871
Medal of Honor
bottom. | He measures more round the waist than he used to. 4 measure one's length BrE especially lit to fall flat on the ground
measure sbdy./sthg. against sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to see if the size of (something) is right by comparing it with (something else): I measured the coat against her and found it was too long.
measure sthg. off phr v [T] to take (a measured length) from a longer length: He measured off six yards of cloth.
measure sthg. out phr v [T] to take (a measured quantity) from a larger quantity: To make the cake, first measure out 250 grams of flour and 100 grams of butter.
measure up phr v [I (to)] to have good enough qualities: I'm afraid he just didn't measure up (to the job).
mea-sured /'meʒəd||-ərd/ adj careful; exact; steady: He spoke in measured tones.
mea-sure-less /'meʒəlæs||-ʒər-/ adj especially lit limitless; too great to be measured
mea-sure-ment /'meʒəmənt||-ʒər-/ n 1 [U] the act of measuring 2 [C usually pl.] a length, height etc found by measuring, especially by measuring part of the body: What's your waist measurement? | I'll just take your measurements (=measure you) sir.
'measuring cup n a type of cup which holds an exact amount, used in American cooking: a set of measuring cups consisting of 1/4, 1/3, 3/4, and 1 cup measures.
'measuring jug n a glass or plastic JUG marked down the side with measurements and used in cookery for measuring INGREDIENTS: Pour a pint of milk into a measuring jug.
'measuring tape n a TAPE MEASURE
meat /mi:t/ n [U] 1 the flesh of four-footed animals and birds used for food: His religion forbids the eating of meat. | There's not much meat on that bone/chicken. | What shall we have for the meat course? -> see also RED MEAT, WHITE MEAT 2 valuable material, ideas etc: It was a clever speech, but there was no real meat in it. 3 old use food (especially in the phrase meat and drink) 4 be meat and drink to to give great enjoyment to: Football is meat and drink to him. 5 infml easy meat someone or something that can easily be taken advantage of: She was easy meat. 6 one man's meat is another man's poison saying things that are liked by one person may not be liked by another person
The meat from some animals has a different name from the animal itself. For example, the meat from a cow is called beef, the meat from a pig is pork or ham or bacon, the meat from a calf (=a young cow) is veal, the meat from a deer is venison, and the meat from a sheep is mutton. But the meat from a lamb is lamb, and for birds the same word is used for both the meat and the creature: Shall we have chicken or duck for dinner?
,meat and po'tatoes, the n AmE the most important part of a matter or situation: Let's get down to the meat and potatoes: how much are you going to pay me for this?
,meat and two 'veg n [U] (what is considered to be) the typical British meal consisting of some meat and two different vegetables: I prefer to stick to my meat and two veg. | I'm a meat and two veg man.
meat-ball /'mi:tbɔ:l/ n a small round ball of finely cut-up meat
Meath /mi:θ, mi:ð/ a COUNTY in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland, known for its good farming land
meat-head /'mi:thed/ n AmE slang a stupid person
meat-loaf /'mi:tlaʊf/ n [C:U] a dish of meat and other INGREDIENTS cut up very small, mixed, shaped into a loaf and cooked in an OVEN: savoury meatloaf
'Meat Loaf (1951-) a US HEAVY METAL singer, who sometimes also acts in films and is known for being rather large and fat. His songs include Bat out of Hell.
'meat-,packing n [U] AmE the preparation of dead animals for sale as meat: the meat-packing industry -> packer n
'meat wagon n slang 1 an AMBULANCE 2 a HEARSE 3 a police VAN
meat-y /'mi:ti/ adj 1 full of meat 2 infml full of valuable ideas: a meaty lecture -> -iness n [U]
mec-ca /'mekə/ n [C usually sing.] (sometimes cap.) a place that many people wish to reach (from Mecca, the holiest city of Islam): Lord's cricket ground is the cricketer's mecca. | This resort is a mecca for tourists in the summer.
Mecca a city in Saudi Arabia where the prophet Muhammad was born, considered the holiest city of Islam. People who are not Muslims are not allowed to go there, but every Muslim must try to make a PILGRIMAGE (=religious journey) to Mecca once in their lifetime. -> see also HAJ, MEDINA
Mec-ca-no /mɪ'kɑ:nəʊ/ trademark a type of toy used for building machines, vehicles, bridges, and other things. It consists of metal or plastic pieces in different shapes and sizes, which you connect with NUTS and BOLTS. Meccano has been popular with children in the UK for over 50 years. There is a similar type of toy in the US called an ERECTOR SET: When I was 10, I got a Meccano set for my birthday.
me-chan-ic /mɪ'kænɪk/ n a person who is skilled in using, repairing etc machinery: a motor mechanic
me-chan-i-cal /mɪ'kænɪkəl/ adj 1 [no comp.] of or moved, worked, or produced by machinery: a mechanical digger 2 often derog (done) without thought or feeling; (done) from habit rather than will: He was asked the same question so many times that the answer became mechanical. -> -ly /kli/ adv
me,chanical engi'neering n [U] the branch of ENGINEERING which includes the use of mechanical power, and the DESIGN and production of machines and tools
-mechanical engineer n
me-chan-ics /mɪ'kænɪks/ n 1 [U] the science of the action of forces on objects 2 [(the)P[of)] the ways in which something works, produces results etc: The subcommittee will work out the mechanics of setting up the scheme.
mech-a-nis-m /'mekənɪzəm/ n (the arrangement and action of the parts of) a machine: The clock doesn't go; there's something wrong with the mechanism. | (fig.) the mechanism of the brain | (fig.) the mechanism of local government
mech-a-nis-tic /,mekə'nɪstɪk/ adj tending to explain all actions of living things as if they were machines: a mechanistic view of the universe -> -ally /kli/ adv
mech-a-nize also -nise BrE /'mekənaɪz/ v [T] to use machines for (a job), instead of using the effort of human beings or animals: to mechanize an industrial process | mechanized farming -> -nization /,mekənaɪ'zeʃn||-nə-/ n [U]
,mechanized 'warfare n [U] the use of modern machines, especially TANKS and HELICOPTERS in war
M Econ /,em ɪ'kɒn|| -'kɑ:n/ n BrE abbrev. for Master of Economics; a university higher degree in ECONOMICS that you get after your first degree
M Ed /,em 'ed/ n abbrev. for Master of Education; a university higher degree in teaching that you get after your first degree. M Ed is written after someone's name to show that they have this degree: Linda Bryant, M Ed
Med, the /med/ BrE infml the Mediterranean Sea, and the countries surrounding it, especially those on its northern coast, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. It is used especially when talking about holidays in the Mediterranean area.
med-al /'medl/ n a round flat piece of metal, or a cross, with a picture and/or words marked on it, which is given to a person as an honour for an act of bravery or skill, or in memory of something important: an Olympic gold medal
me-dal-li-on /mɪ'dæliən/ n a round medal like a large coin, usually worn round the neck for decoration
me'dallion man n BrE infml derog a type of man who wears a medallion, often with an open shirt, tight trousers, and other jewellery
CULTURAL NOTE The popular image of a medallion man is of a man with a hairy chest trying to look younger than he is, and many people also think of him as wearing the type of clothes that were fashionable in the late 1970s. He thinks he is very MASCULINE and attractive to women, but most women think his appearance and the way he speaks to them is stupid.
med-al-list BrE || medalist AmE /'medl-ɪst/ n a person who has won a medal in sport or in a competition: He was the silver medallist in the 800 metres.
,Medal of 'Honor -> see CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR