Miniate
(Min"i*ate) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Miniated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Miniating ] [L. miniatus, p. p. of
miniare. See Minium.] To paint or tinge with red lead or vermilion; also, to decorate with letters, or the
like, painted red, as the page of a manuscript. T. Wharton.
Miniate
(Min"i*ate) a. Of or pertaining to the color of red lead or vermilion; painted with vermilion.
Miniature
(Min"i*a*ture) n. [It. miniatura, fr. L. miniare. See Miniate, v.,Minium.]
1. Originally, a painting in colors such as those in mediæval manuscripts; in modern times, any very small
painting, especially a portrait.
2. Greatly diminished size or form; reduced scale.
3. Lettering in red; rubric distinction. [Obs.]
4. A particular feature or trait. [Obs.] Massinger.
Miniature
(Min"i*a*ture), a. Being on a small scale; much reduced from the reality; as, a miniature copy.
Miniature
(Min"i*a*ture), v. t. To represent or depict in a small compass, or on a small scale.
Miniaturist
(Min"i*a*tur`ist) n. A painter of miniatures.
Minibus
(Min"i*bus) n. [L. minor less + -bus, as in omnibus.] A kind of light passenger vehicle, carrying
four persons.
Minie ball
(Min"ie ball`) [From the inventor, Captain Minié, of France.] A conical rifle bullet, with a cavity
in its base plugged with a piece of iron, which, by the explosion of the charge, is driven farther in, expanding
the sides to fit closely the grooves of the barrel.
Minie rifle
(Min"ie ri"fle) A rifle adapted to minie balls.
Minify
(Min"i*fy) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Minified ; p. pr. & vb. n. Minifying ] [L. minor less + -fly.]
1. To make small, or smaller; to diminish the apparent dimensions of; to lessen.
2. To degrade by speech or action.
Minikin
(Min"i*kin) n. [OD. minneken a darling, dim. of minne love; akin to G. minne, and to E. mind.]
1. A little darling; a favorite; a minion. [Obs.] Florio.
2. A little pin. [Obs.]
Minikin
(Min"i*kin), a. Small; diminutive. Shak.
Minim
(Min"im) n. [F. minime, L. minimus the least, smallest, a superl. of minor: cf. It. minima a note
in music. See Minor, and cf. Minimum.]
1. Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; — applied to animalcula; and the like.
2. The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm.
3. (Zoöl.) A small fish; a minnow. [Prov. Eng.]
4. A little man or being; a dwarf. [Obs.] Milton.
