n. See Alms. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Eccl.) Amice, a hood or cape. See 2d Amice. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. comissatio, comessatio. ] A reveling; a rioting. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] See Kirmess. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D. kermis; cf. G. kirmes; prop., church mass. See Church, and Mass a religious service. ] In Europe, particularly in Belgium and Holland, and outdoor festival and fair; in the United States, generally an indoor entertainment and fair combined. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Mass; church service. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. mes, OF. mets, LL. missum, p. p. of mittere to put, place (e. g., on the table), L. mittere to send. See Mission, and cf. Mass religious service. ] 1. A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time. [ 1913 Webster ]

At their savory dinner set
Of herbs and other country messes. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A set of four; -- from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner. [ Obs. ] Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The milk given by a cow at one milking. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

5. [ Perh. corrupt. fr. OE. mesh for mash: cf. muss. ] A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Messed p. pr. & vb. n. Messing. ] To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers. Marryat. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To supply with a mess. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make a mess{ 5 } of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

It was n't right either to be messing another man's sleep. Scribner's Mag. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F., fr. LL. missaticum, fr. L. mittere, missum, to send. See Mission, and cf. Messenger. ] 1. Any notice, word, or communication, written or verbal, sent from one person to another. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. Judg. iii. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, specifically, an official communication, not made in person, but delivered by a messenger; as, the President's message. [ 1913 Webster ]

Message shell. See Shell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To bear as a message. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE., fr. OF. message, fr. LL. missaticus. See 1st Message. ] A messenger. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ] A messenger. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. A stick, carved with lines and dots, used, esp. by Australian aborigines, to convey information. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. Barreled salt beef, packed with about 80 pounds chuck and rump, two flanks, and the rest plates. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ OE. messager, OF. messagier, F. messager. See Message. ] 1. One who bears a message; the bearer of a verbal or written communication, notice, or invitation, from one person to another, or to a public body; specifically, an office servant who bears messages. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who, or that which, foreshows, or foretells. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yon gray lines
That fret the clouds are messengers of day. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) A hawser passed round the capstan, and having its two ends lashed together to form an endless rope or chain; -- formerly used for heaving in the cable. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) A person appointed to perform certain ministerial duties under bankrupt and insolvent laws, such as to take charge of the estate of the bankrupt or insolvent. Bouvier. Tomlins. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Carrier; intelligencer; courier; harbinger; forerunner; precursor; herald. [ 1913 Webster ]

Messenger bird, the secretary bird, from its swiftness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A dog. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A German epic poem on the Messiah, by Klopstock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Heb. māshīakh anointed, fr. māshakh to anoint. Cf. Messias. ] The expected king and deliverer of the Hebrews; the Savior; Christ. [ 1913 Webster ]

And told them the Messiah now was born. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or office of the Messiah. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or relating to the Messiah; as, the Messianic office or character. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL., fr. Gr. &unr_;. See Messiah. ] The Messiah. [ 1913 Webster ]

I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ. John iv. 25. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., fr. L. messis harvest. ] The tenth month of the French republican calendar dating from September 22, 1792. It began June 19, and ended July 18. See Vendémiaire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ F.; pl. of monsieur. ] Sirs; gentlemen; -- abbreviated to Messrs., which is used as the plural of Mr. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Messina, or its inhabitans. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An associate in a mess. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. mesuage, masnage, LL. messuagium, mansionaticum, fr. L. mansio, -onis, a staying, remaining, dwelling, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, remain, E. mansion, manse. ] (Law) A dwelling house, with the adjacent buildings and curtilage, and the adjoining lands appropriated to the use of the household. Cowell. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

They wedded her to sixty thousand pounds,
To lands in Kent, and messuages in York. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To make a mess{ 5 } of; to confuse, disorder, or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb. [ PJC ]

2. To botch{ 3 }; to bungle. [ PJC ]

n. Something badly botched or muddled. [ British ]
Syn. -- ballup, balls-up, cockup. [ WordNet 1.5 ]