Webster's Dictionary 1913

1621

Matter

Mat″ter (?), n. [OE. matere, F. matière, fr. L. materia; perh. akin to L. mater mother. Cf. Mother, Madeira, Material.] 1. That of which anything is composed; constituent substa...

1622

Matter (2)

Mat″ter (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p.Mattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Mattering.] 1. To be of importance; to import; to signify.It matters not how they were called. Locke.2. To form pus ...

1623

Matter (3)

Mat″ter, v. t. To regard as important; to take account of; to care for.He did not matter cold nor hunger. H. Brooke.

1624

Matter-of-fact

Mat″ter–of–fact″ (?), a. Adhering to facts; not turning aside from absolute realities; not fanciful or imaginative; commonplace; dry.

1625

Matterless

Mat″ter‐less, a. 1. Not being, or having, matter; as, matterless spirits. Davies (Wit's Pilgr.).2. Unimportant; immaterial.

1626

Mattery

Mat″ter‐y (?), a. 1. Generating or containing pus; purulent.2. Full of substance or matter; important. B. Jonson.

1627

Matting

Mat″ting (?), n. [From Mat, v. t. & i.] 1. The act of interweaving or tangling together so as to make a mat; the process of becoming matted.2. Mats, in general, or collectively;...

1628

Matting (2)

Mat″ting, n. [See Matte.] A dull, lusterless surface in certain of the arts, as gilding, metal work, glassmaking, etc.

1629

Mattock

Mat″tock (?), n. [AS. mattuc; cf. W. matog.] An implement for digging and grubbing. The head has two long steel blades, one like an adz and the other like a narrow ax or the poi...

1630

Mattoid

Mat″toid (?), n. [It. matto mad (cf. L. mattus, matus, drunk) + -oid.] A person of congenitally abnormal mind bordering on insanity or degeneracy.

1631

Mattoir

‖Mat‐toir″ (?), n. [F. matoir.] (Engraving) A kind of coarse punch with a rasplike face, used for making a rough surface on etching ground, or on the naked copper, the effect af...

1632

Mattowacca

Mat′to‐wac″ca (?), n.(Zoöl.) An American clupeoid fish (Clupea mediocris), similar to the shad in habits and appearance, but smaller and less esteemed for food; — called also hi...

1633

Mattress

Mat″tress (?), n. [OF. materas, F. matelas, LL. matratium; cf. Sp. & Pg. almadraque, Pr. almatrac; all from Ar. maṭrah a place where anything is thrown, what is thrown under som...

1634

Maturant

Mat″u‐rant (?), n. [L. maturans, p. pr. See Maturate.] (Med.) A medicine, or application, which promotes suppuration.

1635

Maturate

Mat″u‐rate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Maturated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Maturating (?).] [L. maturatus, p. p. of maturare to make ripe, fr. maturus ripe, mature. See Mature, v. & a.] 1...

1636

Maturate (2)

Mat″u‐rate, v. i. To ripen; to become mature; specifically, to suppurate.

1637

Maturation

Mat′u‐ra″tion (?), n. [L. maturatio a hastening: cf. F. maturation.] The process of bringing, or of coming, to maturity; hence, specifically, the process of suppurating perfectl...

1638

Maturative

Mat″u‐ra‐tive (?), a. [Cf. F. maturatif.] Conducing to ripeness or maturity; hence, conducing to suppuration.

1639

Maturative (2)

Mat″u‐ra‐tive, n.(Med.) A remedy promoting maturation; a maturant.

1640

Mature

Ma‐ture″ (?), a. [Compar.Maturer (?); superl.Maturest.] [L. maturus; prob. akin to E. matin.]1. Brought by natural process to completeness of growth and development; fitted by g...

1641

Mature (2)

Ma‐ture″ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Matured (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Maturing.] [See Maturate, Mature.] To bring or hasten to maturity; to promote ripeness in; to ripen; to complete; as...

1642

Mature (3)

Ma‐ture″, v. i. 1. To advance toward maturity; to become ripe; as, wine matures by age; the judgment matures by age and experience.2. Hence, to become due, as a note.

1643

Maturely

Ma‐ture″ly, adv. 1. In a mature manner; with ripeness; completely.2. With caution; deliberately. Dryden.3. Early; soon. Bentley.

1644

Matureness

Ma‐ture″ness, n. The state or quality of being mature; maturity.

1645

Maturer

Ma‐tur″er (?), n. One who brings to maturity.

1646

Maturescent

Mat′u‐res″cent (?), a. [L. maturescens, p. pr. of maturescere to become ripe, v. incho. from maturus. See Mature, a.] Approaching maturity.

1647

Maturing

Ma‐tur″ing (?), a. Approaching maturity; as, maturing fruits; maturing notes of hand.