Adjacent Words

Morris definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: United States suffragist in Wyoming (1814-1902) [syn: Morris, Esther Morris, Esther Hobart McQuigg Slack Morris]
2: English poet and craftsman (1834-1896) [syn: Morris, William Morris]
3: leader of the American Revolution who signed the Declaration of Independence and raised money for the Continental Army (1734-1806) [syn: Morris, Robert Morris]
4: United States statesman who led the committee that produced the final draft of the United States Constitution (1752-1816) [syn: Morris, Gouverneur Morris]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English moreys daunce, from moreys Moorish (from More Moor) + daunce dance Date: 1512 a vigorous English dance traditionally performed by men wearing costumes and bells

Merriam Webster's

I. biographical name Gouverneur 1752-1816 American statesman & diplomat II. biographical name Robert 1734-1806 American financier & statesman III. biographical name William 1834-1896 English poet, artist, & socialist

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Morris Mor"ris, n. [Sp. morisco Moorish, fr. Moro a Moor: cf. F. moresque, It. moresca.] 1. A Moorish dance, usually performed by a single dancer, who accompanies the dance with castanets. 2. A dance formerly common in England, often performed in pagenats, processions, and May games. The dancers, grotesquely dressed and ornamented, took the parts of Robin Hood, Maidmarian, and other fictious characters. 3. An old game played with counters, or men, which are placed angles of a figure drawn on a board or on the ground; also, the board or ground on which the game is played. The nine-men's morris is filled up with mud. --Shak. Note: The figure consists of three concentric squares, with lines from the angles of the outer one to those of the inner, and from the middle of each side of the outer square to that of the inner. The game is played by two persons with nine or twelve pieces each (hence called nine-men's morris or twelve-men's morris). The pieces are placed alternately, and each player endeavors to prevent his opponent from making a straight row of three. Should either succeed in making a row, he may take up one of his opponent's pieces, and he who takes off all of his opponent's pieces wins the game.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Morris Mor"ris, n. [So called from its discoverer.] (Zo["o]l.) A marine fish having a very slender, flat, transparent body. It is now generally believed to be the young of the conger eel or some allied fish.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

Come, morris off; dance off, or get you gone. allusion to morris, i.e. MORISCO, or Moorish dancing.