Definitions for: Mountain


[n] a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill



Webster (1913) Definition: Moun"tain, n. [OE. mountaine, montaine, F. montagne,
LL. montanea, montania, fr. L. mons, montis, a mountain; cf.
montanus belonging to a mountain. See 1st Mount.]
1. A large mass of earth and rock, rising above the common
level of the earth or adjacent land; earth and rock
forming an isolated peak or a ridge; an eminence higher
than a hill; a mount.

2. pl. A range, chain, or group of such elevations; as, the
White Mountains.

3. A mountainlike mass; something of great bulk.

I should have been a mountain of mummy. --Shak.

The Mountain (--La montagne) (French Hist.), a popular name
given in 1793 to a party of extreme Jacobins in the
National Convention, who occupied the highest rows of
seats.


Moun"tain, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a mountain or mountains; growing or
living on a mountain; found on or peculiar to mountains;
among mountains; as, a mountain torrent; mountain pines;
mountain goats; mountain air; mountain howitzer.

2. Like a mountain; mountainous; vast; very great.

The high, the mountain majesty of worth. --Byron.

Mountain antelope (Zo["o]l.), the goral.

Mountain ash (Bot.), an ornamental tree, the {Pyrus
(Sorbus) Americana}, producing beautiful bunches of red
berries. Its leaves are pinnate, and its flowers white,
growing in fragrant clusters. The European species is the
P. aucuparia, or rowan tree.

Mountain barometer, a portable barometer, adapted for safe
transportation, used in measuring the heights of
mountains.

Mountain beaver (Zo["o]l.), the sewellel.

Mountain blue (Min.), blue carbonate of copper; azurite.

Mountain cat (Zo["o]l.), the catamount. See Catamount.

Mountain chain, a series of contiguous mountain ranges,
generally in parallel or consecutive lines or curves.

Mountain cock (Zo["o]l.), capercailzie. See Capercailzie.


Mountain cork (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling
cork in its texture.

Mountain crystal. See under Crystal.

Mountain damson (Bot.), a large tree of the genus
Simaruba (S. amarga) growing in the West Indies, which
affords a bitter tonic and astringent, sometimes used in
medicine.

Mountain dew, Scotch whisky, so called because often
illicitly distilled among the mountains. [Humorous]

Mountain ebony (Bot.), a small leguminous tree ({Bauhinia
variegata}) of the East and West Indies; -- so called
because of its dark wood. The bark is used medicinally and
in tanning.

Mountain flax (Min.), a variety of asbestus, having very
fine fibers; amianthus. See Amianthus.

Mountain fringe (Bot.), climbing fumitory. See under
Fumitory.

Mountain goat. (Zo["o]l.) See Mazama.

Mountain green. (Min.)
(a) Green malachite, or carbonate of copper.
(b) See Green earth, under Green, a.

Mountain holly (Bot.), a branching shrub ({Nemopanthes
Canadensis}), having smooth oblong leaves and red berries.
It is found in the Northern United States.

Mountain laurel (Bot.), an American shrub ({Kalmia
latifolia}) with glossy evergreen leaves and showy
clusters of rose-colored or white flowers. The foliage is
poisonous. Called also American laurel, ivy bush, and
calico bush. See Kalmia.

Mountain leather (Min.), a variety of asbestus, resembling
leather in its texture.

Mountain licorice (Bot.), a plant of the genus Trifolium
(T. Alpinum).

Mountain limestone (Geol.), a series of marine limestone
strata below the coal measures, and above the old red
standstone of Great Britain. See Chart of Geology.

Mountain linnet (Zo["o]l.), the twite.

Mountain magpie. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The yaffle, or green woodpecker.
(b) The European gray shrike.

Mountain mahogany (Bot.) See under Mahogany.

Mountain meal (Min.), a light powdery variety of calcite,
occurring as an efflorescence.

Mountain milk (Min.), a soft spongy variety of carbonate of
lime.

Mountain mint. (Bot.) See Mint.

Mountain ousel (Zo["o]l.), the ring ousel; -- called also
mountain thrush and mountain colley. See Ousel.

Mountain pride, or Mountain green (Bot.), a tree of
Jamaica (Spathelia simplex), which has an unbranched
palmlike stem, and a terminal cluster of large, pinnate
leaves.

Mountain quail (Zo["o]l.), the plumed partridge ({Oreortyx
pictus}) of California. It has two long, slender,
plumelike feathers on the head. The throat and sides are
chestnut; the belly is brown with transverse bars of black
and white; the neck and breast are dark gray.

Mountain range, a series of mountains closely related in
position and direction.

Mountain rice. (Bot.)
(a) An upland variety of rice, grown without irrigation,
in some parts of Asia, Europe, and the United States.
(b) An American genus of grasses (Oryzopsis).

Mountain rose (Bot.), a species of rose with solitary
flowers, growing in the mountains of Europe ({Rosa
alpina}).

Mountain soap (Min.), a soft earthy mineral, of a brownish
color, used in crayon painting; saxonite.

Mountain sorrel (Bot.), a low perennial plant ({Oxyria
digyna} with rounded kidney-form leaves, and small
greenish flowers, found in the White Mountains of New
Hampshire, and in high northern latitudes. --Gray.

Mountain sparrow (Zo["o]l.), the European tree sparrow.

Mountain spinach. (Bot.) See Orach.

Mountain tobacco (Bot.), a composite plant ({Arnica
montana}) of Europe; called also leopard's bane.

Mountain witch (Zo["o]l.), a ground pigeon of Jamaica, of
the genus Geotrygon.

Synonyms: mount

See Also: alp, ben, elevation, Mount Olympus, mountain peak, mountainside, Mt. Olympus, natural elevation, Olimbos, Olympus, seamount, versant, volcano

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