 H. E. White Introd. Atomic Spectra xvi. 306 Like the K and L series lines, the M series lines follow nearly straight lines on a Moseley diagram.
1968 Physical Rev. 166 944/2 The predicted exchange–overlap correction..is even larger for M capture than for L capture.
1970 E. P. Bertin Princ. & Pract. X-ray Spectrometr. Anal. i. 27 An electron that has enough energy to expel a K electron obviously can also expel any L or M electron.
b. [Introduced by A. Landé 1921, in Zeitschr. f. Physik 5 233.] Denoting magnetic quantum numbers, corresponding to the component of an angular momentum (often indicated by a subscript) in some physically distinguished direction (usually that of a magnetic field).m is usually used for a single particle, and M for an assemblage of particles.
ΚΠ
1923 Jrnl. Optical Soc. Amer. 7 415 The numbers at the left show the magnetic quantum number m characterizing each level.
1926 Proc. Royal Soc. A. 112 80 It is necessary also..to take into consideration the effect of the orientation of orbits with respect to an imaginary magnetic field, and such orientation involves a fourth quantum number m, which in turn is itself composite and is equal to the vector sum of two subsidiary quantum numbers ma and ms.
1962 H. D. Bush Atomic & Nucl. Physics ii. 38 It is necessary to characterize electrons in atoms by four quantum numbers n, l, ml, ms.
1967 W. R. Hindmarsh Atomic Spectra i. vi. 72 We can also perform a simple calculation for the case where the Zeeman splitting is large compared with the hyperfine structure but still small compared with the fine structure. In this case the quantum numbers MJ and MI (which defines the z-component of the nuclear spin) are well defined, but not J and I.
1984 D. C. Giancoli Gen. Physics xli. 803 The magnetic quantum number, ml, is related to the direction of the electron's angular momentum and it can take on integer values ranging from −l to +l.
12. Economics. In form M. Used in measures of money supply, usually with a numeral which denotes how narrow a definition of the assets under consideration is being used.The range now generally goes from M0 (the sum of notes and coins in circulation) to M5 (the broadest definition), though formerly different nomenclature and definitions were used: see quot. 1987.
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1948 P. A. Samuelson Economics xiii. 291 If the total amount of all..kinds of money is M and the price level is P, then according to the simplified quantity theory M = kP or P = 1/ kM where k is a factor of proportionality which remains constant if ‘other things are equal’.
1963 M. Friedman & D. Meiselman Relative Stability Monetary Velocity in U.S., 1897–1958 242 Three..definitions of money were considered. These were: M1: Currency in public circulation + Adjusted demand deposits, M2 = M1 + Time deposits in commercial banks, M3 = M2 + Mutual savings bank deposits + Postal savings accounts + Savings and loan association shares.
1967 Federal Res. Bank of St. Louis Rev. Oct. 8/2 M equals the public's holding of currency, demand deposits, and time deposits.
1968 Business Week 26 Oct. 117/3 There are two basic definitions of the quantity of money in use: M1—demand deposits plus currency in circulation... M2—this includes not only demand deposits and currency, but also time deposits in the commercial banks.
1973 Ld. Robbins Against Inflation (1979) xiii. 66 Since the end of June 1970..M3—the most commonly accepted measure of the credit base—had increased to last September by something of the order of magnitude of 40 per cent.
1985 Times 13 Sept. 16/3 US M1 money supply rose $1.4 billion in the week to September 2.
1986 Economist 11 Jan. 19/2 MO, the chancellor's favourite measure of the money supply, has grown by only 2¼% during the past 12 months.
1987 Times 14 May 23/4 As from next Wednesday's provisional monetary statistics, £M3 will become plain M3 while the former M3, which includes foreign currency assets, will be M3c. The present PSL2, which includes building society deposits together with money-market instruments, certificates of tax deposit and some national savings accounts as well as the components of £M3, will become M5. In between £M3 and M5 the Bank intends to track a new aggregate M4, which includes only building society deposits in addition to the cash and bank deposits in £M3.
1994 P. Ormerod Death of Econ. (1995) v. 96 At a purely practical level, there is no unique definition of what constitutes the money supply... The various definitions are, by convention, denoted by the capital letter ‘M’ followed by a number. So we have, for example, M0, M1 and so on, usually up to M5, although there can be subtle variants such as M1A.
13. In form M. Cell Biology and Genetics. The period of the cell reproduction cycle in which mitosis or meiosis occurs; usually attributive in M phase, esp. M-phase promoting factor.
ΚΠ
1957 Physiol. Rev. 37 52 (caption) The cell cycle in bone marrow cells. M = mitosis;... S = period of DNA synthesis.
1985 J. Gerhart et al. in Cytobios 43 335 (heading) British M-phase promoting factors from eggs of Xenopus laevis.
1989 B. Alberts et al. Molecular Biol. Cell (ed. 2) xiii. 734 Apparently the M-phase cytoplasm contains a powerful M-phase-promoting factor (abbreviated as MPF) to which a nucleus in any phase of the cycle is susceptible.
1989 Nature 11 May 97/1 Actively dividing eukaryotic cells proceed through an orderly sequence of events termed the cell cycle, which in both mitotic and meiotic varieties culminates in the ‘M-phase’ of nuclear division.
1991 EMBO Jrnl. 2865/2 After fertilization, the oocytes do not require new protein synthesis to complete first meiosis, which seems to imply that cyclin A is not strictly required to enter M phase.
1998 Molecular Human Reprod. 4 745 This and several subsequent steps of meiosis are controlled by the M-phase promoting factor (MPF).
III. Simple abbreviations.
14. In form M. A substitution in speech and text for various names (forename or surname).
Π
?1441 M. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 217 Wretyn at Oxnede..on þe Thrusday next be-fore Seynt Tomas Day... Yowre ys, M. P.
c1555 Manifest Detection Diceplay sig. Civ R. But what shift haue they to bring the flat in & out? M. A ioly fine shifte yt properly is called foysting.
1691 R. Baxter End of Doctrinal Controv. ii. p. xviii Life and Matter (the Son and Holy Ghost) are one indivisible, (though distinguishable) Being, there being no Spirit (saith Dr. M.)
1869 D. G. Rossetti in J. W. Mackail Life W. Morris (1899) I. 204 The Ms [= Morrises] at Ems.
1937 H. Jennings et al. May 12th Mass-observ. Day-surv. ii. 367 Arrive shops. M. buys a snow-plough for his Hornby set, for which he has been saving.
1993 J. Saunders Absolutely Fabulous v. 108 Mother Not eating, Patsy? Patsy Liquid lunch for me, Mrs M. Mother No wonder you're still as thin as a rake.
15. Of various English words.† a. In later use usually in form M (usually without point). In general use, and as a conventional title of address or report: = (the later) mister n.2, Mr n.; to have (also carry) an M under one's girdle: to use a respectful prefix (as Mr, Mrs) when addressing or mentioning a person; cf. girdle n.1 1c. See also Initialisms 2. Obsolete.† b. M. Used as a mark or brand on a person convicted of murder and admitted to the benefit of clergy. Obsolete.† e. In form M. Mastership. Obsolete.
ΘΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > courtesy > courteous forms of address or title > use courteous title in address [verb (intransitive)]
to have (also carry) an M under one's girdlec1454
sir1798
c1454 in H. Anstey Epistolae Academicae Oxon. (1898) I. 327 (MED) The tenor of the qwyche letter a-for-sende, the sayd m [i.e. mayster w. churche] can remembre ȝow.
c1475 Mankind (1969) 505 (MED) Fyrst I xall begyn at M. Huntyngton of Sauston; Fro thens I xall go to Wylliam Thurlay of Hauston.
a1540 R. Barnes Wks. (1573) 349/1 Our M. Christ teaching al creatures to pray.
1549 Latimer's 2nd Serm. bef. Edw. VI (1869) To Rdr. 52 The deuourer of townes and countryes as M. Latimer tearmeth them rightly.
a1556 N. Udall Ralph Roister Doister (?1566) iii. iii. sig. Eij If faire fine mistresse Custance sawe you now, Ralph Royster Doister were hir owne I warrant you. R. Royster. Neare an M by your girdle?
1596 E. Spenser Prothalamion (title page) The two worthie Gentlemen M. Henry Gilford, and M. William Peter, Esquyers.
1605 G. Chapman et al. Eastward Hoe iv. sig. G4 Quick. Must Goulding sit vpon vs? Con. You might carry an M vnder your girdle to Maister Deputis worship.
c1612 J. Skene Memorabilia Scotica (1923) 13 The Erle of Gowrie..slane with his brother M. Alexander Ruthwen..1600.
1712 Great Britons Honycombe (MS) What, plaine Budwaies! have you nere an M. under your girdle.
1738 J. Swift Compl. Coll. Genteel Conversat. 28 You might have an M under your Girdle, Miss.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality x, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. IV. 231 Ye might hae had an M under your belt for Mistress Wilson of Milnwood.
Π
1487 Act 4 Hen. VII c. 13 Every suche persone so convicted for murdre, to be marked with a M. upon the brawne of the lefte thumbe.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. M, in Law, was the Brand or Stigma of a Person convicted of Murder, and admitted to the Benefit of his Clergy.
c. In form M. (also m.) Mark, marks †(a) as a measure of weight (see mark n.2 1) (obsolete); (b) as a monetary unit (see mark n.2 2); (in 20th-cent. use only) the monetary unit of the (former) German Democratic Republic, or (rarely) Germany.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > [noun] > unit or denomination of weight
weightc1175
M1548
carat1568
killat1580
muttie1672
minim1790
society > trade and finance > money > standards and values of currencies > [noun] > specific monetary units or units of account
M1548
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. cclviiv A C. liii. ounces in golden plate, & .iiii. M. iii. oz in gylte plate.
1599 A. M. tr. O. Gaebelkhover Bk. Physicke 360 Take vnpeeled Barlye M iiij.
1647 L. Haward Charges Crown Revenue 22 Assay Master: Fee, 100m.
a1687 W. Petty Polit. Anat. Ireland (1691) 74 The said decay of Bullion considering that..300 M. would pay one half years Gale of all the land; 50 M. would pay ¼ rent of all the Housing.
1909 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. M,... In the form m. or M.,..mark or marks (G., money).
1968 Whitaker's Almanack 981 Germany (East)... Mark der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (M.) of 100 Pfennig... [Notes] M. 100, 50, 20, 10, 5... [Coins] M. 20, 10, 2, 1.
1986 J. Hanson Dict. Econ. (ed. 6) 250/1 M., abbreviation of mark der deutschen Demokratische Republik, the standard unit of the currency of East Germany.
d. In form M. Majesty (see also H.M. n. at H n. Initialisms).
ΘΠ
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > title > title or form of address for persons of rank > [noun] > titles applied to royalty
sire?c1225
His (also Her) Majestya1387
realty1400
rialnessc1450
R1466
royalty1543
Royal Highness1555
M1581
Ma.1584
majestyship1594
serenissimo1665
1581 J. Hamilton Catholik Traictise Epist. f. 3v His thankfull spreit tovart zour, m.
1794 R. F. Greville Diary 28 Aug. (1930) 309 His M. order'd Me to call at Farmer Sherring's where I order'd two of those Broad Rakes called Hell Rakes.
ΘΠ
society > authority > [noun] > those in authority > person in authority > condition of
masterheada1400
mastership1455
masterhooda1586
M1591
superiorship1649
superiorate1848
1591 in C. Innes Bk. Thanes Cawdor (1859) 199 Stiffing gray to your M. doublat.
f. Grammar. In form m (also M). Masculine.
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1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Aage, m. aye, yeares, dayes; also, an aye; time, season.
1699 A. Boyer Royal Dict. Pref. sig. a4/1 S or Subst. M, a Substantive of the Masculine Gender.
1760 G. Baretti Dict. Eng. & Ital. Lang. II. p. ix From Uomo (a masc. subst.) a Man, we form Uomáccio (m. s.) a man both tall and clumsy, or wicked and despicable.
1884 N.E.D. at Aerie The probability rests between ārea and ātrium; the latter..would account well for the dubiety of gender in OFr.; aire m.:-ātrium; aire f.:-ātria.
1939 Zeitschr. f. Französische Sprache 63 i– ii. 46 The usual term in Louisiana-French for this palmetto is latanier, m., a derivative of Carib aláttani, a name recorded by Breton for a West Indian palm with fan-shaped leaves.
1992 H. Kuhn in C. Blank Lang. & Civilization I. 616 The inroads of m gender in the group above is probably attributable to a well-established group of English loanwords indicating some action.
g. In form m. Minute (of arc or of time); cf. rpm n. at R n. Initialisms 1, w.p.m. n. at W n. Initialisms.
ΘΠ
the world > time > period > minute > [noun]
minutea1393
mint-whilec1400
minute tide1492
min1588
scruple of an hour1603
M1670
1670 J. Flamstead in Philos. Trans. 1669 (Royal Soc.) 4 1109 Therefore she [sc. the Moon] is in Antecedence of the Star 15 m. 25 sec.
1858 Mercantile Marine Mag. 5 365 It is high water, full and change..at 10 h. 11 m.
1875 C. Darwin Insectivorous Plants vii. 163 After 10 hrs. 15 m...the blade quite doubled up.
1970 Nature 12 Sept. 1123/2 The outputs of two receivers..were combined, and the detected signal was sampled digitally every 50 ms over a period of 13 m 39 s.
h. In form m (also M). = mile n.1 (now chiefly as part of other initialisms, as mpg, mph, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement of length > [noun] > units of length or distance > mile
mileeOE
mile1632
mild1701
M1719
1719 Of Several Degrees Gentry 13 Arundel Castle in Sussex, 8 m. from Chichester, and 46 from London.
1859 W. H. J. Weale Belgium, Aix-la-Chapelle & Cologne 315 In the Church of Lommel, 3 m. beyond the Camp, is a Romanesque font.
1992 Oxf. Dict. Abbrev. 231/2 m.,..mile(s).
i. In form m (without point). Metre, metres (the unit of length).
Π
1810 Naval Chron. 24 301 Killometer, 1000 M.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 263/2 After staying in the air about half an hour, he descended 3 m. from the place of ascent.
1949 Nature 12 Nov. 816/2 The radio range from about 1 cm. to 20 m.
1992 S. P. Maran Astron. & Astrophysics Encycl. 131/2 The speed of light is also taken as a defining constant. Its standard value is 299,792,458 m s−1.
j. In form M (without point; also m). Male (see also quot. 1973; cf. m/f n. at Initialisms 1).
ΘΠ
the world > life > sex and gender > male > [noun]
heOE
masclea1425
M1858
1858 Jrnl. Mental Sci. 4 237 (table) Admitted... m... f... t.[i.e. total].
1973 Acronyms & Initialisms Dict. (Gale Res. Co.) (ed. 4) 349/2 M & F, male and female (components, as of connecting devices).
1990 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 12 Apr. 55/4 (advt.) Cliche-free, fun-loving independent professional F seeks M 50+ to dance on top of the world together.
k. Chemistry. In form m, usually italicized. = meta- prefix 4b.
ΚΠ
1889 G. M'Gowan tr. A. Bernthsen Text-bk. Org. Chem. xvii. 329 The xylene of coal tar consists of a mixture of the three isomers, m-xylene being present to the extent of 70 to 85 p.c.
1929 L. A. Coles Introd. Mod. Org. Chem. xxvii. 327 m-Dinitrobenzene is always prepared by the nitration of benzene in two stages.
1968 R. O. C. Norman Princ. Org. Synthesis xi. 368 The t-butyl group is removed by reaction with more of the starting m-dialkylbenzene.
1971 Nomencl. Org. Chem. (I.U.P.A.C.) (ed. 3) A. 18 The position of substituents is indicated by numbers except that o- (ortho), m- (meta) and p- (para) may be used in place of 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-, respectively, when only two substituents are present.
1981 P. Sykes Guidebk. to Mechanism in Org. Chem. (ed. 5) vi. 149 Nitration of nitrobenzene..is found to result in a mixture of 93% m-, 6% o- and 1% p-isomers.
1993 Dyes & Pigments 21 3 1,4-Dibromobutane..and m-fluoroaniline..were introduced separately into the reaction flask.
l. In form M. Of paper quality: middling, showing slight imperfections.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > material for making paper > paper > [adjective] > damaged or flawed
broken1807
water-galled1831
broke1888
M1894
1894 Amer. Dict. Printing & Bookmaking 354/1 M paper, paper which is not up to the highest standard of the manufacturer.
1937 E. J. Labarre Dict. Paper 170/1 M paper is that which is not up to the first sorting, but in which the imperfections are trivial.
1948 Words into Type 545 M's or M paper. Paper not up to the standard quality.
m. Music. In form m. = mezzo adv. mf: mezzo forte; mp: mezzo piano.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > written or printed music > directions > [adverb] > other directions
da capo1724
meno1724
più1724
poco1724
subito1724
tacet1724
tutti1724
V1724
volti subito1724
tasto solo1772
al segno?1775
loco1786
molto1786
bis1819
quasi parlando1872
allegro non tanto1876
dal segno1876
senza replica1883
M1900
1900 Grove's Dict. Music I. 566/1 A lesser degree of loudness is expressed by mf—mezzoforte.
1900 Grove's Dict. Music II. 709/2 Mezzo piano (abbreviated mp) denotes a degree of force slightly louder than piano.
1959 D. Cooke Lang. Music iii. 133 A G major tune enters, 5-4-3-2-(7)-1, mf, adagio 3/4, flowing rhythm, legato, played by violas and bassoons.
n. Music. In form M. Metronome.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > tempo > [noun] > metronome
metrometer1769
plexichronometer1786
rhythmometer1812
metronome1816
chronometer1837
plummet1844
accentuator?1845
M1904
1904 N.E.D. M., Mus. = metronome.
o. In form m. In organ music: manual.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical instrument > keyboard instrument > organ > [noun] > keyboard
fingerboard1799
bank1822
manual1852
M1904
1904 N.E.D. m., in organ music, manual.
p. Meteorology. In form m. Mist.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > cloud > mist > [noun]
misteOE
roke1292
vapourc1386
nyle1481
stove1513
fumec1550
rouka1586
misting1604
steam1612
dampa1616
petty-fog1641
smoke1648
brume1694
muga1728
ure1818
nebule1869
nebula1894
moist1903
M1904
clag1940
1904 N.E.D. m, in log-books = mist.
1934 A. H. R. Goldie Abercromby's Weather (rev. ed.) ii. 13 (table) m mist; range of visibility 1,100 yards or more, but less than 2,200 yards.
q. M (without point; also m). Medium (esp. as a designation of clothing size; cf. MCU n. at Initialisms 1).
ΘΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > medium or moderate size > [noun]
mediocrity?c1400
M1909
1909 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. M,..in the form m. or M.,..medium.
1963 N.Y. Times Mag. 25 Aug. 5 (advt.) The shift jumper, in sizes S.M.L., and wrap culotte, in sizes 6–16, in teal, green, or cranberry.
1996 Sunday Tel. 13 Oct. (Sport section) 14 (caption) MCDC men's abdo-protector..with three inch waistband, s, m, l, approx £10.
r. In form M. Morphine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > alkaloids > [noun] > morphine
morphine1817
morph1906
Ma1912
a1912 W. T. Rogers Dict. Abbrev. (1913) M., morphin.
1914 L. E. Jackson & C. R. Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Slang 60 M, or Morph, used by morphine fiends. Sulphate of morphia.
1922 E. F. Murphy Black Candle ii. xi. 212 I cried and made a fuss when I could not get enough ‘M’ or ‘C’, so we moved to a house where no one would hear me.
1935 A. J. Pollock Underworld Speaks 74/1 M., morphine (a white alkaloid derived from opium).
1953 W. S. Burroughs Junkie xii. 125 When I have an H or M shooting habit I am non-sociable.
1994 Daily Tel. 18 Oct. 19/1 Street names for heroin include H, horse, skag, smack, stuff, junk. For morphine: M, morph, white, stuff.
s. Chemistry. In form M (without point). = molar adj.4
ΚΠ
1919 S. W. Cole Pract. Physiol. Chem. (ed. 5) i. 24 0.2 M acid potassium phthalate.
1974 A. J. Peel Transport of Nutrients in Plants x. 189 0·5–2·0 M solutions of glucose or fructose.
1992 Coleopterists Bull. 46 132 The electrode solutions were 1 M orthophosphoric acid (anode) and 1 M sodium hydroxide (cathode).
t. In form M (without point). Marijuana.
Π
1955 E. Hunter in Manhunt July 5/1 We wouldn't so much as give him a stick of M.
1992 Eng. Today July 40/2 M or MJ for marijuana.
u. In form m. (also M.). Million (as £300m. = three hundred million pounds, $500m. = five hundred million dollars).
Π
1955 Times 3 May 10/3 (heading) $1M. declined.
1955 Times 9 May 8/2 $28m. for aid to Spain.
1991 Incentive Today Oct. 11/1 InterCity anticipates that with 21m vouchers expected to be issued through high street stores, two million free rail journeys will be made as a result.
v. British. In form M (without point). Motorway (usually prefixed to a number and denoting a particular road). Also figurative.
ΚΠ
1959 Times 10 Nov. 6/5 Two people were injured in an accident on the London–Birmingham motorway, the M.1, yesterday.
1963 Listener 10 Jan. 100/2 Some of the by-ways of sound radio—by-ways to me but no doubt a positive M1 to thousands of others—can be rewarding.
1964 Daily Tel. 3 Mar. 21/1 (heading) M-drivers ‘can stop if drowsy’.
1966 ‘A. York’ Eliminator iv. 72 I would have thought you'd have wanted to try her on the M.
1973 Guardian 26 May 8/5 Bartholomew's new Motorway Atlas..is a useful tool for those who go up and down the Ms all the time.
1998 Daily Star 26 Mar. 47/1 Glenn Hoddle has already said his team are motorways behind Brazil, but there were times last night when they were the length of the M1 behind Switzerland.
16. Of French, Latin, and Italian words.
a. In form M. Standing for monsieur n. as a prefixed title. Also in plural (messieurs n.) MM.
Π
1686 tr. J. Chardin Trav. Persia 63 Although M. de Nointel scrupl'd at first, yet he consented at length.
1746 C. Knowles Let. 19 Sept. in J. S. McLennan Louisbourg (1918) x. 174 M. le Duc with all his force shan't have Louisbourg this Trip.
1798 (title) Stella. Translated from the German of M. Goethe.
1819 Edinb. Philos. Jrnl. 1 210 New vegetable Alkali called Strychnine.—This new alkali was discovered by MM. Pelletier and Caventou in the Strychnos ignatia and the Strychnos nux vomica.
1871 E. C. G. Murray Member for Paris III. 332 M. le Duc de Hautbourg.
1958 Times Lit. Suppl. 11 Apr. 200/2 This apparatus was invented in 1944 by two French engineers, MM. Higonnet and Moyroud.
1993 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 9 Jan. d6/4 ‘Now,’ wrote M. le maire, ‘how about adjectival participles turned into nouns?’
b. In form M. (also m.). [with numeral, abbreviation of classical Latin meridies (see meridian adj.)] In astronomical tables, etc.: meridian or meridional; (also more generally following the numeral twelve) noon (cf. a.m. adv. and n.1, p.m. adv. and n.1).
ΘΠ
the world > time > day and night > day or daytime > noon or midday > [noun]
noontideeOE
middayOE
overnoonOE
noontimeOE
noona1225
undern13..
high noon1370
undern-tide1387
meridianc1390
merionc1390
meridiec1392
midoverunderna1400
high dayc1425
noon season1461
nooninga1500
noonday1535
midnoon1580
mid-seasona1616
M1741
noon-mark1842
noon1852
sun-hot1894
1741 E. Chambers Cycl. (ed. 4) (at cited word) M, in astronomical tables,..is used for Meridional or southern, sometimes for Meridies or mid~day.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xxxiv. 129 At twelve m., it bore N.W. ½ N.
c. Music. In form m. [abbreviation of Italian mano or French main hand (see manage v.)] Hand (as (use the) m. destra or m. droite, (use the) right hand).
ΚΠ
1904 N.E.D. m., Mus. = It. mano or F. main.
17. As prefix, forming symbols of units of measurement. See also Initialisms 4d (and cf. sense 5).
a. Now in form m (without point). = milli- comb. form. For initialisms see Initialisms 4b.Recorded earliest in mm n. at Initialisms 4b.
Π
1870 Nature 9 June 108/2 There are a large number of very small nerve tubules (0mm,0033) diameter mingled with others of average and of large diameter 0mm,01 to 0mm,02 and ·0·3.
b. Now in form m (without point). = micro- comb. form 4 (now rare: superseded by μ). For initialisms see Initialisms 4a.
ΚΠ
1878 Jrnl. Royal Microsc. Soc. 1 355 A quarter of a century ago..Harting proposed..micro-millimetre... Thus we had m. for the metre, mm. for the millimetre, and mmm. for the micromillimetre.
c. Usually in form M (without point) = mega- comb. form 2. For initialisms see Initialisms 4c.
Π
1934 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. M,..mega- (million).
Initialisms
Many of the terms given here without points are also frequently used with points, and vice versa. Less commonly, variation between upper- and lower-case letters may occur where the initialism is not a proper name. I1. General initialisms. For initialisms in which M stands for ‘master’ and ‘member’ see Initialisms 2, Initialisms 3. See also M and B n., M.B. n., MS n.1, Ms n.2, musa n.2
MA n. mental age.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > [noun] > degree of mental development
mental age1910
MA1940
1940 R. S. Woodworth Psychol. (ed. 12) iv. 111 Of the two measures, MA and IQ, which is the better index of intelligence?
1960 J. B. Carroll in S. Saporta & J. R. Bastian Psycholinguistics (1961) 340/1 There has been much interest in the relation between language maturity and measures of intellectual functioning such as MA or IQ.
MAC n. U.S. Military Airlift Command.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > [noun] > transporting > facility for transporting by air
air mobility1930
MATS1955
MAC1968
1968 R. C. Thomas New Acronyms & Initialisms 134 MAC, Military Airlift Command (formerly Military Air Transport Service).
1978 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 29 Apr. 17/4 This [sc. Scott Air Force Base] is the headquarters of Military Airlift Command (MAC)... In time of war, MAC can call on 600 civilian passenger aircraft, including 110 jumbo jets to ferry troops.
1987 Internat. Combat Arms Sept. 34/2 MAC has a number of major missions that support the combat ability of the entire defense establishment, including the airlift of personnel.
MAC n. Microbiology and Medicine = Mycobacterium avium complex n. at mycobacterium n. Compounds; cf. MAI n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > micro-organism > bacterium > bacillus > [noun]
bacillus1883
MAI1980
MAC1985
1985 Jrnl. Clin. Microbiol. 22 9 The incidence of isolation of MAC has increased fivefold since 1972, with a doubling of the number of patients with positive MAC specimens from normally sterile sites occurring since 1980.
1994 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 6 Aug. d8/3 Mycobutin..is a first line of defence against MAC (mycobacterium avium complex), a bacterial infection that causes fever, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, muscle wasting, malaise and anaemia.
2002 Microbiol. & Immunol. 46 67 The present study was designed to evaluate the distribution of..epithelioid cells, myofibroblasts, and TGF-beta1 in the formation of granuloma caused by Mycobacterium avium intracellulare complex (MAC) lung infection.
MAD n. magnetic anomaly (or airborne) detector (or detection).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic devices or components > electronic instruments > [noun]
MAD1946
1946 Radar: Summary Rep. & Harp Project (U.S. National Defense Res. Comm., Div. 14) 142/1 MAD, magnetic airborne detector for submarines under water.
1952 Coronet May 78/1 Scientists..thought, a compasslike magnetic device could be made to respond to even as small a body of metal as a submarine... U.S. Navy engineers tried dangling the tiny magnetic element on the end of a hundred-foot cable, through which electrical impulses traveled to a recording instrument in the plane. It worked, and MAD (magnetic air-borne detector) was soon helping our Navy send U-boats to the bottom.
1968 A. Hine Magn. Compasses & Magnetometers xi. 308 The purpose of M.A.D. is to find small irregularities in the general pattern of the Earth's magnetic field, which are associated with ferro-magnetic deposits of rock and oil-bearing strata.
1990 Take Off No. 119. 3314/4 Using a device something like a hyper-sensitive compass, known as a magnetic anomaly detector, or MAD, it is possible to sense the presence of that local disturbance.
MAD n. mutual (also mutually) assured destruction.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > war > war as profession or skill > [noun] > strategy > specific
forward defence1960
mutual assured destruction1968
MAD1969
mutually assured destruction1969
exit strategy1973
dual key1979
Star Wars1983
S.D.I.1984
1969 Summer Cougar (Univ. of Houston) 10 July 2/2 Whether either or both sides deploys a thin or thick ABM will not significantly alter the present standoff of mutually assured destruction (MAD) and mutually assured vulnerability (especially of populations).
1971 N.Y. Times 24 May 31/4 We and the Soviets achieve a MAD posture by means of long-range missiles and bombers armed with thermonuclear weapons.
1987 Amer. Polit. Sci. Rev. 81 717 Several analyses of MAD conclude that the state with the greatest resolve in this contest of resolve will prevail.
1996 M. K. Blakely Red, White, & oh so Blue 101 We were encouraged to think of ourselves as the Good Society even while entering the opposite reality with the Soviet Union: we embarked on MAD, ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’.
MADD n. [with allusion to mad adj. 6] U.S. Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
ΚΠ
1981 Washington Post (Nexis) 12 Mar. c4 MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), a growing grassroots organization fighting for tough new laws.
1993 Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey) 21 Feb. i. 1/4 The number of drunken driving-related fatalities in the Garden State fell from 371 in 1980 to an estimated 154 last year... But..leaders of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)..say more needs to be done.
MAF n. Immunology macrophage activating (also activation) factor.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > substance > process stimulators or inhibitors > other immunological substances or particles > [noun]
nutriceptor1911
MAF1975
1975 Jrnl. Immunol. 114 392/1 Macrophage-activating factor (MAF) produced by T and B cells has the same effect on PM0.
1984 J. R. Tighe & D. R. Davies Pathol. (ed. 4) iv. 29 Macrophage-activating factor (MAF) enables the monocyte to kill an intracellular organism.
1997 Cancer Res. 57 2187 The domain of Gc protein responsible for macrophage activation was cloned and enzymatically converted to the cloned MAF.
MAI n. Microbiology and Medicine Mycobacterium avium intracellulare; = Mycobacterium avium complex n. at mycobacterium n. Compounds; cf. MAC n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > micro-organism > bacterium > bacillus > [noun]
bacillus1883
MAI1980
MAC1985
1980 Amer. Rev. Respiratory Dis. 121 421 (title) Link between MAI organisms and broiler production noted.
2001 Jrnl. Infectious Dis. 184 1480 Isolates of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) form multiple colony types named red-opaque, white-opaque, red-transparent.., and white-transparent.
M & A n. Business merger and acquisition.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > business affairs > a business or company > [noun] > merger
merger1851
integration1894
merge1905
marriage1909
horizontal combination1927
M & A1989
1989 W. Adams & J. W. Brock Dangerous Pursuits i. ii. 11 Individual deals valued at $1 billion or more skyrocketed from 3 in 1980 to 34 in 1986. In all, some 26,000 M&A transactions were consummated in the 1980–1988 period.
1994 Washington Post 3 July h2/4 Where is all this money coming from? ‘From almost every part of the business’, answered Dimon. Unlike the 1980s, when Wall Street's hottest activity was ‘M&A’, short for mergers and acquisitions, the sources of income now are broader.
M. and D. n. Military medicine and duty (marked on a serviceman's sick report when he is feigning illness).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > [noun] > a medicine or medicament > medicine co-operating with another
synergist1870
M. and D.1917
1917 A. G. Empey Over Top 299 M. and D., what the doctor marks on the ‘sicker’ or sick report when he thinks Tommy is faking sickness.
1919 W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 33 M. & D., medicine and duty. A familiar sick-parade slogan.
1935 G. Blake Shipbuilders 256 If that wound's not healed by to-morrow it's M. and D. for you.
M & V n. (Also M. and V.) Services' slang meat and vegetable(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > [noun] > dish
meateOE
messc1300
servicec1450
dish1526
plate1577
plat1766
meat and potatoes1846
M & V1925
meat and two veg1960
1925 E. Fraser & J. Gibbons Soldier & Sailor Words 148 M and V, a familiar expression for the tinned meat and vegetable ration.
1944 R.A.F. Jrnl. Aug. 260 We are given..a hot tin of M. & V. (Meat and Vegetable: you pour it into your mess tin and eat it with a spoon).
1944 A. Jacob Traveller's War 273 The spearhead of the Eighth Army will eat a Christmas dinner of tinned meat and vegetable stew (the famous ‘M. and V.’), biscuits and tinned fruit and tea.
1972 A. Neave Flames of Calais iii. 34 By nightfall my troop was cooking M & V beneath the plane trees of the market place.
MAO n. Biochemistry monoamine oxidase.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > formation of substances, etc. > [noun]
elaboration1578
excretion1605
secrement1664
laboration1830
albuminization1843
vacuolation1858
vacuolization1882
glycogenesis1886
clumping1896
chemosynthesis1900
lysogenesis1901
melanogenesis1909
biosynthesis1918
lymphopoiesis1918
biogenesis1922
oncogenesis1932
induction1947
steroidogenesis1951
MAO1965
1965 Acronyms & Initialisms Dict. (Gale Res. Co.) (ed. 2) 421 MAO, Monoamine Oxidase.
1965 Biol. Neonatorum 8 216 The understanding of the metabolism of 5HT has constituted the basis for the administration of some drugs, especially mono amine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. MAO is mainly responsible for the first stage of the catabolism of some biogenic amines.
1996 Independent 22 Feb. 4/2 Dr Fowler and her colleagues discovered that smokers have lower concentrations of the chemical monoamine oxidase (MAO) B in their brains than ex-or non-smokers.
MAOI n. Biochemistry monoamine oxidase inhibitor.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > medicine for mental conditions > [noun] > antidepressant > specific drugs
Marsilid1952
iproniazid1953
levallorphan1953
imipramine1958
Tofranil1958
isocarboxazid1959
Marplan1959
Nardil1959
nialamide1959
Niamid1959
phenelzine1959
tranylcypromine1959
Parnate1960
amitriptyline1961
monoamine oxidase inhibitor1962
nortriptyline1962
protriptyline1963
MAOI1965
maprotiline1970
mianserin1970
amoxapine1971
fluoxetine1975
paroxetine1977
Prozac1985
Seroxat1985
1965 Acronyms & Initialisms Dict. (Gale Res. Co.) (ed. 2) 421 MA0I, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor.
1966 Lancet 19 Feb. 407 The monoamine-oxidase-inhibitor (M.A.O.I.) drugs introduced into psychiatry as antidepressants have a wide range of pharmacological properties... It has become apparent that M.A.O.I. drugs have an effect on carbohydrate metabolism.
1998 Independent 16 Feb. i. 12/2 Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were the first breakthrough in antidepressant treatment. MAOIs block the enzyme involved in the breakdown of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline.
MAP n.
Brit. /map/
, /map/U.S. /mæp/
Manufacturing Technology and Computing Manufacturing Automation Protocol./mæp/ΚΠ
1984 Control Engin. July 73/1 July 9, 1984, marks the first demonstration of a standard digital communications scheme for industrial automation, the General Motors Manufacturing Automation Protocol (MAP) Specifications. MAP will permit several different computers and programmable controllers to communicate.
1991 Sci. Amer. Aug. 85/1 Seven years ago General Motors helped to sign up an impressive roster of corporate luminaries for a traveling road show called MAP, or, more formally, Manufacturing Automation Protocol.
M.A.P. n. now historical (the former British) Ministry of Aircraft Production.
ΚΠ
1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 60/1 M.A.P.
1946 Happy Landings (Air Ministry) July 1/2 Returning to England as Controller of Research and Development at M.A.P.
1953 Economist 14 Nov. 505/2 The Ministry of Aircraft Production. The problems that will confront the Atomic Energy Corporation have a family likeness..to those of MAP.
1957 R. Watson-Watt Three Steps to Victory xl. 233 Bickell,..Max's fidus Achates and ‘winger’ in M.A.P. and in the wide circles which rippled..out from that most explosive of Ministries.
MARC n.
Brit. /mɑːk/
, /mɑːk/U.S. /mɑrk/
Library Science machine-readable cataloguing, a standard format for the encoding and representation of bibliographic information in machine-readable form./mɑrk/ΘΚΠ
society > communication > book > book list > [adjective] > machine-readable cataloguing format
MARC1965
society > communication > book > book list > [noun] > action of listing or cataloguing books > machine-readable cataloguing format
MARC1965
1965 Proc. 2nd Conf. Machine-Readable Catal. Copy (U.S. Libr. Congress) 23 The eventual expansion of MARC and its importance for foreign-area acquisitions and bibliographic control programs.
1968 Libr. Assoc. Rec. Aug. 198/2 The single objective of the MARC Project is to supply to any library catalogue data for current books in magnetic tape form so that the receiving library is not only relieved of the necessity of cataloguing and classification but can also reformat the data to suit its own purposes.
1987 Libr. Assoc. Rec. Aug. (Vacancies Suppl.) p. ccxxx/1 Experience of AACR2 and UK MARC are essential.
1991 Lit. & Ling. Computing. 6 4/2 The MARC formatting could..facilitate the eventual uploading of the database from our office IBM PCXT to a mainframe library catalogue.
MASH n. U.S. Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > places for the sick or injured > [noun] > hospital or infirmary > military or field hospital
field station1610
field hospital1690
military hospital1747
general hospital1775
ambulance1800
station hospital1827
base hospital1864
clearing-hospital1914
clearing-station1915
MASH1950
1950 Army Information Digest Dec. 51 Critical cases are flown by..helicopter direct to Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals (MASH).
1970 Monthly Film Bull. July 140/2 M-A-S-H, U.S.A., 1969 Director: Robert Altman... Hawkeye Pierce, Duke Forrest and Trapper John McIntyre arrive to join the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea, and are kept busy operating on wounded men sent back from the front lines.
1986 Washington Post (Nexis) 21 July a3 From just an ambulance to transport wounded to MASH-type field hospitals,..the helicopter had become a vehicle to bring men and firepower to bear at a critical spot.
MATS n. U.S.A.F. Military Air Transport Service.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > [noun] > transporting > facility for transporting by air
air mobility1930
MATS1955
MAC1968
1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 109/1 MATS.
1958 Times 24 July 9/7 M.A.T.S...has to have up-to-date aircraft capable of carrying freight as well as troops.
MBFR n. Politics mutual and balanced force reduction(s), the reciprocal and proportionate reduction in armed forces by the countries of NATO and the Warsaw Pact during the 1970s and 1980s; frequently attributive.
ΚΠ
1971 Economist 9 Oct. 38/2 Originally proposed by Nato in 1968, the MBFR idea was at last taken up by Mr Brezhnev this year.
1979 H. Wilson Final Term viii. 166 A forward movement on MFBR.
1994 Canad. Def. Q. Mar. 33/1 They sometimes declared indignantly that they would soon descend on Vienna ‘to get MBFR off top dead centre’.
MBI n. Business management buy-in.
ΚΠ
1987 Irish Times 16 Apr. 21/2 Financial backers have, however, continued to support the management team and helped them find alternative companies to buy into, so giving rise to the MBI or management buy in.
2011 E. Talmor & F. Vasvari Internat. Private Equity (e-book ed.) The goal of the existing management is often to either stop the MBI or, at least, to negotiate a good severance package.
MBO n. (also m.b.o.) Business management buyout.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > [noun] > specific operations or arrangements > share-buying activities
subscribing1762
flyer1846
bearing1849
stagging1851
take-up1865
bear covering1881
straddle1883
portfolio investment1929
short covering1930
support buying1932
foreign portfolio investment1951
corporate raiding1957
leveraged1957
tender offer1964
buy-in1968
management buyout1977
bought deal1981
greenmail1983
MBO1986
bimbo1991
1986 Today 16 Mar. 29/3 In an MBO, the management will pay far less for its shares than the outside backers do.
1998 Managing your Business Spring 23/4 Small to medium-sized enterprises, especially privately owned ones, are the most common subject of an MBO.
2002 Bookseller 8 Nov. 11/3 OpenUP..was owned by the Open University until an m.b.o. in 1988.
MBTI n. Psychology the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator.
ΚΠ
1966 Jrnl. Counselling Psychol. 13 229/2 The MBTI is described as measuring basic psychological preferences underlying all behavior.
1993 P. Kline Handbk. Psychol. Testing xxv. 464 Without clear evidence that the MBTI can really classify individuals into the eight Jungian groups, the reason for using the MBTI, which is not measuring clear factored variables, becomes hard to justify.
2003 Financial Times (Nexis) 20 June 14 Based on more than 50 years of research, the MBTI promotes understanding of an individual's personality, their motivations and their preferred behaviours.
M.C. n. Military Cross (established 1915).
ΚΠ
a1917 E. A. Mackintosh War, the Liberator (1918) 100 If you want a D.S.O. Or a small M.C. or so Don't go crawling rashly out When there's nobody about.
1969 S. Mays Fall out Officers viii. 51 He's only got one eye and a lump shot aff his knee; both shot aff when he got his M.C.
1976 R. Massey When I was Young xxiv. 200 The battery commander was Major Douglas Storms, M.C.
mc n. colloquial (chiefly in online forums relating to conception, fertility, etc.) = miscarriage n. 4a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of pregnancy or birth > [noun] > miscarriage
abort?a1425
abortion?1537
aborsement1540
miscarrying1568
abortive1587
abortment1595
miscarriage1615
amblosis1706
efflux1754
abortus1764
mc1956
1956 Proc. Internat. Conf. Peaceful Uses Atomic Energy 1955 (United Nations) X. 280 (table) Congenital myxedema... biochemical anomaly... m.c. = miscarriage.
1994 Re: Abortions in India in soc.culture.indian (Usenet newsgroup) 6 Apr. Consider a woman has a miscarriage (mc). Suppose the mc happens when the foetus is a few days old.
2017 @WheresMyStork 9 Aug. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) I feel like I've coped ok so far but after the mc I am dreading the thought of starting again.
MCA n. Economics (now historical) monetary compensatory (or occasionally: compensation) amount.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > compensation > [noun]
yield601
angildeOE
maegboteOE
allowancea1325
finea1400
boota1450
reparationa1460
contentation1467
disdomage1502
contention1516
regard1568
contentment1603
atonement-money1611
satisfaction1621
satisfaction money1651
content1689
compensation1804
smart money1817
hoot1820
indemnization1836
compo1941
MCA1973
1973 Times 16 Apr. 22/3 The trader friend of Mr Johnston..gave a recent calculation for pricing United States corn to the United Kingdom via Holland. It went like this:..Then the MCA you add Cos the dollar's slightly bad.
1994 K. Perry Business & European Community vi. 109 When Britain had a negative MCA, Irish farmers could load their cereals into trucks, drive into Northern Ireland and collect an import subsidy.
MCC n. Marylebone Cricket Club (formerly, the governing body of English cricket and the official title of touring teams representing England).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricketer > [noun] > side > club > specific
MCC1862
1862 Frederick Lillywhite's Cricket Scores & Biogr. Cricketers I. 128 Neither the M.C.C. books or ‘Bentley’ gave the name of the ninth batsman on the M.C.C. side.
1884 Manch. Examiner 21 May 4/7 The M.C.C. winning by an innings and four runs.
1933 Times 19 Jan. 12/6 The Australian Cricket Board of Control has sent the following telegram to the M.C.C.: ‘Body-line bowling has assumed such proportions as to menace the best interests of the game.’
1977 Guardian Weekly 4 Sept. 24/4 The decision by the Cricket Council that official touring teams shall in future be called England and not the traditional MCC, who no longer have direct responsibility for official tours.
MCP n. male chauvinist pig.
Π
1971 Publishers' Weekly 1 Nov. 22 MCPs, you should know by now, are Male Chauvinist Pigs, an epithet that has grown so common it is now abbreviated.
1989 Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 18 June 23/2 But the new female decided that it had something to do with sex; nobody corrected her; quickly we got MCPs or ‘male chauvinist pigs’, and in a matter of weeks chauvinist came to mean what misogynist had meant: a man agin women.
MCPA n. [ < m- (in methyl n.) + c- (in chloro- comb. form2) + p- (in phenoxy- comb. form) + a- (in acetic adj.)] (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid, C9H9ClO3, or one of its salts or esters, used as a selective herbicide.
Π
1946 G. Blackman in Jrnl. Ministry of Agric. 53 17 These names..are unlikely to be remembered, so that the abbreviations MCPA and DCPA can perhaps serve better.
1958 New Biol. 26 45 The selective growth regulating herbicides such as M.C.P.A...and 2,4-D..are the most commonly used herbicides on pastures and the buttercup species differ in their sensitivity to these.
1971 Arable Farmer Feb. 12/2 MCPA, discovered during the war and still widely used alone or in mixture for cereals.
1991 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 19 Jan. (Weekend Suppl.) 15/7 The chemicals you have used all contain the active ingredient MCPA, which is recognised as the most effective against clover.
MCPB n. [ < m- (in methyl n.) + c- (in chloro- comb. form2) + p- (in phenoxy- comb. form) + b- (in butanoic < butane n.)] 4-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)butanoic acid, C11H13ClO3, or one of its derivatives, used as a selective herbicide.
Π
1956 Proc. 3rd Brit. Weed Control. Conf. 705 This paper describes results of experiments testing the suitability of MCPB..in forest nurseries.
1964 E. Salisbury Weeds & Aliens (ed. 2) vi. 171 Good control of the poppy has been obtained..with MCPB at 3 lb. per acre.
1990 C. Rose Dirty Man of Europe (1991) x. 263 MCPB. A post-emergence herbicide which is converted to MCPA by sensitive plants.
MCR n. (in some schools and universities) middle (also †masters') common room.
ΚΠ
1767 J. Woodforde Diary 5 June (1924) I. 134 For Wine this aftenoon in M.C.R. pd. 0.0.6.
1966 Rep. Comm. Inq. (Univ. of Oxf.) II. 483 For those who enjoy the college atmosphere and who belong to a college which has a MCR and which is usefully situated in relation to their living accommodation or place of work, this can largely supply their need.
M-CSF n. Immunology = macrophage colony-stimulating factor n. at macrophage n. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > substance > process stimulators or inhibitors > antibody > [noun] > proteins aiding antibodies
addiment1900
complement1900
macrophage colony-stimulating factor1978
M-CSF1978
1978 Jrnl. Cell Biol. 77 35 (title) A colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) has been partially purified and concentrated from mouse yolk sac-conditioned medium.
1998 Jrnl. Exper. Pathol. 79 223 Osteoclasts are known to derive from a macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-dependent precursor shared with macrophages.
MCU n. Photography medium close-up.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > shot > [noun] > types of
long shot1858
glass shot1908
close-up1913
aerial shot1920
angle shot1922
medium shot1925
far-away1926
travelling shot1927
zoom1930
zoom shot1930
process shot1931
close-medium shot1933
medium close-up1933
reverse angle1933
reverse shot1934
three-shot1934
tilt shot1934
medium-close shot1937
reaction shot1937
tracking shot1940
pan shot1941
stock shot1941
Dutch angle1947
cheat shot1948
establishing shot1948
master-scene1948
trucking shot1948
two-shot1949
bridging shot1951
body shot1952
library shot1953
master shot1953
mid shot1953
MS1953
pullback1957
MCU1959
noddy1982
arc shot1989
pop shot1993
1959 W. S. Sharps Dict. Cinematogr. 110/2 M.C.U., abbreviation for Medium Close-up.
1986 N. Livingston Fatality at Bath & Wells x. 179 When the police..arrest me, take a decent MCU for the kids to record on the video..to remember me by.
MD n. Managing Director.
Π
1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 110/2 MD; Managing Director.
1963 Times 14 May p. i/4 (advt.) Do give this a little thought and perhaps you might have a word with the Managing Directors of some of the subsidiary companies... Have you talked to the M.D.s about it?
1996 Austral. Financial Rev. 9 Sept. 22/1 (heading) MD takes Amcor to the world.
M.D. adj. and n. (also m.d.) mentally deficient; mental defective.
Π
1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 61/1 M.D., mentally deficient.
1968 ‘L. Black’ Outbreak xiv. 137 I just don't see..how the m.d. ward got infected.
1971 Oz May 5/1 He is classified in Orange County..as MDSO (mentally defective sexual offender).
MD n. Musical (or Music) Director.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > musician > conductor or leader > [noun] > conductor
manuductor1728
conductor1787
musical director1818
timekeeper1818
music director1839
band-master1858
MD1926
1926 Melody Maker Apr. 42/3 It's up to the soloist to arrange with the M.D. for the sort of rhythm he feels will best help his effort.
1967 Stage 2 Mar. 3/2 Ernest Woodhouse the MD of Creswell Colliery Band.
2002 CMJ New Music Rep. 2 Sept. 28/2 ‘Ben High, M.D.’.. You think that M.D. stands for being a doctor..but it doesn't... It stands for Music Director.
MDA n. [ < 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine] Pharmacology a synthetic hallucinogenic drug usually taken in capsules, which induces mild euphoria.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > an intoxicating drug > [noun] > hallucinogenic drug > other hallucinogenic drugs
datura1820
teonanacatl1875
mescal1895
mescaline1896
Serax1957
MDA1959
ebene1967
muscimol1967
STP1967
angel dust1969
rocket fuel1976
love boat1982
1959 G. A. Alles in Proc. 4th Conf. Neuropharmacol. 195 Methylenedioxy-amphetamine (MDA).
1967 A. T. Shulgin et al. in D. H. Efron Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs 212 The base that corresponds to safrole..is 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, or MDA.
1974 M. C. Gerald Pharmacol. xvii. 328 DOM and MDA are more recent additions to the drug scene.
1987 R. Shilts And Band played On (1988) ii. iv. 38 In the middle of it was Michael, the perfect host, handing out tabs of the drug MDA to all comers.
M-day n. U.S. (originally Military) mobilization day.
ΚΠ
1937 Reader's Digest Aug. 97 M-day in America.
1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon i. 18 That was M day, and a good one to remember.
1992 Newsweek 16 Mar. 60/2 So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed antivirus programs into their computers or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day.
MDF n. medium density fibreboard.
ΘΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > wood-based materials > [noun] > chipboard or fibreboard
softboard1856
fibreboard1897
chipboard1898
beaver-board1909
wallboard1925
Masonite1926
Presdwood1927
woodchip board1947
particle board1954
MDF1972
medium density fibreboard1972
1972 Daily Inter Lake (Kalispell, Montana) 13 Oct. 2/3 Binger identified the new product as a medium density fiberboard (MDF).
1993 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator (Nexis) 23 July d4 If you opt for MDF doors the cost would be $2,750.
2007 Wallpaper June 77/2 The cupboard is in painted MDF, veneered and lipped on the inside with solid cherry.
MDMA n. [ < 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine] Pharmacology = ecstasy n. Additions.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > an intoxicating drug > [noun] > hallucinogenic drug > MDMA or ecstasy
MDMA1978
disco biscuit1981
Adam1983
ecstasy1985
molly2000
1978 A. T. Shulgin in R. C. Stillman & R. E. Willette Psychopharmacol. of Hallucinogens vi. 77 A second compound to be described in this presentation is the N-methyl homolog of a well-studied psychotomimetic, 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylisopropylamine (MDA..). As with MDA, MDMA..has the aromatic substitution pattern of the essential oil safrole.
1982 Biol. Psychiatry 17 808 Monomethylation of the terminal amine of MDA results in MDMA.
1991 Independent 23 Dec. 5/1 Ecstasy was synthesised as MDMA in Germany in 1898, first marketed in 1914 as an appetite suppressor, dropped when its side effects were noticed, rediscovered by hippies in the 1960s and eventually banned in 1977.
MDR n. Medicine multidrug (also multiple-drug) resistant (or resistance).
ΚΠ
1982 Infection Control 3 456 In the six-month period from November 1978 to April 1979 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR) resistant to all antibiotics except amikacin was isolated from 15 patients.
1992 New Scientist 10 Oct. 30/2 Multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains are virtually untreatable: more than half of those infected with them so far have died.
1998 Guardian 23 Sept. 15/7 Russian jails are thought to have up to 20,000 inmates with MDR-TB.
M.E. n. U.S. medical examiner.
ΚΠ
1935 G. H. Coxe Murder Picture iii, in Black Mask Jan. 81/2 It's a murder picture... With..this other guy's testimony about the washroom, and the M.E.'s verdict to the time of death.
1968 H. Waugh 30 Manhattan East (1969) 120 I'll give your boss the M.E.'s verdict as soon as I get it.
1987 E. E. Smith Miss Melville Returns (1988) xiii. 119 The fellow from the M.E.'s office says, at a rough estimate, [death occurred] sometime between midnight and three.
ME n. Middle East, Middle Eastern.
Π
1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 226 M.E.,..Middle east; Middle Eastern.
a1944 K. Douglas Alamein to Zem Zem (1946) xvi. 93 ‘V’ became the trade mark of an astonishing number of commodities in the M.E. and was always a sign of the lowest quality and cheapest goods.
1987 Telegraph (Brisbane) 2 Feb. 10/4 (headline) PM's ‘M-E solution’.
ME n. = Middle English n. and adj.
ΘΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > Indo-Hittite > [noun] > Indo-European > Germanic > English > Middle English
Semi-Saxon1735
Middle English1830
ME1874
1874 H. Sweet in Trans. Philol. Soc. 1873–4 15 526 The word gréét [in the eighteenth cent.] = M.E. grèèt (O.E. greāt) is an example of exceptional retention of the older éé.
1927 Englische Studien 10 Nov. 74 The investigations which have been published hitherto with a view of classifying the ME. dialects by the aid of place-name material.
1972 M. L. Samuels Linguistic Evol. v. 85 The plural -eþ had been replaced by -en in the Midlands, and early ME texts from East Anglia show this feature as their only distinction of number.
ME n. myalgic encephalomyelitis or encephalopathy.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of nervous system > [noun] > disorders of brain > inflammation of brain > encephalitis > types of
meningoencephalomyelitis1900
chronic fatigue1908
leucoencephalitis1909
sleeping sickness1918
X disease1918
sleepy sickness1922
western equine encephalitis1933
St. Louis encephalitis1934
Russian encephalitis1940
panencephalitis1950
Murray Valley encephalitis1951
Iceland disease1954
Murray Valley fever1955
myalgic encephalomyelitis1956
ME1982
1982 Daily Tel. 11 Dec. 14/3 The other day I mentioned the Richmond newspaper advertisement: Jumble sale in aid of ME... There is, our medical correspondent confirms, one of those slow, destructive diseases called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.
1992 Disabled & Supportive Carer Autumn 23/2 We have people with a wide range of disabilities from inherited defects to the ‘newer’ disabilities such as M.E.
1997 Independent 28 May 17/2 Tests have shown ME sufferers have abnormalities in neuro-hormonal function, especially in the mid-brain and hypothalamus.
m.e. n. Bibliography marbled edges.
ΚΠ
a1912 W. T. Rogers Dict. Abbrev. (1913) 123/1 m.e. (book), marbled edges.
1952 J. Carter ABC for Book-collectors 12 M.e., marbled edges.
MEK n. Chemistry = methyl ethyl ketone n. at methyl n. Compounds 3.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > organic chemistry > ketones > [noun] > used as solvents
mesityl oxide1868
methyl ethyl ketone1876
methyl isobutyl ketone1888
MEK1930
hexone1938
1930 T. H. Durrans Solvents 78 Methyl ethyl ketone, known commercially as M.E.K., is obtained..by the destructive distillation of wood.
1997 Environmental Res. 73 181 The neurotoxic effects of acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and cyclohexanone on Romanian workers and the impact of those effects on industry environmental standards have been controversial subjects.
MEMS n. microelectromechanical systems.
Π
1990 Proc. IEEE Micro Electro Mech. Syst. p. iii A regular crystalline lattice has a high potential of being used as a well-defined, universal reference scale for positioning and measurement of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS).
1998 Daily Tel. 19 Aug. 14/4 Other Mems devices are already in widespread use, most notably in the car industry, where they are used to trigger airbags.
MESFET n. Electronics metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor; cf. MOSFET n.
ΚΠ
1969 Proc. IEEE 57 1195/1 Distributed amplifiers with MOSFETS..or MESFETS (Metal Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors)..have been suggested.
1989 Electronics & Wireless World Feb. 112/1 The spectrometer uses cooled GaAs MESFETs which perform well at these low temperatures.
M.F. adj. Printing (of paper) machine-finish(ed); cf. machine n. Compounds 1c, Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1914 E. A. Dawe Paper Index 157/2 Machine finish (M.F.).
1965 S. C. Gilmour Paper (ed. 2) xix. 218 M.F. papers are much used for printing formes of type with line blocks.
1973 S. Jennett Making of Bks. (ed. 5) xi. 182 Machine-Finished Papers (or M.F.) have the normal finish of the paper-making machine.
MF n. (also m.f.) slang and euphemistic (originally and chiefly U.S.) = motherfucker n.
ΚΠ
1953 R. Ellison Let. 9 Apr. in R. Ellison & A. Murray Trading Twelves (2000) 42 Doc looked at me as though to say ‘come on, m.f., this ain't the time to start no shit’.
1959 Jazz Rev. Sept. 7/2 You go and buy me a tenor saxophone and I'll play the m-f.
1968 E. Cleaver Soul on Ice i. 51 Why'n't they kill some of them Uncle-Tomming m.f.'s?
1971 B. Malamud Tenants 165 The blacks have to murder you white MF's for cripplin our lives.
1973 S. Henderson Understanding New Black Poetry 44 I am not speaking merely of words like ‘nigger’ and ‘the big M.F.’, as Ron Welburn calls it.
1987 Newsweek 23 Mar. 61 He could stand out on the corner looking sharp as a MF in his Stacy-Adams wingtips.
m/f n. (also M.-F.) (chiefly in advertisements) male or female.
ΘΠ
the world > people > person > [noun] > of either sex, as potential employee
person1768
m/f1956
1956 Chester (Pa.) Times 21 Feb. 23/3 (heading) Help Wanted M.-F.
1976 Evening Standard 14 June 26/3 (advt.) Room maids, m/f, required by London Penta Hotel.
1998 Meat Trades Jrnl. 20 May 31/3 (advt.) Richardson's of Gerrard Cross require a Shopman or Shopman Cutter m/f for their busy high class ‘Q Butchers’ shop.
Mfd n. microfarad.
Π
1931 B.B.C. Year-bk. 446/1 MFD or μF—Abbreviation for Microfarad.
1985 35th Electronic Components Conf. 226/1 Traditional linear power supply designs required filtering capacitors with values greater than 100 Mfd.
MFLOPS n.
Brit. /ˈɛmflɒps/
, /ˈɛmflɒps/U.S. /ˈɛmˌflɑps/
Computing million floating-point operations per second (cf. FLOP n.2)./ˈɛmˌflɑps/ΚΠ
1978 K. Uchida et al. in Proc. 3rd USA-Japan Computer Conf. 369/2 The maximum performance of the APU is 22 MFLOPS (Million Floating Point Operations Per Second) vector operations.
1989 UnixWorld Sept. 33/2 This 460,000-transistor chip runs at 20 MHz and..delivers a peak performance of 7.5 mips and 2.4 mflops in double precision or 3.2 single-precision mflops.
M.F.N. n. (in trade agreements) most favoured nation; cf. favoured adj.1
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > quality of being approvable or acceptable > [noun] > something which is approvable
something like1580
recommendation1679
M.F.N.1942
1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 62/1 M.F.N., most favoured nation.
1961 Times 16 May 15/7 Consequently, the M.F.N. concept is not helpful.
M.F.V. n. (also m.f.v.) motor fleet (or fishing) vessel.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > [noun]
shipc725
beamOE
boardOE
bargea1300
steera1300
vessela1300
treea1382
loomc1400
man1473
ark1477
bottom1490
keela1547
riverboat1565
craft1578
pine1592
class1596
flood-bickerer1599
pitchboard1599
stern-bearer1599
wooden horse1599
wooden isle1603
water treader?1615
water house1616
watercraft1618
machine1637
prore1642
lightman1666
embarkation1690
bark1756
prowa1771
Mudian1813
bastiment1823
hooker1823
nymph1876
M.F.V.1948
1948 Hansard Commons 8 Mar. 971/1 I hope I shall be able to satisfy the hon. Gentleman with the figures for..the number of fishery protection vessels. We have now..eight ships plus two M.F.V.s.
1949 P. F. Anson Sc. Fisherfolk 84 The fleet has also been increased by the addition of a large number of Admiralty-built, diesel-motor vessels (M.F.V.s), originally used by the Navy, but since allocated to fishermen.
1973 A. MacVicar Painted Doll Affair xiii. 148 They're at sea in that m.f.v.
1982 P. O'Donnell Night of Morningstar ii. 41 I..signalled an m.f.v. of ours that had been shadowing the Isparta.
MG adj. Printing (of paper) machine-glazed; cf. machine n. Compounds 1c.
ΚΠ
1914 E. A. Dawe Paper iv. 25 The paper passing round this heated cylinder is dried, and glazed on one side, hence the term M.G., or machine-glazed paper.
1937 E. J. Labarre Dict. Paper 170/2 Characteristic of machine glazed papers (abbr. M.G.) is that they are only glazed on one (the under) side, the other being in the (rough) condition in which it comes from the wet end of the machine.
1965 S. C. Gilmour Paper (ed. 2) xix. 236 Litho posters are generally printed on M.G. paper.
1989 Paper Focus Oct. (Suppl.) 46/2 MG (machine glazed), paper that is dried on the papermaking machine... The side..in contact with the drying cylinder..is given a high gloss finish.
M.G. n. Military machine gun.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > small-arm > [noun] > machine-gun
machine gun1867
woodpecker1898
put-put1905
M.G.1915
typewriter1915
chopper1929
rattlebox1929
Chicago typewriter1940
1915 D. O. Barnett Let. 8 July in In Happy Memory 207 I'm going to be M.-G. officer.
1969 S. Mays Fall out Officers xx. 154 Sergeant Yardley of M.G. Squadron.
M.G. phr. Building make good.
ΚΠ
1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 544/2 M.G. (Build.), abbrev. for make good.
MGB n. [ < Russian MGB, initialism < Ministerstvo gosudarstvennoj bezopasnosti] now historical (in the Soviet Union) Ministry of State Security, replaced by the K.G.B. in 1954.
ΚΠ
1950 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Add. M.G.B.
1974 T. P. Whitney tr. A. Solzhenitsyn Gulag Archipel. I. i. iv. 145 The MGB wasn't interested in the truth and had no intention of letting anyone out of its grip once he was arrested.
1988 ‘R. Deacon’ Spyclopaedia 404 MGB (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the Soviet Ministry of State Security.
M.G.C. n. Military machine gun company or corps.
ΚΠ
1917 W. Owen Let. 12 Feb. (1967) 433 We have a Canadian,..various M.G.C.'s, a S.W.B.
1963 F. D. Fawcett Cycl. Initials & Abbrev. 97/2 MGC, Machine Gun Corps, disbanded 1922.
mgd n. million gallons per day.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > [noun] > specific measures or standards
water metOE
measurec1350
water met1426
water measure1465
Winchesterc1550
Pool measure1701
mgd1955
1955 Times 7 July 1/5 (advt.) The extent of the supply works to be supervised and maintained include the following... Ultimate maximum output of finished water 21·5 m.g.d.
1991 Public Wks. Oct. 16/2 Master planning efforts, undertaken to map Central San's future infrastructure replacement and expansion in its 1,300-mile collection system and 45-mgd activated sludge plant.
MGM n. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (a U.S. film company); (attributive) designating a roaring lion used as a symbol by this company.
Π
1935 G. Ade Let. 27 June (1973) 186 The sad facts in regard to The County Chairman are that M.G.M. bought the talking rights and recently sold them to Fox.
1953 S. Kauffmann Philanderer iv. 68 What we want is some kind of gimmick or slogan or handle for the public to tie on to with this thing... Like ‘Ask the man who owns one’. Or the M.G.M. lion. A trade-mark.
1974 W. Garner Big enough Wreath xvi. 250 He'd allowed his id an MGM roar.
1986 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 11 Aug. 20/2 His guests are chosen carefully. This morning we have Ted Turner, boss of the Turner Broacasting System and CNN, the all-news service, owner of MGM, and failed bidder for the CBS network.
MHD n. magnetohydrodynamic; magnetohydrodynamics.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > mechanics > dynamics > fluid dynamics > [noun] > hydrodynamics > magnetohydrodynamics
magnetohydrodynamics1950
hydromagnetics1953
magnetogasdynamics1957
MHD1960
1960 Aeroplane 99 837/2 The latter included ion-drive, solar propulsion, plasmajet propulsion, photon-drive, and MHD (Magneto-hydrodynamic) propulsion.
1965 New Scientist 3 June 652/2 By passing the exhaust gases from the MHD generator into a conventional steam-raising plant, an overall thermal efficiency of 55 per cent might be achieved.
1974 Nature 1 Mar. 89/3 In the post-war years Ferraro did much to encourage research in MHD.
1991 Mech. Engin. Sept. 70/2 The MHD accelerator has been identified as a device that can boost wind tunnel flow energy.
MHG n. Middle High German.
Π
1865 T. Aufrecht in Trans. Philol. Soc. 3 The Icelandic and M.H.G. adjective deig, teig, mollis, accordingly meant first kneaded, ground down.
1887 W. W. Skeat Princ. Eng. Etymol. 1st Ser. vii. 107 O.H.G. tuon, M.H.G. tun, mod. G. thun..or tun.
1996 D. M. Jones & I. Jones tr. O. L. J. Szemerényi Introd. Indo-European Linguistics ii. 27 In German, at the end of the MHG and beginning of the NHG periods, the earlier paradigms..biegen: bouc/bugen, binden: bant/bunden gave place to NHG..bog/bogen, band/banden.
M.H.W. n. mean high water.
ΘΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [noun] > high > at particular place
establishment of a port1833
M.H.W.1923
1920 Tide Tables (Admiralty, Hydrographic Dept.) I. p. xxi (heading) M.H.W.S...M.H.W.N.]
1923 N. Davey Stud. Tidal Power iv. 63 Taking the M.H.W. and M.L.W. areas of the estuary at Salcombe..the half-tide outflow system will utilise a mean average of 49% of the maximum volume of water above M.L.W.S. level.
1964 V. J. Chapman Coastal Vegetation ii. 19 It is possible to regard the littoral as extending from mean high water (M.H.W.) to mean low water (M.L.W.); alternatively, it can be defined as reaching from extreme high water mark (E.H.W.M.) to extreme low water mark (E.L.W.M.). Most of the early ecological work is based upon one of these two definitions.
M.I. n. Military Military Intelligence (in Britain followed by numerals indicating different departments (see also MI5 n., MI6 n.)); cf. D.I. n. at D n. Initialisms 3a and S.I.S. n. at S n.1 Initialisms 1.
ΚΠ
1965 B. Sweet-Escott Baker St. Irregular iii. 85 M.I.9..had the job of helping allied prisoners of war to escape.
M.I. n. Army Mounted Infantry.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > branch of army > [noun] > infantry > mounted infantry
mounted infantry1792
M.I.1900
1900 G. Arthur Let. 15 Nov. in Some Lett. from Man of no Importance (1928) 127 The new M.I. will be scarcely ready yet to take the field in anything like strength, the men being hitherto strangers to the saddle.
1929 J. Buchan Courts of Morning ii. i. 177 They've first-rate cavalry, but indifferent M.I.
MI n. Medicine = myocardial infarction n. at myocardial adj. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > [noun] > obstruction
stoppinga1398
oppilationa1400
obstruction1533
stoppage1575
clausure1585
obstipation1612
infarction1689
congestion of an organ1803
heart attack1836
engorgement1872
infarct1873
MI1968
cardiac1972
1968 ‘J. Hudson’ Case of Need 192 There is a cycle here, a pattern which is as easily recognizable, as familiar, as an MI.
1973 Circulation 47 1137/2 (title) Abnormalities in ventricular function following MI.
1990 J. Updike Rabbit at Rest ii. 236 I ought to do something about my heart. I just can't keep drifting along waiting for my next MI.
MIA adj. and n. Military (a) adj. missing in action; (b) n. a soldier who is declared missing in action.
ΚΠ
1946 Newsweek 6 May 36/2 From D Day until May 6, 1945..more than 10 per cent of the total casualties were listed as MIA.
1970 Sunday Mail (Brisbane) 8 Feb. 5/1 Diana O'Grady has groped through 34 months as the wife of an MIA (missing in action).
1984 J. Phillips Machine Dreams 305 I am the family representative in a league founded to lobby for government support of MIAs and POWs, to remind the general populace that they exist.
1989 A. Beattie Picturing Will i. viii. 78 While Luther was indeed M.I.A., his disappearance was only into le monde chi-chi of Paris.
MICR n. magnetic ink character recognition.
Π
1966 A. Battersby Math. in Managem. viii. 200 The MICR system (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is mainly used by banks, and the specially designed characters are now becoming a familiar feature of our cheque-books.
1970 O. Dopping Computers & Data Processing iii. 62 MICR readers do not utilize the information contained in the vertical distribution of ink. They analyze only the horizontal distribution.
1986 S. L. Mandell Working with Applic. Software ii. 35 Magnetic-ink character recognition (MICR)..is often used by banks to process checks.
1995 N. Negroponte Being Digital (1996) viii. 108 Graphic designers frequently used that funny, magnetic-readable font, MICR, in the 1960s and 1970s to create an ‘electronic’ look.
MI5 n. [earlier M.O.5 = Military Operations 5] Military the British Security Service.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > political police > [noun] > secret service or police > British
Special Branch1883
security service1918
MI5?1921
MI6?1921
firm1952
the Circus1963
S.B.1964
six1969
1915 Let. 4 Dec. in Publ. Rec. Office FO 371/2497 f. 45 (heading) M.O.5., War Office, London, S.W.]
?1921 in M.I.5: First Ten Years (Publ. Rec. Office) (1997) 25 (table) M.I.5. Counter-espionage. Military policy in dealing with civil population, including aliens... M.I.6. Questions of military policy connected with the economic and financial resources of the enemy and their restriction [etc.].
1939 D. Wheatley Sixty Days to Live vi. 58 ‘It's a matter which may affect the welfare of the whole nation. I really mean that’. ‘Well, if you put it that way. Is this M.I.5, or something?’
1991 Economist 3 Aug. 20/3 It is alleged that Britain's spy-catching organisation, MI5, knew four or five years ago that the bank's London branches were being used by a terrorist leader, Abu Nidal.
MIMD n. Computing multiple instruction, multiple data (designating a parallel computer architecture consisting of a number of powerful processors which can each execute streams of individual instructions on distinct streams of data).
ΚΠ
1972 Proc. AFIPS Conf. 40 1214/1 External parallelism—MIMD.
1991 Sci. Amer. Jan. 81/2 A vector processor is a shared-memory MIMD machine because a programmer can divide up a problem among all processors.
mip n. mean indicated pressure.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > mechanics > force > [noun] > pressure
sway1565
pressure1660
P1823
mip1961
1961 Webster's 3rd New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. mip.
1962 Engineering 23 Nov. 662/2 A series of marine engines of various sizes, all having the high mip pressure of 10·4 kg per sq. cm.
mips n.
Brit. /mɪps/
, /mɪps/U.S. /mɪps/
Computing million instructions per second./mɪps/ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > programming language > program or code > [noun] > instruction
command1946
function1946
fast forward1947
instruction1947
threshold function1947
statement1957
mips1973
1973 Proc. 1973 Sagamore Computer Conf. Parallel Processing 150/1 This amounts to 1024 additions..to achieve a processing power of approximately 40 MIPS (million-instructions-per-second).
1997 Computer Weekly 18 Sept. 50/3 The uniprocessor is rated at 75 mips, and the top-end system, which has 12 processors, at 650 mips.
MIRAS n.
Brit. /ˈmʌɪrəs/
, /ˈmʌɪrəs/U.S. /ˈmaɪ(ə)rəs/
mortgage interest relief at source, a scheme in the United Kingdom whereby the tax relief on mortgage repayments is paid direct to the lender by the Government./ˈmaɪ(ə)rəs/ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > tax > taxation > [adjective] > tax allowance or deduction
MIRAS1983
society > trade and finance > fees and taxes > impost, due, or tax > tax > taxation > [noun] > tax allowances and deductions > types of
depletion allowance1932
write-off1940
douceur1979
MIRAS1983
1983 Financial Times 15 Jan. i. 6/1 In April, MIRAS appears on the house mortgage scene and its impact on millions of unsuspecting houseowners could well result in chaos and confusion for all concerned.
1986 House Buyer Nov. 53/1 Now that the MIRAS system (mortgage interest relief at source) is operating, tax relief is deducted before your repayments are made.
1991 Financial Times 20 Mar. 28/8 Any allowance for relief at the higher rate in respect of interest on loans within MIRAS will be withdrawn.
MIS n. Computing management information system.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > [noun] > information systems
EPOS1972
MIS1972
1972 L. C. Schmalz & C. J. Sippl Computer Gloss. for Students & Teachers 107/1 An MIS gives the executive the capability of controlling the operation of a firm on a real-time basis.
1977 Fortune Feb. 81/2 The routine business and government transactions clustered under the acronym MIS (Management Information Systems).
1992 UNIX World Apr. 44/1 MIS departments are working on applications that will let users access corporate data, but each mainframe-connected network has its own unique combination of problems.
MI6 n. Military the British Secret Intelligence Service.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > political police > [noun] > secret service or police > British
Special Branch1883
security service1918
MI5?1921
MI6?1921
firm1952
the Circus1963
S.B.1964
six1969
?1921 in M.I.5: First Ten Years (Publ. Rec. Office) (1997) 25 (table) M.I.5. Counter-espionage. Military policy in dealing with civil population, including aliens... M.I.6. Questions of military policy connected with the economic and financial resources of the enemy and their restriction [etc.].
1963 V. Gielgud Goggle-box Affair xiii. 126 He ultimately opted for Polish nationality, promising apparently to do occasional jobs for M.I.6 on the side.
MIT n. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Π
1882 Tech. (Mass. Inst. Technol.) 22 Feb. 87/2 Probably out of all the four classes of the M.I.T. there are not more than a few dozen fellows who know anything about the subject of this article.
1950 J. D. MacDonald Brass Cupcake (1955) xii. 124 Very distinguished Boston type. Taught mathematics at M.I.T.
1968 N. Chomsky & M. Halle Sound Pattern Eng. p. x The general point of view that underlies this descriptive study is one that several of us have been developing for more than fifteen years, at M.I.T. and elsewhere, at first independently, but increasingly as a joint effort.
1990 Australian 5 June (Brisbane ed.) 38/2 Julius Rebek of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has created a molecule that does something only living organisms have been known to do: it reproduces itself.
MITI n. Ministry of International Trade and Industry (in Japan).
Π
1952 Trade & Industry of Japan (Ministry of Internat. Trade & Industry) No. 3. 39 MITI announces the exports certified by banks in June, amounting to $13.5 million.
1977 Internat. Organization 31 752 The vast international information network of the major trading companies, as well as that of MITI itself, insured that the ‘right’ technology was easier to find.
1987 Atlantic Mar. 16/1 The big men at MITI, as they coordinate Japan's next industrial campaign, operate from cubicles that U.S. government typists might disdain.
1994 C. Pursell White Heat viii. 210 MITI also coined the term ‘Mellow Society’ to indicate the advantages of the information age to older people.
MKS n. (also mks) metre-kilogram-second (system).
Π
1935 Engineering 26 July 95/1 This new system has been designated the Giorgi-M.K.S. system, and in it the practical electrical units are essential constitutional elements in one-to-one relation, with the result that the numerical conversion factors need no longer be..memorised.
1963 H. G. Jerrard & D. B. McNeill Dict. Sci. Units 15 The Giorgi or M.K.S. system attracted little attention until about 1935 but after this interest in them [sic] increased and in 1948 the 9th International Conference on Weights and Measures adopted the M.K.S. definition as their definition of the ampere.
1968 M. S. Livingston Particle Physics xii. 208 In the rationalized mks system of electromagnetic units, charge becomes a fourth fundamental quantity.
1992 Chem. in Brit. (BNC) 28 46 While I was still a student the metric system changed from being ‘cgs’ based..to ‘MKS’ based.
ML n. motor launch.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > mechanically propelled vessels > [noun] > motor vessel > launch
launch1865
motor launch1897
ML1928
vedette1963
1928 G. Campbell My Myst. Ships ii. 24 Casks, wreckage, navigational buoys, whales, black fish, our own M.L.s and the American chasers—in fact, nearly everything was reported at some time or another as a ‘conning tower’ or submarine.
1945 ‘N. Shute’ Most Secret i. 4 The Raumboot is rather like our own M.L., isn't it?
1988 D. A. Thomas Compan. Royal Navy iii. 284/2 16 MLs were used to land the commandos.
MLA n. Modern Language Association (of America).
Π
1885 (title) PMLA [i.e. Publications of the Modern Language Association].]
1896 Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. App. II. p. lviii What would you think about the advisability of forming a Mississippi Valley, or Western Modern Language Association (not at all as antagonistic to the M.L.A.).
1944 M. McLuhan Let. 23 Dec. 166 Well, I shall be up to leave for New York Tuesday. Two papers at the M.L.A.
1992 Amer. Speech 67 99 The MLA bans sexist language outright, ‘primarily he and man and its compounds applied to persons of either sex’.
MLD n. minimum lethal dose.
Π
1901 Lancet 19 Oct. 1030/1 If an animal be..given two M.L.D. and two serum equivalents it..dies from the infection.
1928 L. E. H. Whitby Med. Bacteriol. xx. 198 One M.L.D. is that amount of toxin which, on subcutaneous inoculation, will with certainty cause the death of a 250 gm. guinea-pig within four days.
1961 N. G. Pandalai Textbk. Bacteriol. (ed. 2) xii. 245 While the M.L.D. of atropine for an adult person is 130 mg., of strychnine 30–40 mg., and of cobra venom 4·4 mg., the M.L.D. of the crude tetanus toxin is only 0·2 mg. or even less.
1988 Q. N. Myrvik & R. S. Weiser Fund. Med. Bacteriol. & Mycol. (ed. 2) xv. 236 The minimum lethal dose (MLD) of toxin is the smallest amount which will kill a 250-g guinea pig within 4 to 5 days.
MLE n. Linguistics Multicultural London English.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > Indo-Hittite > [noun] > Indo-European > Germanic > English > British English > English English
north country1698
west country1711
Yorkshire1717
Kenticism1735
English English1783
cockney1812
Cockneyese1823
East Angliana1825
Somersetian1825
Northumbrian1845
Norfolk1863
Kentish1866
Doric1870
Kensingtonian1911
Mummerset1915
Geordie1928
Hoxtoniana1935
scouse1963
mockney1967
Kensington1968
Liverpudlian1985
Jafaican2006
MLE2006
Multicultural London English2006
2006 Independent on Sunday 5 Nov. (Review Suppl.) 41/1 The advent of MLE is believed to mark the first time that teenagers have consciously used language to stake out their own territory.
2014 J. Green in J. Coleman Global Eng. Slang v. 62 MLE may move with its speakers as they grow older, but at the moment it does not exist outside the young.
M.L.F. n. Military multilateral (nuclear) force.
ΚΠ
1963 Times 10 June 10/5 Thus the first and perhaps most important objection to the multilateral force (M.L.F.) has been largely removed.
1975 J. Morgan in R. Crossman Diaries I. 57 Mr Wilson proposed to replace the M.L.F. with an Atlantic nuclear force, which would include American Polaris submarines, British V-bombers, [etc.].
1985 P. Ziegler Mountbatten iv. xlv. 596 Of all the devices for extending the deployment and control of nuclear weapons, the one that most disturbed Mountbatten was the M.L.F.—the Mixed-Manned Multi-Lateral Force.
MLG n. Middle Low German.
Π
1876 R. Dahlmann Devel. Aryan Roots Apa & Para in Teutonic Langs. 14 The same formation of the superlative further appears, used figuratively, in the O.M.H.G., M.L.G. frum prominent, qualified, good, useful.
1953 Mod. Lang. Notes 68 32 The noun Klárr may have existed before the time when the MLG adjective klār was introduced into ON.
2009 R. H. Bremmer Introd. to Old Frisian iii. 60 A loan suffix from either MDu or MLG.
MLR n. Banking = minimum lending rate n. at minimum n. and adj. Compounds 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > financial dealings > moneylending > [noun] > moneylending at interest > interest > rate of interest
prime rate1815
usage1822
mortgage rate1898
savings rate1904
saving rate1905
discount rate1913
base lending rate1933
prime lending rate1951
interest-rate1959
base rate1970
minimum lending rate1972
MLR1972
prime1973
bank rate1974
LIBOR1974
subprime1976
Euribor1997
1972 Times 23 Dec. 1/2 The Bank of England's minimum lending rate (MLR)..rose by 1 per cent yesterday to 9 per cent.
1979 A. Heertje Basic Econ. vii. 106 The key rate of interest is the minimum lending rate (MLR) which can be set by the Bank of England, acting on government instructions.
1981 Daily Tel. 20 Aug. 17/2 As from today, MLR will cease to be posted except in very unusual circumstances.
MLRS n. Military a multiple-launch rocket system (see multiple-launch adj. at multiple n. and adj. Compounds 2b).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > rocket-launcher > system
MLRS1979
1979 Aviation Week 26 Feb. 64/1 The United Kingdom, France and West Germany..[will become] partners with the U.S. in what will be called the multiple launch rocket system (MLRS).
1987 D. Robertson Dict. Mod. Def. & Strategy 207 The MLRS will become even more deadly in the near future, as the USA is co-operating with European NATO members to develop ‘terminally guided’ or Smart Bombs to be fitted to these rockets.
1991 Independent 22 Feb. 3/3 The MLRS has a range of between 8 and 30km.
MLSO n. British Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer.
ΚΠ
1982 Ann. Clin. Biochem. 19 325 An industrial dispute involving medical laboratory scientific officers (MLSOs) caused the role of the emergency service to be examined and alternative regulating mechanisms to be tested.
1998 New Scientist 4 July 98/1 (advt.) Applications are invited from State Registered MLSO's with experience in general histopathology and immunocytochemistry.
M.L.W. n. mean low water.
ΘΠ
the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > tide > type of tide > [noun] > low
ground-ebba1420
low waterc1460
low tide1539
undertide1851
M.L.W.1904
1904 G. W. Tuttle in Amer. Jrnl. Sci. 167 335 The datum plane used..is mean low water—M.L.W.—at the Battery as used by the Department of Docks and Ferries.
1923 N. Davey Stud. Tidal Power iv. 63 Taking the M.H.W. and M.L.W. areas of the estuary at Salcombe..the half-tide outflow system will utilise a mean average of 49% of the maximum volume of water above M.L.W.S. level.
1964 V. J. Chapman Coastal Vegetation ii. 19 It is possible to regard the littoral as extending from mean high water (M.H.W.) to mean low water (M.L.W.); alternatively, it can be defined as reaching from extreme high water mark (E.H.W.M.) to extreme low water mark (E.L.W.M.). Most of the early ecological work is based upon one of these two definitions.
M.M. n. Military Medal (established 1916).
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > insignia > [noun] > decorations or orders
Order of St Michael1530
Legion of Honour1802
clasp1813
Iron Cross1813
medal1813
star1844
Victoria Cross1856
V.C.1859
Medal of Honour1861
bar1864
yellow jacket1864
V.D.1901
Croix de Guerre1915
Military Cross1915
C.G.M.1916
Military Medal1916
pip1917
M.M.1918
purple heart1918
Maconochie Cross1919
Maconochie Medal1919
wound-stripe1919
T.D.1924
rooty gong1925
Silver Star1932
Ritterkreuz1940
Africa Star1943
ruptured duck1945
Spam medal1945
screaming eagle1946
1918 Army & Navy Gaz. 16 Feb. 111/3 The distinctive letters ‘D.C.M.’ or ‘M.M.’ respectively.
1933 E. Blunden & S. Norman We'll shift our Ground 14 M. M. for bombing a minny-crew out.
1971 D. Niven Moon's a Balloon v. 63 I caught a glimpse of the medal ribbons of the D.C.M. and M.M. on his chest.
1993 ‘A. McNab’ Bravo Two Zero (1994) xiv. 396 Legs was awarded a posthumous MM for what the official obituary described as ‘unswerving leadership’.
MMA n. = mixed martial arts n. at mixed adj.2 Compounds 2.
Π
1997 Vale Tudo or Extreme Fighting this Weekend on TV? in rec.martial-arts (Usenet group) 9 July Most of MMA fighters are against this sort of thing because the fighters slated to compete are, for the most part, sub par strikers.
1999 Business Wire (Nexis) 8 July This 5-foot 8-inch 195 lb. middleweight..started competing in MMA after discovering the sport on the Internet, and has so far tallied an MMA record of 8-2.
2013 Independent on Sunday 18 Aug. (New Review) 21/3 Gracie, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter based in England, is insistent that MMA is less dangerous than rugby union or American football.
MMB n. British = Milk Marketing Board n. at milk n.1 and adj. Compounds 3a.
ΚΠ
1937 Dairy Industries (Index: Aug.–Dec. 1936) f. 1v Milk Marketing, 159. M.M.B. Factories, 161.
1993 Super Marketing 15 Jan. 14/3 Dairy Crest, one of Britain's biggest dairy products manufacturers and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the MMB, is to be floated off as an independent limited company.
MMC n. British Business Monopolies and Mergers Commission (see monopoly n. 1c).
ΚΠ
1986 Times 24 July 27/6 One wonders why the brewers are so anxious about appearing before the MMC?
1994 Campaign 8 Apr. 4/2 Around 70 per cent of a selection of leading clients..either ‘agree strongly’ or ‘agree a little’ that the MMC should examine the market in the light of recent ITV mergers.
m.m.f. n. (also M.M.F.) Physics magnetomotive force.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > electrically induced magnetism > electromagnetic induction > [noun] > magnetomotive force
magnetomotive force1883
m.m.f.1893
1893 R. M. Walmsley Wormell's Electr. in Service of Man ii. 392 The number of lines..which a magnetomotive force (M.M.F.) can set up depends not only on its own magnitude but on the reluctance..of the path provided.
1962 Newnes Conc. Encycl. Electr. Engin. 467/1 The m.m.f. per metre length of path is H.., the value of H determining the magnetic flux density B = μH at the point, where μ..is the absolute permeability of the medium.
1987 E. H. J. Pallett Aircraft Electr. Syst. (ed. 3) i. 4/2 To counteract this, and for a given load on the generator, it is necessary to reduce the magnetomotive force (m.m.f.) of the interpoles.
MMOG n. Computing massively multiplayer online game; cf. MMORPG n.
ΚΠ
1999 Well so much for Asherons Call in alt.games.everquest (Usenet newsgroup) 24 Oct. I think that Asheron's Call may appeal to those who have never played an MMOG like U[ltima] O[nline] or E[ver]Q[uest] but to anyone who has played either, it looks like shite.
2004 Augusta (Georgia) Chron. (Nexis) 4 Mar. a12 MMOGs are a way to surround themselves in a genre they love, from the Middle Ages of Dark Side of Camelot to the sci-fi theatrics of Star Wars Galaxies.
2009 M. Singman in G. Jeal & S. Cann Made it in China vi. 145 The development of MMOGs requires huge amounts of creativity and understanding.
MMORPG n. Computing massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
ΚΠ
1999 Re: Gordon on Guide Abuse in alt.games.everquest (Usenet newsgroup) 28 Dec. In any MMORPG, there are going to be a lot of people who play this way, and rather than solving the problem with a stick, Verant should simply use the power they have to prevent it.
2001 PC Gamer Oct. 19/2 Development for the long-rumoured MMORPG, Quest.
2006 Wired Apr. 131/3 In January, in the aftermath of the public outcry (and virtual die-ins), the Chinese government announced that adults could play MMORPGs for as long as they like.
MMPI n. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > psychology of personality > testing of personality > [noun] > questionnaire
personality inventory1931
MMPI1946
1946 Jrnl. Appl. Psychol. 30 517 The present paper presents preliminary data on the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with respect to differential diagnosis, with secondary findings upon the subject of overall identification of ‘abnormals’ from people in general.
1948 Psychol. Bull. 45 402 This would seem to indicate that..the MMPI scales do not actually differ from each other as they are supposed to.
1967 Brit. Jrnl. Psychiatry 113 763/1 Our second hypothesis was confirmed, namely, that there would be a more severe disturbance in M.M.P.I. profile in the maternally bereaved population than in the paternally bereaved group.
1970 Jrnl. Gen. Psychol. 83 70 Noting the discrepancy between behavior and test data (in this instance, the MMPI), Peterson..also concluded that the manifestations of psychosis in the MMPI..were instances of inaccurate diagnosis.
1993 G. Ward Water Damage (1994) xxiii. 214 In the summer of 1990 an applicant for reassignment surgery was turned down when his MMPI showed a 4–8 violent psychotic profile—highly unusual in transsexuals.
MMR n. Medicine measles, mumps, and rubella (vaccine).
ΚΠ
1973 Pediatrics 51 467/1 Combined mumps-rubella vaccine..was licensed in 1970, combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (M-M-R) in 1971, and combined measles-rubella..in 1971.
1994 Daily Tel. 25 Oct. 20/3 More than five million of the seven million children will already be vaccinated against measles and rubella through the MMR injection at 12–15 months.
MMT n. Chemistry methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, C6H7·Mn·(CO)3, a petrol additive used to enhance octane ratings.
ΚΠ
1977 Chem. Week (Nexis) 16 Mar. 43 An octane-boosting additive called MMT that is now being used in 40% of unleaded gasoline produced in the U.S. may disrupt the fragile compromise on auto-emissions control reached by the Environmental Protection Agency.
1995 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 14 Jan. a5/1 Ms. Copps warned gasoline and auto companies yesterday that if they fail to reach an agreement on removing MMT from gasoline by Jan. 31, she will ‘explore the necessary steps, including the possible introduction of legislation.’ Methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl is an octane enhancer that was added to gasoline after lead was banned.
MNC n. Business multinational company (or corporation).
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > business affairs > a business or company > [noun]
company1532
society1623
office1647
Co1679
concern1681
business1728
establishment1832
outfit1833
business administration1852
customer relations1920
enterprise1930
label1968
MNC1971
1971 Columbia Jrnl. World Business Sept. 63/2 They have clamored for profit shares, increased control..or nationalization. Should this specter materialize..the MNCs will incur setbacks.
1978 Internat. Relations Dict. 28/1 MNC's have also been the subject of international concern.
1992 Times of India 30 July 11/3 It is still difficult to share the optimism of these MNCs. If the three who have accepted DoTs offer get their technologies validated, it will bring the total number of foreign technologies in India to four.
MND n. Medicine motor neuron disease.
ΚΠ
1975 Jrnl. Neurol. Sci. 25 205 The clinical features of motor neurone disease (MND) have been amply documented for many years but the aetiology remains obscure.
1996 Independent 30 July 7/2 Why motor neurones—the large nerve cells which rely messages between the brain and muscles—start to die off in people with MND is not known.
MNLF n. Moro National Liberation Front.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > politics > party politics > a party > [noun]
partc1385
livery1477
faction1509
partialitya1533
side1566
party1682
set1748
democracy1803
machine party1858
column1906
MNLF1975
1975 Philippines Daily Express (Manila) 15 Aug. 1 (heading) MNLF okays ceasefire; meet slated.
1977 South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) 13 Apr. 6/7 The President [of the Philippines]..said it is up to the people to declare whether they want a regional administration controlled by the rebel Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) or not.
1999 Britannica Online (Version 98.2) In 1977 the MNLF president, Nur Misuari, renewed a demand for total independence for the southern Philippines.
MNR n. Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources (in Ontario).
ΚΠ
1976 Financial Post (Canada) 6 Nov. 9/3 This reflects MNR staff shortages and/or undue influence by the industry on MNR at a political or administrative level.
1994 Sun Times (Owen Sound, Ont.) 13 Aug. 4/3 In a misguided effort to promote a sport, the MNR changed the regulations of the Game and Fish Act to permit any Canadian to fish license-free for that weekend.
MO n. (also M-O) = mass observation n.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > study of society > [noun] > theories or methods of analysis
reflexivity1662
social statics1843
social causation1848
sociography1881
functionalism1904
class analysis1919
culturalism1919
mass observation1920
survey1927
participant observation1933
participant observing1933
Verstehen1934
panel technique1938
MO1939
ahistoricism1940
historicism1940
technologism1940
action research1945
metasociology1950
pattern variable1951
structural functionalism1951
structuralism1951
panel analysis1955
cliometrics1960
unilinearism1964
technology assessment1966
symbolic interactionism1969
modernization theory1972
processualism1972
postcolonialism1974
decontextualization1976
decontextualizing1980
structurism1989
1939 C. H. Madge & T. Harrisson Brit. by Mass-observ. i. 10 Through M-O you can already listen-in to the movements of popular habit and opinion.
1971 Guardian Weekly 10 Apr. 18/1 The MO reports now held by Sussex University have been cleverly worked over.
1986 City Limits 16 Oct. 89 In 1940 I disagreed with Tom Harrisson's proposal for MO to work with the Ministry of Information.
M.O. n. Military medical officer.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun] > military physician
surgeon1591
medical officer1916
M.O.1916
quack1919
prick farrier1961
1916 F. M. Ford Let. 19 Dec. (1965) 80 The M.O. who has just sounded my poor old lungs again says I am to be sent to Nice.
1924 Army Q. Oct. 138 Stop a minute—give this chit to the M.O.
1944 Living off Land: Man. Bushcraft v. 97 Day's travel from the nearest M.O.
1976 R. Massey When I was Young xxiii. 196 I felt sure I was fit to serve once more with the guns. But the M.O. who examined me was dubious. He recommended that I transfer to another branch of the service.
MO n. (also m.o.) Chemistry molecular orbital.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > atomic chemistry > [noun] > electrons > orbitals
orbital1932
MO1937
1937 Trans. Faraday Soc. 33 1481 The m.o. solution depends essentially upon the solution of a one-electron problem.
1947 Q. Rev. 1 151 The energy of a M.O. is lowest..when the component atomic orbitals overlap one another as much as possible.
1968 R. O. C. Norman Princ. Org. Synthesis ii. 35 In the lower-energy MO, termed the σ1s bonding orbital..,there is an accumulation of charge in the region between the nuclei.
M.O. n. money order.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > paper money > promissory notes or bills of exchange > [noun] > postal order
post bill1740
money order1802
post-office order1815
order1846
P.O.O.1856
PO1861
postal note1862
postal order1864
mandat1896
M.O.1909
postal draft1929
1909 J. Joyce Let. 4 Sept. (1966) II. 246 I received your M.O. for £3.5.0.
1993 Bluenose (Halifax, Nova Scotia) Mar. 61/2 Send a 4″×6″ print and a cheque/M.O. for $12 (inc. taxes and S&H).
m.o. n. (also MO) modus operandi; (also occasionally glossed as) method(s) of operation.
ΘΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > [noun] > specifically of a thing
modus operandi1654
modus agendi1785
m.o.1915
1915 R. B. Fosdick European Police Syst. ix. 344 I refer to the so-called ‘M. O.’ or Modus Operandi System.
1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 114/3 MO,..method of operation (modus operandi).
1956 ‘E. McBain’ Cop Hater (1958) vii. 66 It was possible that the two deaths were unrelated..but not very probable. The m.o. was remarkably similar.
1973 ‘J. Ryder’ Trevayne (1974) xlvii. 356 I'm square enough to disapprove of the M.O.'s. The methods of operation.
1995 M. Dibdin Dark Spectre 45 ‘Then there's the MO,’ Kristine Kjarstad continued. ‘This guy sounds like a violent slob, a wife-beater. You'd expect him to use a shotgun, something messy like that, not a neat shot in the back of the head.’
MOD n. (also MoD) Ministry of Defence.
Π
1965 Acronyms & Initialisms Dict. (Gale Res. Co.) (ed. 2) 446 MOD, Ministry of Defense.
1971 N. T. St John Williams Tommy Atkins' Children p. xii I am grateful to..the staff of the Army Department M.O.D. Library for providing source material.
1993 Holiday Which? Jan. 29/2 No records are kept to show the percentage of MoD land to which the public has access, but, under the Citizen's Charter, the ministry has published a book of six walks on its land.
M. of I. n. Ministry of Information (see MOI n.).
Π
1940 H. Nicolson Diary 3 Aug. (1967) 104 I am feeling very depressed by the attacks upon the Ministry of Information... Since the M. of I. should be an offensive instrument, its value to our war-effort will be diminished by this constant sniping from the rear.
1942 E. Waugh Put out More Flags 169 I will say for the Ministry of Information they were uncommon civil. Not at all like they are here. At the M. of I. they were never too busy to see one.
MOH n. Medical Officer of Health.
ΚΠ
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. MOH.
1911 G. B. Shaw Doctor's Dilemma Pref. p. lxxii When one of the first-rate posts becomes vacant, all the leading M.O.H.s compete for it.
1961 Lancet 19 Aug. 440/1 She worked as assistant M.O.H. and inspector of midwives in Manchester.
1996 Toronto Star 29 Nov. a16/1 (heading) Wanted to shut home for seniors, MOH says.
MOI n. Ministry of Information.
Π
1939 War Illustr. 18 Nov. p. iii/2 M.O.I., Ministry of Information.
1957 J. Braine Room at Top x. 100 A MOI poster.
MOL n. manned orbiting (also orbital) laboratory.
Π
1963 Aviation Week & Space Technol. 16 Dec. 30 As described by Defense Secretary McNamara, the system, called MOL for manned orbiting laboratory, will consist largely of hardware already under development.
1965 Sci. News Let. 2 Jan. 6/2 The most immediate USAF manned space project is the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL), scheduled for some time between 1967 and 1969. In the MOL two men will spend 30 days in orbit around the earth, studying both outer space and each other's reactions to it.
1969 Times 13 June 7/6 The cancelled Manned Orbiting Laboratory (M.O.L.) of the U.S. Air Force.
MOMA n.
Brit. /ˈməʊmə/
, /ˈməʊmə/U.S. /ˈmoʊˌmə/
(also MoMA) (the) Museum of Modern Art (esp. that in New York)./ˈmoʊˌmə/ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > visual arts > painting and drawing > display of pictures > [noun] > gallery > specific
Tribunac1660
tribune1670
tribunal1797
Met1946
MOMA1964
1964 Washington Post 24 May g9/1 MOMA, as the dynamic New York institution is called by some.., was the headquarters of the modern art revolution in this country.
1966 Economist 15 Oct. 265/2 More than anyone else he was responsible for making MOMA the centre of the explosion which made New York the capital of today's art world.
1990 Mediamatic (Edge 90: Special Issue) Summer 175 [Richard Wilson's] three simultaneous installations last year at Bristol's Arnolfini gallery, the MOMA, Oxford and Matt's Gallery, London, all dealt with the straightforward wish to integrate interior and exterior space.
1994 Spy (N.Y.) Sept. 44 Listening to an NYU grad student loudly interpreting a painting in MoMA can fray the nerves of even the most battle-hardened urbanite.
MOOC n. massive open online course, an educational course made available to a large number of people via the internet.
ΚΠ
2009 @martlaa 11 May in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) MOOC, Massive Open Online Course.
2010 Chron. Higher Educ. 3 Sept. a22/1 The classes have even spawned a new name: Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC.
2013 Wall St. Jrnl. 2 Jan. b8/5 Schools signing on to use MOOCs for large survey courses.
MOR n. Music (originally U.S.) = middle of the road adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > pop music > [noun] > other pop music
a cappella1905
soundclash1925
marabi1933
doo-wop1958
filk1959
folk-rock1963
Liverpool sound1963
Mersey beat1963
Mersey sound1963
surf music1963
malombo1964
mbaqanga1964
easy listening1965
disco music1966
Motown1966
boogaloo1967
power pop1967
psychedelia1967
yé-yé1967
agitpop1968
bubblegum1968
Tamla Motown1968
Tex-Mex1968
downtempo1969
taarab1969
thrash1969
world music1969
funk1970
MOR1970
tropicalism1970
Afrobeat1971
electro-pop1971
post-rock1971
techno-pop1971
Tropicalia1971
tropicalismo1971
disco1972
Krautrock1972
schlager1973
Afropop1974
punk funk1974
disco funk1975
Europop1976
mgqashiyo1976
P-funk1976
funkadelia1977
karaoke music1977
alternative music1978
hardcore1978
psychobilly1978
punkabilly1978
R&B1978
cowpunk1979
dangdut1979
hip-hop1979
Northern Soul1979
rap1979
rapping1979
jit1980
trance1980
benga1981
New Romanticism1981
post-punk1981
rap music1981
scratch1982
scratch-music1982
synth-pop1982
electro1983
garage1983
Latin1983
Philly1983
New Age1984
New Age music1985
ambient1986
Britpop1986
gangster rap1986
house1986
house music1986
mbalax1986
rai1986
trot1986
zouk1986
bhangra1987
garage1987
hip-house1987
new school1987
old school1987
thrashcore1987
acid1988
acid house1988
acid jazz1988
ambience1988
Cantopop1988
dance1988
deep house1988
industrial1988
swingbeat1988
techno1988
dream pop1989
gangsta rap1989
multiculti1989
new jack swing1989
noise-pop1989
rave1989
Tejano1989
breakbeat1990
chill-out music1990
indie1990
new jack1990
new jill swing1990
noisecore1990
baggy1991
drum and bass1991
gangsta1991
handbag house1991
hip-pop1991
loungecore1991
psychedelic trance1991
shoegazing1991
slowcore1991
techno-house1991
gabba1992
jungle1992
sadcore1992
UK garage1992
darkcore1993
dark side1993
electronica1993
G-funk1993
sampladelia1994
trip hop1994
break1996
psy-trance1996
nu skool1997
folktronica1999
dubstep2002
Bongo Flava2003
grime2003
Bongo2004
singeli2015
1970 Billboard 31 Jan. 35/1 MOR stations have been forced into their present role by the recording artists in the easy listening field.
1975 Sat. Rev. (U.S.) 29 Nov. 45/3 Pop and so-called MOR (middle-of-the-road) [record] sales are down.
1982 Face May 31/4 With more determination they might have invented electro-country, but this is more like MOR pop.
1989 Time Out 18 Oct. 118/2 Vocal harmony group with a smooth mix of jazz standards and MOR classics.
MORI n.
Brit. /ˈmɒri/
, /ˈmɒri/U.S. /ˈmɔri/
(Mori) Market and Opinion Research International (a market research company in the United Kingdom)./ˈmɔri/ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > research > [noun] > into markets or marketing > company which carries out
MORI1969
1969 Internat. Managem. Sept. 7/2 Robert Worcester, the author of this article, is managing director of Market and Opinion Research International (MORI), a joint venture of Opinion Research Corporation of America and Britain's National Opinion Polls.
1973 F. Teer & J. D. Spence Polit. Opinion Polls v. 119 The MORI survey showed considerable support among chairmen and managing directors of the top 500 companies in Britain for Britain's entry.
1987 Daily Tel. 5 June 17/1 The elegant Georgian offices of Bob Worcester's Mori opinion poll organisation in..Westminster.
1992 Independent 7 Apr. 1/3 With Labour requiring an 8 per cent swing from the Conservatives to win an overall majority on Thursday, a MORI poll for Yorkshire Television showed a 10 per cent swing.
MOS n. Electronics metal-oxide-semiconductor (or -silicon), a material used in transistors in which a semiconductor and a conductor are separated by an insulating layer of the oxide of the semiconductor; a transistor composed of such a material; usually attributive.
ΚΠ
1964 R. D. Lohman in Semiconductor Products May 31 The metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor is a new semiconductor device which combines many advantages of vacuum tubes and bipolar transistors.
1964 R. D. Lohman in Semiconductor Products May 31 A typical n-channel MOS.
1973 Sci. Amer. Aug. 54/2 Today virtually all desk calculators and all pocket calculators are designed around MOS circuits.
1991 G. H. Tomlinson Electr. Networks & Filters 303 In practice, S1 and S2 are solid-state switches such as MOS transistors.
MOS n. U.S. Military Military Occupational Specialty.
ΚΠ
1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 115/2 MOS,..Military Occupational Specialty.
1969 I. Kemp Brit. G.I. in Vietnam iii. 43 ‘What's your M.O.S.?’ he barked. ‘Operations and Intelligence Assistant, First Sergeant.’
1978 M. Puzo Fools Die xi. 113 MOS stands for Military Occupation Specialty, the particular Army job he would be trained for.
MOSFET n. Electronics metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, a field-effect transistor in which there is a thin layer of silicon oxide between the gate and the channel; cf. MESFET n.
ΚΠ
1967 J. Millman & C. Halkias Electronic Devices & Circuits xiv. 384 There are two types of field-effect transistors, the junction field-effect transistor..and the insulated-gate field-effect transistor (IGFET), more commonly called the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor (MOST or MOSFET).
1993 What Hi-Fi? Oct. (Suppl.) 4/1 (advt.) Mosfets (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors) have long been recognized to be exceptionally linear devices in transferring the input voltage to the output current required to drive loudspeakers.
MOST n. [after MOS n.] Electronics metal-oxide-semiconductor (or -silicon) transistor.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > solid state physics > semiconductivity > transistor > [noun] > field-effect transistor
field-effect transistor1952
MOST1965
1965 Wireless World Sept. 425/2 The cathode and anode being in the positions of the source and drain of the M.O.S.T. respectively.
1967 J. Millman & C. Halkias Electronic Devices & Circuits xiv. 384 There are two types of field-effect transistors, the junction field-effect transistor (abbreviated JFET, or simply FET) and the insulated-gate field-effect transistor (IGFET), more commonly called the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor (MOST or MOSFET).
1992 Microelectronics Jrnl. 23 490/3 In Figure 3 a MOST (metal-oxide-silicon transistor) is shown.
MP n. Army military police(man).
ΘΚΠ
society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > [noun] > military police
military police1821
MP1889
society > law > law enforcement > police force or the police > [noun] > military police > military policeman
provost marshal1535
provost1590
field marshal1690
provost sergeant1825
Jack1854
military policeman1883
MP1889
redcap1919
shore patrolman1944
snowdrop1944
1889 Man. Field Service Provost-Marshals & Mil. Police (War Office) 13 Field Kit Of Military Mounted Police... Armlet, M.P.
1917 A. G. Empey Over Top 300 M.P., Military Police. Soldiers with whom it is unsafe to argue.
1967 Coast to Coast 1965–6 22 A bloody M.P. I suppose, that's what you were.
1994 C. Grant X-Files: Goblins iii. 32 It wasn't the MPs, thank God.
mp n. (also M.P.) melting point.
ΘΠ
the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > [noun] > at which some specific condition occurs
freezing-point1748
boiling-point1773
absolute zero1798
firing point1807
melting temperature1827
ice point1832
dew-point1833
melting point1838
neutral temperature1854
fusing point or temperature1860
welding point1868
flashing-point1878
flashpoint1878
mp1880
ignition temperature1881
silver-point1882
fire point1884
ignition point1887
neutral point1892
smoking point1915
smoking temperature1915
pour point1922
smoke point1933
1880 Chem. News 23 Apr. 192/2 M.p. 139°.
1885 London, Edinb., & Dublin Philos. Mag. 5th Ser. 20 513 2 [Exceptions] are due to the m.p. of carbon tetrabromide, CBr4, being too high.
1947 Sci. News 4 153 A polisher using a powder of oxamide (M.P. 417° C.)..did not produce any effect on speculum metal.
1960 F. G. Mann & B. C. Saunders Pract. Org. Chem. (ed. 4) ii. 273 Mono-methyl-malonic acid..on being heated to its m.p. gives methyl-acetic or propionic acid.
1988 F. A. Cotton & G. Wilkinson Adv. Inorg. Chem. (ed. 5) xii. 457 Pure H2O2..is a colourless liquid (bp 150.2 °C, mp −0.43 °C).
MPD n. Psychiatry multiple personality disorder (cf. multiple personality n.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > mental health > mental illness > degree or type of mental illness > [noun]
MPD1982
1982 Jrnl. Psychiatry & Law 10 443 While the development of MPD seems to rest on a combination of factors, child abuse is continuously cited as a necessary cause.
1994 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 1 Dec. 51/2 The authors carry this theme quite far..in challenging an entire disease entity linked to false memory cases, so-called multiple personality disorder (MPD).
MPF n. Cell Biology maturation (or M-phase) promoting factor (see sense 13).
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > development, growth, or degeneration > [noun] > growth > maturity or maturation
maturity1584
maturation1621
matureness1661
maturescence1803
MPF1975
1975 Cell 4 269 (title) Effects of cycloheximide on the autocatalytic nature of the maturation promoting factor (MPF) in oocytes of Xenopus laevis.
1991 Sci. Amer. Mar. 41 (caption) MPF helps to initiate mitosis in part by breaking up the nuclear envelope. It directly and indirectly adds phosphate groups to proteins called lamins that polymerise to form the envelope.
mpg n. miles per gallon (also in extended use).
Π
1931 Daily Express 28 Apr. 2/1 Petrol consumption..averages 20–26 m.p.g.
1934 Taxi 24 Feb. 4/2 Driving at high speed..and a sharp pull up..is the greatest enemy there is of m.p.g.
1955 Times 30 Aug. 11/5 The petrol consumption is claimed to be at the rate of 100 m.p.g. on long journeys and 90 m.p.g. in town.
1973 Country Life 20 Sept. 802/3 The engine..is very thirsty for its size, giving me 14 mpg overall and nearer 12 mpg in town driving.
1990 Which? Guide New & Used Cars 13/2 Mpg figures in full car reports in Which? are those we obtained over about 8,000 miles of testing and are generally a bit lower than those in the Guide.
mph n. miles per hour; (also as v. intransitive) to travel.As a verb, apparently an isolated use by Wodehouse.
Π
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. m.p.h.
1935 Discovery Oct. 293/2 Speed was increased by only two m.p.h.
1942 R.A.F. Jrnl. 16 May 9 The qualities of this type of aircraft are judged..by its m.p.h., manoeuvrability and ascending speed.
1960 P. G. Wodehouse Jeeves in Offing xix. 185 I deposited Upjohn at the ‘Bull and Bush’ and started m-p-h-ing homeward.
1975 Guardian 20 Jan. 7/3 The car with..a top speed of 107 mph, is aimed initially at the American market.
1987 Observer 20 Sept. (Colour Suppl.) 5/2 (advt.) A 2 litre..engine..will power you to 60 mph in under eight seconds.
MPLA n. [ < Portuguese MPLA, initialism < Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola] Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola.
Π
1961 Afr. Digest Dec. 93/2 The Aliazo leaders say that they maintain fraternal relations with U.P.A. and the M.P.L.A.
1991 K. Maguire Politics in S. Afr. v. 116 Cuban-backed MPLA was to become the government of Angola in 1976.
MPTP n. Pharmacology 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine, C12H15N, a piperidine derivative which causes irreversible parkinsonism in monkeys and humans.
ΚΠ
1983 Science 25 Feb. 979 Four persons developed marked parkinsonism after using an illicit drug intravenously. Analysis of the substance injected by two of these patients revealed primarily 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).
1991 New Scientist 17 Aug. 24/1 Among other things, it appears that the body metabolises MPTP, generating a chemical similar to dopamine which is then taken up selectively by dopaminergic neurons.
MPV n. multi-purpose vehicle.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > [noun] > motor vehicle
automotor1869
automobile1895
auto1899
MPV1987
1987 Christian Sci. Monitor (Nexis) 5 Jan. 29 In the high country of Colorado or the desert of Arizona, on the rugged logging roads of Maine or the blacktop interstate, the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) is at home.
1995 Economist 30 Sept. 96/3 Renault's response to the competition is a planned MPV version of its new medium-sized saloon.
M.Q. n. Photography metol-hydroquinone (denoting any of various developers based on a mixture of metol and hydroquinone).
ΚΠ
a1912 W. T. Rogers Dict. Abbrev. (1913) 129/1 M.Q., Metol-Quinol (Developer).
1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 561/1 M.Q., an abbrev. for metol-quinol or metol-hydroquinone developers.
1968 Jrnl. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 79 38 To any ordinary M.Q. developer add 8 gm of plain hypo crystals for every litre of solution.
MRA n. Moral Rearmament; the theories or practice of the Oxford Group Movement, Buchmanism.
Π
1939 Nation (N.Y.) 5 Aug. 135/1 M.R.A. and Hollywood were made for each other.
1949 New Statesman 15 Oct. 422/1 The success of M.R.A...is so brilliant that one cannot understand why the world is still in such a mess.
1969 Listener 3 July 19/3 Less than 1 per cent of our members are associated with MRA.
1973 L. Heren Growing up Poor in London v. 121 They [sc. a City of London scout troop] had the smug well-being of MRA-ers, secure within a wealthy organization as well as with God.
MRBM n. Military medium-range ballistic missile.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > missile > guided or ballistic missile > [noun]
missile1945
ballistic rocket1949
ballistic missile1950
I.C.B.M.1955
intercontinental ballistic missile1956
MRBM1960
1960 Acronyms Dict. (Gale Res. Co.) 126 MRBM... Medium Range Ballistic Missile.
1961 Ann. Reg. 1960 167 Opposition to giving M.R.B.M.s to NATO was partly emotional.
MRC n. British Medical Research Council.
ΚΠ
1929 Med. Res. Council Special Rep. Series No. 129. (title) The Wasserman Test. Technical details of No. 1 method M.R.C. (modified).
1991 20th Cent. Brit. Hist. 2 141 The MRC maintains in-house facilities, but it influences cancer science more significantly by distributing money to extramural researchers, especially in universities.
MRE n. U.S. Military meal ready to eat.
ΚΠ
1978 N.Y. Times 31 Dec. iv. 6/6 The United States Army, which in 1939 introduced a series of rations called A, B, C and D, has long since dropped B and D. Last week..the Army said C also would go, to be replaced by MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat).
1992 Chicago Tribune 28 Aug. i. 5/5 Everywhere there are lines for water, ice, gasoline, medicine, and even MREs, the pre-packaged ‘meals ready to eat’ served to U.S. troops in the gulf war.
MRI n. Medicine magnetic resonance imaging; (also) a unit for producing images in this way.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > diagnosis or prognosis > radiography or radiology > scanning > [noun] > magnetic resonance imaging
magnetic resonance imaging1977
MRI1983
functional magnetic resonance imaging1988
fMRI1993
the world > health and disease > healing > diagnosis or prognosis > radiography or radiology > scanning > [noun] > magnetic resonance imaging > equipment used in
MRI1983
1983 Amer. Jrnl. Roentgenol. 141 1101 Information obtained by MRI was compared to CT and/or sonographic studies.
1986 Times 13 June 31/1 In the basement of the Churchill Clinic, newly redecorated in fashionable shades of pink and grey, is the MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging unit.
1992 N.Y. Times 29 Dec. c3/4 Many people older than 45 have some arthritic changes on spinal X-rays, and on M.R.I. scans 25 percent of adults have ruptured disks.
MRL n. Military = multiple rocket launcher n. at multiple n. and adj. Compounds 3.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > piece of artillery > [noun] > rocket-launcher
trombe1562
rocket tube1826
rocket projector1936
rocket launcher1942
nebelwerfer1943
screaming meemie1944
multiple rocket launcher1945
Katyusha1955
MRL1970
1970 Army Nov. 31/1 The Soviet Army and its Warsaw Pact allies use an entire family of MRL systems.
1976 Field Artillery Jrnl. Nov. 30/2 The Soviet Army has relied continuously on MRLs since..the first combat volley was fired by a battery of BM-13 launchers.
MRM n. chiefly British mechanically recovered meat, meat which remains on the bones of a carcass after it has been trimmed by knife, and which is removed by forcing the bones through a filter under high pressure, and processed for use in some meat products; cf. recovered adj. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > [noun] > meat > other types of meat
gross meatc1460
fish1607
crimp-meat1656
small meata1662
second hand1694
slink1736
soup-meat1841
box meat1856
sacrifice meat1926
MRM1980
1980 Times 10 July 12/1 MRM is particularly useful because of the trend away from eating pieces of fresh prime beef and towards dishes like ravioli and shepherd's pie in which the expensive meat element is reduced.
2004 H. Fearnley-Whittingstall River Cottage Meat Bk. ii. 42 ‘Mechanically recovered meat’, or MRM as it's known in the trade, has changed the economics of meat production.
mRNA n. (formerly also †MRNA) Biology messenger RNA.
ΚΠ
1961 F. Jacob & J. Monod in Jrnl. Molecular Biol. 3 350 A small fraction of RNA, first observed by Volkin & Astrachan (1957) in phage infected E. coli and recently found to exist also in normal yeasts..and coli.., does seem to meet all the qualifications listed above. This fraction (which we shall designate ‘messenger RNA’ or M-RNA) amounts to only about 3% of the total RNA.
1965 Jrnl. Molecular Biol. 14 257 [They] have presented evidence for the attachment of ribosomal particles to mRNA while the RNA is still attached to its DNA template.
1970 E. J. Ambrose & D. M. Easty Cell Biol. iv. 129 When the code has been transcribed from DNA on to mRNA, the latter leaves the nucleus, passing through the nuclear membrane into the cytoplasm.
1991 D. J. Weatherall New Genetics & Clin. Pract. (ed. 3) iii. 47 One well-characterized way of making more than one use of mRNA is by differential splicing, so that different proteins are synthesized in particular tissues, a particularly popular activity among neuropeptides and muscle proteins.
MRP n. [ < French M.R.P., initialism < Mouvement Républicain Populaire] (in France) Popular Republican Movement, the Christian Democratic Party under the Fourth Republic.
Π
1946 Ann. Reg. 1945 172 The Socialist Party (S.F.I.O.) and Christian Democrats (M.R.P.) were in favour of Yes.
1958 Spectator 30 May 676/3 Feelings within the MRP were stiffening as in the Socialist Party.
1959 B. North & R. North tr. M. Duverger Polit. Parties (ed. 2) ii. ii. 347 Within the Third Force the influence of the M.R.P. continually declined between 1947 and 1951, to the advantage of the Radicals and the Right Wing.
MRSA n. Medicine methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
ΚΠ
1979 Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy 15 34 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains show an unusual type of resistance at 37°C; only a small subpopulation of cells is resistant to the β-lactam antibiotics.
1993 Independent 10 Feb. 13/2 According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the bacterium methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is rampant largely because doctors have been over-prescribing antibiotics for decades, causing new drug-resistant forms of the bacterium to evolve.
2008 Wall St. Jrnl. 14 Aug. a11/1 The germ that Mr. Klotz contracted, hospital-acquired MRSA, infects about 880,000 patients a year and accounts for only 8% of all hospital infections.
MS n. Photography medium shot.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > filming > shot > [noun] > types of
long shot1858
glass shot1908
close-up1913
aerial shot1920
angle shot1922
medium shot1925
far-away1926
travelling shot1927
zoom1930
zoom shot1930
process shot1931
close-medium shot1933
medium close-up1933
reverse angle1933
reverse shot1934
three-shot1934
tilt shot1934
medium-close shot1937
reaction shot1937
tracking shot1940
pan shot1941
stock shot1941
Dutch angle1947
cheat shot1948
establishing shot1948
master-scene1948
trucking shot1948
two-shot1949
bridging shot1951
body shot1952
library shot1953
master shot1953
mid shot1953
MS1953
pullback1957
MCU1959
noddy1982
arc shot1989
pop shot1993
1953 K. Reisz Technique Film Editing iv. 87 M.S. Father, daughter and doctor.
1987 Pract. Video Photogr. Dec. 30/2 (Gloss.) MS, medium shot.
M/S n. Navy = minesweeper n.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [noun] > mine-sweeper
minesweeper1904
sweeper1915
M/S1923
R-boat1942
mine-hunter1964
1923 Man. Seamanship (Admiralty) II. 177 The executive officer of a minesweeping vessel should first ascertain the allowed establishment of M/S stores.
M.S. n. morphine sulphate; morphine itself.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical substances > salts > [noun] > salts named by atomic number > sulphates or sulphites
spirit(s) of vitriol1671
vitriolica1684
sulphate1789
sulphite1789
M.S.1953
1953 W. S. Burroughs Junkie v. 54 I was getting sick and wondered if I would get home to the M.S. I had stashed in my apartment.
1969 R. R. Lingeman Drugs from A to Z 176 When used by addicts, morphine is most commonly in the form of a salt, e.g., morphine sulfate (the origin of M.S., a slang term for morphine), which is soluble in water and hence injectable.
MS n. multiple sclerosis.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > disorders of internal organs > disorders of nervous system > [noun] > disorders of brain > sclerosis
multiple sclerosis1885
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis1886
insular sclerosis1891
tuberous sclerosis1898
epiloia1911
tuberose sclerosis1933
Lou Gehrig disease1941
MS1955
1955 Sci. News Let. 14 May 311/3 The search for twins with MS, or multiple sclerosis, has yielded 33 identical sets so far, but the National Multiple Sclerosis Society would like to locate about 350 more, fraternal as well as identical.
1967 Brain 90 880 If there were a deleterious effect of the industrialized environment, then rural–urban differences in prevalence of MS would be expected.
1990 Pract. Health Spring 16/3 Although I had an MS ‘attack’ two years ago following a bad bout of flu, I got over it much faster than before.
MSA n. U.S. Finance medical savings account, a tax-free savings account designed esp. for the self-employed and for small employers and their staff, which is used to pay for routine medical care.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > account or statement of > [noun] > other types of accounts
calends of exchangec1374
scorea1400
pipe1455
mensalc1475
profit and loss1553
stock1588
bank account1671
lump-account1699
revenue account1703
profit and loss account1721
sundry1736
drawing account1737
stock account?1768
private account1772
trading account1780
Flemish account1785
capital account1813
embankment1813
cost account1817
cash-credit1832
current account1846
savings account1850
deposit account1851
suspense account1869
control account1908
checking account1923
ghost account1933
numbered account1963
budget account1969
ISA1975
MSA1993
1993 Commerc. Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee) (Nexis) 15 Mar. a6 A mystery of the current debate over health care reform is why the idea of Medical Savings Accounts has attracted so little attention. Unlike the modish ‘managed competition’ MSAs are understandable.
1999 Palm Beach (Florida) Post (Nexis) 3 Apr. 16 a More than 37 percent of the people who have bought an MSA under the 1996 law were previously uninsured.
MSA n. Modern Standard Arabic.
ΘΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > Afro-Asiatic > [noun] > Semitic > Arabic > varieties of
Maltese1813
Sabaean1905
Iraqian1923
Mozarabic1949
MSA1963
Kuwaiti1967
Maghribi1986
1963 Language 39 330 A problem facing non-Arabic scholars is what to call this modern..form of Arabic... I will arbitrarily select..modern standard Arabic, or MSA, as a term of reference.
1975 Bull. Brit. Soc. Middle Eastern Stud. 2 81 Perhaps the only really well established fact of spoken standard Arabic is that it lacks the case and mood endings of MSA and CA as well as the indefinite mark of so-called ‘nunation’.
2010 A. Darwish Transl. & News Making in Contemp. Arabic Television ii. 83 It suddenly dawned on her that Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) was not her mother tongue and that her mother tongue was Egyptian Arabic.
MSB n. Computing most significant bit.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > data > [noun] > unit of
bit1948
megabit1957
byte1964
MB1965
megabyte1965
packet1966
nibble1967
Mbit1968
Mbyte1972
MSB1972
meg1983
1972 Computer Design Mar. 102/1 A technique that..has the..advantage of being able to convert serial data arriving LSB (least significant bit) or MSB (most significant bit) first.
1990 Compact Disc 7 Aug. 22/2 When a signal crosses zero in either direction, it changes the most significant bit (MSB) which represents a value 32,768 times that of the LSB.
MSC n. British Manpower Services Commission.
ΚΠ
1976 Times 17 Dec. 34/6 The report expresses regret that the MSC has twice this year refused to cooperate with federation members.
1983 Financial Times 12 Apr. 19/3 One can employ a school leaver on the Youth Opportunities Scheme (YOP), the cost of whom is reimbursed by the MSC.
1990 Planet 82 Aug. 110 The MSC want vocational A-levels.
MS-DOS n. /ˌɛmˌɛsˈdɑs/ [ < Micros oft d isk o perating s ystem: compare DOS n. at D n. Initialisms 3a] Computing (a proprietary name for) an operating system developed for a particular family of microprocessors and widely used in personal computers.
Brit. /ˌɛmɛsˈdɒs/
, /ˌɛmɛsˈdɒs/U.S. /ˌɛmˌɛsˈdɔs/
, /ˌɛmˌɛsˈdɔs//ˌɛmˌɛsˈdɑs/ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > software > [noun] > operating systems software > single-user system > proprietary
CP/M1976
MS-DOS1982
1982 Byte July 330/3 Microsoft's MS-DOS (sold by IBM as PC-DOS and by Lifeboat Associates as SB-86)... MS-DOS is faster [than CP/M-86] primarily because it buffers more data in each gulp and because it keeps the File Allocation Table in memory rather than on disk.
1992 PC World Apr. 30/1 I upgraded to MS-DOS 5.0 so I wouldn't have to partition the disk.
MSG n. monosodium glutamate.
Π
1949 N.Y. Times 9 May 22/4 Production of MSG, as the trade calls it [sc. monosodium glutamate], has doubled in the last few years.
1959 Observer 29 Mar. 8/4 Best results are obtained by dissolving M.S.G. in the cooking liquor and adding towards the end of cooking.
1969 New Scientist 6 Mar. 505/2 Every packet soup, fish-finger and chicken croquette contains a dose of MSG to..‘wake up all the flavour nature put in your food’.
1990 Pract. Health Spring 38/1 Other people may get a headache from certain food additives, notoriously nitrates in hot dogs and MSG (monosodium glutamate) in Chinese cooking.
1993 Washingtonian June 92/2 A low-fat menu, featuring less oil, less salt, and no MSG.
MSH n. melanocyte-stimulating hormone.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > substance > process stimulators or inhibitors > hormone > [noun] > stimulating
secretin1902
hormone1914
MSH1953
GnRH1973
1953 A. B. Lerner & T. B. Fitzpatrick in M. Gordon Pigment Cell Growth 329 There are many indications that the pituitary gland produces a melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).
1965 J. Lee & F. Knowles Animal Hormones x. 128 As in amphibians, the elasmobranch skin colour is controlled by the level of MSH.
1981 R. N. Hardy Endocrine Physiol. vii. 77 Pathological hypersecretion of ACTH sometimes produces abnormal pigmentation which may be attributable to the MSH-like activity of ACTH.
1998 Daily Tel. 9 Oct. 9/2 The gene is called MC4R, which stands for melanocortin-4 receptor, a molecular docking site that is found in the brain and binds a hormone called MSH that turns off the impulse to eat.
MSI n. [ < Italian M.S.I., initialism < Movimento Sociale Italiano] now historical (in Italy) the Italian Social Movement, an extreme right-wing anti-communist political party founded in 1948 (renamed the Alleanza Nazionale (National Alliance) in 1994).
ΚΠ
1953 Amer. Polit. Sci. Rev. 47 684 An objective view..can best be gleaned from a reading of the following party newspapers..: Il Popolo (DC);..Avanti! (PCI); Lotta Politica (MSI).
1999 Britannica Online (Version 99.1) The MSI renamed itself the National Alliance in 1994. It joined two newly formed centre-right parties, the Forza Italia and the Northern League, in an alliance that was swept to power in parliamentary elections in March 1994.
MSM n. (a) = men who have sex with men n. at man n.1 Phrases 3f; (b) = man who has sex with men at man n.1 Phrases 3f.
Π
1990 J. E. Mantell & A. T. DiVittis in New Directs. Program Eval. Summer 91 The Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) convened focus groups with black men who have sex with men (MSM).
1993 M. G. S. Holmes Different Love xi. 288 HIV/AIDS is not a ‘gay disease’ but it is an important issue for men who have sex with men (MSMs).., whether they self-identify as gay or not.
2001 M. L. Tan in G. Sullivan & P. A. Jackson Gay & Lesbian Asia 134 Oh, I don't think he was gay. Just another MSM.
2012 N. Silver Signal & Noise Notes 487 MSM is the preferred term in the medical literature in this context; it is more precise than terms like homosexual and particularly gay, which often refer to sexual identity rather than sexual behavior.
MSRP n. Business and Marketing (North American) manufacturer's suggested retail price.
ΚΠ
1972 Washington Post 25 Mar. e36 (advt.) Base Vehicle MSRP.
2002 Pop. Mech. Feb. 67/2 One promising model not available for our test is the Panasonic NV-EX21 ($1657 MSRP), which at press time was slated to hit North American store shelves later this year.
MT n. machine translation.
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the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > translation > [noun] > by computer
automatic translation1949
machine translation1952
MT1959
1959 Engineering 6 Feb. 184/2 MT is discussed in two general chapters, on dictionary searching, the ‘stem-ending’ method of analysis, identification of idioms and a possible method for resolving multi-meanings.
1966 Y. Bar-Hillel in Automatic Transl. of Lang. (NATO Summer School, Venice, 1962) 20 On the other hand, the number of research groups which have taken up MT as their major field of activity is still on the increase.
1993 Byte Jan. 167/1 As MT (machine translation) systems evolve, they will take on the challenge of general translation.
M.T. n. Military motor transport.
ΚΠ
1915 Hangar Herald (Army Service Corps) 16 Feb. f. 1v/1 Five of the motor-wagons from the M.T. Dept. have broken down.
1917 ‘Contact’ Airman's Outings 167 The Squadron Commander meets us... ‘Seen anything?’ he asks. ‘Fourteen trains and some M.T.,’ I reply.
1946 R.A.F. Jrnl. May 174 There are W.A.A.F. clubs,..W.A.A.F. on M.T.
1947 L. Hastings Dragons are Extra i. 25 He collected second-hand cars... Tinkering them up, and practising the same sort of cannibalism that long after became an M.T. necessity in modern war.
MTB n. Military motor torpedo boat.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [noun] > torpedo boat
torpedo boat1810
torpedo-vessel1877
torpedo craft1885
torpedo destroyer1896
T.B.1897
mosquito boat1911
oily wad1925
MTB1936
PT boat1941
torpilleur1950
1936 Times 16 Nov. 20/6 Some trials in rough weather of M.T.B. No. 1 were described in The Times.
1955 ‘N. Shute’ Requiem for Wren 128 Left Gosport in an M.T.B.
1988 D. A. Thomas Compan. Royal Navy iii. 240 Attacks by MTBs..failed to stop the warships.
MTB n. mountain bike.
ΘΠ
society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > vehicle propelled by feet > [noun] > cycle > bicycle
bicycle1868
steed1877
bike1880
jigger1897
push-cycle1905
push bicycle1906
pushbike1910
grid1922
mangle1941
recumbent1968
MTB1988
1988 Chicago Tribune (Nexis) 21 Dec. 6 Colgano Master MTB 52cm DE OER XT..was $1400, now $980.
1998 Nikkei Weekly (Nexis) 6 July 18 As Japan's ‘outdoor boom’ has run its course, domestic sales of MTBs have been dropping since they peaked in 1995 at about 640,000 bikes.
MTBF n. Computing and Electronics mean time between (also before) failure(s), a measure of the reliability of a device or system.
ΚΠ
1968 R. C. Thomas et al. New Acronyms & Initialisms 148 MTBF, Mean Time Between Failures.
1969 Jrnl. Sci. & Technol. 36 133/2 The approach adopted is to calculate the mean time between failure (MTBF) for each unit within a system from the MTBF of its constituent parts.
1989 S. J. K. Walker in D. H. Middleton Avionic Syst. ii. 26 The most often used [measure of equipment reliability] is that of mean time between failures (MTBF), a statistical analysis of component failure, either of the whole device as far as the airline is concerned, or at part level for the manufacturers or maintenance organisation.
1993 Unix World May 7/2 (advt.) A MTBF rate of 60,000 hours ensures reliability.
M.T.C. n. Military Mechanized (also Mechanical) Transport Corps.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > [noun] > transporting
trooping1809
M.T.C.1942
airdrop1943
airlift1943
fly-in1943
airlifting1949
1942 E. Partridge Dict. Abbrev. 65/2 MTC.
1944 H. G. Wells '42 to '44 78 A girl in M.T.C. uniform with the gold leaf of the Croix de Guerre over her pocket.
MTCR n. Military Missile Technology Control Regime.
ΚΠ
1988 Defense Electronics Apr. 20/2 Last April 16, the United States, Britain, France, West Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan announced the creation of a Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) to prevent just such technology from reaching potential Third World arms producers.
1991 U.S. News & World Rep. 27 May 38/1 Chinese spokesmen..insist that China is not defying MTCR guidelines.
MTF adj. and n. (also MtF) (a) adj. = male-to-female adj. 3; (b) n. = male-to-female n.
ΘΠ
the world > life > sex and gender > transgender person > [noun]
she-male1842
ladyboy1857
mujerado1882
transsexual1949
transsexualist1954
male-to-female1977
transgender1979
transperson1979
FTM1987
MTF1990
the world > life > sex and gender > transgender person > [adjective]
transsexual1957
transsexualist1959
male-to-female1966
female-to-male1971
transgender1974
trans1981
FTM1987
MTF1990
1990 L. Sullivan Information for Female to Male Cross Dresser & Transsexual 27 Eleven MTF transsexuals were tested: eight were H-Y antigen negative.
1991 P. Califia Advocate Adviser x. 151 I've given the same advice to male-to-female transsexuals (MTFs) who know that having an artificial vagina..will make them look more like women but are afraid it will mean giving up orgasms.
2001 Out Nov. 78/1 Butches in their bindings.., or male-to-females (MTFs) of any description, unwelcome in the tightly prescribed world of lesbian-feminist androgyny.
2011 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 12 Mar. b1 Doctors in Montreal have been seeing a steady increase..in the number of young people seeking..surgery for male-to-female (MTF)..changes.
MTI n. (also m.t.i.) moving-target indication (a radar system that gives prominence to moving objects).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > instrument for detection > [noun] > radar system
radiolocation1935
televisibility1940
radar1941
precision approach radar1950
PAR1951
MTI1956
AWACS1966
1956 Electronic Engin. 28 15 A further important feature of this equipment is the m.t.i. (moving target indicator) system, which is more effective in removing unwanted clutter and permanent echoes, and more stable in operation than any other previous type.
1966 McGraw-Hill Encycl. Sci. & Technol. (rev. ed.) VIII. 620/1 MTI is almost a necessity when moving targets are being sought over a region from which the ground clutter echoes are very strong.
1989 B. R. Drake in D. H. Middleton Avionic Syst. x. 241 Many EW gurus felt that chaff would become obsolete with the advent of moving target indicators (MTI) and Doppler radars.
MTOPS n. Computing million theoretical operations per second.
ΚΠ
1991 Chilton's Electronic News (Nexis) 11 Mar. 6 The proposed new threshold for export controls would be on all computers with a CTP of 15 Mtops.
1994 Wall St. Jrnl. 25 Feb. a2/2 Earlier this year, Cocom decided to ease controls for computers operating up to 260 MTOPS, much less than the 500-MTOPS level the Clinton administration was seeking.
MTV n. [ < Music Television] originally U.S. (a proprietary name for) a cable and satellite television channel broadcasting popular music and promotional music videos.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > broadcasting > television > [noun] > organization or service
television station1926
television network1930
TV station1945
TV network1947
channel1952
Independent Television (Authority)1954
I.T.A.1955
I.T.V.1958
side1961
Channel 41964
MTV1981
1981 N.Y. Times 19 June d15/4 Warner Amex has MTV: The Music Channel, 24 hours of that noise with pictures to match.
1993 Albuquerque (New Mexico) Jrnl. 4 Apr. c3/3 Morally obtuse grunge rockers who spend their time eating junk food and watching MTV.
MVD n. [ < Russian MVD, initialism < Ministerstvo vnutrennih del] (in the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation) Ministry of Internal Affairs, replacing the N.K.V.D. in 1946.
ΘΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > a or the government > government department or agency > [noun] > Russian government department
prikaz1662
procuracy1917
commissariat1918
MVD1948
1948 Economist 7 Aug. 213/1 Stalin and his secret police—the MVD.
1949 A. Koestler Promise & Fulfilm. 262 At the bottom of their hearts they know quite well what the M.V.D. has in store for them.
1989 F. Forsyth Negotiator i. 20 Drawn up in front of the podium was an honour guard of the Militia, the civil police from the Interior Ministry, the MVD.
1994 M. Ebon KGB: Death & Rebirth p. x All so-called security matters were merged into the MVD.
MVP n. U.S. Sport (originally Baseball) most valuable player, (an award given to) the best player in a team (also in extended use).
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > player or sportsperson > [noun] > team or group > member of
man1744
team man1763
team player1882
teamer1924
MVP1940
1940 Olean (N.Y.) Times-Herald 15 Aug. 19/2 In the American [league], three teams—Cleveland, Detroit and Boston—seem likely to have a possible ‘MVP’ on their roster.
1974 Los Angeles Times 13 Oct. iii. 1/2 Reginald Martinez Jackson, a guy who could have made the Yankee outfield, a genuine MVP ballplayer.
1991 Daily Record (Morristown, New Jersey) 23 Feb. a3/3 The Patriot, an MVP of a missile, and its minor league Iraqi counterpart are now taking their battle to the United States.
MVP n. minimum viable product. See minimum viable product n. at minimum n. and adj. Compounds 1.
Π
2009 Nivi venturehacks.com 23 Mar. (blog, Internet Archive Wayback Machine 26 Mar. 2009) Minimum viable products: the product with just the necessary features to get money and feedback from early adopters. The minimum viable product (MVP) is often an ad on Google. Or a PowerPoint slide.
2019 Consilience 21 27 We are hoping to gain information on the market demand and the usefulness of such a tool to clients. Based on this we plan to either further develop the MVP into a full-fledged application, pivot to a new approach, or halt work altogether.
MW n. Broadcasting = medium wave n. at medium n. and adj. Compounds 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [noun] > radio wave > length of > specific
short wave1839
medium wave1928
MW1938
long wave1965
1938 Wireless World 1 Sept. 2/2 (advt.) (heading) On M.W. and L.W.
1975 Pract. Wireless Jan. 800 Such receivers usually have an intermediate frequency of around 470kHz, which lies between these LW and MW bands.
1998 Independent 7 Dec. ii. 17/4 Radio 5 Live (693, 909kHz MW). 6.00 Breakfast. 9.00 Nicky Campbell.
MW n. Chemistry molecular weight.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > atomic chemistry > [noun] > molecules > molecular weight
molecular weight1860
MW1939
1939 L. T. Hallett in W. W. Scott Standard Methods Chem. Anal. (ed. 5) II. 2536 M.W. = Kx TxW/ Δp.
1997 Mod. Paint & Coatings May 36/1 One can also obtain higher hardness films by blending these higher MW ultra-low monol PPG polyols with lower molecular weight glycols.
mwi n. British (esp. Scottish) colloquial (chiefly in the language of social media) mad with it (Scottish mad wae it); extremely intoxicated with alcohol or drugs; very drunk.
ΚΠ
2007 www.urbandictionary.com 25 Aug. (O.E.D. Archive 2018) When You Are Mwi You Are Drunk Or Steamin. I Was Mwi Last Night.
2017 Daily Rec. & Sunday Mail (Scotl.) (Nexis) 27 Jan. 27 A total of 1.3million folk tuned in to see me blether with McGregor about..if Irvine Welsh had the Monday aff work to get MWI—mad wae it—after the premiere.
2018 @GetTaeFukk 16 Sept. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Some class videos of people mwi on drugs doing certain things in public like trying to do a wrapping stall for xmas pressies in a john lewis while the guy is on mescaline.
MX n. [ < m- (in missile n.) + -x- (in experimental adj.)] U.S. Military an experimental intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple warheads, designed to be easily movable from one location to another; also attributive in MX missile.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > missile > guided or ballistic missile > [noun] > types of
loon1947
seeker1949
Honest John1952
Nike1952
heat-seeker1956
anti-ballistic missile1957
Polaris1957
Pershing1958
SAM1958
cruise missile1959
sea-cat1959
minuteman1961
ABM1963
lance1964
Exocet1970
trident1972
MX missile1973
stinger1975
cruise1976
tomahawk1976
silo buster1977
Euromissile1979
Brilliant Pebbles1988
1973 Aviation Week 10 Sept. 15/3 The MX still is in its formative stage, providing a low profile in budget requests.
1984 Science 22 June 1373/1 The impact of the MX on arms control efforts.
1985 Ann. Reg. 1984 383 Growing domestic pressure in the US..was reflected in a narrow Senate vote on the future of the MX missile.
1990 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 17 May 14/1 The Western alliance should be allowed to station its rockets in Europe and proceed with the MX missile program.
m.y. n. Science million years.
ΚΠ
1943 Geol. Föreningens i Stockholm Förhandl. 64 465 Kolm is discussed thoroughly and its age calculated to be 442 MY.
1963 Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. 119 137 The rocks concerned range in age from 1055 to 1700 m.y. (radiometric dating).
1995 C. Nielsen Animal Evol. v. 35 The fossil record goes back to the Upper Vendian about 600 m.y. ago.
M.Y.O.B. phr. mind your own business.
Π
1855 Weekly Wisconsin (Milwaukee) 16 May 3/4 We recommend their efforts to the M. Y. O. B. Society of New York, and warrant they will find all they can attend to, besides making the employment pay. It will come unhandy at first, but they will probably learn after a time.
1915 Dial. Notes 4 246 N.o.y.b., none of your business. Also m.y.o.b., mind your own business.
1951 P. Branch Lion in Cellar xvi. 184 ‘Who are you?’..‘M.Y.O.B.’
1972 J. Wilson Hide & Seek i. 8 ‘I had to go and collect something,’ Alice mumbled. ‘What?’ ‘M.Y.O.B.’ ‘Don't be cheeky.’
1995 Abilities (Toronto) Spring 58/3 Unless you have something useful to offer, MYOB.
Myr n. Science million years.
ΚΠ
1963 Radioactive Decay (Internat. Atomic Energy Agency Symp.) 383 Among the iron meteorites the exposure ages of the octahedrites seem to pile up around a value of about 500 Myr.
1975 Nature 6 Mar. 50/1 By about 70 Myr ago (late Cretaceous: Maastrichtian) there seems to have been a gap large enough to have prevented east–west migration of marine reef colonies.
1997 Sci. Amer. June 62/1 Exposed at the top of the hill lies a layer of hardened volcanic ash called the Moiti Tuff, which has been dated radiometrically to just over 3.9 Myr old.
I2. Standing for various senses of master n.1
a. Used for Master or the Latin Magister in titles of postgraduate academic degrees; (in extended use) the holder of such a degree.
M.A. n. [ < post-classical Latin M.A., graphic abbreviation of magister artium (c1250, 1549 in British sources); compare A.M. n. at A n. Initialisms] Master of Arts.
ΚΠ
1678 A. Wood Life 6 Sept. The banterers of Oxford (a set of scholars so called, some M.A.), who make it their employment to talk at a venture, lye and prate what nonsense they please.
1713 J. Byrom Let. 27 Apr. in Private Jrnl. & Lit. Remains (1854) I. i. 20 There is one Law, a M.A. and Fellow of Emmanuel, has this last week been degraded to a Soph, that is, the year below a Bachelor.
1724 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. (ed. 2) M, is an Abreviation of Magister,..as M.A. Magister Artium, Master of Arts.
1773 A. Wood & J. Peshall Antient & Present State City of Oxf. 148 Thomas Gilbert..after taking his M.A. Degree in 1638..was commonly called The Bishop of Shropshire.
1811 Ld. Byron Hints from Horace 240 He..retires M.A.; Master of arts!
1872 J. C. Jeaffreson Woman in Spite of Herself I. i. vii. 117 An ordinary honourless Oxford or Cambridge M.A.
1955 Times 26 May 12/5 He was instructor to the Oxford University Air Squadron and was given the degree of M.A. honoris causa at the end of his term of duty.
1970 J. Dunbar J. M. Barrie 7 His mother was sure that he would outdistance Alec, and that after his M. A. he would set his sights for a D. D.
M.B.A. n. Master in (also of) Business Administration.
ΚΠ
1934 Webster's New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. M.B.A. Master in, or of, Business Administration.
1965 New Statesman 26 Nov. 828/3 Even those few firms that give lip service to the idea of business schools are unwilling to regard a good MBA degree as representing more than one or two years of ‘relevant experience’.
1993 ‘E. Lathen’ Right on Money xiv. 109 Tom is taking the position right now that all MBAs are certifiable lunatics.
M.Ch. n. [ < post-classical Latin M.Ch., graphic abbreviation of magister chirurgiae] Master of Surgery (cf. M.S. n.).
ΚΠ
1904 N.E.D. at M M.Ch.
M.D. n. [ < post-classical Latin M.D., graphic abbreviation of medicinae doctor] Doctor of Medicine (see D n. Initialisms 3); (often colloquial) a person holding the degree of M.D., a physician.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > physician > [noun]
physician?c1225
leecherc1374
practiserc1387
doctora1400
flesh-leecha1400
leechman14..
mediciner?a1425
miria1425
M.D.1425
medicine?c1450
practitioner?1543
minister1559
doc1563
artist1565
medicus1570
medicianera1578
Aesculapius1586
Dra1593
pisspot1592
medician1597
physicianer1598
medicinary1599
pisspot1600
velvet-cap1602
healer1611
Galena1616
physiner1616
clyster1621
clyster-pipe1622
hakim1623
medic1625
practicant1630
medico1647
physicker1649
physicster1689
Aesculapian1694
nim-gimmer1699
pill-monger1706
medical man1784
meester1812
medical1823
pill-gilder1824
therapeutist1830
pill1835
pill roller1843
med1851
pill-peddler1855
therapeutic1858
squirt1859
medicine man1866
pill pusher1879
therapist1886
doser1888
internist1894
pill-shooter1911
whitecoat1911
quack1919
vet1925
1425 in F. Collins Reg. Freemen York (1897) I. 138 (MED) Thomas Wylton, clericus, M. D., fil. Johannis Wylton, cutler.
1685 (title) Motus Compositi..Written in Latin by Tho. Skinner, M.D.
1766 T. Reid Let. in Wks. I. 47/1 I think our surgeons eclipse our M.D's.
1888 J. H. Mapleson Mem. I. xiv. 209 She gave bonds for her appearance when called upon, in order to save her trunks from seizure, which the M.D. had threatened.
1990 J. Masson Final Anal. (1991) vii. 140 After founding the psychoanalytic institute, he was then forbidden to vote on the grounds that he was not an M.D.
M.Ed. n. Master of Education.
ΚΠ
1928 D. A. Robertson Amer. Universities & Colleges (Amer. Council on Educ.) 867/1 M.Ed., Master of Education.
1937 Discovery June p. xlviii/1 G. P. McHugh M.Sc., Ph.D. (Lond), M.Ed. (Dunelm).
M.Eng. n. Master of Engineering.
ΚΠ
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. M. Eng., an abbreviation of Master of Engineering.
1979 Daily Tel. 12 Dec. 6/5 Instead of engineering courses leading to B.A. or B.Sc degrees, they would, under the report's proposals, become known as Batchelor or Master of Engineering degree (B. Eng., or M. Eng).
1998 Irish Times (Nexis) 22 Sept. 58 ‘After college I started a masters in computer software.’ She graduated with an M Eng in 1996.
M.F.A. n. North American Master of Fine Arts.
ΚΠ
1921 Princeton Univ. Catal. 1920–21 377 Degrees in Course Conferred June 15, 1920... Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)..Robert Barnard O'Connor..School of Architecture.
1979 Amer. Poetry Rev. Mar. 23/3 The Ph.D. system may not attract good enough people, but the MFA system in creative writing has some shortcomings too.
1997 Icon Thoughtstyle Mag. Apr. 28/2 On the strength of his portfolio and recommendations from his bosses at Wang, he was accepted into Yale's M.F.A. program for graphic design.
M.Litt. n. [ < post-classical Latin M.Litt., graphic abbreviation of magister litterarum] Master of Letters.
ΚΠ
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. M.Lit.
1955 R. J. Schwartz Compl. Dict. Abbrev. 113/3 M Litt, Master of Letters.
1997 Daily Tel. 9 June 23/2 On his retirement in 1991 the Archbishop of Canterbury conferred on him a Lambeth M Litt.
M.S. n. Master of (also, in) Surgery (cf. M.Ch. n.).
ΚΠ
1868 Univ. London Cal. 125 The Fee for the Degree of Master in Surgery shall be Five Pounds... If a candidate withdraw or fail..he shall be admissible to any one subsequent M.S. examination without the payment of any additional fee.
1937 A. J. Cronin Citadel i. iv. 29 It showed Philip Denny as an honours scholar of Cambridge and Guy's, a M.S. of England, holding..a practice with an honorary surgical appointment in the ducal town of Leeborough.
1992 Med. Directory (ed. 148) p. viii/2 Abbreviations... MS, Master of Surgery.
M.S. n. U.S. = M.Sc. n.
ΚΠ
1894 Officers & Graduates Columbia Coll. Gen. Catal. 1754–1894 72 Isidor Loeb, B.S., M.S., LL.B. (Univ. Missouri).
1955 Sci. Amer. Sept. 36/3 He was born in Miami, Fla., and has a B.S. and an M.S. in physics from the University of Florida.
1991 Univ. Maryland Graduate School Catal. 1991–3 22/2 The entire course of study undertaken for the M.A., M.S., or M.P.S. degree must constitute a unified, coherent program.
M.Sc. n. Master of Science.
ΚΠ
1898 D. Sladen Who's Who p. xvii M.Sc., Master of Science.
1936 Discovery May 156 Julius Grant, Ph.D., M.Sc., F.I.C.
1967 Times Rev. Industry Mar. 101/2 (advt.) Mastership Schemes. Applications are invited from graduates..for admission to one of the following schemes of study: M.Sc. in Continuum Mechanics, [etc.].
1994 Eng. Today July 20/1 Having graduated with a degree in psychology and computer science he went on to complete an M.Sc in knowledge-based systems at the University of Sussex.
b. Other uses. See also MC n., MC v.
M.A.A. n. Navy Master-at-Arms.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > hostilities at sea > seafaring warrior or naval man > leader or commander > officer with specific duty > [noun]
M.A.A.1916
1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin vii. 117 ‘Petty Officer William Weatherley,’ the M.A.A. went on, ‘requests hextension o' leaf till two p.m. on Monday.’
1926 S. King-Hall Uncharted Sea ii. 48 The M.A.A. had replied: ‘Yes, I reckon you're right’.
M.F.H. n. Fox-hunting Master of Foxhounds (see master n.1 23d).
ΚΠ
1843 R. S. Surtees Handley Cross II. vii. 147 First public day as an M. F. H.
1869 ‘W. Bradwood’ The O.V.H. I. iii. 33 He was not the man to violate modesty by proposing himself to a nearly strange Hunt as a new M.F.H.
1907 Westm. Gaz. 5 Nov. 12/1 The term ‘coffee-housers’ is used by a certain quaint old M.F.H. to reproach those loud talkers who hinder the serious business..by the chatter of irresponsible frivolity.
1988 Time Austral. (Sydney) 8 Aug. 4/2 Under the portrait, at the top table, is Catherine Cameron-Kennedy, Randall's wife and Oaklands' master of foxhounds, a title abbreviated to MFH.
M.R. n. Law Master of the Rolls (see Master of the Rolls n. 1).
ΚΠ
1895 I. K. Funk et al. Standard Dict. Eng. Lang. II. M.R.
1901 F. W. Maitland Let. 10 Nov. (1965) 233 The M.R. was in duty bound to subscribe.
1964 Mod. Law Rev. 28 iii. 274 Lord Denning M.R. said that Silverthorne was liable.
1980 in Ld. Denning Due Process of Law iv. ii. 145 To follow Lord Denning MR in his invitation to pre-empt its counsels is..to usurp the function of a legislative body entrusted by Parliament with a particular task.
I3. Standing for member n. 9, 10.
M.B.E. n. Member(ship) of (the Order of) the British Empire.
ΘΠ
society > society and the community > social class > symbol of rank > [noun] > insignia of order > specific insignia of knightly order
the Garterc1350
collar1488
star1602
blue ribbon1607
yellow ribbon1651
red ribbon1652
string1660
green ribbon1672
crossa1684
glory1693
cordon1727
O.M.1903
M.B.E.1917
OBE1917
1917 Illustr. London News 30 June 759/1 The five classes of the Order [of the British Empire] are:..4. Officers (O.B.E.), 5. Members (M.B.E.).
1936 Discovery Sept. 292/1 Major A. B. Klein, M.B.E.
1955 Times 8 July 15/2 Mr. Stace has recently been honoured with the M.B.E. and we are all extremely gratified that such an honour should have been conferred on another stalwart of the industry.
1972 Times 6 Dec. 32/3 In proud and ever loving memory..of Capt. John Henry Brunt, V.C., M.C...and his beloved father, T. H. Brunt, M.B.E.
1994 Daily Tel. 25 Oct. 25/5 She was appointed MBE in Churchill's 1945 Resignation Honours, OBE in 1961 and—the honour she treasured most—to the Royal Victorian Order (now the LVO), in 1966.
M.C. n. U.S. Member of Congress.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > other national governing or legislative bodies > [noun] > in U.S.A. > member of
Member of Congress1774
Congressman1780
state senator1800
M.C.1832
freshman1892
majority leader1909
Minority Leader1909
congressperson1972
1832 Boston Evening Transcript 29 June 2/2 Two bundles were lately received at the Opeloasas post office, franked ‘H. A. Bullard, M.C.’ which contained two Marseilles vests for children in that parish.
1904 N.Y. Evening Post 23 Sept. 5 John Wesley Gaines, M.C., made a careful study some years ago of the evils of a President's eligibility to reëlection.
MEP n. Member of the European Parliament; cf. Euro MP n. at Euro- comb. form 4.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > other national governing or legislative bodies > [noun] > European parliament > member of
Euro MP1975
Europarliamentarian1975
MEP1976
1976 Times 11 Feb. 14/1 There is no doubt that the British Government can devise a means of electing MEPs.
1984 Which? June 265/3 MEPs are paid the same as national MPs in their respective countries.
1990 Times 20 Nov. 2/1 Sir Christopher Prout, leader of the Tory Euro-MPs and MEP for Shropshire and Stafford.
MHK n. (on the Isle of Man) Member of the House of Keys.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > [noun] > member of
elder1382
elder mana1387
senator1387
parliament mana1744
MHK1780
state senator1800
parliamentarian1889
MLA1897
1780 in A. W. Moore Extracts from Jrnl. Self-elected House of Keys (1890) 40 John Cosnahan, Esq., M.H.K., do forthwith proceed to London as the agent and commissioner of the House and the Isle.
1882 Peel City Guardian (Isle of Man) 1 i A stack of straw belonging to Mr J. Joughin, M.H.K., was on fire.
1991 Pink Paper 30 Mar. 5/3 In a debate this Tuesday in the House of Keys, MHKs are expected to vote against decriminalising gay sex with 17 against and eight for.
M.I.A.E. n. Member of the Institute of Automobile Engineers.
Π
a1912 W. T. Rogers Dict. Abbrev. (1913) 125/1 M.I.A.E., Member of the Institute of Automobile Engineers.
1935 Discovery Sept. 276 H. Warren, M.I.E.E., M.I.A.E.
M.I.C.E. n. Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Π
1885 List of Subscribers Exchange Syst. (United Telephone Co.) (ed. 6) 89 Engineers (Civil)... Lowe J. E., M.I.C.E., M.I.M.E. (of Bolling & Lowe).
2000 Struct. Engineer 1 Feb. 43/4 (advt.) You must be professionally qualified to M.I.Struct.E. or M.I.C.E. standard.
MIEE n. Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
Π
a1912 W. T. Rogers Dict. Abbrev. (1913) 125/2 M.I.E.E., Member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.
1937 Discovery Apr. p. xxviii/1 Professor John Hollingworth, M.A., D.Sc., F.C.G.I., M.I.E.E.
1978 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 126 177/2 ‘Engineering Management—One Woman's Approach’, by Flight Lieut. Suzanne G. Flynn, BSc(ENG), ACGI, CENG, MIEE, WRAF.
M.I.M.E. n. Member of the Institute of Mechanical (also Mining) Engineers.
Π
1937 Discovery Apr. p. xxviii/1 Professor Dempster Smith, M.B.E., M.Sc.Tech., M.I.M.E.
M.I.Mech.E. n. Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Π
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. M.I.Mech.E.
1946 L. Toft & A. T. J. Kersey Theory of Machines (ed. 5) xii. 357 The effects of ‘overbalancing’ in this way, and the degree of over-balance required, are discussed by E. S. Cox, A.M.I.Mech.E., in Proc. J. Mech.E., Dec. 1941.
M.I.Struct.E. n. Member of the Institution of Structural Engineers.
Π
1937 Discovery Mar. p. xx/1 W. B. McKay, M.Sc.Tech., M.I.Struct.E.
M.J.I. n. Member of the Institute of Journalists.
Π
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. MJI.
MLA n. Member of the Legislative Assembly.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > [noun] > member of
elder1382
elder mana1387
senator1387
parliament mana1744
MHK1780
state senator1800
parliamentarian1889
MLA1897
1897 Medicine Hat (Alberta) News 8 Apr. 4/2 Another of our M.L.A.'s is to join his confreres in the new Western Eldorado, the marvellously rich Kootenay.
1933 Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Sept. 12/3 The combination of the guillotine and the division system is being developed to a stage when the main duty of an M.L.A. will be to sit on a bench and be counted like a sheep.
1970 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 26 Sept. 8/2 Indeed the new talk about Fraser power has been met with instant avowals of undying opposition from some of the Government's own MLAs in the Fraser Valley.
1990 Deccan Herald (Bangalore) 29 Jan. 5/3 Mr. Manohar Tahsildar, MLA, who inaugurated the exhibition, visited the boy at the hospital.
MLC n. Member of the Legislative Council.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > member of local government council
councillor1526
MPP1826
local councillor1829
MLC1849
1849 Niagara (Canada) Chron. 25 Oct. 3/2 J. Leslie, M.L.C.
1930 L. G. D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs ii. 29 He..was a member of the old Provincial Council and an early M.L.C.
1971 Hindustan Times Weekly (New Delhi) 4 Apr. 3/4 Two MLAs and one MLC of Uttar Pradesh..joined the Congress (N) today.
1988 Parl. Affairs 41 425 The veteran Manx Labour Party representative and chairman of the Legislative Council, Mr J. A. C. K. Nivison announced his intention of retiring in February 1988 and three other MLCs were due to reach the end of their terms of office at the end of that month.
MNA n. Member of the National Assembly (of Quebec).
Π
1972 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 24 June 1/8 There is great resentment against Mr Michaud—a former Liberal MNA.
1995 Sat. Night (Toronto) June 28/3 Montreal has as many provincial ministers as the capital does, and more PQ MNAs.
MP n. see main entry.
MPP n. (in Canada) Member of Provincial Parliament.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > local government body > [noun] > member of local government council
councillor1526
MPP1826
local councillor1829
MLC1849
1826 Colonial Advocate (Toronto) 9 Feb. 2/4 John J. Lafferty, Esq. M.P.P. was called to the chair.
1970 Toronto Daily Star 24 Sept. 35/1 Lewis, MPP for Scarborough West.
1976 J. Lukasiewicz Railway Game xxv. 250 Most M.P.P.s are volunteers; few are dragged like Cincinnatus from retirement.
MRCP n. Member of the Royal College of Physicians.
Π
1931 Times Lit. Suppl. 17 Sept. 699/2 While it may seem paradoxical that an exceptional man like the late Sir James Mackenzie ‘had to sit for the M.R.C.P., and be examined by lesser lights than himself’.
1997 Your Move (Keep Fit Assoc.) Jan. 12/1 With two much sought after post graduate degrees, MD, MRCP behind me, I was passed over for an inferior man with neither.
MRCS n. Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Π
1829 Edinb. Med. & Surg. Jrnl. 31 p. iv Samuel Ashwell, M.R.C.S.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis (1850) I. ii. 10 A professional friend, M.R.C.S.
1936 Discovery June 182 Winifred de Kok, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.
1997 Ann. Royal Coll. Surgeons Eng. 79 241/2 Examinations have changed greatly with the..MRCS replacing the FRCS.
MSP n. Member of the Scottish Parliament.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > governing or legislative body of a nation or community > English or British parliament > [noun] > Member of Parliament
member1454
parliament man1555
parliamentary1626
parliamenter1656
MP1764
parliamentarian1834
MSP1994
1994 Scotsman 25 Nov. 12/5 The debate..on what kind of Scottish Parliament we want is timely... If women are to achieve equal citizenship.., it must be built into the constitutional structure... The simplest way to achieve this is to create dual member constituencies, in which all voters have two votes: for a male and a female MSP.
1997 Daily Tel. 25 July 10/7 Members will be known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and will be elected for a fixed term of four years.
M.V.O. n. Member of the Royal Victorian Order.
Π
1901 London Gaz. 8 Oct. 6569 Sir Walter Parratt, M.V.O., to be Master of The King's Music in Ordinary to His Majesty.
1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXI. 339/2 The Royal Victorian Order..consists of..knights commanders (K.C.V.O.), commanders (C.V.O.), and members of the fourth and fifth classes (M.V.O.), the distinction between these last divisions lying in the badge and in the precedence enjoyed by the members.
1913 A. D. Godley in Reliquiae (1926) I. 291 Can College Meetings be described in prose Where frequent Peers contend with M.V.O.'s?
1998 Whitaker's Almanack 171/3 The Royal Victorian Order (1896)..MVO, Member.
MWA n. Member of the Welsh Assembly.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > deliberative, legislative, or administrative assembly > [noun] > member of
synedrian1593
assemblyman1647
synod-man1663
conventioner1691
conventionist1815
synodalist1902
assemblyperson1972
MWA1996
1996 Western Mail (Cardiff) 10 July 11/7 How many Labour ward parties will accept..Welsh Labour General Secretary..and a sub-committee of the Welsh executive deciding the identity of many of their MWAs (Members of the Welsh Assembly)?
1999 Daily Tel. 28 May 29/6 The Oaths of Allegiance signed by MWAs were witnessed by ‘Clerk/Deputy Clerk to the Assembly’.
I4. Science. In symbols of units of measurement.
a. In form m (without point). = micro- comb. form 4 (now rare: superseded by μ).
mF n. (also mf, etc.) microfarad(s).
ΚΠ
1892 C. Thom & W. H. Jones Telegr. Connections 15/2 On one end of the condenser will usually be found a stamp like this: 2·5 M.F. The microfarad (for which M.F. stands) is the one-millionth part of a farad.
1911 L. W. Bishop Wireless Operators' Pocket-bk. v. 62 The highest capacity of a variable condenser should not be over ·004 mf.
1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 544/2 mF., μF., abbrev. for micro-farad.
1958 Times Rev. Industry May 32/1 Single phase 26V current in conjunction with a 1·5 mf tuning capacitor.
b. Now in form m (without point). = milli- comb. form.
mA n. milliampere(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > electric current > [noun] > unit of measurement
ampere1881
amp1882
milliampere1885
kilampere1892
mA1896
kVA1905
kilovolt-ampere1909
microamp1923
milliamp1923
abampere1930
1896 T. E. Herbert Electr. in Applic. to Telegr. iii. 27 1/1000 ampere or 1 m.a.
1927 Wireless World 16 Nov. 670/1 The..three valves..draw a high-tension current totalling 2 or 3 mA.
1970 Which? June 183/2 Even at maximum volume most transistor radios will not use more than 100 mA.
1991 What's New in Design Sept. 37/4 A multi wafer rotary switch rated at 100 mA 24 V DC.
mb n. millibar(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > study or science of weather > study or science of specific conditions or phenomena > [noun] > art of barometric observation > units of barometric pressure
bar1910
centibar1910
mbar1910
millibar1910
mb1916
1916 N. Shaw Weather Map 24 If we take the average [atmospheric] pressure as a ‘bar’ or 1000 millibars (indicated by the abbreviation mb), the whole range of variation within a year will only be between 940 mb and 1060 mb.
1934 A. H. R. Goldie Abercromby's Weather (rev. ed.) i. 2 A pressure of 1,000 mb. is equivalent to 29.53 inches of mercury.
1994 Chicago Tribune (Nexis) 31 Nov. 16 Its central barometer reading smashed the previous Twin Cities pressure record as the storm passed overhead, establishing a new record low of 28.55″ (967 mb.).
mb n. Physics millibarn(s).
ΚΠ
1968 Physical Rev. 172 1740 Reasonable agreement is obtained with the infinite-energy cross section (≃ 15mb) estimated from the factorization theorem.
1995 Physics Rev. Lett. 74 4155/2 The single-particle matrix element with this potential gives the impulse approximation cross section..σimp = 305.6 mb.
mbar n. Meteorology and Engineering millibar(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > study or science of weather > study or science of specific conditions or phenomena > [noun] > art of barometric observation > units of barometric pressure
bar1910
centibar1910
mbar1910
millibar1910
mb1916
1910 V. F. K. Bjerknes et al. Dynamic Meteorol. & Hydrogr. I. 29 (table) Pressure (m-bars).
1991 Engineering July 41/2 Both the gun and work chamber were maintained at a pressure below 5 × 10−4mbar.
1998 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 2 Jan. 30 On the 16th, pressure over Russia reached 1060 mbar and even at Lerwick 1045 mbar was briefly exceeded.
mCi n. Physics millicurie(s).
ΚΠ
1967 Nucl. Med. Stuttgart 6 170 (title) Radiation sickness after therapeutic administration of 806 mCi of 131I for thyroid cancer.
1998 Jrnl. Med. Assoc. Thailand 81 799 The patient received a treatment of 150 mci I-131 without complications.
mEq n. (also meq) Chemistry milliequivalent(s).
ΚΠ
1949 Blakiston's New Gould Med. Dict. 608/1 mEq., milliequivalent.
1967 Jrnl. Pediatrics 70 354/2 A sodium intake of 100 mEq. per day.
1993 S. J. Ettinger Pocket Compan. Textbk. Vet. Internal Med. liii. 193 Hypertonic saline solutions..and potent diuretics..may be necessary when the serum concentration is less than 120 mEq/L.
mF n. millifarad(s).
ΚΠ
1961 Webster's 3rd New Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. mf,..millifarad.
1997 Digest Techn. Papers (11th IEEE Pulsed Power Conf.) 2 1309 Each resonant charging system consists of a 2.4 mF primary capacitor bank, charged to 2.5 kV.
mg n. milligram(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > [noun] > unit or denomination of weight > metric gram(me) > decimal parts of
centigram1795
milligram1797
decigram1801
mg1892
mgm1909
gamma1931
1892 G. Collar Notes on Metric Syst. 7 10 milligrammes (mg.) make 1 centigramme (cg.).
1939 Lancet 22 Apr. 948/1 50 mg. of testosterone is equivalent to 3500 I.U. of androgenic activity.
1951 Good Housek. Home Encycl. 339/2 Its vitamin C content is low—1 mg. per oz.
1968 New Eng. Jrnl. Med. 18 Apr. 875/2 In the United States an alcohol blood level of 100 or 150 mg per 100 ml (depending on the state) is considered legal evidence of intoxication.
1994 Daily Tel. 16 Aug. 12/1 Only a small dose of aspirin—75 mg a day—is necessary to prevent the blood from clotting.
mgal n. milligal(s).
ΚΠ
1957 H. O. Seigel et al. in Methods & Case Hist. Mining Geophysics (Canad. Inst. Mining & Metallurgy, Comm. Geophysicists) 237 The conductor was determined to be of interest by virtue of a 1.3 mgal. gravity anomaly with which it correlated.
1992 Geol. Mag. 129 516/2 Beyond the coast, gravity lows bounded by steep local gradients reflect the presence of a series of younger basins containing Teriary and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks: a regional value of more than 40 mGal seen throughout the Irish Sea is probably representative of the background field here.
mgm n. = mg n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > measurement by weighing > [noun] > unit or denomination of weight > metric gram(me) > decimal parts of
centigram1795
milligram1797
decigram1801
mg1892
mgm1909
gamma1931
1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. mgm., an abbreviation of milligram.
1939 Nature 11 Mar. 442/1 It is..possible to carry out exact estimations of carbon..using 2–3 mgm. of material.
1968 New Eng. Jrnl. Med. 14 Mar. 595/1 Depression—patient agitated during nite—lost weight—given Thorazine 25 mgm @ midnite.
ml n. (also mL) millilitre(s).
ΚΠ
1892 G. Collar Notes on Metric Syst. 7 10 millilitres (ml.) make 1 centilitre (cl.).
1955 R. Macintosh & M. Ostlere Local Analgesia Head & Neck xvii. 128 Two ml. of solution is injected here, and a further 5 ml. as the needle is slowly withdrawn.
1994 Toronto Life Aug. 53/1 Tasting notes on recent acquisitions are accompanied by their producer/shipper,..price for 750 mL and region.
mm n. millimetre(s).
ΚΠ
1870 Nature 9 June 108/2 There are a large number of very small nerve tubules (0mm,0033) diameter mingled with others of average and of large diameter 0mm,01 to 0mm,02 and ·0·3.
1878 Jrnl. Royal Microsc. Soc. 1 355 A quarter of a century ago..Harting proposed..micro-millimetre... Thus we had m. for the metre, mm. for the millimetre, and mmm. for the micromillimetre.
1897 Sears, Roebuck Catal. No. 104. 583/1 Pin Fire Pistol Cartridges... In sizes 7 M-M is 32 caliber, 9 M-M is 38 caliber, 12 M-M is 44 caliber.
1945 Jrnl. Soc. Motion Picture Engineers Apr. 290 This process is commonly used in making 16-mm negatives or prints from 35-mm originals.
1971 Guardian 16 Dec. 1/2 The police did not identify the weapon but said that the ammunition was 9 mm.
1995 SkyNews May 20/1 It's much easier to take a good night-sky shot using just a standard 35 mm single-lens-reflex (SLR) camera.
mosmol n. Biology and Chemistry milliosmole(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > chemistry > units or measurements > [noun] > moles > milliosmoles
millimole1904
milliosmole1939
mosmol1975
1975 Nature 6 Nov. 83/2 Plasma osmotic pressure (range 295–315 mosmol kg−1) did not change.
1990 Jrnl. Molluscan Stud. 56 416/1 This was made up by diluting 25% glutaraldehyde in..filtered sea water, giving a final osmolarity of 1200 mOsmols.
mrad n. Medicine and Physics millirad(s).
ΚΠ
1961 New Scientist 11 May 297/1 The average exposure in the course of radiological procedures was only of the order of 20 mrad annually, which is far less than the 100 mrad from natural background sources to which we are subjected.
1970 R. Passmore & J. S. Robson Compan. Med. Stud. II. xxxiii. 3/2 Such fall-out is estimated to have resulted in an average yearly dose of 2·4 mrads in the period 1954–9.
1990 Y. Doi Microbial Polyesters viii. 150 They were predegraded with 10.0 Mrad or γ-irradiation before implantation.
ms n. millisecond(s).
ΚΠ
1935 Amer. Jrnl. Physiol. 113 477 The action potentials are always delayed at least 0.5ms. after the cochlear response.
1994 New Jersey Computer User Jan. 7/3 Average access time is measured in milliseconds (ms). When you look at an advertisement for a hard disk, its speed may be listed as 17 ms.
msec n. millisecond(s).
ΚΠ
1935 Jrnl. Physiol. 85 156 An afferent volley, electrically excited or elicited by a tendon tap, depresses for 30–100 msec. the motor discharge to an extensor muscle.
1967 Brain 90 818 Electromyography..showed a predominance of motor unit potentials of low amplitude (< 50 mv.), short duration (< 3 m.sec.), and high frequency.
1999 Network World (Nexis) 4 Jan. 80 Users reported the system was slowing down. Richert starting measuring network response time and found delays were increasing, from between 2 msec and 4 msec to between 40 msec and 50 msec.
mSv n. Physics millisievert(s).
ΚΠ
1979 Nature 6 Sept. 6/2 The International Committee on Radiation Protection recommends that no member of the general public should be exposed for many years to an annual dose equivalent of more than 1 millisievert (mSv) a year.
1991 Atom Jan. 9/3 The fathers of four of the five leukaemia cases born in Seascale are known to have worked at Sellafield, and had received cumulative radiation doses of at least 97 mSv prior to conceiving.
mV n. millivolt(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > voltage > electrical potential > [noun] > unit of electromotive force > measurements
kilovolt1861
millivolt1861
megavolt1868
volt1873
kilovolt-ampere1909
mV1926
kilovoltage1933
MV1937
TeV1956
tera-electron-volt1974
1926 S. W. Cole Pract. Physiol. Chem. (ed. 7) i. 43 Thus at 18°C standard acetate against the saturated calomel electrode has an E.M.F. of 517.5 mv.
1967 Brain 90 818 Electromyography..showed a predominance of motor unit potentials of low amplitude (< 50 mv.).
1991 M. A. Summerfield Global Geomorphol. (BNC) 135 The redox potential..is measured in units of millivolts (mV), with positive values registering an oxidizing potential and negative values a reducing potential.
c. Usually in form M (without point) = mega- comb. form 2.
Ma n. [ < M n. + a , SI symbol for ‘year’ (symbolic abbreviation for classical Latin annus year: see annals n.)] Geology and Palaeontology million years, esp. million years before the present.
ΚΠ
1967 B. Wilcock in Nature 1 July 102/2 The current international abbreviation for ‘year’..is not ‘yr’ but ‘a’..and the appropriate abbreviations for megayear and gigayear are thus Ma and Ga.
1970 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) A. 266 479 Iceland..is the youngest volcanic land of so great extent, supposedly only 13 Ma old.
1989 A. J. Jeffreys in J. R. Durant Human Origins iii. 32 A typical evolutionary tree..groups the great apes together as a clade and postulates an early divergence of this group from the hominid lineage, some 15–20 million years (Ma) ago.
2008 Science 11 July 239/3 These rocks are now adjoined to redbeds of the Pandurra Formation in South Australia, which have detrital zircons with ages of 1595 to 1585 Ma.
MB n. (also Mb) Computing (a) (chiefly as Mb) megabit(s); (b) (chiefly as MB), megabyte(s).
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > data > [noun] > unit of
bit1948
megabit1957
byte1964
MB1965
megabyte1965
packet1966
nibble1967
Mbit1968
Mbyte1972
MSB1972
meg1983
1965 Bell Syst. Techn. Jrnl. 44 1837 The output of the sync signal generator is a 1.544-Mb/s signal which is multiplexed into the transmitting bitstream.
1971 Computer Directory v. 132 Notes (1) The following abbreviations have been used to describe installations: DD disc drives;..Mb millions of bytes capacity.
1994 S. M. H. Collin Dict. Computing 175 Mb, megabit equal to 1,048,576 bits of storage.
1998 HomePC May 63/1 Since a typical $2 tape can hold up to 4 GB of data using the unit's compression software (Windows 3.1/95 floppy), that's roughly a penny per 20 MB of data.
Mbit n. Computing megabit(s); cf. MB n.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > data > [noun] > unit of
bit1948
megabit1957
byte1964
MB1965
megabyte1965
packet1966
nibble1967
Mbit1968
Mbyte1972
MSB1972
meg1983
1968 IEEE Internat. Solid-state Circuits Conf. Digest Techn. Papers 154 The pulsed operation of an IMPATT diode at extremely high repetition rates of 200 Mbit is accompanied by two problems.
1998 Byte Jan. 74/2 Mitsubishi's cache DRAM..is offered in 4-Mbit and 16-Mbit chips.
Mbyte n. Computing megabyte(s); cf. MB n.
ΘΚΠ
society > computing and information technology > data > [noun] > unit of
bit1948
megabit1957
byte1964
MB1965
megabyte1965
packet1966
nibble1967
Mbit1968
Mbyte1972
MSB1972
meg1983
1972 IEEE Trans. Magnetics 8 392/2 For a memory capacity of 4 Mbyte and 16 Mbyte, SR [sc. serial access] stores with shift register lengths of 265 bit and 1024 bit, respectively, look favorable.
1992 MacWorld June 196/1 With data bursts as fast as 10 MBytes/sec,..these new systems are four times faster than the standard 160 MByte drive.
Mc n. megacycle(s); megacycles per second.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > [noun] > frequency > unit of frequency
kilocycle1921
megacycle1926
Hertz1928
Mc1936
Mc/s1936
c/s1940
c.p.s.1940
cycles per second1940
1936 Wireless World 29 May 543/1 Since the beginning of this year the Daventry Empire stations have been announced exclusively in megacycles per second... Henceforth..with the Editor's permission, stations will be referred to by their frequency in megacycles per second (Mc/s).
1965 J. R. Dyer Applic. Absorption Spectroscopy Org. Compounds iv. 59 For protons in a magnetic field of 14,000 gauss, the frequency of such energy is in the radio-frequency region—about 60 megacycles per second (60 Mc).
1970 Single Sideband for Radio Amateur (Amer. Radio Relay League) (ed. 5) iii. 60/1 (caption) This complete 14-Mc transistor transceiver is contained in an enclosure measuring 5 by 7 inches.
Mc/s n. megacycles per second (a unit of frequency, now more commonly called a megahertz).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > [noun] > frequency > unit of frequency
kilocycle1921
megacycle1926
Hertz1928
Mc1936
Mc/s1936
c/s1940
c.p.s.1940
cycles per second1940
1936 Wireless World 29 May 543/1 Since the beginning of this year the Daventry Empire stations have been announced exclusively in megacycles per second... Henceforth..with the Editor's permission, stations will be referred to by their frequency in megacycles per second (Mc/s).
1991 Personal Computer World Feb. 122/3 Couldn't some enterprising manufacturer..leave the error correction and data compression to the 8 Mc/s 68000 in my micro?
MeV n. (also Mev, etc.) mega-electronvolt(s).
ΚΠ
1934 Physical Rev. 46 1109/2 The spectrum..indicates gamma-ray lines of roughly 2, 4, 5·5 and 7 m.e.v.
1934 Physical Rev. 46 1109 (heading) Energy in MEV.
1955 Bull. Atomic Scientists May 171/3 U-238 does not undergo fission with neutrons below 1·1 Mev.
1964 W. Heisenberg in Cambr. Rev. 24 Oct. 48/1 A mass difference up to 400 MeV.
1968 New Eng. Jrnl. Med. 18 Apr. 895/1 All our work has been done with a 6-mev linear accelerator.
1994 New Scientist 13 Aug. 15/3 Seaborgium-266 has a half-life of between 10 and 30 seconds; it emits an alpha particle of energy 8.63 MeV, then fissions spontaneously.
MHz n. megahertz.
ΚΠ
1951 Physica 17 213 Measurements have been carried out on paramagnetic resonance absorption in iron ammonium alum at a frequency of about 9200 MHz.
1970 E. Afr. Standard (Nairobi) 2 Jan. 11/7 (advt.) B.B.C. listeners can also hear programmes in English for East Africa between 7.30 and 8.45 p.m. on 15·42 MHz.
1989 NERC News 8 17 The radars operate in fixed frequencies in the band from 8 to 20 MHz.
MPa n. megapascal(s).
ΚΠ
1972 Jrnl. Acoustical Soc. Amer. 52 989 The speed of sound in Baker DB-grade castor oil has been measured at temperatures between 0° and 40°C and pressures between atmospheric and 110MPa (megapascals).
1990 P. Kearey & F. J. Vine Global Tectonics ii. 19 Pressure increases with depth at a rate of about 30 MPa km−1, mainly due to the lithostatic confining pressure of the overlying rock.
MV n. megavolt(s).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electricity > voltage > electrical potential > [noun] > unit of electromotive force > measurements
kilovolt1861
millivolt1861
megavolt1868
volt1873
kilovolt-ampere1909
mV1926
kilovoltage1933
MV1937
TeV1956
tera-electron-volt1974
1937 Physical Rev. 51 77/2 For a generator potential of 3MV the air gap between hoops could be safely made less than one-half the tubing diameter without danger of sparking from hoop to hoop.
1996 European Respiratory Jrnl. 9 2565 Forty seven patients with pleural mesotheliomas received irradiation of the diseased hemithorax at 8 MV (megavolt) photons to a total dose of 40 Gy.
MW n. megawatt(s).
ΚΠ
1947 J. V. Lebacqz & M. G. White in L. N. Ridenour Radar Syst. Engin. x. 373 Successful hard-tube pulsers have been made with power outputs up to 3 or 4 Mw.
1962 Newnes Conc. Encycl. Electr. Engin. 324/1 Fuel-fired steam power stations..are now built for outputs up to 1,000 MW or more.
1990 B. Keepin in J. Leggett Global Warming xiii. 299 This means, on average, a new nuclear plant (of 1,000 MW capacity) must be built every two-and-a-half days from now until 2025.
MWe n. megawatt(s) of electricity.
ΚΠ
1968 Electr. Light & Power Nov. 95/1 A computer study utilizing investor-owned utility financing methods to evaluate 1000-MWe nuclear and coal-fired units.
1991 Power Sept. 33/2 The 35-MWe gas turbine/generator can be operated in a fired mode.
d. Usually in form M (without point). Prefixed to the symbol for a unit of measurement to denote a factor of one thousand (cf. sense 5).
Mcf n. (also mcf, etc.) thousand cubic feet.
ΚΠ
1960 V. B. Guthrie Petroleum Products Handbk. iii. 43 Mcf, 1,000 cu ft.
1960 V. B. Guthrie Petroleum Products Handbk. xvii. 18 MCF, abbreviation for thousand cubic feet.
1975 Economist 30 Aug. 8/3 Someone has interpreted mcf as million cubic feet whereas according to American practice this means 1,000 cubic feet.
MMcfd n. million cubic feet per day.
ΚΠ
1973 G. G. Spalding in P. Hepple Outlook for Nat. Gas iv. 55 (heading) Estimated well deliverability (MMCFD).
1974 Petroleum Rev. 28 792/2 The field came on production in September 1971 and is currently producing 560 MMcfd.
1975 North Sea Background Notes (Brit. Petroleum Co.) 19 Under this agreement, BP undertook to deliver at least 50 million cubic feet of gas a day for a period of 15 years. Later revisions to the contract have resulted in a present commitment of 168 mmcfd as the basic contract rate.
1997 Bangkok Post 26 Feb. (Business section) 12/5 That result would enable Unocal to boost natural gas production from the planned 165 million cubic feet a day (MMcfd) in phase I of the Pailin field development to as much as 330 MMcfd in phase II.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2000; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
> see also
also refers to : m-comb. form
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