Chapter Metempiricism to Methylate of M by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Methane
(Meth"ane) n. [See Methal.] (Chem.) A light, colorless, gaseous, inflammable hydrocarbon, CH₄; marsh gas. See Marsh gas, under Gas.

Methane series (Chem.), a series of saturated hydrocarbons, of which methane is the first member and type, and (because of their general chemical inertness and indifference) called also the paraffin (little affinity) series. The lightest members are gases, as methane, ethane; intermediate members are liquids, as hexane, heptane, etc. (found in benzine, kerosene, etc.); while the highest members are white, waxy, or fatty solids, as paraffin proper.

Metheglin
(Me*theg"lin) n. [W. meddyglyn; medd mead + llyn liquor, juice. See Mead a drink.] A fermented beverage made of honey and water; mead. Gay.

Methene
(Meth"ene) n. [Methyl + ethylene.] (Chem.) See Methylene.

Methenyl
(Meth"e*nyl) n. [Methene + -yl.] (Chem.) The hypothetical hydrocarbon radical CH, regarded as an essential residue of certain organic compounds.

Methide
(Meth"ide) n. [See Methyl.] (Chem.) A binary compound of methyl with some element; as, aluminium methide, Al₂(CH₃)₆.

Methinks
(Me*thinks") v. impers. [imp. Methought ] [AS. þyncan to seem, me þynceð, me þuhte, OE. me thinketh, me thoughte; akin to G. dünken to seem, denken to think, and E. think. See Me, and Think.] It seems to me; I think. See Me. [R., except in poetry.]

In all ages poets have been had in special reputation, and, methinks, not without great cause.

Spenser.

Methionate
(Me*thi"on*ate) n. (Chem.) A salt of methionic acid.

Methionic
(Meth`i*on"ic) a. [Methyl + thionic.] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sulphonic (thionic) acid derivative of methane, obtained as a stable white crystalline substance, CH₂.(SO₃H)₂, which forms well defined salts.

Method
(Meth"od) n. [F. méthode, L. methodus, fr. Gr. meqodos method, investigation following after; meta` after + "odo`s way.]

1. An orderly procedure or process; regular manner of doing anything; hence, manner; way; mode; as, a method of teaching languages; a method of improving the mind. Addison.

2. Orderly arrangement, elucidation, development, or classification; clear and lucid exhibition; systematic arrangement peculiar to an individual.

Though this be madness, yet there's method in it.

Shak.

All method is a rational progress, a progress toward an end.

Sir W. Hamilton.

3. (Nat. Hist.) Classification; a mode or system of classifying natural objects according to certain common characteristics; as, the method of Theophrastus; the method of Ray; the Linnæan method.

Syn. — Order; system; rule; regularity; way; manner; mode; course; process; means. — Method, Mode, Manner. Method implies arrangement; mode, mere action or existence. Method is a way of reaching a given end by a series of acts which tend to secure it; mode relates to a single action, or to the form which a series of acts, viewed as a whole, exhibits. Manner is literally the handling of a thing, and has a wider sense, embracing both method and mode. An instructor may adopt a good method of teaching to write; the scholar may acquire a bad mode of holding his pen; the manner in which he is corrected will greatly affect his success or failure.