📖 M — The English dictionary · page 26

messy — Everyday, meaning 1: Untidy or dirty: «a messy room».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Making things dirty or untidy: «a messy job like painting».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Complicated and unpleasant: «a messy argument».↗ Example: My room is very messy.↗ · Painting is messy, so wear an apron.↗ · Spaghetti is a messy food.↗ · His handwriting is too messy to read.↗ · The baby is a messy eater.↗ · Toys on a messy floor can make people trip.↗ · The end of their friendship was messy.↗ · He had carried Tinker Bell part of the way, and his hand was still messy with the fairy dust.↗

mestizo — Everyday, meaning 1: Mestizo is a Spanish word for a person with both Spanish (European) and Native American ancestors, used especially in Latin America.↗ Example: Many people in Mexico are mestizo.↗ · In colonial times, Spanish rulers sorted people into groups such as mestizo.↗ · Mestizo culture mixes Spanish and native traditions.↗ · The word mestizo comes from Spanish.↗ · The country's population is largely mestizo.↗

metabolise — Everyday, meaning 1: To metabolise food is for the body to break it down and use it for energy and growth.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To metabolise a medicine or substance is for the body to process and change it.↗ Example: Your body metabolises food to make energy.↗ · Some people metabolise sugar faster than others.↗ · The liver metabolises many medicines.↗ · Plants metabolise sunlight into food.↗ · Babies metabolise caffeine very slowly.↗ · Exercise helps you metabolise fat.↗

metal — Everyday, meaning 1: Metal is a hard, shiny material like iron, steel, gold, silver, copper or aluminium.↗ Coins, nails and keys are made of metal.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Metal also means made of metal: a metal spoon.↗ Example: The box holds 20 metal spoons.↗ · A metal bar weighs 3 kg.↗ · She sorted 15 metal and 9 plastic toys.↗ · Each metal coin is worth 5 cents.↗ · Gold and silver are precious metals.↗ · A metal spoon in hot soup gets hot quickly.↗ · A magnet picks up iron nails but not aluminium cans.↗ · We put metal cans in the recycling bin.↗ · Not a tinkling of a metal fringe broke the silence.↗

metallic — Everyday, meaning 1: Metallic means made of metal or having the properties of metal.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Metallic means looking shiny like metal («metallic paint», «metallic blue»).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A metallic sound is hard and ringing; a metallic taste is like the taste of a coin.↗ Example: Copper is a metallic element.↗ · The car is painted metallic silver.↗ · Metallic materials conduct electricity.↗ · We heard a metallic clang in the shed.↗ · The water had a metallic taste.↗ · I used metallic gold pens for the card.↗ · Metallic objects feel cold to touch because they conduct heat.↗

metamorphic — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) Metamorphic rock is rock that has been changed by great heat and pressure deep underground, without melting.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Metamorphic means to do with a big change of form.↗ Example: Marble is a metamorphic rock made from limestone.↗ · Slate is metamorphic and splits into thin sheets.↗ · Metamorphic rocks form deep under mountains.↗ · We sorted the rocks into igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.↗ · Heat and pressure make metamorphic rock.↗ · Metamorphic rocks can have bands or stripes.↗

metamorphism — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) The change of rocks by great heat and pressure deep in the Earth, without melting them, so they become new kinds of rock (metamorphic rocks).↗ Example: Metamorphism turns limestone into marble.↗ · Slate forms from shale by metamorphism.↗ · Heat and pressure cause metamorphism deep underground.↗ · Metamorphism is part of the rock cycle.↗ · Rocks near hot magma can change by contact metamorphism.↗ · Our teacher showed us rocks changed by metamorphism.↗

metamorphosis — Everyday, meaning 1: Metamorphosis is a big change in body shape that some animals go through as they grow, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly or a tadpole becoming a frog.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A metamorphosis is any complete change in how someone or something looks or is.↗ Example: A caterpillar turns into a butterfly by metamorphosis.↗ · Tadpoles go through metamorphosis to become frogs.↗ · Inside the chrysalis, metamorphosis takes place.↗ · Beetles also go through complete metamorphosis.↗ · We watched the metamorphosis of our class caterpillars.↗ · Grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.↗ · The old shed went through a metamorphosis into a playroom.↗ · Metamorphosis comes from Greek words meaning «change of shape».↗ · In two years the building itself will put on a proper appearance, there will be a complete metamorphosis in beauty and improvement.↗

metaphor — Everyday, meaning 1: A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it IS something else, to show what it is like, without using «like» or «as»: «The classroom was a zoo» means it was wild and noisy.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A metaphor can be a thing or idea that stands for something else: a journey can be a metaphor for growing up.↗ Example: «The snow was a white blanket» is a metaphor.↗ · The poet uses a metaphor to compare life to a river.↗ · «He has a heart of gold» is a metaphor; he is very kind.↗ · Explain what the metaphor tells us about the character.↗ · «My brother is a couch potato» is a funny metaphor.↗ · Underline the metaphor in the second line.↗ · The storm in the story is a metaphor for her anger.↗ · «Time is a thief» is a metaphor, because time cannot really steal.↗ · Depth [note 15: עוֹמֶק ʽomeq ‘depth’ here is based on the metaphor of עֲמֻקָּה ʽamuqqah ‘deepness’ as a symbol of divine mystery, as found in Biblical poetry, ex.↗ [Job 11:8], [Psalms 64:7], [Ecclesiastes 7:24].↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

metaphorical — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Used as a picture or comparison, not meant literally.↗ Example: And on yet another level, it refers to the physical body, the primary metaphorical sense in which the term is encountered in the SY.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

metaphorically — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: In a way that uses a comparison or picture, not literally.↗ Example: Thought, speech and action are an inseparable unity in the divine being; God made or created, is metaphorically expressed by the word: writing.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

metaphysical — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Having to do with the deepest ideas about what is real, beyond what we can see and touch.↗ Example: The root ספ״ר is also utilized to coin the novel metaphysical term סְפִירוֹת Sefirot, on which see SY 1:2 below.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · The root SPR thus holds unique metaphysical significance for the SY, alone representing the totality of language by which the world was created and is sustained.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · It should probably be understood on one level as a reference to the ten digits of the decimal numeral system, though as we shall see, these Sefirot Belimah are imbued with metaphysical significance beyond mere numerals.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

metaphysics — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The part of philosophy that asks what is real, what exists, and why.↗

mete — Early Modern English, meaning 1: To measure out, or to give out as a reward or punishment.↗ Example: And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.↗ (Torah EXO.16.18, JPS 1917) · Wrap yourself in this skin, leave the palace, and walk so long as you can find ground to carry you: when one sacrifices everything to virtue the gods know how to mete out reward.↗ (The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault) · In the sad and beautiful story of Niobe, daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, king of Thebes, we have another instance of the severe punishments meted out by Apollo to those who in any way incurred his displeasure.↗ (Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome)

meteor — Everyday, meaning 1: A streak of light in the night sky made when a small piece of rock or dust from space burns up in the air; a shooting star.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The piece of space rock itself as it falls through the air.↗ Example: We saw a meteor flash across the sky.↗ · A meteor is also called a shooting star.↗ · Most meteors burn up before they hit the ground.↗ · We stayed up late to watch the meteor shower.↗ · A meteor that reaches the ground is called a meteorite.↗ · Make a wish when you see a meteor!↗ · Scientists study meteors to learn about space.↗ · The meteor left a glowing trail.↗ · A shooting star lit up the sky, and the boy's thoughts passed in a second from the vapours of the earth up to the shining meteor.↗

meteoric — Everyday, meaning 1: Very fast and sudden, especially a rise to fame or success: «a meteoric rise».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) To do with meteors or meteorites: «meteoric dust», «meteoric iron».↗ Example: The singer had a meteoric rise to fame.↗ · The team's meteoric rise took them from the bottom league to the top in three years.↗ · Tutankhamun had a dagger made of meteoric iron.↗ · Scientists study meteoric dust collected from Antarctic ice.↗ · Her career was meteoric.↗ · Meteoric rock is different from Earth rock.↗ · The app's meteoric success surprised everyone.↗ · Some meteoric rises end just as fast.↗

meteorite — Everyday, meaning 1: A meteorite is a piece of rock or metal from space that has fallen through the air and landed on the Earth's surface.↗ Example: The museum has a meteorite you can touch.↗ · A meteorite made this huge crater in Arizona.↗ · Most meteorites land in the sea, because most of Earth is water.↗ · Scientists found meteorites on the ice in Antarctica.↗ · The meteorite was heavy because it was made mostly of iron.↗ · A meteor that reaches the ground becomes a meteorite.↗ · Some meteorites came from Mars or the Moon.↗

meteoroid — Everyday, meaning 1: A small rock or bit of metal travelling through space, smaller than an asteroid.↗ Example: A meteoroid travels very fast through space.↗ · When a meteoroid enters the atmosphere, it becomes a meteor.↗ · Most meteoroids are no bigger than a grain of sand.↗ · If a bit survives and lands, it is a meteorite.↗ · Meteoroids can damage satellites.↗

meteorological — Everyday, meaning 1: To do with the weather and the science of studying it (meteorology).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To do with weather conditions in the air around the Earth.↗ Example: The meteorological office warned of a storm.↗ · We set up a meteorological station in the school grounds.↗ · Meteorological data shows the rainfall each month.↗ · Pilots need meteorological reports before they fly.↗ · The Bureau of Meteorology says it will be hot tomorrow.↗ · Meteorological instruments include a rain gauge and a thermometer.↗ · The meteorological forecast predicts snow.↗

meteorology — Everyday, meaning 1: The science of the weather and the atmosphere: studying air, temperature, wind, clouds and rain to understand and predict the weather.↗ Example: Meteorology is the science of the weather.↗ · A scientist who studies meteorology is a meteorologist.↗ · Our class weather station is a small start in meteorology.↗ · The Met Office uses meteorology to forecast storms.↗ · Meteorology helps farmers know when to plant.↗ · Satellites have changed meteorology a lot.↗ · In Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology issues weather warnings.↗ · Meteorology uses maths and computers to predict tomorrow's weather.↗

meter — Everyday, meaning 1: A meter is a unit for measuring length.↗ A meter has 100 centimeters; it is about one big step of a grown-up.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A meter is also a tool that measures and shows how much of something is used, like a water meter, a gas meter or a parking meter.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In poems, meter is the beat or rhythm of the lines.↗ Example: A rope is 12 meters long.↗ · Sam runs 400 meters every day.↗ · The fence is 3 meters longer than the wall.↗ · How many centimeters are in 5 meters?↗ · The pool is 25 meters long.↗ · Dad put coins in the parking meter.↗ · The room has an area of 20 square meters.↗ · The water meter shows how much water we used.↗

methane — Everyday, meaning 1: Methane is a gas with no colour or smell that burns easily; it is the main part of natural gas used for cooking and heating.↗ Example: Methane is the main part of natural gas.↗ · Cows burp out methane.↗ · Methane is a greenhouse gas.↗ · Rotting rubbish in landfills makes methane.↗ · The gas cooker burns methane.↗ · A methane molecule has 1 carbon and 4 hydrogen atoms; how many atoms in all?↗

methinks — Early Modern English, meaning 1: It seems to me; I think.↗ Example: "Ay," said Tom, "methinks he might be master with you.↗ (More English Fairy Tales) · Today, methinks, is a most delicious day for a poet.↗ (Andersen's Fairy Tales) · And so, methinks, the Priest may whistle for his money!"↗ (Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore)

method — Everyday, meaning 1: A way of doing something, especially a planned, careful way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In science, the list of steps you follow in an experiment.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In maths, the steps you use to work out an answer.↗ Example: Show your method, not just the answer.↗ · The grid method helps with long multiplication.↗ · Write the method for your experiment in numbered steps.↗ · Is there a quicker method?↗ · We used two methods to check the answer.↗ · The scientific method means testing ideas with fair experiments.↗ · Grandma has her own method for making pancakes.↗ · Her method was slow but it worked.↗ · man's secret and method, they began to irritate liim with their words, and tinally left liim, t;iking his science with them and became builders like him.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

methodism — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) Methodism is a Christian Protestant church movement started by John and Charles Wesley in England, known for warm preaching, hymn singing, Bible study and helping the poor.↗ Example: My grandparents belong to the Methodist church.↗ · Methodism began as a movement within the Church of England.↗ · Methodism is known for its hymn singing.↗ · John Wesley rode on horseback to preach Methodism.↗ · Many Welsh villages have an old Methodist chapel.↗ · Methodism teaches care for the poor.↗