[master copy] <n.> 1. A perfect text to which all copies are made to conform; a corrected version used as a standard by printers. * /The master copy must be right, because if it isn't, the mistakes in it will be repeated all through the edition./ 2. A stencil from which other copies are made. * /Mr. Brown told his secretary to save the master copy so that they could run off more copies whenever they needed them./ * /The master copy was too light so many of the copies didn't come out clear./
[master key] <n. phr.> A key that opens a set of different locks. * /The building janitor has a master key to all of the apartments in this building./
[mastermind] <v.> To create; direct; invent the central plan for several individuals to follow. * /Lenin masterminded the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia./
[mastermind] <n.> A person who supplies the intelligence for a project and/or undertakes its management. * /Winston Churchill was the mastermind in the war against Hitler./
[master of ceremonies] or [M.C.] or [emcee] <n.> The person in charge of introducing the various participants in a show or entertainment. * /Bob Hope was the M.C. of many memorable shows./
[mat] See: WELCOME MAT IS OUT.
[matter] See: FOR THAT MATTER, LAUGHING MATTER, NO MATTER, THE MATTER.
[matter of course] <n. phr.> Something always done; the usual way; habit; rule. * /A was a matter of course for John to dress carefully when he was meeting his wife./ * /Bank officers ask questions as a matter of course when someone wants to borrow money./
[matter of fact] <n. phr.> Something that is really true; something that can be proved. * /The town records showed that it was a matter of fact that the two boys were brothers./ * /It is a matter of fact that the American war against England was successful./ - Often used for emphasis in the phrase "as a matter of fact". * /I didn't go yesterday, and as a matter of fact, f didn't go all week./ * /Mary wasn't wearing a blue dress. As a matter of fact, she hasn't got a blue dress./ Compare: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Contrast: MATTER OF OPINION.
[matter-of-fact] <adj.> 1. Simply telling or showing the truth; not explaining or telling more. * /The newspaper gave a matter-of-fact account of the murder trial./ 2. Showing little feeling or excitement or trouble; seeming not to care much. * /When Mary's father died she acted in a very matter-of-fact way./ * /He was a very matter-of-fact person./
[matter of opinion] <n. phr.> Something that may or may not be true; something that people do not all agree on. * /Whether or not he was a good general is a matter of opinion./ Compare: MATTER OF FACT.
[matter of record] <n. phr.> A fact or event that is kept officially as a legal record. * /If you are convicted of speeding it becomes a matter of record./ * /A birth certificate or a marriage license is a matter of record./
[may] See: BE THAT AS IT MAY, COME WHAT MAY, LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
[M.C.] or [emcee] <v.> To act as master of ceremonies at a show. * /The famous actor emceed the entire television show./
[me] See: DEAR ME, PICK-ME-UP, SO HELP ME.
[mean business] <v. phr.>, <informal> To decide strongly to do what you plan to do; really mean it; be serious. * /The boss said he would fire us if we didn't work harder and he means business./ * /When she went to college to study, she meant business./ * /He just liked the company of the other girls he dated, but this time he seems to mean business./
[means] See: BY ALL MEANS, BY MEANS OF, BY NO MEANS, WAYS AND MEANS.
[means to an end] <n. phr.> An action leading to some end or purpose. * /Money for him was just a means to an end; actually he wanted power./
[mean well] <v. phr.> To have good intentions. * /Fred generally means well, but he has a tendency to be tactless./
[measure] See: BEYOND MEASURE, FOR GOOD MEASURE, MADE-TO-MEASURE, TAKE ONE'S MEASURE or TAKE THE MEASURE OF.
[measure off] <v. phr.> To mark by measuring. * /She measured off three yards with which to make the new dress./
[measure up] <v.> To be equal; be of fully high quality; come up. * /John didn't measure up to the best catchers but he was a good one./ * /Lois' school work didn't measure up to her ability./ Compare up: TO PAR. Contrast: FALL SHORT.
[meatball] <n.>, <slang> A dull, boring, slow-witted, or uninteresting person. * /You'll never get an interesting story out of that meatball - stop inviting him./
[medicine] See: TAKE ONE'S MEDICINE.
[medium] See: STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM.
[meet] See: MAKE ENDS MEET.
[meet halfway] See: GO HALFWAY.
[meeting] See: BEST BIB AND TUCKER or SUNDAY-GO-TO-MEETING CLOTHES.
[meet one's death] <v. phr.> To die. * /Algernon met his death in a car accident./
[meet one's eye] <v. phr.> To be in plain view or come into plain view; appear clearly or obviously. * /When John rounded the bend, a clear blue lake met his eye./ * /On a first reading the plan looked good, but there was more to it than met the eye./
[meet one's match] <v. phr.> To encounter someone as good as oneself. * /The champion finally met his match and lost the game./
[meet one's Waterloo] <v. phr.> To be defeated; lose an important contest. * /After seven straight victories the team met its Waterloo./ * /John fought instead of running, and the bully met his Waterloo./ (After Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo.)
[meet up with] <v. phr.> To meet by accident; come upon without planning or expecting to. * /When he ran around the tree, Bob suddenly meet up with a large bear./ * /The family would have arrived on time, but they met up with a flat tire./
[meet with] <v.> 1. To meet (someone), usually by accident. * /In the woods he met with two strangers./ Syn.: COME UPON. 2. To meet together, usually by plan; join; have a meeting with. * /The two scouts met with the officers to talk about plans for the march./ 3. To experience (as unhappiness); suffer (as bad luck); have (as an accident or mishap). * /The farmer met with misfortune; his crops were destroyed by a storm./ * /The traveler met with an accident on the road./
[melt] See: BUTTER WOULDN'T MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH, MELT IN ONE'S MOUTH.
[melting pot] <n. phr.> A country where different nationalities mingle and mix with the result that, in the second generation, most people speak the main language of the country and behave like the majority. * /It is no longer considered entirely true that the United States is a melting pot; many immigrants speak a second language./
[melt in one's mouth] <v. phr.> 1. To be so tender as to seem to need no chewing. * /The chicken was so tender that it melted in your mouth./ 2. To taste very good; be delicious. * /Mother's apple pie really melts in your mouth./
[memory] See: IN MEMORY OF.
[mend] See: ON THE MEND.
[mend one's fences] <v. phr.>, <informal> To do something to make people like or follow you again; strengthen your friendships or influence. * /The senator went home from Washington to mend his fences./ * /John saw that his friends did not like him, so he decided to mend his fences./
[mend one's ways] <v. phr.> To reform; change one's behavior from negative to positive. * /He had better mend his ways or he'll wind up in jail./
[mental telepathy] <n. phr.> The passing of one person's thoughts to another without any discoverable talking or carrying of signals between them. * /Mrs. Smith knew the moment her husband's ship sank on the other side of the world. It seems like a case of mental telepathy./ * /Most or all men who practice mental telepathy on stage have really trained themselves to detect tiny clues from the audience./
[mention] See: NOT TO MENTION.
[meow] See: CAT'S MEOW.
[mercy] See: AT THE MERCY OF.
[mercy killing] <n. phr.> The act of killing a terminally ill patient or animal in order to avoid further suffering. * /Mercy killing of humans is illegal in most countries, yet many doctors practice it secretly./
[merrier] See: MORE THE MERRIER.
[merry] See: LEAD A MERRY CHASE, MAKE MERRY.
[message] See: GET THE MESSAGE.