I
`I
`
`THE
`AMERICAN
`HERITAGE®
`COLLEGE
`DICTIONARY
`
`THIRD EDITION
`
`~
`
`HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
`Boston • New York
`
`

`
`Words are included in this Dictionary on the basis of their
`usage. Words that are known to have current trademark reg(cid:173)
`istrations are shown with an initial capital and are also iden(cid:173)
`tified as trademarks. No investigation has been made of
`common-law trademark rights in any word, because such in(cid:173)
`vestigation is impracticable. The inclusion of any word in this
`Dictionary is not, however, an expression of the Publisher's
`opinion as to whether or not it is subject to proprietary rights.
`Indeed, no definition in this Dictionary is to be regarded as
`affecting the validity of any trademark.
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`American Heritage® and the eagle logo are registered trade(cid:173)
`marks of Forbes Inc. Their use is pursuant to a license agree(cid:173)
`ment with Forbes Inc.
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`Copyright © 1997, 1993 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
`All rights reserved.
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`0-395-67161-2 (UPC)
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`The American heritage college dictionary. -3rd ed.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-395-66917-0 (plain edge). -ISBN 0-395-44638-4
`(thumb edge). -ISBN 0-395-66918-9 (deluxe binding).
`1. English language-Dictionaries. 2. Americanisms.
`PE1628.A6227 1993
`423-dc20
`
`92-42124
`CIP
`
`Manufactured in the United States of America
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`G
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`

`
`cerrain. [Fr. moto-cross : moto,
`dette < moto-, motor < moteur
`>TOR) + CROSS·COU>m<Y.]
`'On', -nyOOr ' -) n. A motor neu-
`
`g, such as an engine, that pro(cid:173)
`A device that converts any form
`::xrgy, as an internal-combustion
`, esp. an automobile . - adj.
`·.on. 2. Driven by or having a
`or motor vehicles: motor oil.
`-. acrves that carry impulses to the
`mng to movements of the muscles:
`-wred, -tor- ing, -tors. -
`intr. To
`hide. -
`tr. To carry by motor
`DOver < Lat. mOtor < mOtus,
`ua-•.]
`tweight motorcycle.
`
`mould 3 (mold) n. Chiefly British. Var. of mold 3.
`moul•der (mol ' dor) v. Chiefly British. Var. of molder.
`mould• lng (miil'ding) 11. Chiefly British. Var. of molding.
`mould •y (moll de) ad;. Chiefly British. Var. of moldy.
`mou•lln (moo-laNI ) n. A nearly verrical caviry worn in a gla·
`cier by surface or rock debris falling through a crack. [Fr. <
`OFr. mo/in, mill < LLat. molinum. See MJLL 1.]
`Moul•mein (mool·m:'in ' , miil·). A ciry of S Burma on the Gulf
`of Martaban E of Rangoon. Pop. 219,991.
`moult (molt) v. & n. Chiefly British. Var. of molt .
`mound (mound) n. 1. A pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or
`debris heaped for protection or concealment. 2. A natural
`elevation, such as a small hill. 3. A raised mass; a heap.
`4. Archaeol. A large pile of earth or stones marking a burial
`site. 5. Baseball. The slightly elevated pitcher's area in the
`cenrer of the diamond . 6. Archaic. A hedge or fence. -
`tr.v.
`mound• ed, mound• Ing. mounds. 1. To fortify or conceal
`with a mound. 2. To heap into a raised mass. [?]
`mound• bird (mound' bu rd 1 ) n. See megapode.
`mound builder n. See megapode.
`Mound Builder (mound) n. A member of any of various Native
`American peoples flourishing from around the 5th cenrury
`s.c. to the 16th cenrury A.D. esp. in the Ohio and Mississippi
`valleys, known for their often large burial and effigy mounds.
`mount 1 (mount) v. mount •ed, mount• lng . mounts. -
`tr.
`1. To climb or ascend. 2. To place oneself upon; get up on.
`3. To climb onto (a female ) for copulation. Used of male
`animals. 4.a. To furnish with a horse for riding. b. To set on
`a horse. S. To set in a raised position. 6.a. To fix securely to
`a support. b. To place or fix on or in a support or setting for
`display or study: mount stamps in an album. 1. To provide
`with scenery and other equipment necessary for production.
`8. To organize and equip: mount an army. 9. To prepare and
`set in motion: mount an attack. 10.a. To set in position for
`use. b. To carry as equipment. 11 . To post (a guard). -
`intr.
`1. To go upward; rise. Z. To get up on something, such as a
`horse. 3. To increase in amount, extent, or intensity. - n.
`1. The act or manner of mounting. 2. A means of conveyance,
`such as a horse, on which to ride. 3. An opportuniry to ride
`a horse in a race. 4. An object to which another is affixed or
`on which another is placed for accessibility, display, or use,
`esp.: a. A glass slide for use with a microscope. b. A hinge
`used to fasten stamps in an album. c. A setting for a jewel.
`d. An undercarriage or stand on which a device rests while in
`service. {ME mounten < OFr. monter < VLat. *monttire <
`Lat. mOns, mont-, mountain. See men- Z•.] -mount'a•ble
`ad;. -mount'er 11.
`mount 2 (mounr) n. 1. A mountain or hill. Used esp. as part of
`a proper name. 2. Any of the seven fleshy cushions around the
`edges of the palm of the hand in palmistry. [ME mont < OE
`munt and < OFr. mont. munt, both < Lat. m6ns, mont-. See
`men·'*.]
`moun •tain (moun f t:m) n. 1. A natural elevation of the earth's
`surface having considerable mass, generally steep sides, and a
`height greatec than that of a hill. 2.a. A large heap. b. A huge
`quantity. [ME mountaine < OFr. montaigne, muntaigne, ult.
`< Lat. montiinus < mOns, mont-, mountain. See men-2 • .]
`- mounttaln•y adj.
`mountain ash n. Any of various deciduous trees of the genus
`Sorbus, having small white flowers and orange-red berries.
`mountain avens n. A creeping evergreen planr (Dryas octo·
`peta/QJ in the rose family, having white-petaled flowers.
`mountain bike n. A srurdy bicycle distinguished by wide tires
`and horizonral handlebars, often used for off-road cycling.
`- mountain biking n.
`mountain bluebird n. A bluebird (Sialia currucoides) of the
`western United States having a light blue breast.
`Moun•tain Brook (moun l ton). A city of N·centrai AL, a sub-
`urb of Birmingham . Pop. 19,810.
`mountain cat n. See mountain lion.
`mountain cranberry n. See cowberry.
`mountain dew n. Illegally distilled corn liquor.
`moun•taln•eer (moun'to·nir l ) n. 1. A native or inhabitanr of
`a mountainous area . Z. Sports. One who climbs mountains
`for sport. -
`intr.v. -eered, -eer• lng, -eers. Sports . To climb
`mounrains for sporr. - moun 1taln•eer'lng n.
`mountain goat n. A goat anrelope (Oreamnos americanus) of
`the northwest North American mounta ins having short,
`curved black horns and shaggy yellowish-white hair.
`mountain laurel n. An evergreen shrub (Kalmia latifolia) of
`eastern North America having leathery poisonous leaves and
`clusters of pink or white flowers.
`mountain lion n. A large powerful wild cat (Fe/is concolor) of
`mountainous regions of the Western Hemisphere having an
`unmarked tawny body. Also called regionally painter
`moun•tain•ous (moun ' to·nos) ad;. 1. Having many moun·
`rains. 2. Resembling a mountain in size; huge.
`mountain range n. A series of mountain ridges alike in form,
`direction, and origin.
`mountain sheep n. 1. See bighorn. 2. A wild sheep inhabiting
`a mountainous area.
`mountain sickness n. Altitude sickness brought on by the di·
`
`891
`
`motoneuron
`mountain
`sickness
`
`·;... ... .. ~ J·
`
`motor scooter
`
`·I
`I
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`.·
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`mountain ash
`American mountain ash
`Sorbus americana
`
`a pat
`a pay
`3.r care
`a father
`e pet
`e be
`i pit
`i pie
`ir pier
`6 pot
`ii toe
`6 paw
`
`oi boy
`ou out
`oo took
`0o boot
`u cut
`ur urge
`th thin
`th this
`hw which
`zh vision
`o about.
`item
`
`Stress marks:
`I (primary);
`' (secondary), as in
`dictionary (dik 'sho·ner 'e)