n. [ OE. molle, either shortened fr. moldwerp, or from the root of E. mold soil: cf. D. mol, OD. molworp. See Moldwarp. ] 1. (Zool.) Any insectivore of the family Talpidae. They have minute eyes and ears, soft fur, and very large and strong fore feet. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common European mole, or moldwarp (Talpa Europaea), is noted for its extensive burrows. The common American mole, or shrew mole (Scalops aquaticus), and star-nosed mole (Condylura cristata) have similar habits. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the Scriptures, the name is applied to two unindentified animals, perhaps the chameleon and mole rat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A plow of peculiar construction, for forming underground drains. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (fig.)A spy who lives for years an apparently normal life (to establish a cover) before beginning his spying activities. [ PJC ]

Duck mole. See under Duck. --
Golden mole. See Chrysochlore. --
Mole cricket (Zool.), an orthopterous insect of the genus Gryllotalpa, which excavates subterranean galleries, and throws up mounds of earth resembling those of the mole. It is said to do damage by injuring the roots of plants. The common European species (Gryllotalpa vulgaris), and the American (Gryllotalpa borealis), are the best known. --
Mole rat (Zool.), any one of several species of Old World rodents of the genera Spalax, Georychus, and several allied genera. They are molelike in appearance and habits, and their eyes are small or rudimentary. --
Mole shrew (Zool.), any one of several species of short-tailed American shrews of the genus Blarina, esp. Blarina brevicauda. --
Water mole, the duck mole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. māl; akin to OHG. meil, Goth. mail Cf. Mail a spot. ] 1. A spot; a stain; a mark which discolors or disfigures. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body; esp., a spot which is dark-colored, from which commonly issue one or more hairs. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Moled p. pr. & vb. n. Moling. ] 1. To form holes in, as a mole; to burrow; to excavate; as, to mole the earth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To clear of molehills. [ Prov. Eng. ] Pegge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. môle, L. moles. Cf. Demolish, Emolument, Molest. ] A mound or massive work formed of masonry or large stones, etc., laid in the sea, often extended either in a right line or an arc of a circle before a port which it serves to defend from the violence of the waves, thus protecting ships in a harbor; also, sometimes, the harbor itself. Brande & C. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. mola. ] A mass of fleshy or other more or less solid matter generated in the uterus. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A quantity of a substance equal to the molecular weight of a substance expressed in grams; a gram molecule; the basic unit of amount of substance adopted under the System International d'Unites; as, he added two moles of sodium chloride to the medium.
Syn. -- gram molecule, mol. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) The sunfish (Orthagoriscus, or Mola). [ Written also molebat. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A little elevation of earth made by a mole; a molehill. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. [ Heb. molek king. ] (Script.) The fire god of the Ammonites, to whom human sacrifices were offered; Moloch. Lev. xviii. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. moléculare. See Molecule. ] (Phys. & Chem.) Pertaining to, connected with, produced by, or consisting of, molecules; as, molecular forces; molecular groups of atoms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Molecular attraction (Phys.), attraction acting between the molecules of bodies, and at insensible distances. --
Molecular weight (Chem.), the weight of a molecule of any gas or vapor as compared with the hydrogen atom having weight of 1 as a standard; the sum of the atomic weights of the constituents of a molecule; thus, the molecular weight of water (H2O) is 18. For more precise measurements, the weight of the carbon isotope carbon-12 is used as the standard, that isotope having the value of 12.000. In this systen, now used almost universally, the hydrogen atom has a weight of 1.0079. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]