Part 6750

<hw>Mah*rat"ta</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Hind. <ets>Marhat\'be</ets>, <ets>Marh\'bett\'be</ets>, the name of a famous Hindoo race, from the old Skr. name <ets>Mah\'be-r\'beshtra</ets>.]</ety> <def>One of a numerous people inhabiting the southwestern part of India. Also, the language of the Mahrattas; Mahrati. It is closely allied to Sanskrit.</def> -- <def2><tt>a.</tt> <def>Of or pertaining to the Mahrattas.</def></def2> <altsp>[Written also <asp>Maratha</asp>.]</altsp>

<h1>Mahumetan, Mahumetanism</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw><hw>Ma*hu"met*an</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Ma*hu"met*an*ism</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt><hw><def>See <er>Mohammedan</er>, <er>Mohammedanism</er>.</def>

<h1>Mahwa tree</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw>Mah"wa tree`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>. <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>An East Indian sapotaceous tree (<spn>Bassia latifolia</spn>, and also <spn>B. butyracea</spn>), whose timber is used for wagon wheels, and the flowers for food and in preparing an intoxicating drink. It is one of the butter trees. The oil, known as <i>mahwa</i> and <i>yallah</i>, is obtained from the kernels of the fruit.</def>

<h1>Maia</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw>Ma"i*a</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[From L. <ets>Maia</ets>, a goddess.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A genus of spider crabs, including the common European species (<spn>Maia squinado</spn>).</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A beautiful American bombycid moth (<spn>Eucronia maia</spn>).</def>

<h1>Maian</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw>Ma"ian</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>Any spider crab of the genus Maia, or family <spn>Maiad\'91</spn>.</def>

<h1>Maid</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw>Maid</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Shortened from <ets>maiden</ets>. <ets><?/</ets>. See <er>Maiden</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An unmarried woman; usually, a young unmarried woman; esp., a girl; a virgin; a maiden.</def>

<blockquote>Would I had died a <b>maid</b>, And never seen thee, never borne thee son. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Can a <b>maid</b> forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me. <i>Jer. ii. 32.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A man who has not had sexual intercourse.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Christ was a <b>maid</b> and shapen as a man. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A female servant.</def>

<blockquote>Spinning amongst her <b>maids</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; <i>Maid</i> is used either adjectively or in composition, signifying <i>female</i>, as in <i>maid</i> child, <i>maid</i>servant.</note>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>The female of a ray or skate, esp. of the gray skate (<spn>Raia batis</spn>), and of the thornback (<spn>R. clavata</spn>).</def> <mark>[Prov. Eng.]</mark>

<cs><col>Fair maid</col>. <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Fair</er>, <tt>a.</tt></cd> -- <col>Maid of honor</col>, <cd>a female attendant of a queen or royal princess; -- usually of noble family, and having to perform only nominal or honorary duties.</cd> -- <col>Old maid</col>. <cd>See under <er>Old</er>.</cd></cs> <-- maid of honor. principal female attendant (if unmarried) of a bride at wedding. (If married, matron of honor.) -->

<h1>Maiden</h1> <Xpage=883>

<hw>Maid"en</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>maiden</ets>, <ets>meiden</ets>, AS. <ets>m\'91gden</ets>, dim. of AS. <ets>m\'91g<?/</ets>, fr. <ets>mago</ets> son, servant; akin to G. <ets>magd</ets>, <ets>m\'84dchen</ets>, maid, OHG. <ets>magad</ets>, Icel. <ets>m\'94gr</ets> son, Goth. <ets>magus</ets> boy, child, <ets>magaps</ets> virgin, and perh. to Zend. <ets>magu</ets> youth. Cf. <er>Maid</er> a virgin.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.</def>

<blockquote>She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of <b>maidens</b>. <i>Carew.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>A <b>maiden</b> of our century, yet most meek. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A female servant.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.</def>

<i>Wharton.</i>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A machine for washing linen.</def>