metaphor
880
met·a·phor /'metəfɔr, -fɔr||-fɔ:/ n [C;U] (the use of) an expression which means or describes one thing or idea using words usually used of something else with very similar qualities (as in the sunshine of her smile or The rain came down in buckets.) without using the words as or like → compare SIMILE; see also MIXED METAPHOR
met·a·phor·i·cal /,metə'fɔrikəl||-'fɔ:-, -'fa:-/ adj using words to mean something different from their ordinary meaning: It is a metaphorical phrase, Pierre; when I say he has green fingers, I mean he is good at gardening! —ly /kli/ adv: He's got a big head – metaphorically speaking, of course!
met·a·phys·i·cal /,metə'fizikəl/ adj 1 [no comp.] of metaphysics 2 fml (of ideas or thinking) difficult to understand; ABSTRACT 3 [no comp.] (of British poetry) in a 17th century style which combined strong feelings with clever arrangements of words and ideas. The best-known metaphysical poetry is that of John Donne, George Herbert, and Andrew Marvell. —ly /kli/ adv
met·a·phys·ics /,metə'fiziks/ n [U] a branch of PHILOSOPHY (=the study of thought) concerned with trying to understand and describe the nature of reality
mete /mi:t/ v
mete sthg. ⇔ out phr v [T (to)] fml or lit to cause someone to suffer (punishment, bad treatment etc); ADMINISTER: to mete out punishment to the offenders
me·tem·psy·cho·sis /mɪ,tempɪ'saɪkəʊsɪs||-'si:-'koʊ-/ n [U] tech TRANSMIGRATION
me·te·or /'mi:tiər/ n a small piece of matter floating in space that starts to burn if it falls into the Earth's air (ATMOSPHERE), and can then be seen as a line of light
me·te·or·ic /,mi:ti'ɔrik||-'ɔ:rɪk/ adj of or like a meteor, especially in being very fast or in being bright and lasting only a short time: a meteoric rise to fame —ally /kli/ adv
me·te·o·rite /'mi:tiəraɪt/ n a meteor that has landed on the Earth, without being totally burnt up
,Meteoro'logical ,Office, the the full name of the MET OFFICE
me·te·or·ol·o·gy /,mi:tiə'rɒlədi||-'rɑ:-/ n [U] the scientific study of weather conditions —gist n —gical /,mi:tiərə'lɒdʒɪkəl||-'lɑ:-/ adj
-meter → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
me·ter¹ /'mi:tər/ n (often in comb.) a machine which measures the amount of something used: The man from the gas board came to read the gas meter. | an altimeter (=for measuring height) | a coin (in the slot) meter (=a meter which allows a measured amount of something, e.g. gas, to be used when the right coin is put into it) → see also PARKING METER
meter² n AmE for METRE
meter³ v [T] to measure or supply by means of a METER: an instrument that meters rainfall | The water in our house is metered.
'meter ,maid n old fash a woman whose job is to write PARKING TICKETS and put them on cars
meth·a·done /'meθədoʊn/ n a drug which is often supplied to people trying to break their ADDICTION to HEROIN, usually at a methadone clinic
me·thane /'mi:θeɪn||'me-/ n [U] a gas which is formed from decaying matter, is often burned to give heat, and has recently come to public notice as a GREENHOUSE GAS
meth·a·nol /'meθənɒl||-nɑ:l, -nɑ:l/ n [U] AmE METHYL ALCOHOL
me·thinks /mɪ'θŋks/ -thought /'θɔ:t/ old use I think
meth·od /'meθəd/ n 1 [C (of, for)] a planned way of doing something: The bank has introduced a new method of calculating the interest on loans. | outdated training methods 2 [U] proper planning and arrangement: There's not much method in the way they do their accounts. → see also METHODOLOGY, SCIENTIFIC METHOD 3 (cap.) also method acting a TECHNIQUE used by actors when they try to become the character they are playing, first introduced by Constantin Stanislavsky 4 There's method in someone's madness infml Even though someone seems to be behaving strangely, there's a sensible reason for what they're doing
me·thod·i·cal /mɪ'θɒdɪkəl||mɪ'θɑ:-/ adj doing things carefully, using an ordered system: a methodical person —ly /kli/ adv: He went through the thousands of books methodically, one by one.
Meth·od·ism /'meθədɪzəm/ n [U] the beliefs of a Christian Protestant group which follows the teachings of John Wesley, who placed importance on personal and social MORALITY —dist adj, n
meth·od·ol·o·gy /,meθə'dɒlədʒi||-'dɑ:-/ n [C;U] tech the set of methods used for study or action in a particular subject, as in science or education: a new methodology of teaching/ teaching methodology —gical /,meθədə'lɒdʒɪkəl||-'lɑ:-/ adj —gically /kli/ adv
meths /meθs/ n [U] BrE infml for METHYLATED SPIRITS
Me·thu·se·lah /mɪ'θju:zələ||-'θu:-/ a man in the Old Testament of the Bible who lived for 969 years, and whose name is mentioned as a typical example of someone who is very old: as old as Methuselah
meth·yl al·co·hol /,meθəl 'ælkəhɒl||-hɔ:l, tech ,mɪ:θaɪl-/ also wood alcohol, methanol n [U] poisonous alcohol found in some natural substances, such as wood → compare ETHYL ALCOHOL
meth·yl·at·ed spir·its /,meθəleɪtɪd 'spɪrɪts/ also meths BrE infml — n [U] a kind of alcohol for burning in lamps, heaters etc. It is sometimes drunk by ALCOHOLICS because it is cheap, but it is very harmful and dangerous.
me·tic·u·lous /mɪ'tɪkjʊləs/ adj extremely careful; with great attention to detail: meticulous drawings | a meticulous worker —ly adv: meticulously tidy —ness n [U]
mé·ti·er /'metieɪ, 'meɪ-lme'tjeɪ, 'metjeɪ/ n pomp the trade, profession, or type of work which one does, or to which one is suited
'Met ,Office, the the Meteorological Office; the national organization that collects information about the weather in the UK, and provides weather reports for newspapers, radio, and TV, and also for farmers, scientists, airports etc. There is a similar organization in the US called the National Weather Service.
,me-'too adj [A] derog copying what others have done, without making an independent decision: a car of me-too design, just like the ones other manufacturers have produced
-metre → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
me·tre¹ BrE || meter AmE /'mi:tər/ written abbrev. m n a unit for measuring length: It's three metres long. | an area of six square metres → see TABLE 2
metre² BrE || meter AmE — n [C;U] (any type of) arrangement of words in poetry into strong and weak beats → compare RHYTHM
met·ric /'metrɪk/ adj of the system of weights and measures (metric system) based on the metre and kilogram → compare AVOIRDUPOIS, IMPERIAL
CULTURAL NOTE Children in the US are taught about the metric system, but it is not used very much in the US except by scientists. In the UK, however, the metric system is now the standard system of measurement. Children are taught the metric system in school, and no longer learn about the former system of measurement, known as the IMPERIAL system, which measures weights in STONES and POUNDS, liquids in GALLONS and PINTS, lengths in feet (FOOT) and INCHES, and distances in miles. In the UK, food and other products are sold in kilograms and litres. Beer, however, is still sold in pints in bars, and distances are still usually given in miles. Young people will often know their weight in kilograms, but both young and older people still measure their weight in stones and pounds. Young people also usually know their height in centimetres, but both young and older people still also measure their height in feet and inches. → see also Cultural Note at CELSIUS
met·ri·cal /'metrɪkəl/ also metric adj tech written in the form of poetry, with regular beats: a metrical translation of Homer —ly /kli/ adv
met·ri·ca·tion /,metrɪ'keɪʃən/ n [U] a change from standards of measurement used before (such as the foot and the pound) to metres, grams etc