ma'am /mæ m, mɑː m/ N‑COUNT People sometimes say ma'am as a very formal and polite way of addressing a woman whose name they do not know or a woman of superior rank. [mainly AM , POLITENESS ] □ Would you repeat that please, ma'am?
mac /mæ k/ (macs ) N‑COUNT A mac is a raincoat, especially one made from a particular kind of waterproof cloth. [BRIT ]
ma|ca|bre /məkɑː brə/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You describe something such as an event or story as macabre when it is strange and horrible or upsetting, usually because it involves death or injury. □ Police have made a macabre discovery.
maca|ro|ni /mæ kəroʊ ni/ N‑UNCOUNT Macaroni is a kind of pasta made in the shape of short hollow tubes.
ma ca|ro|ni chee se in AM, use macaroni and cheese N‑UNCOUNT Macaroni cheese is a dish made from macaroni and cheese sauce.
maca|roon /mæ kəruː n/ (macaroons ) N‑COUNT Macaroons are sweet cake-like biscuits that are flavoured with coconut or almond.
McCoy /məkɔ I / PHRASE If you describe someone or something as the real McCoy , you mean that they really are what they claim to be and are not an imitation. [INFORMAL ]
mace /me I s/ (maces )
1 N‑COUNT A mace is an ornamental stick carried by an official or placed somewhere as a symbol of authority.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mace is a substance that causes tears and sickness, and that is used in sprays as a defence against rioters or attackers. [TRADEMARK ]
mac|er|ate /mæ səre I t/ (macerates , macerating , macerated ) VERB If you macerate food, or if it macerates , you soak it in a liquid for a period of time so that it absorbs the liquid. □ [V n + in ] I like to macerate the food in liqueur for a few minutes before serving. □ [V n] Cognac is also used to macerate and flavour ingredients and casseroles. □ [V ] Seal tightly then leave for four to five days to macerate.
Mach /mɑː k/ N‑UNCOUNT Mach is used as a unit of measurement in stating the speed of a moving object in relation to the speed of sound. For example, if an aircraft is travelling at Mach 1, it is travelling at exactly the speed of sound. [TECHNICAL ]
ma|chete /məʃe ti/ (machetes ) N‑COUNT A machete is a large knife with a broad blade.
Machia|vel|lian /mæ kiəve liən/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as Machiavellian , you are critical of them because they often make clever and secret plans to achieve their aims and are not honest with people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …Machiavellian republicans plotting to destabilise the throne. □ A Machiavellian plot was suspected.
machi|na|tions /mæ k I ne I ʃ ə nz, mæ ʃ-/ N‑PLURAL You use machinations to describe secret and complicated plans, especially to gain power. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …the political machinations that brought him to power.
ma|chine ◆◆◇ /məʃiː n/ (machines , machining , machined )
1 N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A machine is a piece of equipment which uses electricity or an engine in order to do a particular kind of work. □ I put the coin in the machine and pulled the lever. □ …a color photograph of the sort taken by machine to be pasted in passports.
2 VERB [usu passive] If you machine something, you make it or work on it using a machine. □ [be V -ed] The material is machined in a factory. □ [be V -ed + from ] All parts are machined from top grade, high tensile aluminium. □ [V -ed] …machined brass zinc alloy gears. ● ma|chin|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …our machining, fabrication and finishing processes.
3 N‑COUNT You can use machine to refer to a large and well-controlled system or organization. □ …Nazi Germany's military machine. □ He has put the party publicity machine behind another candidate.
4 → see also fruit machine , sewing machine , slot machine , vending machine SYNONYMS machine NOUN 1
appliance: He could also learn to use other household appliances.
device: It is an electronic device that protects your vehicle 24 hours a day.
apparatus: One of the boys had to be rescued by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.
ma|chi ne code N‑UNCOUNT Machine code is a way of expressing instructions and information in the form of numbers which can be understood by a computer or microchip. [COMPUTING ]
ma|chi ne gun (machine guns ) also machine-gun
1 N‑COUNT A machine gun is a gun which fires a lot of bullets one after the other very quickly. □ …a burst of machine-gun fire.
2 → see also sub-machine gun
ma|chin|ery /məʃiː nəri/
1 N‑UNCOUNT You can use machinery to refer to machines in general, or machines that are used in a factory or on a farm. □ …quality tools and machinery. □ …your local garden machinery specialist.
2 N‑SING The machinery of a government or organization is the system and all the procedures that it uses to deal with things. □ [+ of ] The machinery of democracy could be created quickly.
ma|chi ne tool (machine tools ) N‑COUNT A machine tool is a machine driven by power that cuts, shapes, or finishes metal or other materials.
ma|chin|ist /məʃiː n I st/ (machinists ) N‑COUNT A machinist is a person whose job is to operate a machine, especially in a factory.
ma|chis|mo /mætʃ I zmoʊ, [AM ] mɑːtʃiː z-/ N‑UNCOUNT You use machismo to refer to men's behaviour or attitudes when they are very conscious and proud of their masculinity. □ Hooky, naturally, has to prove his machismo by going on the scariest rides twice.