- macrobiotics n. The theory or practice of promoting well-being and longevity,

  principally by means of a diet consisting chiefly of whole grains and beans.

  macrobiotic adj.

- macrocytosis n. The presence of macrocytes in the blood.

- macron n. 1. A diacritical mark placed above a vowel to indicate a long sound

  or phonetic value in pronunciation.

- maculate tr.v. To spot, blemish, or pollute. adj.

- MAD abbr. mutual assured destruction

- MADD abbr. mothers against drunk driving

- madder n. 1a. A southwest Asian perennial plant having small yellow flowers,

  whorled leaves, and a red root. b. The root of this plant, formerly an

  important source of the dye alizarin. c. A red dye obtained from the roots of

  this plant. 2. A medium to strong red or reddish orange.

- Madeira1 A river of northwest Brazil rising on the Bolivian border and flowing

  about 2060 mi generally northeast to the Amazon River near Manaus. It is the

  most important tributary of the Amazon.

- Madeira2 n. A fortified dessert wine, especially from the island of Madeira.

  [My friend L's going to run a race in April on the island of Madeira, where

  his grandparents lived.]

- made-to-order adj. 1. Made in accordance with particular instructions or

  requirements; custom-made. 2. Very suitable: a made-to-order job.

- madras n. 1. A cotton cloth of fine texture, usually with a plaid, striped, or

  checked pattern.

- maelstrom n. 1. A violent or turbulent situation: caught in the maelstrom of

  war. 2. A whirlpool of extraordinary size of violence.

- Magna Carta n. 1. The charter of English political and civil liberties granted

  by King John at Runnymede in June 1215. 2. A document or piece of legislation

  that serves as a guarantee of basic rights.

- magnetic levitation n. A high-speed rail technology by which a train can

  travel free of friction at speeds of 480km per hour or more. The train is

  suspended on a magnetic cushion about half an inch above an elevated magnetic

  track, whose moving magnetic field alternately attracts and repels magnets

  mounted on the train, which is pushed and pulled along by this process.

- magus n. pl. magi 1. A member of the Zoroastrian priestly caste of the Medes

  and Persians. 2. Magus In the New Testament, one of the wise men from the

  East, traditionally held to be three, who traveled to Bethlehem to pay homage

  to the infant Jesus. 3. A sorcerer; a magician.

- Mahabharata n. A Sanskrit epic principally concerning the dynastic struggle

  and civil war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas in the kingdom of

  Kurukshetra about the 9th century B.C., and containing the text of the

  Bhagavad-Gita, numerous subplots, and interpolations on theology, morals, and

  statecraft.

- Mahayana n. One of the major schools of Buddhism, teaching social concern and

  universal salvation and active in Japan, Korea, Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia,

  Vietnam, and China.

- mahout n. The keeper and driver of an elephant.

- Maia n. 1. Greek Mythology A goddess, the eldest of the Pleiades.

- mailed fist n. The threat of military force.

- mainline v. Slang --tr. To inject (a drug, such as heroin) directly into a

  major vein. --intr. To inject a drug intravenously. adj. Being in a principal

  or well-established position: the mainline churches.

- main squeeze n. Slang One's primary romantic partner or sweetheart.

- mainsheet n. The rope that controls the angle at which a mainsail is trimmed

  and set.

- main street n. 2. Main Street a. The inhabitants of small towns considered as

  a group. b. A place that represents narrowness of view and smug complacency.