Mars to Martingale
Mars (Mars) n. [L. Mars, gen. Martis, archaic Mavors, gen. Mavortis.]
1. (Rom. Myth.) The god of war and husbandry.
2. (Astron.) One of the planets of the solar system, the fourth in order from the sun, or the next beyond
the earth, having a diameter of about 4,200 miles, a period of 687 days, and a mean distance of 141,000,000
miles. It is conspicuous for the redness of its light.
3. (Alchemy) The metallic element iron, the symbol of which &male was the same as that of the planet
Mars. [Archaic] Chaucer.
Mars brown, a bright, somewhat yellowish, brown.
Marsala (Mar*sa"la) n. [It., fr. Marsala, in Sicyly.] A kind of wine exported from Marsala in Sicily.
Marsdenia (||Mars*de"ni*a) n. [NL. From W. Marsden, an English author.] (Bot.) A genus of plants
of the Milkweed family, mostly woody climbers with fragrant flowers, several species of which furnish
valuable fiber, and one species (Marsdenia tinctoria) affords indigo.
Marseillais (||Mar`sei`llais") a. m. Marseillaise (||Mar`sei`llaise") a. f.[F.] Of or pertaining to Marseilles,
in France, or to its inhabitants.
Marseillaise hymn, or The Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, popularly so called. It was
composed in 1792, by Rouget de l'Isle, an officer then stationed at Strasburg. In Paris it was sung for
the first time by the band of men who came from Marseilles to aid in the revolution of August 10, 1792; whence
the name.
Marseillais (||Mar`sei`llais"), n. m. Marseillaise (||Mar`sei`llaise"), n. f.[F.] A native or inhabitant of
Marseilles.
Marseilles (Mar*seilles") n. A general term for certain kinds of fabrics, which are formed of two series
of threads interlacing each other, thus forming double cloth, quilted in the loom; so named because
first made in Marseilles, France.
Marsh (Marsh) n. [OE. mersch, AS. mersc, fr. mere lake. See Mere pool, and cf. Marish, Morass.]
A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass. [Written
also marish.]
Marsh asphodel (Bot.), a plant (Nartheeium ossifragum) with linear equitant leaves, and a raceme
of small white flowers; called also bog asphodel. Marsh cinquefoil (Bot.), a plant (Potentilla
palustris) having purple flowers, and found growing in marshy places; marsh five- finger. Marsh elder.
(Bot.) (a) The guelder-rose or cranberry tree (Viburnum Opulus). (b) In the United States, a composite
shrub growing in salt marshes (Iva frutescens). Marsh five-finger. (Bot.) See Marsh cinquefoil
Marsh gas. (Chem.) See under Gas. Marsh grass (Bot.), a genus (Spartina) of coarse grasses
growing in marshes; - - called also cord grass. The tall S. cynosuroides is not good for hay unless
cut very young. The low S. juncea is a common component of salt hay. Marsh harrier (Zoöl.), a
European hawk or harrier (Circus æruginosus); called also marsh hawk, moor hawk, moor buzzard,
puttock. Marsh hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A hawk or harrier native of both America and Europe. The adults
are bluish slate above, with a white rump. Called also hen harrier, and mouse hawk. (b) The marsh
harrier. Marsh hen (Zoöl.), a rail; esp., Rallus elegans of fresh-water marshes, and R. longirostris
of salt-water marshes. Marsh mallow (Bot.), a plant of the genus Althæa ( A. officinalis) common
in marshes near the seashore, and whose root is much used in medicine as a demulcent. Marsh
marigold. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary. Marsh pennywort (Bot.), any plant of the umbelliferous
genus Hydrocotyle; low herbs with roundish leaves, growing in wet places; called also water pennywort.
Marsh quail (Zoöl.), the meadow lark. Marsh rosemary (Bot.), a plant of the genus Statice
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