Facebook, Inc. v. Phoenix Media/Communications Group, Inc. et al

Filing 106

DECLARATION re 105 Preliminary Claim Construction Briefs by Facebook, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B, # 3 Exhibit C, # 4 Exhibit D, # 5 Exhibit E)(Torres, Javier)

EXHIBIT E

DICTIONARY
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HarperCollinsPublishers

HarperCollins Publishers
PO Box, Glasgow G4 ONB
First Edition 1979
Second Edition 1986
Third Edition 1991
Third Edition Updated 1994

Fourth Edition 1998
Reprinted 1998

© HarperCollins Publishers 1979, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1998
9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

ISBN 0 00470453-3

Standard Edition

ISBN 000472168-3

Thumb-indexed Edition

ISBN 0 00472219-1

Australian Standard Edition

ISBN 0 00472218-3

Australian Thumb-indexed Edition

A catalogue record for this book Is
available from the British Library.

This edition prepared in conjunction with Market House Books Ltd, Aylesbury, England
Typographical design by Kerry Aylin
Wrapper design by Lynsey Roxburgh
Typeset by Market House Books Ltd, Aylesbury, England
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Caledonian International Book Manufacturing Lt,
Glasgow

Collins English dictionary.
4th AustraUan ed.
ISBN 0 00 472218 3 (thumbed Index).
ISBN 0 00 472219 1.
1. English language - Dictionaries. 2. English language Australia - Dictionaries. I. Wilkes, G. A. (Gerald Alfred),
1927- .11. Krebs, W. A. (William Alwyn). III. Ramson,
W. S. (William Stanley), \933- .
423

Corpus Acknowledgments
We would like to thank those authors and publishers who kindly gave permission for copyright mat,
be used in the Bank of English. We would also Uke to thank Times Newspapers Ltd for providing val
data.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored In a retrieval system or transmitted, In any form or by ar
electronic, mechanical. photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. This book is sold subl
conditions that It shall not, by way of trade or otherwtse, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise clrculated without the publlsl
consent In any form of binding or cover other than that In which It Is published and without a similar condition Including this condll
Imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Entered words that we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such. However, neither the presence nt
of such designation should be regarded as affecting the legal status of any trademark.

!tar Tass

Alps in the north and the Apennines running the length of the peninsula.
Offidal language: Italian. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: lir a.
capital: Rome. Pop.: 57 SOO O(X) (1996). Area: 301 247 sq. km (116312 sq.
miles), Italian name: Italia.

klr Tass (litO tors) n a news agency serving RuSSia, eastern EUfOpe, and central
:
Asia, created in 1992 to replace the former Soviet news agency Tass. [lnfonna­
lion Telegraph Agency of Russia, Telegraph Agency of Sovereign States]

rrc (In Britain) abbrev. for Independent Television Commission.
Itch (It/) n 1 an irritation or tickling sensation of the skin causing

a desire to
scratch. 2 a restless desire. 3 any skin disorder, such as scabies, characterized by
intense itching . • vb 4 (intr) to feel or produce an irritating or tickl ing sensa­
tion. 5 (intr) to have a restless desire (to do something). 6 Not standard. to
scratch (the skin). 7 itching palm. a grasping nature; avarice. 8 have Itchy
feet. to be restless; have a desire to travel. [Old English gfccean to itch, of
Germanic origin] � 'itchy adj � 'itchiness n

Itch mite n any mite of the family Sarcoptidae,

fif' Sarcoptes scabei, which causes scabies.

all of which are skin parasites,

.fte SUffix fonning nouns.

1 a native or inhabitant of: Israelite. 2 a follower or
advocate of; a member or 5upIXlrter of a group: Luddite; labourite. 3 (in biol­
ogy) indicating a division of a body or organ: somite. 4 indicating a mineral or
rock: nepllrite; peridotite. 5 indicating a commercial product: vu/canite. [via
Latin -ita from Greek -iris or directly from Greek]

.fte2 suffix fonning nouns. indicating a salt or ester of an acid having a name
ending in -ous: a nitrite is a salt of nitrous acid.

[from French, arbitrary al­
I
teration of _AU ]
Item n ('alt<Jm). 1 a thing or unit, esp. included in a list or collection. 2 Book­
kteping. an entry in an account. 3 a piece of information, detail, or note: a
news item. 4 [llfonnal. two people having a romantic or sexual relationship.
• vb ('altam). 5 (tr) an archaic word for itemize .• adv ('altern). 6 likewise;
also. [C14 (adv) from Latin: in like manner]
,
Itemize or itemise ( alta,malz) vb (tr) to put on a list or make a list of.
� ,itemi'zation or ,itemi'satlon n
Item veto n (in the U.S.) Ihe IXlwer of a stale governor to veto items in bills
without vetoing the enUre measure.
Itenez (i'tene9) n the Spanish name for the Guapore.
,
Iterate ( Ita,re lt ) vb (tr) to say or do again; repeat. [C16: from Latin iterare,
from iterum again] � 'Iterant adj � ,lter'aUon or 'Iterance n
Iterative ('Itaranv) adj 1 repetitious or frequent. 2 Maths, logic.
for recursive. 3 Grammar. another word for frequentatlve. � 'iteratively
(ldv � 'iterativeness n
Ithaca ('IOaka) n a Greek island in the Ioni an Sea, the smallest of the Ionian Is­
lands: regarded as the home of Homer's Ody s seus. Area: 93 sq. km (36 sq.
miles). Modem Greek name: Ithilkl (i'aaki). � 'Ithacan n, ad;
Ither ('IOar) determiner a Scot. word for other.
ithunn ('i:dun) n a variant of Idun.
Ithyphallic (. IOI'fa'hk) adj 1 Prosody. (in classical verse) of or relating to the
usual metre in hymns to Bacchus. 2 of or relating to the phallus carried in the
ancient festivals of Bacchus. 3 (of sculpture and graphic art) having or sho w ing
an erecl penis. • " 4 Prosody. a poem in ithyphallic metIe. [Cl7: from Late
latin, from Greek itllupllallikus, from ithuphallos erect phallus, from ithus
straight + phallus PHALLUS]
ltinerancy (1'lIn<JraflSl, al-) or itineracy n 1 the act of itinerating. 2 Chief1y
Methodist Church. the system of apIXlinting a minister to a circuit of churches
or chapels. 3 itinerants collectively.
itinerant (1 'llOaTant, al-) ad; 1 itinerating. 2 working for a short time in various
places, esp. as a casual labourer. • n 3 an itinerant worker or other person.
(06: from Late Lat in itinerarf to travel, from iter a journey] � I'tinerantly

""

Itinerary (al'tmar<JTi, 1-) n, pi-aries. 1 a plan or line of travel; route. 2 a record

of a j ourney. 3 a guidebook for travellers. • adj 4 of or relatng to travel or
i
routes of travel. 5 a less common word for itinerant.
Itinerate (al'tma,relt, 1-) vb (illtT) to travel from place to place. � I,tlner'a­
tlon

/I

itious suffix fanning adjectives. having the nature of; characterized by: nu tri­
tious; slIppositious. [from Latin -icius, -itious]
-kls suffix fanning nouns. 1 indicating inflammation of a specified part: tonsil­
litis. 211l(omtal. indicating a preoaupation with or imaginary condition of ill­
ness caused by: camputeritis; telepllonitis. [New Latin, from Greek, feminine
l
of -ites belonging to; see _m ]
It'll ('It·l) contraction of it will or it shall.
Ito ('i:tau) n Prince Hlrobuml (,hlaf<l'bu:ml). 1841-1909, Japanese statesman;
premier (1884-88; 1892-96; 1898; 1900-01). He led the movement to mod­
emize Japan and helped to draft the Meiji constitution (1889); assassinated.

ITO I1bbrev. (or Inte rnational Trade Organization.
-Itol suffix fonning nouns. indicating that certain chemical compounds are
polyhydric alcohols: inisitol; sorbitol. (from _m2 + -all]

Its (ItS) detenniner a of, belongng to, or aiSociated in some way with il: its lett
i
rear wheel. b (as pronoun): each rown claims its is the best.
It's (Ib) contraction of it is or it has.
Itself (1t'�If) pron la the reflexive form of it. 1 b (intensif ier): even the money it­
self won't conyince me. 2 (preceded by a copula) its nonnal or usual self: my cat
isn't itsel( today.
itsy-bitsy ('llSl'bItSI) or itty-bitty (,Itr'bltr) adj In(onnal. very 5mall; tiny.
(C20: baby talk alteration of little bitJ
ITU abhrev. for: 1 Intensive Therapy Unit. 2 International Telecommunications
Union.

Iwo

817

Iwrbide (Spanish 'ipturede) n Agustin de (ayus'tin de). 1783-1824, Mexican

lima

nationalist and emperor (1822-23). He was forced to abdicate and later exe­
cuted.

lTV (in Britain) abbrev. (or Independent Television.
-ity SUffix fonning nouns. indicating state or condition: technicality.
Old French -ite, from Latin -Wi's}

[from

i-type semiconductor n another name for intrinsic semiconductor.
IU abbrev. (or: 1 immunizing unit. 2 international unit.
IU(C)D abbrev. for intrauterine (contraceptive) device.
lulus (al'ju:las ) n 1 a nother name for Ascanlus. 2 the son of Ascanius, founder
of the Julian gens or clan.

-Ium or sometimes -urn suffix fonning nouns. 1 indicating a metallic element:

platinum; barium. 2 (in chemistry) indicating groups forming IXlsitive ions:
ammonium ellioride; hydroxonium ion. 3 indicating a biological structure:
syncytium. [New Latin, from Latin, from Greek -ion, diminutive suffix]
i.v. abbrev. (or: 1 initial velocity. 2 Also: IV. intravenous(1y).
Ivan III ('alvan) n known as Ivan the Great. 1440-1505, grand duke of Muscovy
(1462-1505). He expanded Muscovy, defeated the Tatars (1480), and assumed
the title of Ruler of all Russia (1472).
Ivan IV n known as Ivan the Terrible. 1530-84, grand duke of Muscovy
(1533-47) and first tsar of Russia (1547-84). He conque red Kazan (1552), As­
trakhan (1556), and Siberia (1581), but was defeated by Poland in the Uvonian
War (1558-82) after which his rule became increasingly oppressive.
Ivanovo (Russian l'van<Jva) n a city in W central Russia, on the Uvod River: tex­
tile centre. Pop.: 474000 (1995 est.). Former name (1871-1932): Ivanovo­
Voznesensk (-vazm'sjensk).
IVB abbrev. (or invalidity benefit.
I've (alv) contractioll 0(1 have.
-ive SUffix. 1 (fonning adjectives) indicating a tendency, inclination, character,
or quality: divisive; prohibitive; (estiYe; massive. 2 (fonning nouns o( adjecti­
val origin): detective; expletive. [from Latin -fvuS]
ivermectin C alva'mekt ) n a drug that kills parasitic nematode worms, mites,
m
and i nsects. It is used to treat a variety of parasitic infections in domestic ani­
mals and has shown encourag ing results in preliminar y trials for treating
onchocerciasis in humans.
Ives ( alvz) n 1 Charles Edward. 1874-1954, U.S. composer, noted for his inno­
vative use of polytonality, IXllyrhythms, and quarter lanes. His works include
Second Piano Sonata: Concord (1915), five symphonies, chamber music, and
songs. 2 Frederick Eugene. 1856-1937, U.S. inventor of halftone photogra­
phy.

IVF abbrev. (or in vitro fertilization.
ivied ('alvld) ad; covered with ivy.
Iviza (Spanish i'IMa) II a variant spelling of Iblza.
Ivorian (a,'v;):nan) n 1 a native or inhabitant of the Cote d'Ivoire.• adj 2 o f or
relating to the Cote d'ivoire or its inhabitants.

ivories ('alvaIll, -vnz) pi n Slang. 1 the keys of a piano. 2 anothe r word for
teeth. 3 another word for dice.

ivory (,arvan, -vn) n, pl -rles . 1a a hard smooth creamy white variety of dentine

that makes up a ma jor part of the tusks of elephants, walruses, and similar ani­
mals. lb (as modifier): ivory ornaments. 2 a tusk made of ivory. 3a a
yellowish-white colour; cream. 3b (as adl): ivol)' shoes. 4 a substance resem­
bling elephant tusk. 5 an ornament, etc., made of ivory. 6 black Ivory. Obso­
lete. Black slaves collectively . • See also ivories.
[Cll: from Old Fr ench
ivurie, from Latin evoreus made of ivory, from ebur ivory; related to Greek elephas ivory, ELEPHANT] � 'ivory-,lIke adj

Ivory (' aIYan) n James. born 1928, U.S. film director. With the producer Ismael

Merchant, his films include Shakespeare Wa/lah (1964), Heat alld Dust
A Room With a View (1986), and The Remains of the Day (1993).
ivory black n a black pigment obtained by grinding charred scraps of ivory in
oil.
Ivory Coast II the. the former name (unti l 1986) of Cote d'ivoire.
ivory gull n a white gull, Pagophi/a (or Larus) ebumeus, mostly confined to
arctic regions.
ivory nut n 1 the seed of the ivory palm, which contains an ivory-like substance
used to make buttons, etc. 2 any similar seed from other palms. • Also caned:
(1983),

vegetable ivory.

ivory palm 11 a low-groWing South American palm tree, Phytelephas macro­

carpa, that yields the ivory nut.
ivory tower ('tava) n a seclusion or remoteness of attitude regarding real
problems, everyday life, etc. b (as modifier): ivory-tower aestlleticism.
� ,ivory-'towered adj
ivorywood (,alvan , wud) n 1 the yellowish-white wood of an Australian tree,
Siphonodon australe, used for engraving, inlaying, and turnery. 2 the tree it ­
self: family Sipllonodontaceae.
IVR abbrev. (or International Vehicle Registration.
ivy ('alVI) n, pi Ivies. 1 any woody climbing or trailing araliaceous plant of the
Old World genus Hedera, esp. H. lIelix, having lobed evergreen leaves and
black berry-like fruits. 2 any of various other climbing or creeping plants, such
as Boston ivy, poi5on ivy, and ground ivy. [Old English ffig; related to Old
High German ebah, perhaps to Greek ipllllon a plant ] � 'iVY-,like ad;
Ivy League n U.S. a the. a group of eight universities (Brown, Columbia, Cor­
nell, Dartmouth College , Harvard, Princeton, the University of Penns ylvani a,
and Yale) that have similar academic and social prestige in the U.S. to Oxford
and Cambridge in Britain. b (as modifier): an Ivy-League education.
iwi (' I:WI) n N.Z. a Maori tribe. [Maori]
iwis or ywis (I'WIS) advan archaic word for certainly. [eI2: from Old English
gewiss certain]
Iwo ('i:wav) n a c ity in SW Nigeria. Pop.: 353000 (1995 est.).
Iwo Jima ('d3i:ma) n an island in the W Pacific, about 1100 km (700 miles)

mean lethal dose

965

mean lethal dose n another term for median lethal dose.
mean life n Physics. the average time of existence of an unstable or reactive entity, such as a nucleus, elementary particle, charge carrier, etc.; lifetime. It is
equal to the half-life divided by 0.693 15. Symbol: t

means (mi:nz) n 1 (functioning as sing or pl) the medium, method, or instru-

ment used 10 obtain a result or achieve an end: a means o( communication. 2
(functioning as pf) resources or income. 3 (functioning as pl) considerable
wealth or income: a man o( means. 4 by aU means. without hesitation or
doubt; certainly: come with us by ail means. 5 by means of. wlth the use or
help of. 6 by no manner of means. definitely not: he was by no manner or
means II cruel man. 7 by no (or not by any) means. on no account; in no
way: by no means come!
mean sea level n (in the UK) the sea level used by the Ordnance Survey as a
datum level, determined at Newlyn in Cornwall. See sea level.
means of production pI n (in Marxist theory) the raw materials and means
of labour (tools, machines, etc.) employed in the production process.
mean solar day II the time between two successive passages of the mean sun
across the meridian at noon. It equals the earth's rotation period, which is not
precisely constant at 24 hours when checked against atomic time.
means test /, a test involving the checking of a person's income to determine
whether he qualifies for financia l or social aid from a government. Compare
needs test. .. 'means-tested ad;
mean sun n an imaginary sun moving along the celestial equator at a constant
speed and completing its annual course in the same time as the sun takes to
move round the ecliptiC at a varying speed. It is used in the measurement of
mean solar time.
meant (ment) vb the past tense and past participle of mean!.
mean time or mean solar time n the time, at a particular place, measured
in terms of the passage of the mean sun; the timescale is not precisely constant.
See mean solar day.
meantime (' mi:n,talm) /I 1 the intervening time or peri<X1, as between events
(esp. in the phrase in the meantime). • adv 2 another word for meanwhile.
mean-tone tuning /I See temperament (sense 4).
meanwhile ('mi:n,wad) adv 1 during the intervening time or peri<X1. 2 at the
same time, esp. in another place . • TI 3 another word for meantime.
meany ('mi:m) n Informal. a variant spelling of meanie.
Mearns (meanz) 11 the. another name for Kincardineshire.
meas. abbrt'V. for measure.
measled ('mi:7.<Jld) ad; (of cattle, sheep, or pigs) infested with tapeworm larvae;
measly.
measles ('mi:l<llz) n (functioning as sillg or pi) 1 a highly contagious viral disease common in children, characte rized by fever, profuse nasal discharge of
mucus, con junctivitis, and a rash of small red spots spreading from the fo rehead dolo',n to the limbs. Technical names: morbilli, rubeola. See also German measles. 2 a disease of cattle, sheep, and pigs, caused by infestation with
tapeworm larvae. {CI4 : from Middle Low German masele spot on the skin;
influenced by Middle English mesel leper, from I.atin misel/lIs, diminutive of
miser wretched]
measly (' mi:zlI) ad; -slier, -sliest. 1 Informal. meagre in quality or quantity. 2
(of meat) measled. 3 having or relating to measles. [CI7: see Mf.ASLf.S]
measurable (' me;prab' l, 'me,3ra-) ad; able to be measured; perceptible or
significant. .. ,measura'bilityor 'measurableness n .. 'measurably adv
measure ('me,3d) 111 the extent, quantity, amount, or degree of something, as
determined by measurement or calculation. 2 a device for measuring distance,
volume, etc., such as a graduated scale or container. 3 a system of measurement: give tile size in metric m easure. 4 a standard used in a system of measurements: the il/tematiol/al prototype kilogram is tire measure of mass in SI u"its.
S a specific or standard amount of something: a measure ofgrai,,; ,dlOrt measure; full measure. 6 a basis or standard for comparison: his work wa.~ the measure orall mb~eqllent attempb. 7 reasonahle or permissible limit or bounds: we
must keep it with;" measure. 8 degree or extent (often in phrases such as in
some measure, in a measure, etc.): tlley gave him a measure of freedom. 9
(often pi) a particular action intended to achieve an effect: they took measures
to prevent his leaving. 10 a legislative bill, act, or resolution: to briTlg in a measure. 11 Music. another word for bar! (sense 15a). 12 Prosody. poetic rhythm or
cadence; metre. 13 a metrical foot. 14 Poetic. a melody or tune. 15 the act of
measuring; measurement . 16 Arc/I(lic. a dance . 17 Printing. the width of a page
Of column oftypt'. 18for good measure. as an extra precaution or beyond requirements. 19 get the measure of or get someone's measure. to assess the
nature, character, quality, etc., of someone or something. 20 made to measure. (of clothes) made to fit an individual purchaser. + vb 21 (tT; often foil. by
up) to determine the size, amount, etc., of by measurement. 22 (i"tT ) to make a
measurement or measurements. 23 (tr) to estimate or determine: I measured
his strength to be greater thm' mine. 24 (tr) to function as a measurement of:
the ohm meas ures electTical r/'Sistance. 25 (tT) to bring into competition or
conflkt: Ire measllred Iris Itrt'rTgtlr against thatofhi.~ opJ'flllent. 26 (intT) to be
as specified in extent, amount, etc.: the room measures six feet. 27 (tT) to travel
or move over as if measuring. 28 (tr) to adjust or choose: he measured his approach to suit tire character orliis die/rt 29 (illtr) to allow or yield to measurement. • See also measure off, measure out, measures, measure up.
{CB: from Old I-'rench, from Latin mifrsrira measure, hom mensus, past participle of met/n- to measure) ~ 'measurer n
measured ( ' me,~d) ad; 1 determined by measurement. 2 slow, stately, or leisurely. 3 carefully considered; deliberate. .. 'measuredly allv ~ 'measuredness /1
measured daywork ('del ,w3:k)" a system of wage payment, usually determined by work-study techniques, whereby the wage of an employee is fixed on
the understanding Illal a spedfic level of work performancl;' will be maintained.

mechanism

measureless ('ffiE,3<IlIs) ad; limitless, vast, or infinite. .. 'measurelesslyadv
.. 'measurelessness n
measurement (,me,3amant) n 1 the act or process of measuring. 2 an amount,
extent, or size determined by measuring. 3 a system of measures based on a particular standard.
measurement ton n the full name for ton ! (sense 5) .
measure off or out vb (tT, adv) to determine the limits of; mark out: to measure off an area.
measure out vb (tT, adv) 1 to pour or dole out: they measure out a pint of
fluid. 2 to administer; mete out: they measured out harsh punishments.
measures ('me,3<lz) pi n rock strata that are characterized by a particular type of
sediment or deposit: coal measures.
measure up vb 1 (adv) to determine the size of (something) by measurement.
2 measure up to. to fulfil (expectations, standards, etc.).
measuring jug n a graduated jug used in cooking to measure ingredients.
measuring worm n the larva of a geometrid moth: it has legs on its hont and
rear segments only and moves in a series of loops. Also called: looper, inchworm.
meat (mi:t) n 1 the flesh of mammals used as food, as distinguished from that of
birds and fish. 2 anything edible, esp. flesh with the texture of meat: crab
meat. 3 food, as opposed to drink. 4 the essence or gist. 5 an archaic word for
meal r.6 meat and drink. a source of pleasure. 7 have one's meat and one's
manners. Irish in(ormal. to lose nothing because one's offer is not accepted.
[Old English mete; related to Old High German maz food, Old Saxon meti,
Gothic mats] ~ 'meatless ad;
meataxe ('mi:t ,aoks) nl a cleaver. 2 mad as a meatalle. Austral. and N.Z. ;nformal. raving.
meatball ( 'mi:t,b~:I) " 1 minced beef, Shaped into a ball before cooking. 2 U.S.
and Calladian slang. a stupid or boring person.
Meath (mi:3, ml:9) II a county of E Republic of Ireland, in Leinster province on
the Irish Sea: formerly a kingdom much larger than the present county; livestock farmi ng. County town: Trim. Pop.: 105 370 (1991). Area: 2338 sq. km
(903 sq. miles).
meatus (ml'eltas) n, pl-tuses or -tus. Anatomy. a natural opening or channel,
such as the canal leading from the ouler ear to the eardrum. lel7: from Latin:
passage, from meare to pass]
meaty ('mi:li) adj meatier, meatiest. 1 of, relating to, or full of meat: a meaty
stew. 2 heavily built; fleshy or brawny. 3 full of import or interest: a meaty disrussioll. 4 Judaism . another word for fleishik. .. 'meatllyadv .. 'meatiness n
mecamylamine (,meka'mlla,mi:n) II a drug administered orally to lower high
blood pressure. Fonnula: C!\HZ\N.HCL [C20: from ME(THYL) + cam(phane) (a
former name of bornane) -+ -I,L -t ,o.MINq
Mecca or Mekka ('meka) n 1 a City in W Saudi Arabia, joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Mohammed; the holiest city of Islam, containing the Kaaba. Pop.: 630 000 (1991 est.). Arabic name: Makkah. 2
(sometimes not cap.) a place that attracts many visitors: AthellS is a Mecca for
tourists.
Meccano (ml'ka:nall) n Trademark. a construction set consisting of miniature
metal or plastic parts from which mechanical models can be made.
mech. abbrev. for: 1 mechanical. 2 mechanics. 3 mechanism.
mechanic (mr'ka"mk) TIl a person skilled in maintaining or operating machinery, motors, etc. 2 Archaic. a common labOurer. [CI4: from Latin mechallicus, from Greek mekhallikos, from mekhane MACH!NE]
mechanical (mr'kaomk~l) ad; 1 made, performed, or operated by or as if by a
machine or machinery: a m echanical process. 2 concerned with machines or
machinery. 3 relating to or controlled or operated by physical fo rces. 4 of or
concerned with mechanics. 5 (of a gesture, etc.) automatic; Jacking thought,
feeling, etc. 6 Philosophy. accounting for phenomena by physically determining forces. 7 (of paper, such as newsprint) made from pulp that has been mechanically ground and contains impurities. + " 8 Printing. another name for
camera-ready copy. 9 Archaic. another word for mechanic (sense 2).
~ me'chanicalism" ~ me'chanically adv ~ me'chanicalness "
mechanical advantage n the ratio of the working force exerted by a mechanism to the applied effort .
mechanical drawing II a dra ....1ng to scale of a machine, machine component, architectural plan, etc., from which dimensions can be taken.
mechanical engineering n the branch of engineering concerned with the
design, construction, and operation of machines and machinery. .. mechanical engineer n
mechanical equivalent of heat II Physics. a factor for converting units of
energy into heat units. It has the value 4.1855 joules per calorie. Symbol: J
mechanical instrument" a musical instrument, such as a barrel organ or
music box, that plays a preselected piece of music by mechanical means.
mechanician (,meka'm/an) or mechanist II a person skilled in making machinery and tools; technician.
mechanics (mr'k;emks) n 1 (funCliollillg as sing) the branch of science, divided into statics, dynamics, and kinematics, concerned with the equilibrium
or motion of bodies in a particular frame of reference. See also quantum mechanics, wave mechanics, statistical mechanics. 2 (functioning as sing) the
science of designing, constructing, and operating machines. 3 the working
parts of a machine. 4 the technical aspects of something: the mechanics of poetic style.
mechanism ('meka ,mzam) n 1 a system or structure of moving parts that performs some function, esp. in a machine. 2 something resembling a machine in
the arrangement and working of its parts: the mechanism ofthe ear. 3 any form
of mechanical device or any part of such a device. 4 a process or technique, esp.
of execution: tire mechanism of novel writing. 5 Philosophy. Sa the doctrine

mechanist

966

that human action can be explained in purely physical t('rms, whether mechanical or biological. 5b the explanation of phenomena in causal rather than
teleological or essentialist terms. Sc the view that the task of sdence is to seek
such explanations. Sd strict determinism .• Compare dynamism, vitalism. 6
Psychoanal. 6a the ways in which psychological forces interact and operate.
6b a structure having an influence on the behaviour of a person, such as a defence mechanism.

mechanist ('mekanrst) n 1 a person who accepts a mechanistic philosophy. 2
another name for a mechanician.

mechanistic (,meka'rustrk) ad; 1 Philosophy. of or relating to the theory of
mechanism. 2 Maths. of or relating to mechanics.

... ,mecha 'nistically adv

mechanize ormechanise (,mek;;J,nalz) vb (tr) 1 to equip (a factory, industry,
etc. ) with machinery. 2 to make mechanical, automatic, or monotonous. 3 to
equip (an anny, etc.) with motorized or annoured vehicles . . . ,mechanl'zation or ,mechani'sation II .. 'mecha,nizer or 'mecha,nlser II
mechanoreceptor (.Ill£kanaun'septa) II Physiol. a sensory receptor, as in the
skin, that is sensitive to a mechanical stlmulus, such as pressure.
mechanotherapy CmEkanav'gerapl) n the treatment of disorders or injuries
by means of mechanical devices, esp. devices that provide exercise for bodily
parts.
mechatronics (,meka'tromks) n (fUnctioning as sing) the combination of mechanical engineering and electronics, as used in the design and development of
new manufacturing techniques. [C20: from MECHA(NICS) + (ELEC)TRONICS]
Mechelen ('mexai;m) n a city in N Belgium, in Antwerp province: capita! of the
Netherlands from 1507 to 1530; formerly famous for lace-making; now has an
important vegetable market. Pop.: 75 718 (1995 est.). French name: Malines.
English name: Mechlin.
Mechlin (,mekhn) n the English name for Mechelen.
Mechlin lace n bobbin lace made at Mechlin, characterized by patterns outlined by a heavier flat thread. Also called: malines.
meck (mek) n Nortlleastern Scot. dialect. a variant of malk.
Mecklenburg ('meklan,b3:g; German 'me:klanburk) n a historic region and
fonner state of NE Gennany, along the Baltic coast; now part of MecklenburgWest Pomerania: formerly (1949-90) in East Gennany.
Mecklenburg-West Pomerania (,poma'remla) n a state of NE Germany,
along the Baltic coast: consists of the former state of Mecklenburg and those
parts of W Pomerania not incorporated into Poland after World War II: part of
East Germany until 1990. Pop.: 1 832 300 (1995 est.).
MEcon abbrev. for Master of Economics.
meconium (ml 'k;}Umam) n 1 the dark green mucoid material that forms the
first faeces of a newborn infant. 2 opium or the juice from the opium poppy.
[CI7: from New Latin, from Latin: poppy juice (used also of infant's excrement
because of similarity in colour), from Greek mekoneion, from meklm poppy)
meconopsis (, meka'nopm) n any plant of the mostly Asiatic papaveraceous
genus Meconopsis, esp. M. berollicifo/ia (the Tibetan or blue poppy), grown for
its Showy sky-blue flowers. M. cambrica is the Welsh poppy. [New Latin,
from Greek mekon poppy + -aPSlSl
Med (med) n the. Informal. the Meditenanean region.
MEd abbrev. for Master of Education.
MED (in New Zealand) abbrev. for Municipal Electricity Department.
med. abbrev. for: 1 medical. 2 medicine. 3 medieval. 4 medium.
medallions (medaI'j5) pi n Cookery. small round thin pieces of meat, fish,
vegetables, etc. Also called: medallions. [C20: French: medallions]
medal ('med"l) n 1 a small flat piece of metal bearing an inscription or image,
given as an award or commemoration of some outstanding action, event, etc .
• vb oafs, -afflng, -ailed or U.s. oafs, -afing, -afed. 2 (tr) to honour with a
medal. [CI6: from French midaille, probably from Italian medaglia, ultimately from Latin metallum METAL] .. medallic (ml'da'hk) ad;
medallion (ml'da!ljan) n 1 a large medal. 2 an oval or drcular decorative device
resembling a medal, usually bearing a portrait or rellef moulding, used in architecture and texWe design. [CI7: from French, from Italian medaglione, from

medaglia MEDAL]

medallist or u.s. medalist ('med"hst) II 1 a designer, maker, or collector of
medals. 2 Clliefly sport. a winner or recipient of a medal or medals.
Medal of Bravery n a Canadian award for courage. Abbrev.: MB.
Medal of Honor n the highest U.S. military decoration, awarded by Congress
for conspicuous bravery in action: instituted in 1861 (Navy), 1862 (Army).
medal play n Golf. another name for stroke play.
Medan (,meda:n) n a dty in Indonesia, in NE Sumatra: seat of the University of
North Sumatra (1952) and the Indonesian Islam University (1952). Pop.:
1 685 972 (1990).
Medawar ('medawa) n Sir Peter Brian. 1915 - 87, Engllsh zoologist, who
shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine (1960) with Sir Madarlane
Burnet for work on immunology.
meddle ('med"l) vb (intr) 1 (usually fall. by with) to interfere officiously or annoyingly. 2 (usually foil. by in) to involve oneself unwarrantedly: to meddle in
someone's private affairs. [C}4: from Old French medler, ultimately from
Latin miscere to mix] .. 'meddler II .. 'meddling ad; .. 'meddllngly

ad'
meddlesome Cmed"jsam) ad; intrusive or meddling. ... 'meddlesomely (uil'
.. 'meddlesomeness n
Mede (mi:d) n a member of an Indo-European people of West iranian speech
who established an empire in SW Asia in the 7th and 6th centuries H.C. ... 'Median n, ad;
Medea (mI'dra) n Greek myth. a princess of Colchis, who assisted Jason in obtaining the Golden Fleece from her father.
Medellin (Spanish mede'Ain) n a city in W Colombia, at an altitude of l554 m
(5100 ft.): the second largest dty in the country, with three universities; impor-

Medicaid

tant coffee centre, with large textile mills; dominated by drug cartels in recent
years. Pop.: 1 621 356 (1995 est.).
medevac (,mEda,vcek) n Military. the evacuation of casualties from fOIWan!
areas to the nearest hospital or base. [C20: from med(ical) evac(uation))
medfly ('med,flaI) II, pi -fly or -flies. another name for Mediterranean fruit
fly.
media! (,mt:dra) n 1 a plural of medium. 2 the meam of communication that
reach large numbers of people, such as television, newspapers, and radio.• adl
3 of or relating to the mass media: media lIype.
I USA.GE I When media refers to the mass media, it is sometimes treated as I
singular form, as in: tile media has shown great interest in tllese evenrs. Many
people think this use is incorrect and that media should always be treated as I
plural form: the media have sllowII great interest in these events.
media< (,medIa) n, pl-diae (-dl,i:). 1 the middle layer of the wall of a blood 01
lymph vessel. 2 one of the main veins in the wing of an insect. 3 Phonetics. 31
a consonant whose articulation lies midway between that of a voiced and
breathed speech sound. 3b a consonant pronounced with weak voice, as c in
French second. (C19: from Latin medius middle]
Media ('mi:dIa) n an ancient country of SW Asia, south of the Caspian Sea: inhabited by the Medes; overthrew the Assyrian Empire in 612 B.C. in allianCf
with Babylonia; conquered by Cyrus the Great in 550 R.C.; corresponds to
present-day NW Iran.
mediacy ('ml:dIasl) n 1 the quality or state of being mediate. 2 a less common
word for mediation.
mediad ('mi:dI<l'd) ad; Anatomy, zoology. situated near the median !ine 01
plane of an organism.
mediaeval (,medl'i:v1) ad; a variant spelling of medieval.
media event n an event that is staged for or exploited by the mass media,
whose attention lends it an apparent importance.
medial (,mi:dlal) ad; 1 of or situated in the middle. 2 ordinary or average in sizt.
3 Maths. relatjng to an average. 4 another word faT medJan (semes 1, 2, 3). 5
Zoology. of or relating to a media .• n 6 Phonetics. a speech sound between
being fortis and lenis; media. [C16: from Late Latin medialis, from medius
middle] .. 'medlallyadv
median ('mi:dlan) ad; 1 of, relating to, situated in, or directed towards the middle. 2 Biology. of or relating to the plane that divides an organism or organ into
symmetrical parts. 3 Statistks. of or relating to the median .• n 4 a middk
point, plane, or part. 5 Geometry. Sa a straight Hne joining one vertex of a trio
angle to the midpoint of the opposite side. See. also centroid. 5b a straight line
joining the midpoints of the nonparallel sides of a trapezium . 6 Statistks. the
middle value in a frequency distribution, below and above which lie values
with equal total frequencies. 7 Statistics. the middle number or average of th~
two middle numbers in an ordered sequence of numbers: 7 is the median of
both 1, 7, 31 and 2,5,9,16.8 the Canadian word for central reserve. [CI6:
from Latin medianus, from medius middle] .. 'medianfy adv
median lethal dose or mean lethal dose /I 1 the amount of a drug or
other substance that, when administered to a group of experimental animals,
will kill 50 per cent of the group in a specified time. 2the amount of ionizing
radiation that will kill 50 per cent of a population in a specified time. • Abbrev.: LDso'
median strip n the U.S. term for central reserve.
mediant (,mi:dranl) n Music. a the third degree of a major or minor scale. b (as
modifier): a mediallt chord. lCIS: from Italian mediante, from Late Latin
mediare 10 be in the middle]
mediastinum (,mi:dla'stamam) n, pl -na (-na). Anatomy. 1 a membrane be·
tween two parts of an organ or cavity such as the pleural tissue between the two
lungs. 2 the part of the thoracic cavity that lies between the lungs, containing
the heart, trachea, etc. [CI6: from medica! Latin, neuter of Medieval Latin
mediastfnus median, from Latin: low grade of servant, from medius mean)
.. ,medlas'tlnal adj
mediate vb ('mi:dI,elt). 1 (intr; usually fall. by between or in) to intervene (between parties or in a dispute) in order to bring about agreement. 2 to bring
about (an agreement). 310 bring about (an agreement) between parties in a dispute. 4 to resolve (differences) by mediation. 5 (intr) to be in a middle or intermediate poSition. 6 (tr) to serve as a medium for causing (a result) or
transferring (objects, information, etc.) .• adj ('rni:dllt). 7 occurring as a result
of or dependent upon mediation. 8 a rare word for intermediate. 9 Logic. (of
an inference) having more than one premise, esp., being syllogistic in form.
[CI6: from Late Latin mediare to be in the middle) .. 'mediately adv
.. 'mediateness n .. 'mediative, 'mediatory, or ,media'torlal ad; ..
'medl,ator n .. ,media'toriallyadv
mediation (.mi:dl'eIJan) n 1 Ihe act of mediating; intercession. 2lntemational
law. an attempt to reconcile disputed matters arising between states, esp. by
the friendly intervention of a neutral power. 3 a method of resolving an industrial dispute whereby a third party consults with those involved and recommends a solution which is not, however, binding on the parties.
mediatize or mediatise (,mi:dla,talz) vb (tr ) to annex (a state) to another
state, allowing the former ruler to retain his title and some authority. (CI9:
from French midiatiser; see MEJ)IAn. -Ill] .. ,mediatl'zatlon or ,mediaU'5ationn
medicl (,medik) n Informal. a doctor, medical orderly, or medical student.
[C17: from MEDICAL]
medic 2 (,medlk) n the usual U.S. spelling of medick.
medicable ('medlkab"l) adj potentially able to be treated or cured medically.
.. 'medicably adv
Medicaid ('medJ,keld) n u.s. a health assistance programme financed by federal, state, and local taxes to help pay hospital and medical costs for persons of
low income. [C20: MflJIC(AL) + AID}