Mister

6 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Master \Mas"ter\ (m[.a]s"t[~e]r), n. [OE. maistre, maister, OF.
     maistre, mestre, F. ma[^i]tre, fr. L. magister, orig. a
     double comparative from the root of magnus great, akin to Gr.
     me`gas. Cf. {Maestro}, {Magister}, {Magistrate}, {Magnitude},
     {Major}, {Mister}, {Mistress}, {Mickle}.]
     1. A male person having another living being so far subject


        to his will, that he can, in the main, control his or its
        actions; -- formerly used with much more extensive
        application than now.
        (a) The employer of a servant.
        (b) The owner of a slave.
        (c) The person to whom an apprentice is articled.
        (d) A sovereign, prince, or feudal noble; a chief, or one
            exercising similar authority.
        (e) The head of a household.
        (f) The male head of a school or college.
        (g) A male teacher.
        (h) The director of a number of persons performing a
            ceremony or sharing a feast.
        (i) The owner of a docile brute, -- especially a dog or
            horse.
        (j) The controller of a familiar spirit or other
            supernatural being.
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     2. One who uses, or controls at will, anything inanimate; as,
        to be master of one's time. --Shak.
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              Master of a hundred thousand drachms. --Addison.
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              We are masters of the sea.            --Jowett
                                                    (Thucyd.).
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     3. One who has attained great skill in the use or application
        of anything; as, a master of oratorical art.
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              Great masters of ridicule.            --Macaulay.
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              No care is taken to improve young men in their own
              language, that they may thoroughly understand and be
              masters of it.                        --Locke.
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     4. A title given by courtesy, now commonly pronounced
        m[i^]ster, except when given to boys; -- sometimes written
        {Mister}, but usually abbreviated to Mr.
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     5. A young gentleman; a lad, or small boy.
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              Where there are little masters and misses in a
              house, they are impediments to the diversions of the
              servants.                             --Swift.
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     6. (Naut.) The commander of a merchant vessel; -- usually
        called {captain}. Also, a commissioned officer in the navy
        ranking next above ensign and below lieutenant; formerly,
        an officer on a man-of-war who had immediate charge, under
        the commander, of sailing the vessel.
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     7. A person holding an office of authority among the
        Freemasons, esp. the presiding officer; also, a person
        holding a similar office in other civic societies.
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     {Little masters}, certain German engravers of the 16th
        century, so called from the extreme smallness of their
        prints.
  
     {Master in chancery}, an officer of courts of equity, who
        acts as an assistant to the chancellor or judge, by
        inquiring into various matters referred to him, and
        reporting thereon to the court.
  
     {Master of arts}, one who takes the second degree at a
        university; also, the degree or title itself, indicated by
        the abbreviation M. A., or A. M.
  
     {Master of the horse}, the third great officer in the British
        court, having the management of the royal stables, etc. In
        ceremonial cavalcades he rides next to the sovereign.
  
     {Master of the rolls}, in England, an officer who has charge
        of the rolls and patents that pass the great seal, and of
        the records of the chancery, and acts as assistant judge
        of the court. --Bouvier. --Wharton.
  
     {Past master},
        (a) one who has held the office of master in a lodge of
            Freemasons or in a society similarly organized.
        (b) a person who is unusually expert, skilled, or
            experienced in some art, technique, or profession; --
            usually used with at or of.
  
     {The old masters}, distinguished painters who preceded modern
        painters; especially, the celebrated painters of the 16th
        and 17th centuries.
  
     {To be master of one's self}, to have entire self-control;
        not to be governed by passion.
  
     {To be one's own master}, to be at liberty to act as one
        chooses without dictation from anybody.
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     Note: Master, signifying chief, principal, masterly,
           superior, thoroughly skilled, etc., is often used
           adjectively or in compounds; as, master builder or
           master-builder, master chord or master-chord, master
           mason or master-mason, master workman or
           master-workman, master mechanic, master mind, master
           spirit, master passion, etc.
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                 Throughout the city by the master gate.
                                                    --Chaucer.
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     {Master joint} (Geol.), a quarryman's term for the more
        prominent and extended joints traversing a rock mass.
  
     {Master key}, a key adapted to open several locks differing
        somewhat from each other; figuratively, a rule or
        principle of general application in solving difficulties.
        
  
     {Master lode} (Mining), the principal vein of ore.
  
     {Master mariner}, an experienced and skilled seaman who is
        certified to be competent to command a merchant vessel.
  
     {Master sinew} (Far.), a large sinew that surrounds the hough
        of a horse, and divides it from the bone by a hollow
        place, where the windgalls are usually seated.
  
     {Master singer}. See {Mastersinger}.
  
     {Master stroke}, a capital performance; a masterly
        achievement; a consummate action; as, a master stroke of
        policy.
  
     {Master tap} (Mech.), a tap for forming the thread in a screw
        cutting die.
  
     {Master touch}.
        (a) The touch or skill of a master. --Pope.
        (b) Some part of a performance which exhibits very
            skillful work or treatment. "Some master touches of
            this admirable piece." --Tatler.
  
     {Master work}, the most important work accomplished by a
        skilled person, as in architecture, literature, etc.;
        also, a work which shows the skill of a master; a
        masterpiece.
  
     {Master workman}, a man specially skilled in any art,
        handicraft, or trade, or who is an overseer, foreman, or
        employer.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mister \Mis"ter\, v. i.
     To be needful or of use. [Obs.]
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           As for my name, it mistereth not to tell. --Spenser.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mister \Mis"ter\, n. [See {Master}, and cf. {Mistress}.]
     A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a man or youth.
     It is usually written in the abbreviated form Mr.
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           To call your name, inquire your where,
           Or what you think of Mister Some-one's book,
           Or Mister Other's marriage or decease.   --Mrs.
                                                    Browning.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mister \Mis"ter\, v. t.
     To address or mention by the title Mr.; as, he mistered me in
     a formal way. [Colloq.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mister \Mis"ter\, n. [OF. mistier trade, office, ministry, need,
     F. m['e]tier trade, fr. L. ministerium service, office,
     ministry. See {Ministry}, {Mystery} trade.] [Written also
     {mester}.]
     1. A trade, art, or occupation. [Obs.]
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              In youth he learned had a good mester. --Chaucer.
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     2. Manner; kind; sort. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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              But telleth me what mester men ye be. --Chaucer.
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     3. Need; necessity. [Obs.] --Rom. of R.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  mister
       n : a form of address for a man [syn: {Mr}]