
macabre | macabre: adj. grim, ghastly, grisly, gory, gruesome, grotesque, ghoulish, fiendish, dread, eerie, fearsome, frightful, frightening, terrifying, terrible, dreadful, dire, morbid; deathly, deadly, deathlike, ghostly, cadaverous: He told a macabre story of how they survived by resorting to cannibalism. The crypt had a macabre eeriness about it.
machiavellian | machiavellian: adj. deceitful, cunning, shrewd, crafty, wily, foxy, scheming, tricky, perfidious, nefarious, treacherous, sneaky: Mr Williams has concocted a truly machiavellian plan for getting the pensioners to move out.
machination | machination: n. plotting, scheming, intriguing, manoeuvring, designing, manipulating; plot, scheme, intrigue, manoeuvre, design, stratagem, ruse, trick, trickery, artifice, dirty trick(s), wile, manipulation, ploy, tactic(s), move, gambit: He escaped from the machinations of his enemies. Must you resort to such machinations merely to get them to listen?
machine | machine: n. 1 mechanism, device, apparatus, contrivance, appliance, instrument, implement, tool, utensil, gadget, Colloq contraption, US gismo or gizmo: What kind of machine is used to make a corkscrew? 2 engine, motor, prime mover, vehicle; car, automobile, motor car, US auto: We used to get into the machine and go for Sunday picnics. 3 organization, system, ring, gang, cabal, clique, party, faction: The entire council is run by a political machine. --v. 4 shape, make, manufacture: In this department we machine the castings to a tolerance of one ten-thousandth of an inch.
machismo | machismo: n. masculine pride or arrogance, manliness, virility, masculinity, grit, Colloq guts, Slang balls: He is just trying to impress you with his machismo.
macho | macho: adj. manly, masculine, virile, proud, arrogant: He''s afraid his macho image will be destroyed if he admits to enjoying ballet.
mad | mad: adj. 1 insane, deranged, crazy, crazed, demented, lunatic, unhinged, delirious, out of one''s mind or head, psychotic, maniacal, (mentally) unbalanced, mentally ill, of unsound mind, non compos mentis, Chiefly Brit daft, Colloq out of one''s head, touched (in the head), screwy, cuckoo, mental, certifiable, having a screw loose, dotty, cracked, mad as a March hare, mad as a hatter, not all there, off-the-wall, stark raving mad, Chiefly Brit potty, US nutty as a fruit cake; Slang nuts, loony, goofy, loopy, crackers, batty, off one''s rocker or trolley, bananas, Brit round the bend or twist, twisted, off one''s chump, barmy or balmy, bonkers, US out to lunch, bughouse, bugs, crazy as a bedbug or a coot, loco, wacky, out of one''s tree, meshuga: You''re mad if you think I''m going in there with that lion. 2 foolish, silly, childish, immature, puerile, wild, nonsensical, foolhardy, madcap, heedless, senseless, absurd, imprudent, unwise, indiscreet, rash, ill-advised, ill-considered, reckless, extravagant, irrational, fatuous: I did many mad things when I was a student. Hitching to Inverness is a mad idea. 3 wild, ferocious; rabid: Have they caught that mad dog yet? 4 furious, angry, infuriated, incensed, enraged, irate, fuming, berserk, irritated, provoked, wrathful, exasperated, Literary wroth: Will you get mad if I ask you a question? Please don''t be mad with me - I wrecked your car. 5 like mad. madly, feverishly, in a frenzy, frenziedly, desperately, excitedly, violently, wildly, hysterically, furiously; enthusiastically, fervently, ardently; Colloq like crazy: He''s been running about like mad trying to find her. 6 mad (about or for). crazy, infatuated, ardent, enthusiastic, eager, avid, zealous, passionate, fervent, fervid, keen, fanatical, wild, Colloq hooked, Brit dotty, Slang nuts: She''s absolutely mad about cricket.
madden | madden: v. 1 infuriate, anger, enrage, incense, provoke, inflame, excite (someone) to (a) frenzy or rage, make (someone''s) blood boil, raise (someone''s) hackles, make (someone) see red, get (someone''s) back up, drive someone crazy, Literary raise (someone''s) ire, Colloq drive (someone) up the wall, Brit drive (someone) round the bend or twist, US tick (someone) off, burn (someone) up, tee (someone) off, bug, drive (someone) up the wall: Their getting away with something like that maddened us all. 2 irk, vex, pique, exasperate, irritate: He has the maddening habit of affecting a lisp. 3 bait, badger, torment, plague, bedevil, US rile, hassle: The dog was maddened into attacking anything that moved.
madly | madly: adv. 1 insanely, hysterically, dementedly, wildly, distractedly, frenziedly: The patient keeps screaming madly, day and night. 2 foolishly, stupidly, inanely, ridiculously, ludicrously, idiotically, absurdly, irrationally, senselessly: The king madly spurned the proffered aid and was soundly defeated. 3 furiously, wildly, ferociously, fiercely, energetically, desperately, like mad, vehemently, feverishly, excitedly, fanatically, violently, impetuously: He dashed about madly trying to get help. 4 excessively, extremely, desperately, intensely, passionately, wildly, ardently, fervently, fervidly, exceedingly: She was madly in love with George.
madman | madman: n. madwoman; lunatic, psychopath, psychotic, maniac, Colloq crackpot, psycho, loony, screwball, US kook, Slang nut, nutcase, Brit nutter: I am working like a madman to finish the book by the deadline.
madness | madness: n. 1 insanity, lunacy, mania, dementia, psychosis, mental illness: That form of madness is called schizophrenia. 2 craziness, lunacy, folly, foolishness, nonsense, senselessness, ridiculousness, pointlessness, illogicality, illogic, illogicalness, impracticality, preposterousness, futility: He soon realized the madness of trying to stem the tide of public opinion.
magazine | magazine: n. 1 periodical, journal, publication: We publish a quarterly magazine about language. 2 arsenal, ammunition or munitions dump, armoury: Saboteurs infiltrated the camp and blew up the magazine.
magic | magic: n. 1 witchcraft, sorcery, wizardry, black magic, necromancy, black art, voodoo, obeahism, devilry or deviltry, diabolism, demonolatry, occultism; sortilege, theurgy, white magic; spell: As the magic began to work, he slowly changed into a horrible ghoul. 2 legerdemain, conjuring, prestidigitation, sleight of hand, illusion, hocus-pocus, trickery: He performs tricks of magic, including sawing a woman in half. 3 enchantment, allure, allurement, charm, bewitchment, spell, witchery, witchcraft, wizardry, glamour, fascination, magnetism, ensorcellment: She worked her magic on every man she met. --adj. 4 magical, miraculous: The magic ointment made her young again. 5 necromantic, occult, mystic, shamanistic, theurgical: Using a magic spell, she turned him into a toad. 6 magical, enchanting, entrancing, bewitching, fascinating, hypnotic, mesmerizing, entrancing, spellbinding, charming, magnetic, ensorcelling: The music had a magic effect on them.
magician | magician: n. 1 conjuror or conjurer, illusionist, wizard, sorcerer, sorceress, magus, necromancer, enchanter, enchantress, Merlin, Houdini, Circe, witch, warlock; thaumaturge, theurgist: The court magician changed the pebbles into precious stones by a wave of his wand. 2 marvel, miracle-worker, virtuoso, wizard, genius, master, Colloq whiz: Mary Lou Williams is a magician on the boogie-woogie piano.
magnetic | magnetic: adj. attractive, attracting, engaging, captivating, enthralling, seductive, alluring, entrancing, bewitching, beguiling, arresting, spellbinding, irresistible, charismatic, winning, winsome, inviting: Because of Amy''s magnetic personality, men flock about her.
magnetism | magnetism: n. attraction, draw, appeal, allure, magic, lure, attractiveness, charm, pull, seductiveness, irresistibility, drawing power, charisma, duende, likeableness, sex appeal: JFK''s personal magnetism won him millions of votes.
magnification | magnification: n. enlargement, amplification; build-up, strengthening, enhancement, aggrandizement, raising, elevation, increase, expansion, heightening, glorification, ennoblement: The microdot can be read only at a magnification of 260X. The advertising agency worked on the magnification of the candidate''s record of achievement.
magnificent | magnificent: adj. great, excellent, splendid, superior, superb, marvellous, glorious, grand, fine, impressive, imposing, awe-inspiring, impressive, brilliant, commanding, august, noble, majestic, regal, distinguished, elegant, exalted, sublime, outstanding; sumptuous, resplendent, opulent, rich, luxurious, lavish: She lives in a magnificent country house.
magnify | magnify: v. 1 enlarge, expand, amplify, inflate, increase, augment, exaggerate, heighten, build up, boost, dramatize, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate; overstate, Colloq blow up, make a mountain out of a molehill: Tiny errors in the beginning are magnified later on. I fear that he has magnified its importance out of all proportion. 2 enlarge, blow up: They had to magnify the photograph to read the registration number of the stolen car.
magnitude | magnitude: n. 1 greatness, size, extent, bigness, immensity, enormousness, dimensions: You cannot imagine the magnitude of the unemployment problem in our area. 2 importance, significance, consequence, note: This is a matter of sufficient magnitude to warrant a board meeting.
maid | maid: n. 1 girl, maiden, lass, miss, nymphet, nymph, wench, damsel, mademoiselle, demoiselle, Scots lassie; virgin, virgo intacta: A lovely young maid was milking the cow. 2 housemaid, maidservant, domestic, chambermaid, lady''s maid, Archaic or literary abigail, Brit daily, Archaic colloq Brit tweeny: When she rang, the maid brought in the tea. 3 old maid. spinster, bachelor girl: She never married and now is an old maid.
maiden n. 1 see maid, 1, above. | maiden n. 1 See maid, 1, above.: --adj. 2 virgin, virginal, undefiled, intact, chaste, (virgo) intacta; unmarried, unwed: His maiden aunt was visiting for the weekend. 3 inaugural, first, initial, Colloq US shakedown: The Titanic sank on her maiden voyage.
mail | mail: n. 1 post, correspondence; letters: Has the mail arrived? --v. 2 post, send, dispatch or despatch: Please mail this letter tonight.
maim | maim: v. cripple, mutilate, lame, disable, incapacitate, wound, wing, impair, hamstring, put out of action or commission; injure, harm, damage: Their daughter was badly maimed in the fire.
main | main: adj. 1 chief, primary, prime, (most) important, principal, cardinal, paramount, first, foremost, leading, pre-eminent, predominant, predominating, dominant, ranking, major; outstanding: The main cause of traffic deaths is drunken driving. In Britain, the main street of a town is called ''the High Street''. We arrived late and missed the main entertainment. 2 largest, biggest, greatest, strongest: The main part of the strike force landed in Normandy. 3 necessary, essential, basic, particular, fundamental, critical, crucial, vital: Economic recovery is the main thrust of our programme for reform. 4 sheer, brute, utter, pure, out-and-out, absolute, mere, plain: He lifted that block by main force! --n. 5 pipe, duct, channel, line, pipeline, water or gas main, Brit (electric) cable, mains, power (supply), conduit: Water reaches the city through a huge underground main. 6 strength, power, might, effort, energy, vigour: With all his might and main he tried to move the stone blocking the cave. 7 in the main. See mainly, below.
mainly | mainly: adv. in the main, chiefly, principally, predominantly, generally, above all, on the whole, in general, mostly, most of all, effectively, essentially, at bottom, first and foremost, for the most part, largely, by and large, primarily,as a rule, usually, all in all, on balance, for all practical purposes, in the long run: We are concerned mainly with safety. The tourists are mainly from Italy.
mainstay | mainstay: n. main or chief or principal support, anchor (to windward), sheet anchor, bulwark, buttress, linchpin, main or greatest strength: David remains the mainstay of the sales force.
maintain | maintain: v. 1 continue, preserve, persevere in, keep going, persist in, keep (up), carry on, retain, perpetuate, prolong, sustain, uphold: Sarah maintained friendly relations with her ex-husband. Try to maintain your composure. 2 look after, take care of, care for, preserve, (keep in) service, keep up, keep in repair; nurture, support: It is expensive to maintain a vintage car. Allison maintains an ancient aunt in Piddlington. 3 hold, state, say, declare, claim, assert, allege, testify, contend, aver, avow, announce, proclaim, vouchsafe, profess, insist (on), affirm: Despite evidence to the contrary, he maintains that he is innocent. 4 defend, stand by, keep, fight for; take up the cudgels for, make a case for, advocate, champion, take or make a stand for, plead for, back (up), support, vindicate, justify, Colloq go to bat for: He maintained his ground in the face of virulent attacks.
maintenance | maintenance: n. 1 upkeep, care, preservation, conservation, support, sustention, sustentation: I can no longer afford the maintenance of a large country estate. 2 continuation, continuance, perpetuation, prolongation, persistence, maintaining: His maintenance of an untenable position will lose him votes. 3 upkeep, livelihood, subsistence, support, allowance, living, sustenance, stipend, subvention, contribution, alimony, keep: How much maintenance does he pay to his ex-wife and children?
majestic | majestic: adj. 1 regal, dignified, grand, imperial, royal, noble, lordly, lofty, elevated, exalted, glorious, magnificent, monumental, impressive, striking, imposing, awesome, splendid, marvellous, kingly, queenly, princely: With majestic ceremony, the procession entered the cathedral. 2 pompous, supercilious, disdainful, superior, arrogant, haughty, magisterial, imperious, grandiose, affected: She dismissed him with a majestic wave of her hand.
major | major: adj. 1 larger, greater, bigger, main, chief, important: Henderson grabbed the major portion of the credit. 2 vital, important, critical, crucial, principal, foremost, paramount, primary, prime, main, big, biggest, pre-eminent, notable, noteworthy, significant, outstanding, dominant, dominating; serious, grave, worst: The major problem in commercial kitchens is sanitation.
majority | majority: n. 1 bulk, preponderance, mass, more than half, the better or best part, the greater part or number, lion''s share: The majority of shares were bought by existing shareholders. 2 adulthood, maturity, seniority, womanhood, manhood: They reach their majority in 1997.
make | make: v. 1 build, assemble, construct, erect, put together, set up, fashion, form, mould, shape, frame, create, originate, fabricate, manufacture, produce, put out, forge, contrive, devise: She makes her own dresses. They make TV sets here. The Colossus of Rhodes was said to be made of bronze. 2 cause, compel, force, impel, coerce, provoke, urge, exhort, press, pressure, require, command, order, induce, persuade, prevail upon, insist upon, oblige, Brit pressurize: The devil made me do it. 3 bring about, occasion, cause, give rise to: The new regulation is going to make trouble for you. 4 make out or up, draw (up), create, write, sign, frame: I made a new will leaving everything to my children. 5 produce, cause, create, generate: The engine made a funny noise, then died. 6 enact, pass, frame, establish, institute: He thinks that laws were made to be broken. 7 earn, return, reap, garner, take in, get, procure, gather, clear, realize, gross, net, pocket, get, acquire, obtain, receive; win, gain, Slang US pull down: Has her invention made money? He makes a good living out of his shop. He made �25 playing poker. 8 amount to, constitute, represent, add up to, total, come to: He knows how many beans make five. Three and two do not make four. One singer does not make an opera. 9 change, turn, alter, modify, transform, convert; transmute, mutate, metamorphose: He made her into a star. The alchemists tried to make base metal into gold. 10 become, be, change or turn or grow into, perform as: I think Quentin will make a brilliant surgeon one day. 11 serve as or for, be suitable for, be, prove to be, turn out to be, turn into, become: This cut of meat will not make a good roast. 12 fetch, realize, earn, return: The locket made �1000 at the auction. 13 score, earn, secure: The West Indies made 654 in their first innings. 14 reach, arrive at, attain, get (to), win, achieve, accomplish; come in, Brit be placed, US place: Fran might make first place in the marathon. 15 prepare, arrange, rearrange, tidy (up), neaten (up): You have made your bed, now you will have to lie on it. 16 record, arrange, fix, decide (on or upon), agree (to): I made an appointment to see the doctor. 17 prepare, fix, cook: I made what you like for dinner. 18 deliver, present: Janet made a good speech. 19 traverse, cover, do, travel, navigate: We cannot make more than 100 miles a day over this terrain. 20 do, go, travel or move at, move: His old banger could hardly make 40 m.p.h. 21 judge, think, calculate, estimate, reckon, gauge, suppose: What do you make of Sidney''s new book? 22 establish, set up, organize: We made our headquarters in the farmhouse. 23 appoint, name, select, choose, elect, vote (in as), designate, authorize, commission, delegate, depute, deputize, assign, sanction, approve, affirm, certify, confirm: They made him their leader. 24 seduce, make it with: Kenneth tried to make Sharon last night. 25 make as if or as though. pretend, feign, act as if or as though, affect, make a show or pretence of, give the impression of: He made as if to strike me. 26 make away. run off or away, flee, fly, make off, abscond, take to one''s heels, decamp, beat a (hasty) retreat, Colloq run for it, make a run for it, beat it, clear out, cut and run, skedaddle, take off, cut out, skip (town), make tracks, US fly the coop, Slang scram, vamoose, US hightail it, take a (run-out) powder: Taking the jewels, he made away as fast as he could run. 27 make away with. steal, rob, filch, pilfer, purloin, walk away or off with, Colloq borrow, liberate, boost, Slang pinch, hook, swipe, rip off, lift, US boost: That boy has made away with my cherry tarts! 28 make believe. pretend, fancy, play-act, dream, fantasize, imagine, act as if: We used to make believe we were grown-ups. 29 make do. get by or along, cope, scrape by or along, manage, muddle through, survive, Colloq make out: We have to make do on the pittance Randolph gets from the university. 30 make for. a head for or towards, aim for, steer (a course) for, proceed towards, be bound for: After this is done, I am making for the nearest pub. b assault, attack, set upon, charge, rush (at), pounce upon, fall upon or on, go for, lunge at, storm, assail: The big fellow was making for me with a knife when the lights went out. c promote, contribute to, be conducive to, favour, facilitate: Good fences make for good neighbours. 31 make good. a make up (for), pay (for), compensate for, recompense (for), repay, offset, make restitution for, settle, square, rectify, put to rights, set right, remedy, correct, restore: He agreed to make good any losses. b succeed, prosper, flourish, thrive, Colloq make it: In later life he made good as a property developer. c fulfil, carry out, Colloq deliver (the goods): She made good on her promise to return my book. 32 make it. a succeed, prosper, triumph, win, make good, Colloq make the grade: Do you think she will make it as a doctor? b arrive, get (somewhere), show up, appear, turn up: They are hoping to catch the 5:03 to Ipswich but I doubt if they will make it. 33 make known. tell of, impart, disclose, reveal, divulge, mention, communicate, announce, declare, promulgate, publish, let slip, Colloq tip off: She made known her demands. 34 make much of. a exaggerate, overstate, colour, hyperbolize, Colloq make a big deal of, blow up: He made much of his new title. b coddle, cosset, baby, pamper, dote on, flatter, toady (up) to, cajole, humour, indulge, Colloq butter up: Henry makes much of his grandchildren. 35 make off. See make, 26, above. 36 make off with. See make, 27, above. 37 make out. a see, discern, descry, espy, detect, discover, distinguish, perceive: I made out a dim figure in the gloom. b complete, fill in, Brit fill up, US and Canadian fill out: I made out an application for the job. c draw (up), write (out or down), record, Colloq US cut: Please make out a list of your complaints. Make out the cheque to me, personally. d understand, fathom, comprehend, figure out, perceive, follow, grasp, see, decipher, read: She mumbles so, I cannot make out what she''s saying. Can you make out this name? e suggest, imply, hint, insinuate, indicate, impute, intimate, make to appear, pretend, make as if or as though, represent; present, show, demonstrate, establish: She tried to make out that I was a fool. He made out a strong case for dog licensing. f get on, survive, manage, fare, thrive, succeed: How are you making out in your new house? 38 make over. a do over, remodel, redecorate, alter: We are making over our kitchen. b transfer, hand over, sign over, convey, assign, turn over: The property has been made over to me. 39 make up. a complete, fill out, finish (out), flesh out: We need another player to make up the team. b compose, form, constitute, be comprised of: The gang is made up of ex-convicts. c hatch, invent, concoct, devise, create, construct, dream up, originate, coin, compose, Colloq cook up: He made up that story about the murder. d be reconciled, make peace, settle amicably, come to terms, bury the hatchet: The litigants have kissed and made up. e construct, build: The shack is made up of scrap boards. 40 make up for. compensate, redress, make good, atone, make amends: How can I make up for all the bad things I said about you? 41 make way. move aside, clear the way, allow to pass, make room or space: Make way for the Lord High Executioner! --n. 42 kind, brand, style, sort, type, mark: Foreign makes of car currently dominate the market-place. 43 on the make. aggressive, assertive, go-ahead, enterprising, vigorous, energetic, Colloq pushy: The book is about a young man on the make in today''s financial world.
makeshift | makeshift: adj. 1 temporary, stopgap, expedient, emergency, temporary, jury-rigged, improvised, tentative, stand-by, slapdash: We were able to fashion a makeshift rudder out of an oar. --n. 2 stopgap, expedient, improvisation, substitute: The heater broke down and we had to get along with a makeshift.
make-up | make-up: n. 1 cosmetics, maquillage, greasepaint, Colloq warpaint: Do you think I am wearing too much make-up? 2 constitution, character, cast, disposition, personality: There is not an ounce of sympathy in Janet''s make-up. 3 constitution, arrangement, construction, composition, format, configuration, build, form: What is the chemical make-up of the plastic?
male | male: adj. masculine, man''s; virile, manly, manful; Archaic spear: His is bound to be a male point of view.
malignant | malignant: adj. 1 virulent, pernicious, deadly, fatal, toxic, poisonous, harmful, life-threatening: The tumour proved to be malignant. 2 malign, malevolent, evil, malicious, pernicious, vicious, invidious, spiteful, bitter, hateful, venomous: The expos� was full of malignant insinuations.
man | man: n. 1 gentleman, male, fellow, Colloq guy, chap, Brit bloke, squire, Slang gink, geezer, US gazabo: Have you met the man she is going to marry? 2 people, human beings, mankind, mortals, Homo sapiens, humanity, humankind, the human race: Man wants but little here below. 3 valet, manservant, gentleman''s gentleman, servant, retainer, houseboy, houseman: Humberson sent his man round with a note. --v. 4 staff, people, crew; cover: Who will man the office while I am away?
manacle | manacle: n. 1 manacles. shackles, fetters, handcuffs, gyves, chains, irons, Colloq cuffs, Slang bracelets, Brit darbies: The manacles are cutting into his wrists. --v. 2 shackle, fetter, handcuff, restrain, put or throw or clap in irons, chain, Colloq US cuff: The manacled prisoner was led away. 3 confine, inhibit, restrain, curb, check, control, hamper: They felt manacled by the nine o''clock curfew.
manage | manage: v. 1 handle, administer, run, supervise, look after, watch over, direct, head, oversee, superintend, direct, preside over, be in charge (of), take care of, control; rule (over), govern, regulate: Mr Grant manages the glove department. 2 handle, cope or deal with, control, govern, manipulate: Will you be able to manage such a frisky horse? 3 conduct, carry on, carry out, bring off, control, undertake, take care of, look after, handle: Is she old enough to manage her own affairs? 4 succeed, function, make do, make it, shift (for oneself), get along or by or on, make out, muddle through, survive: Will you be able to manage from here on?
manageable | manageable: adj. controllable; tractable, compliant, amenable, docile, tameable, tame, trainable, teachable, manipulable, submissive: Keep your spending within manageable limits. The dog is quite manageable.
management | management: n. 1 managing, control, supervision, manipulation, handling, direction, directing, directorship, administration, government, conduct, governance, operation, running, superintendence, command, guidance, stewardship: The management of the company is in your hands. 2 administration, executive(s), bosses, directors, board (of directors), directorate, Colloq (top) brass: The management believes that you are the right person for the job.
manager | manager: n. supervisor, superintendent, director, executive, head, proprietor, overseer, foreman, forewoman, administrator, Chiefly Brit manageress , US straw boss, Colloq boss, chief: The position of manager entails a lot of responsibility.
mandatory | mandatory: adj. compulsory, obligatory, requisite, required; essential, commanded, demanded, necessary, needed: The wearing of safety belts in cars is mandatory.
mangle | mangle: v. destroy, mutilate, butcher, deform, disfigure, spoil, mar, ruin, wreck; cut, hack, lacerate, chop (up), crush, damage, cripple, maim: Don''t you hate the way they mangle the English language? His hand was badly mangled in the accident.
mangy | mangy: adj. scruffy, dirty, sleazy, wretched, miserable, repulsive, sorry, squalid, slovenly, unkempt, filthy, dingy, seedy, poor, shabby, mean, low, ignominious, base, abject, odious, disreputable, moth-eaten, contemptible, despicable, nasty, scurvy: The mangy beggar turned out to be our agent in Calcutta.
manhandle | manhandle: v. maul, paw, rough up, batter, beat (up), pummel, abuse, mistreat, maltreat, ill-treat, trounce, belabour, Slang knock about or around, clobber: His captors manhandled him into a car and drove off.
man-hater | man-hater: n. misanthrope, misanthropist: He says he prefers to live alone because he''s a man-hater.
manhood | manhood: n. 1 masculinity, manliness, manfulness, virility, Colloq machismo: He felt that looking after the children at home somehow compromised his manhood. 2 bravery, pluck, boldness, determination, resolution, fortitude, grit, spirit, force, US intestinal fortitude, Colloq guts: He joined the army to test his manhood.
mania | mania: n. 1 rage, craze, passion, obsession, compulsion, urge, fascination, preoccupation, furore or US furor, yearning, craving, desire, cacoethes, Colloq fad, yen: By that time, the hula hoop mania had died down. She has a mania for collecting apostle spoons. 2 madness, lunacy, insanity, dementia, derangement, hysteria, Technical manic disorder: The psychiatrists diagnosed his problem as a mania.
maniac | maniac: n. 1 madman, madwoman, lunatic, psychopath, psychotic, Colloq crackpot, Slang nut, Brit nutter, loony, US kook: In former times, maniacs were scorned and maltreated. 2 fanatic, fan, enthusiast, zealot, Slang freak, fiend: Since his retirement, he has become a golf maniac.
maniacal | maniacal: adj. 1 manic, maniac, insane, lunatic, mad, demented, deranged, hysterical, mentally ill, of unsound mind, non compos mentis, psychotic: He had to be hospitalized because of his maniacal behaviour. 2 hysterical, berserk, wild, crazy, Slang loony: His maniacal outbursts frightened us.
manifest | manifest: adj. 1 apparent, clear, evident, obvious, plain, patent, blatant, conspicuous, unmistakable or unmistakeable, discernible, recognizable, comprehensible, distinct, palpable, definite, explicit, unambiguous, unquestionable, indubitable, indisputable: He lost his job because of his manifest dishonesty. --v. 2 show, demonstrate, exhibit, evince, reveal, disclose, display, betray; express, declare: Fitzsimmons had been manifesting signs of dissatisfaction with his assignment. 3 prove, corroborate, substantiate, attest: His distaste for cauliflower was manifested by the look on his face.
manifestation | manifestation: n. display, exhibition, demonstration, show, disclosure, appearance, exposure, presentation, sign, indication, mark, expression, example, instance; declaration, avowal, publication, announcement: The police feared that the crime wave was a manifestation of civil unrest. The first manifestation of thought is speech.
manifestly | manifestly: adv. evidently, clearly, obviously, plainly, apparently, patently, unmistakably or unmistakeably, palpably, unquestionably, indubitably, undoubtedly, indisputably: The treaty is manifestly to England''s advantage.
manifold | manifold: adj. diverse, diversified, multifarious, varied, various, assorted, multiplex, miscellaneous, sundry, many-sided, many different, Literary divers; many, numerous, multitudinous: I have manifold reasons for wishing you to stay.
manipulate | manipulate: v. 1 manage, handle, control, manoeuvre, orchestrate, choreograph, influence, use, exploit, play on, utilize: He knows how to manipulate people to make them do what he wants. 2 handle, control, operate, direct, work, use, employ, negotiate: The controls can be manipulated to make the robot imitate human motion. 3 rig, falsify, juggle, tamper with, doctor, Colloq cook, Chiefly Brit fiddle: He''s been manipulating his expense account for years.
manly | manly: adj. manful, virile, courageous, bold, brave, intrepid, valorous, valiant, dauntless, fearless, plucky, daring, venturesome, stout-hearted, resolute, stable, steadfast, unflinching, unwavering, unshrinking, chivalrous, gallant, noble, heroic; masculine, male, Colloq macho, red-blooded: Emerson characterized the English as manly rather than warlike.
manner | manner: n. 1 way, mode, style, technique, procedure, method, fashion; means, approach: Her incisive manner of reporting is widely admired. 2 air, behaviour, mien, demeanour, bearing, deportment, comportment, conduct, attitude, aspect: His manner is overbearing and dictatorial. 3 manners. etiquette, decorum, (good) form, politeness, proprieties, protocol, politesse, civility, ceremony, social code, social graces, formalities, niceties, amenities, social conventions; behaviour, conduct: Can''t you teach him some manners?
mannered | mannered: adj. artificial, contrived, stilted, stiff, affected, insincere, pompous, pretentious, posed, unnatural, hypocritical, Colloq phoney or US also phony, pseudo, highfalutin or hifalutin, la-di-da or lah-di-dah or la-de-da, hoity-toity, on one''s high horse, high-hat, uppity or Brit uppish: Alice''s speech is too mannered for anyone to feel close to her.
mannerism | mannerism: n. quirk, peculiarity, idiosyncrasy, trait, characteristic, habit: She has the irritating mannerism of pulling on her ear lobe.
manoeuvre | manoeuvre: n. 1 move, stratagem, tactic, trick, gambit, ploy, subterfuge, ruse, dodge, artifice, device, wile, d�marche; strategy, plan, plot, scheme, intrigue, machination: That manoeuvre will never work on a clever woman. 2 exercise, operation, drill, war-game, operation, kriegspiel, training: We were out on manoeuvres for a week. --v. 3 manipulate, contrive, plot, scheme, machinate, intrigue, trick, devise, engineer, finesse, manage, Colloq finagle, wangle: His manoeuvred his way out of going on that mission. 4 manipulate, operate, run, drive, guide, navigate, jockey: She manoeuvred the car into a surprisingly tiny space.
mantle | mantle: n. 1 cloak, cape, wrap, shawl, pelisse, pelerine: Over his armour he wore a mantle embroidered with his bearing. 2 covering, cover, sheet, veil, blanket, screen, cloak, shroud, pall, canopy, curtain: A mantle of snow lay on the ground. --v. 3 cover, clothe, envelop, surround, encircle, shroud, veil, screen, obscure, cloak, conceal, hide, mask, wrap, disguise: The mountains were brilliantly mantled and capped with snow.
manual | manual: n. handbook, vade-mecum, enchiridion; directions, instructions, guide: Follow the manual carefully to avoid mistakes.
manufacture | manufacture: v. 1 make, (mass-)produce, construct, build, assemble, fabricate, put together, turn out, create, originate: The company manufactures windscreen wipers. 2 concoct, create, contrive, invent, make up, fabricate, think up, US and Canadian create out of or from whole cloth, Colloq cook up: She manufactured that tale about being an orphan. --n. 3 making, (mass) production, construction, building, assembly, fabrication, turning or putting out, putting together, creation, origination: The manufacture of durable goods increased .02% in the last quarter.
manufacturer | manufacturer: n. maker, producer, industrialist, fabricator: Manufacturers of computers usually buy components from specialized firms.
many | many: adj. 1 numerous, multitudinous, myriad, profuse, innumerable, numberless, uncountable: Many people have an irrational fear of spiders. 2 diverse, multifarious, varied, various, assorted, sundry, Literary divers: There are many kinds of courage. --pron., (n.) 3 horde(s), crowd(s), lot(s), swarm(s), throng(s), mass(es), profusion, multitude(s), abundance, plenty, shoal(s), flock(s), drove(s), torrent(s), flood(s), number(s), score(s), hundred(s), (thousand(s), etc.); Colloq ton(s), scads: A great many will turn out to vote next week. Many are picked but few are chosen.
mar | mar: v. 1 damage, ruin, mutilate, deface, spoil, scar, disfigure: The surface of the table was marred by a deep scratch. 2 damage, wreck, ruin, impair, harm, hurt, blight, blot, taint, stain, tarnish: She claims that her reputation was marred by the article.
march | march: v. 1 parade, step, stride, strut, tread, pace, walk: They marched from Baxter Street to the Town Hall. --n. 2 parade, procession, demonstration, cortege or cort�ge, walk: The march was organized to protest against the government''s nuclear arms policy. 3 walk, trek, slog, hike: We had a long march ahead of us to get to Hastings.
margin | margin: n. 1 edge, border, perimeter, periphery; rim, lip, side, brink, verge: Leave a one-inch margin at the left side of the page. Trees grew at the margin of the pond. 2 limit(s), bound(s), boundary (line), border, frontier, line, partition line: These streets form the margin of the inner city. 3 allowance, play, leeway, latitude, scope, freedom, room, space; compass: These calculations do not provide much of a margin for error.
marginal | marginal: adj. 1 borderline, minimal, small, slight, negligible, insignificant, tiny, infinitesimal: There are marginal differences in policy on this issue. 2 borderline, on the edge, disputable, questionable, doubtful, dubious: His qualifications for the job are marginal.
marine | marine: adj. 1 maritime, nautical, naval, seafaring, seagoing, ocean-going, sea: Marine commerce has declined during recent decades. 2 maritime, sea, oceanic, aquatic, salt-water, pelagic, thalassic: Many groups are concerned about the conservation of marine life.
mark | mark: n. 1 spot, stain, blemish, smear, smudge, trace, impression, dent, nick, scratch, pock-mark or pock, streak, line, Brit splodge, US splotch: One of the children had made a mark on the newly painted wall. 2 sign, symbol, insigne, emblem, device, hallmark, earmark, fingerprint, badge, characteristic, token, brand, stamp, label, identification, indication, feature, attribute, trait, quality, property: This work bears the mark of true genius. 3 standard, criterion, norm, yardstick, level, measure: I''m afraid your son''s work has not come up to the mark. 4 rating, grade, grading: I''d give her a low mark for originality but high marks for technique. 5 influence, impression, effect: Her innovations have left their mark on all music composed since 1900. 6 target, goal, objective, aim, purpose, end, object: Her criticisms fell wide of the mark. 7 marker, indicator, guide, signpost, landmark: The next mark, a bell-buoy, should be left to port. 8 consequence, importance, note, noteworthiness, notability, distinction, eminence, dignity, prestige, standing, account: Granada was a place of little mark as compared with Cordova. 9 make one''s mark. succeed, get ahead, triumph, distinguish oneself, attain distinction, bring honour upon oneself, acquit oneself, bring credit to oneself, have an effect, Colloq make it big, make the grade: Randolph has made his mark in the world of scholarship. --v. 10 Sometimes, mark up. spot, stain, blemish, smear, smudge, streak, dent, trace, pock-mark, nick, scratch, cut, chip, pit, bruise: That glass has marked the finish on the table. 11 signify, specify, indicate, designate, identify, tick, label: Mark your choice with an ''X'' next to the candidate''s name. 12 pay attention to, attend (to), pay heed to, note, notice, take notice of, watch, see, look at, observe; respect, mind, heed, obey: Mark the way she swings the golf club. Mark my words or you''ll be sorry. 13 brand, stamp, identify, characterize, distinguish: His music is marked by long atonal passages. 14 correct; grade, evaluate, assess, appraise: The teachers are busy marking exam papers. 15 mark down. a write (down), record, register, make (a) note of, note (down): Mark down these numbers in your book. b decrease, reduce, devalue, devaluate, cut, slash, discount: We marked down the prices for a quick sale. 16 mark up. a See 10, above. b increase, raise, hike, up: Prices were marked up to keep pace with inflation.
marked | marked: adj. noticeable, conspicuous, decided, pronounced, considerable, remarkable, significant, signal, unmistakable or unmistakeable, prominent, obvious, patent, evident, apparent: There is a marked improvement in your work.
market | market: n. 1 market-place, exchange, Stock Exchange: There are some excellent buys on the market. 2 shop, store, bazaar, supermarket, Chiefly US superstore: If you are going to the market, please buy some milk. 3 demand, customer base, call: The market for computers is still growing rapidly. --v. 4 sell, merchandise, retail, vend, peddle, hawk, make available, furnish; trade (in), buy and sell, deal in: We market these computers worldwide.
maroon | maroon: v. abandon, cast away, desert, strand, forsake; isolate, seclude: They were marooned on a desert island.
marriage | marriage: n. 1 matrimony, wedlock: Their marriage has lasted over forty years. 2 nuptials, wedding: The marriage took place at noon. 3 association, alliance, confederation, federation, affiliation, connection, coupling, union, merger, amalgamation, integration, Colloq hook-up: Would a marriage of the companies benefit the shareholders?
marry | marry: v. 1 wed, join in matrimony or wedlock, become man and wife, Colloq get hitched or spliced, tie the knot: They married and lived happily ever after. 2 match (up), go or fit together, fit; unite, unify, bond, weld, fuse, put together, couple, join, link; league, affiliate, ally, amalgamate, combine: The marble head, found in London, married perfectly with the torso, found in Crete. The best qualities of each earlier model are married in this new product.
marsh | marsh: n. swamp, bog, fen, slough, quagmire: The marsh teems with new life in the spring.
martial | martial: adj. 1 warlike, belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, militant: We had no suspicion of their martial intentions. He is an expert in the martial arts. 2 military, soldierly, courageous, brave, valorous, valiant, stalwart, staunch, stout-hearted: The speech was intended to rouse the soldiers'' martial spirit.
marvel | marvel: v. 1 wonder (at), gape (at), be awed or amazed (by), be agog or astonished (at), gape (at): We marvelled at the way the homing pigeons found their way home. --n. 2 wonder, miracle, phenomenon: Tammy was a marvel at fixing electrical equipment.
marvellous | marvellous: adj. wonderful, astonishing, amazing, astounding, surprising, remarkable, extraordinary, phenomenal, glorious, splendid, superb, excellent, spectacular, breathtaking, miraculous, unbelievable, incredible, sensational, mind-boggling, unparalleled, Colloq terrific, great, fantastic, fabulous, smashing, Slang far-out, crazy, wild, groovy, super, out of this world, fantabulous, Brit spot or bang on, US marvy: It was a marvellous show, and Renfrew is a marvellous actor.
mask | mask: n. 1 false face, domino: She wore a mask, and I don''t know who she was. 2 disguise, guise, camouflage, show, semblance, pretence, cover, cover-up, false colours, false flag, concealment, cloak, fa�ade, veil: He wormed his way into her confidence under the mask of friendship. --v. 3 disguise, camouflage, cover (up), conceal, hide, obscure, veil, screen, shroud: She was unable to mask her true feelings for him.
masquerade | masquerade: n. 1 masked ball, masquerade ball, costume party, ballo in maschera, bal masqu�: He went to the masquerade as Lorenzo di Medici. 2 disguise, deception, pose, dissimulation, bluff, subterfuge, false show, outward show, fakery, imposture, play-acting, false front, cover-up, camouflage, Colloq act, front, Slang put-on: How long will she continue her masquerade as a wealthy widow? --v. 3 Usually, masquerade as. pretend (to be), pass oneself off (as), impersonate, simulate, pose (as), imitate, mimic: He is a conservative masquerading as a liberal to garner votes.
mass | mass: n. 1 pile, heap, mountain, load, stack, mound, bunch, bundle, lot, batch, quantity, hoard, store, collection, accumulation, aggregation, agglomeration, congeries, assortment, miscellany, assemblage, conglomeration: There was a mass of boulders at the bottom of the cliff. 2 abundance, quantity, profusion, volume, multitude, horde, host, mob, crowd, throng, drove(s), herd(s), swarm(s), legion(s), score(s), number(s), Colloq bunch(es), ton(s), mountain, piles, bags, barrels, oodles, lots, oceans, loads, scads, US mess, slew(s): A mass of bills awaited my return from a trip abroad. Masses of people greeted us at the airport. 3 block, concretion, chunk, lump, hunk, nugget: A mass of sludge was clogging the valve. 4 majority, best or better or greater part, bulk, body, preponderance, almost all, lion''s share: The great mass of the votes was still uncounted. 5 dimension, size, magnitude, bulk, bigness, massiveness, enormousness, immensity: The very mass of the elephant made it a hard target to miss. 6 the masses. the common people, the (common) herd, the proletariat, the plebeians, hoi polloi, the lower class(es), the man or woman in the street, Brit the man or woman on the Clapham omnibus, A. N. Other, US John Q. Public, John or Jane Doe or Roe: The taxes became burdensome and the masses rebelled. --v. 7 amass, pile or heap up, gather: Thunderclouds began to mass over the mountains. 8 aggregate, accumulate, collect, assemble, congregate, meet, get or come together, gather, forgather or foregather, throng, convene, flock together, rally, group, cluster, marshal, muster, mobilize: Thousands of people massed in front of the embassy. The massed bands made a tremendous noise.
massacre | massacre: n. 1 slaughter, slaughtering, carnage, annihilation, annihilating, blood bath, killing, execution, extermination, exterminating, butchery, butchering, (mass) murder, murdering, slaying, liquidation, pogrom, genocide: The massacre of millions of innocent people followed the coup. --v. 2 slaughter, annihilate, kill, execute, exterminate, butcher, murder, slay, liquidate, destroy, eliminate, obliterate, eradicate, put to the sword, decimate, Colloq mow down, Slang bump off: It was their policy to massacre all the men and take captive all the women and children.
massage | massage: n. 1 rub-down, rub, manipulation, kneading: I felt really relaxed after the massage and steam bath. --v. 2 rub down, manipulate, knead, palpate: She gently massaged my temples with her fingertips. 3 manipulate, handle, manoeuvre, Colloq finagle, Brit fiddle: He massaged the figures to make it look as if the company was solvent.
massive | massive: adj. big, large, oversized, huge, bulky, enormous, hulking, immense, gigantic, towering, mammoth, colossal, titanic, vast, tremendous, prodigious, mountainous, gargantuan, Brobdingnagian, Cyclopean, elephantine, jumbo, stupendous, mighty, weighty, ponderous, Literary massy, Colloq walloping, whopping, monster, Brit whacking (great), US ginormous, humongous: They built a massive wall round the city. Massive beams support the roof.
master | master: n. 1 owner, head, chief, leader, chieftain, commander, lord, governor, director, controller, employer, manager, overseer, supervisor, superintendent, taskmaster, slave-driver, principal, sovereign, monarch, ruler, Colloq lord high muck-a-muck, Pooh-Bah, kingpin, big fish, boss, skipper, Brit gaffer, US king-fish, the man, big fish, big boss, bossman; Slang US big cheese, big wheel, Mr Big, chief or head honcho: He is master of all he surveys. Decisions about punishment are referred to the master. 2 expert, authority, genius, craftsman, adept, maestro, mastermind, past master, old hand, virtuoso, ace, professional, Colloq pro, wizard, Chiefly Brit dab hand, US crackerjack; Slang US maven or mavin: He is a master in the art of chicanery. 3 teacher, tutor, instructor, guide, leader, guru, swami: She studied under the master for years. --adj. 4 adept, ingenious, expert, masterful, masterly, skilful, skilled, proficient: After twenty years, he became a master craftsman. 5 overall, controlling, principal, main, prime, basic, chief: Only the leader knows the master plan for conquering the planet. This is the master switch that turns off all the power. 6 main, biggest, principal, owner''s: The master bedroom had a bathroom en suite. --v. 7 learn, grasp, become expert in, know inside out and backwards, know, understand: He claims to have mastered the art of levitation. 8 control, overcome, repress, suppress, subdue, bridle, check, quell, get the better of, Colloq get a grip on: You must learn to master your emotions.
masterful | masterful: adj. 1 masterly, adept, expert, excellent, superior, superb, adroit, exquisite, superlative, supreme, consummate, accomplished, peerless, matchless, first-rate, proficient, dexterous, deft, skilful, skilled, Colloq crack: She gave a masterful performance of Bruch''s violin concerto. 2 authoritarian, dictatorial, tyrannical, despotic, arbitrary, domineering, imperious, overbearing, arrogant, dominating, autocratic, high-handed, magisterial, overweening, self-willed, Colloq bossy: I dislike Ian''s masterful attitude, always telling everyone what to do.
mastermind | mastermind: v. 1 plan, devise, conceive, think up, engineer, design, generate, create, manage, organize, develop, work up or out: It was probably Fu Manchu who masterminded this diabolical plot. --n. 2 planner, contriver, conceiver, creator, architect, genius, mind, intellect, Colloq brain(s): it would take a mastermind to get even a pass mark on that exam.
masterpiece | masterpiece: n. master-work, magnum opus, chef-d''oeuvre, tour de force, jewel, work of art, work of genius, pi�ce de r�sistance: Among his many fine paintings, I consider this his masterpiece.
match | match: n. 1 equal, equivalent, peer, equivalent, fellow, mate; parallel, replica, copy, double, twin, look-alike, facsimile, counterpart: When it comes to punning, Crosby has finally met his match. 2 contest, competition, game, meet, tourney, tournament, bout, duel, rivalry, trial: The match was between the top-seeded players. 3 marriage, betrothal, alliance, combination, compact, contract, partnership, union, affiliation: It was a match made in heaven. 4 prospect, candidate: With his inheritance, he''s considered a good match. --v. 5 match up, join, marry, unite, link, combine, put together, pair up or off, juxtapose, conjoin: However did you manage to match names and faces? Glynis matched them up at the dinner table. 6 equal, be equivalent (to), resemble, compare (with), tie, measure up (to), compete (with), vie (with), rival: His skill on the flute will never match hers. 7 fit, go with, suit, accord, agree, harmonize, go (together), coordinate, blend, correspond: Who will notice that your socks match your tie? Your eyes don''t match.
matching | matching: adj. 1 corresponding, homologous, comparable, equivalent, complementary: Birds'' wings and fishes'' fins are matching parts. 2 analogous, like, corresponding, identical: He wore a pink jacket and matching shoes. She bought a set of matching luggage.
matchless | matchless: adj. unique, original, peerless, unequalled, without equal, inimitable, unmatched, incomparable, unparalleled, beyond compare: Stefania has a contralto voice of matchless quality.
mate | mate: n. 1 companion, associate, colleague, fellow, chap, co-worker, comrade, crony, ally, friend, alter ego, Colloq chum, pal, US buddy, cohort, Slang Brit cully, china: After work, my mates and I stop off for a beer or two (or three ) . 2 spouse, partner, helpmeet, helpmate, consort, husband or wife, better half, Colloq hubby, old man or lady or woman, lord and master, US bride, Slang trouble and strife (= ''wife''): He scarcely seems a worthy mate for the winner of a Miss World contest. 3 fellow, twin, counterpart, parallel, one of a pair: Have you seen the mate to this sock anywhere? --v. 4 pair (up), match (up), marry, wed, join, unite, couple, link (up): People should be free to mate with whom they wish. 5 breed, couple, copulate, pair (up): The zoo was able to get the rhinoceroses to mate. A lion was mated with a tiger to produce a tigon. 6 match (up), fit (together), synchronize, join: I cannot get these gears to mate.
material | material: n. 1 substance, matter, stuff, fabric: It is hard to tell what material this is made of. 2 cloth, fabric, textile, stuff: This material is too sheer for a dress. 3 constituents, elements, components: We import the raw materials and make the finished product here. 4 information, data, facts, statistics, figures, documents, documentation, papers, notes, resources, means, research, apparatus, supplies: I have not yet gathered enough material for the article. --adj. 5 physical, tangible, concrete, solid, real, substantive, substantial, palpable, corporeal, bodily: It was many years before scientists could persuade people that air is a material substance. 6 consequential, important, significant, serious, substantial: How could one horseshoe nail be material in the outcome of a battle? 7 worldly, earthly, mundane, temporal, non-spiritual, secular, lay, materialistic: He ponders the abstract, not the base, material things of everyday life.
materialistic | materialistic: adj. expedient, money-oriented, possession-oriented, greedy, Slang yuppy: He''s very materialistic and only married her for her money.
materialize | materialize: v. 1 appear, turn up, become visible, become manifest, be revealed, take shape or form, form, emerge: A hulking shape began to materialize out of the fog. 2 happen, come to pass, take place, occur, become manifest or real, be realized, become an actuality, be actualized: The dream of a united Europe is finally materializing.
materially | materially: adv. substantially, palpably, significantly, seriously, essentially, basically, considerably, greatly, much, in the long run, at bottom: I doubt that his criticism will materially affect the success of the play.
maternal | maternal: adj. motherly, warm, nurturing, caring, understanding, affectionate, tender, kind, kindly, devoted, fond, doting; maternalistic: Her interest in him is strictly maternal.
maternity | maternity: n. 1 motherhood, parenthood, pregnancy: Maternity brings about great changes in a woman''s life. 2 parenthood, motherhood: The maternity of the child was not questioned until the hospital revealed that there had been a mix-up in the nursery.
mathematical | mathematical: adj. arithmetical; precise, exact, rigorous: He went about his plans with mathematical precision.
matrimonial | matrimonial: adj. marital, marriage, wedding, conjugal, nuptial; married, wedded, connubial: She obtained a court injunction banning him from the matrimonial home. They enjoy matrimonial bliss.
matter | matter: n. 1 material, substance, stuff, sum and substance: Some yellowish matter oozed out of the wound. It is a question of mind over matter. 2 situation, issue, question, affair, business, subject, topic, condition, thing, fact, concern; occurrence, episode, incident, event, occasion, proceeding: It was a matter of life and death. His loss of face is not a matter that need involve you. 3 problem, difficulty, trouble, complication, worry, upset, dilemma, quandary, enigma, puzzle: What is the matter? 4 content, essentials, pith, context, theme, argument, purport, implication; signification, meaning, meaningfulness, import, importance, significance, moment, weight, consequence: Pay attention to the matter in his speech, not his manner. It is of little matter to me whether you go or not. 5 amount, sum, quantity, question: It was only a matter of a few pennies'' difference. --v. 6 be important or of importance, count, be of consequence, make a difference, mean something: What you think matters a great deal.
matter-of-fact | matter-of-fact: adj. straightforward, direct, forthright, sober, factual, unimaginative, unartistic, prosaic, unpoetic, dry, dry-as-dust, dull, boring, tiresome, flat, mundane, lifeless, featureless, unvarnished, colourless, unembellished, unadorned: The report contained a matter-of-fact description of the events.
mature | mature: adj. 1 adult, grown (up), full-grown, fully grown, of age, fully fledged, full-fledged, fully developed, matured, experienced, knowledgeable, sophisticated: At twenty-two, she is mature enough to be on her own. 2 ripe, ready, ripened, mellow, aged,'' seasoned: A good wine, like fruit, should not be consumed till it is mature. 3 complete, matured, perfect, perfected, polished, refined, ready, fully developed, consummated: Our plans are not yet mature. --v. 4 grow up, age, develop, come of age; Brit be one''s age, US act one''s age: Has he matured sufficiently to be trusted alone in the house for the weekend? I wish he''d mature a bit more. 5 ripen, mellow, age, season; maturate: Fruit that has matured on the plant tastes best. 6 develop, perfect, refine, polish, maturate, bring to fruition: Their plans for major changes in company structure have not yet fully matured.
maturity | maturity: n. 1 adulthood, majority, full growth or development: Maturity is as much a state of mind as a matter of age. 2 ripeness, readiness, mellowness; maturation: Different wines need ageing for different periods to attain maturity. 3 readiness, perfection, completion, fullness, consummation, operability, applicability; maturation: Their plans were brought to maturity.
maudlin | maudlin: adj. sentimental, (over)emotional, mawkish, romantic; tearful, lachrymose, weepy, teary(-eyed); Colloq mushy, slushy, Brit soppy, US soupy: He gets maudlin thinking about his childhood in the countryside.
maxim | maxim: n. saying, proverb, axiom, aphorism, adage, byword, saw, apophthegm or apothegm, epigram, motto, slogan; mot, witticism; clich�, truism: Her maxim is, ''What you don''t know, can''t hurt you''.
maximize | maximize: n. 1 increase, broaden, improve, magnify, augment, add to, expand, build up, enlarge: He maximizes his chances for winning by betting on several numbers. To compete, you must maximize your productivity. 2 inflate, overplay, overdo, overstate, exaggerate, oversell, make much of, overstress, (over)colour, enhance, embroider (on), embellish, elaborate, magnify: Roland tends to maximize his role while minimizing others''.
maximum | maximum: n. 1 most, utmost, uttermost, greatest, peak, extreme, extremity, pinnacle, top, highest, (upper) limit: Turn the volume up to the maximum. 2 zenith, pinnacle, peak, limit, apex, acme, apogee, climax, crest, high(est) point, top, summit: Her career reached its maximum in the 1930s. --adj. 3 maximal, greatest, most, utmost, uttermost, superlative, supreme, paramount, extreme, highest, top, topmost, climactic, crowning: The maximum amount that I can afford for a car is �2000.
maybe | maybe: adv. perhaps, possibly, Literary perchance, Archaic or dialect mayhap, Archaic peradventure: We could go and see a film tonight, or maybe have a meal somewhere.
mayhem | mayhem: n. maihem, violence, havoc, destruction, disorder, devastation, chaos; fracas, commotion, confusion: Someone screamed ''Fire!'', and the ensuing mayhem was unbelievable.
maze | maze: n. labyrinth, complex, intricacy, twistings and turnings, convolutions: His application has been lost in the maze of bureaucratic bungling.
