media darling
A person who is frequently featured and admired in the media
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medical greek
The slang used by medical students at the hospitals. At the London University they have a way of disguising English, described by Albert Smith as the Gower Street Dialect, which consists in transposing the initials of words, e.g., "poke a smipe"—smoke a pipe; "flutter-by"—butterfly, &c. This disagreeable nonsense, which has not even the recommendation of a little ability in its composition, is often termed Marrowskying. See GREEK, ST.
medical number
In the Pythagorean system (see above), 7. Number of the Beast, The. 666 ; a mystical number of unknown meaning but referring to some man mentioned by St John.
medicinal days
In ancient practice the sixth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, sixteenth, eighteenth, etc., of a disease; so called because, according to Hippocrates, no "crisis" (#.v.) occurs on these days, and medicine may be safely administered.
medicine ball
A large, leather-covered ball — usually of some weight — tossed from one person to another as a form of exercise.
medicine lodge
A tent or other form of structure used by North American Indians for ceremonial purposes.
medlar
A fruit, vulgarly called an open a-se; of which it is more truly than delicately said, that it is never ripe till it is as rotten as a t--d, and then it is not worth a f--t.
meek and mild
Gentle and unassertive
meet a sticky end
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
meet and greet
Informally welcome and introduce people to each other
meet halfway
Compromise by finding a middle ground
meet one's maker
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
meeting of the mindless
A gathering of people who lack intelligent or thoughtful discussion
meeting of the minds
A mutual understanding or agreement between people
meg
a dollar
megahurt
megahertz.
Mein Kampf
The political and half mystical thesis in which Adolf Hitler embodied his social and racial theories; his doctrine of anti-Semitism; and his call for revenge for the disasters of 1918 and the revision of the
meisensang
A missionary, Chinese pronunciation of the English word.—Anglo-Chinese.
Mel and Sue
British TV presenting duo
Melibosan Dye
A rich purple. Melibcea, in Thessaly, was famous for the ostrumt a fish used in dyeing purple.
Mell Supper
Harvest supper; in Scotland and the northern counties the last sheaf of corn cut is called the mell, and when the harvest is borne a woman carries a mell-doll* i.e. a straw image dressed up like a young girl, on top of a pole among the reapers.
melon head
a person with a large or foolish head
melt in the mouth
to be extremely delicious and tender
melt into
blend in or become part of something
melting moments
A fat man and woman in the amorous congress.
member for Barkshire
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
memory is the treasure of the mind
Recollections are a person's most valuable possession
memory lane
A nostalgic reminiscence of the past
men and women
People of both sexes
Men are blind in their own cause – Heywood Broun (1888–1939), American journalist
People are biased when it comes to their own interests
men get spoiled by staying, women get spoiled by wandering
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
men in buckram
Hypothetical men exist- ing only in the brain of the imagines The allusion is to the vaunting tale of Falstaff to Prince Henry (Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV, ii, 4). Hence, "a buckram army," one the strength of which exists only in the imagina- tion.
men leap over where the hedge is lower
People often take the easiest option or path of least resistance
men of kent
Men born east of the river Medway, who are said to have met the Conqueror in a body, each carrying a green bough in his hand, the whole appearing like a moving wood; and thereby obtaining a confirmation of their ancient privileges. The inhabitants of Kent are divided into Kentish men and men of Kent. Also a society held at the Fountain Tavern, Bartholomew Lane, A.D. 1743.
men of light and leading
Men capable of illuminating the way and guiding the steps of others.
men of straw
Hired bail, so called from having straw stuck in their shoes to distinguish them.
Men talk only to conceal the mind. (Strauss 1994, p. 1088)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
menagerie
The orchestra of a theatre.—Theatrical.
menavelings
Odd money remaining after the daily accounts are made up at a railway booking-office,—usually divided among the clerks. See OVERS and SHORTS.
mend one's ways
To change one's behavior to become better or more acceptable
mendacem memorem esse oportet
"It is fitting that a liar should be a man of good memory" (Institutes, IV, ii, 91). It occurs in Taverner's translation of Erasmus's Proverbs (1539) — A Iyer ought not to be forgetfull.
mental gymnast
Someone who rationalizes or justifies questionable behavior
mental health
A person's overall emotional and psychological well-being
Mention in Dispatches
British term given to a reference by name in official dispatches to an officer who has done well in battle. An officer so mentioned is entitled to wear a small bronze oak leaf on the left breast or upon the medal ribbon for that particular campaign.
merchant banker
A wanker.
merchant of death
A person or entity that profits from war or violence
Merchant of Venice
The interwoven stories of Shakespeare's comedy (written 1598, published 1600) are drawn from mediaeval
mercurial finger
The little finger, which, if pointed denotes eloquence, if square sound judgment.
Mercury fig
See MERCURY. Fig" leaf. The leaf of the fig tree or the banyan, according to the Bible story (Gen. iii, 7) used by Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness after the Fall. In the days of Victorian prudery tin fig leaves were fitted to statuary in the museums, Crystal Palace, etc.
mercy fuck
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
mercy sake's alive
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
mere mortal
An ordinary person, not a god or superhero
Merino Sheep
A Spanish breed of sheep, very valuable for their wool. The word is the Latin majorinus, and may originally have indicated a specially large breed of sheep, or have been the official designation of the overseer of the pastures.
merk
Alternative spelling of murk (“to murder”).
merkin
Counterfeit hair for women's privy parts. See BAILEY'S DICT.
merkin
A term usually applied to a woman’s privities. Originally false hair for those parts.
merlin chair
An invalid's chair, which can be propelled by the hands of the occupant. So called from the inventor, J. J. Merlin (d. 1803).
mermaid's glove
The largest of the British sponges (Halichondria palmatd), so called because its branches resemble fingers.
mermaid's purses
The horny cases of the eggs of the ray, skate, or shark, frequently cast up by the waves on the sea-beach.
Merops' Son
One who thinks he can set the world to rights, but can't. Agitators, demo- gogues, and Bolsheviks, are sons of Merops. The allusion is to Phaeton, son of Merops, who thought himself able to drive the car of Phoebus, but, m the attempt, nearly set the world on fire.