Part 6889

<p><b>1.</b> <def>A quilted bed; a bed stuffed with hair, moss, or other suitable material, and quilted or otherwise fastened.</def> <altsp>[Written also <asp>matress</asp>.]</altsp>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Hydraulic Engin.)</fld> <def>A mass of interwoven brush, poles, etc., to protect a bank from being worn away by currents or waves.</def>

<h1>Maturant</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat"u*rant</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>maturans</ets>, p. pr. See <er>Maturate</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>A medicine, or application, which promotes suppuration.</def>

<h1>Maturate</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat"u*rate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Maturated</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Maturating</er> <tt>(?)</tt>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>maturatus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>maturare</ets> to make ripe, fr. <ets>maturus</ets> ripe, mature. See <er>Mature</er>, <tt>v.</tt> & <tt>a.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To bring to ripeness or maturity; to ripen.</def>

<blockquote>A tree may be <b>maturated</b> artificially. <i>Fuller.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To promote the perfect suppuration of (an abscess).</def>

<h1>Maturate</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat"u*rate</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To ripen; to become mature; specif<?/cally, to suppurate.</def>

<h1>Maturation</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat`u*ra"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>maturatio</ets> a hastening: cf. F. <ets>maturation</ets>.]</ety> <def>The process of bringing, or of coming, to maturity; hence, specifically, the process of suppurating perfectly; the formation of pus or matter.</def>

<h1>Maturative</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat"u*ra*tive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>maturatif</ets>.]</ety> <def>Conducing to ripeness or maturity; hence, conducing to suppuration.</def>

<h1>Maturative</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Mat"u*ra*tive</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>A remedy promoting maturation; a maturant.</def>

<h1>Mature</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Ma*ture"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>Compar.</tt> <er>Maturer</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>superl.</tt> <er>Maturest</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>maturus</ets>; prob. akin to E. <ets>matin</ets>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Brought by natural process to completeness of growth and development; fitted by growth and development for any function, action, or state, appropriate to its kind; full-grown; ripe.</def>

<blockquote>Now is love <b>mature</b> in ear. <i>Tennison.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>How shall I meet, or how accost, the sage, Unskilled in speech, nor yet <b>mature</b> of age ? <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Completely worked out; fully digested or prepared; ready for action; made ready for destined application or use; perfected; <as>as, a <ex>mature</ex> plan</as>.</def>

<blockquote>This lies glowing, . . . and is almost <b>mature</b> for the violent breaking out. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Of or pertaining to a condition of full development; <as>as, a man of <ex>mature</ex> years</as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Come to, or in a state of, completed suppuration.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- Ripe; perfect; completed; prepared; digested; ready.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Mature</er>, <er>Ripe</er>. Both words describe <i>fullness</i> of growth. <i>Mature</i> brings to view the progressiveness of the process; <i>ripe</i> indicates the result. We speak of a thing as <i>mature</i> when thinking of the successive <i>stayes</i> through which it has passed; as <i>ripe</i>, when our attention is directed merely to its state. A <i>mature</i> judgment; <i>mature</i> consideration; <i>ripe</i> fruit; a <i>ripe</i> scholar.</usage>

<h1>Mature</h1> <Xpage=903>

<hw>Ma*ture"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Matured</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Maturing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[See <er>Maturate</er>, <er>Mature</er>.]</ety> <def>To bring or hasten to maturity; to promote ripeness in; to ripen; to complete; <as>as, to <ex>mature</ex> one's plans</as>.</def>