me t|ric to n (metric tons ) N‑COUNT [num N ] A metric ton is 1,000 kilograms. □ [+ of ] The Wall Street Journal uses 220,000 metric tons of newsprint each year.
met|ro /me troʊ/ (metros ) also Metro N‑COUNT The metro is the underground railway system in some cities, for example in Paris.
met|ro|nome /me trənoʊm/ (metronomes ) N‑COUNT A metronome is a device which is used to indicate how quickly a piece of music should be played. It can be adjusted to make regular sounds at different speeds.
me|tropo|lis /mətrɒ pəl I s/ (metropolises ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A metropolis is the largest, busiest, and most important city in a country or region. □ …the bustling metropolis of Chengdu.
met|ro|poli|tan /me trəpɒ l I t ə n/ ADJ [ADJ n] Metropolitan means belonging to or typical of a large busy city. □ …the metropolitan district of Miami. □ …a dozen major metropolitan hospitals. □ …metropolitan sophistication and rustic naivety.
met|ro|sex|ual /me trəʊse kʃʊəl/ (metrosexuals ) N‑COUNT A metrosexual is a man who spends a lot of time and money on his appearance, and often his home. □ A true metrosexual, Brad buys fresh flowers every week to brighten up the apartment. ● ADJ Metrosexual is also an adjective. □ My metrosexual husband has so many shirts that he needs more wardrobe space.
met|tle /me t ə l/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Someone's mettle is their ability to do something well in difficult circumstances. □ His first important chance to show his mettle came when he opened the new session of the Legislature.
mew /mjuː / (mews , mewing , mewed ) VERB When a cat mews , it makes a soft high-pitched noise. □ [V ] From somewhere, the kitten mewed.
mews /mjuː z/ (mews ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A mews is a street or small area surrounded by houses that were originally built as stables. [BRIT ] □ The house is in a secluded mews.
Mexi|can /me ks I kən/ (Mexicans )
1 ADJ Mexican means belonging or relating to Mexico, or to its people or culture.
2 N‑COUNT A Mexican is a Mexican citizen, or a person of Mexican origin.
Me xi|can sta nd-off (Mexican stand-offs ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A Mexican stand-off is a situation in which neither of the people or groups in a conflict or dispute can win and neither wants to give in first. [AM ]
Me xi|can wa ve (Mexican waves ) N‑COUNT If a crowd of people do a Mexican wave , each person in the crowd stands up and puts their arms in the air after the person to one side of them, creating a continuous wave-like motion through the crowd. [BRIT ] in AM, use wave
mez|za|nine /me zəniːn/ (mezzanines )
1 N‑COUNT A mezzanine is a small floor which is built between two main floors of a building. □ …the dining room on the mezzanine.
2 N‑COUNT The mezzanine is the lowest balcony in a theatre, or the front rows in the lowest balcony. [AM ] in BRIT, usually use dress circle
mez|zo /me tsoʊ/ (mezzos ) N‑COUNT A mezzo is the same as a mezzo-soprano .
me zzo-sopra no (mezzo-sopranos ) N‑COUNT A mezzo-soprano is a female singer who sings with a higher range than a contralto but a lower range than a soprano. □ She became a professional mezzo-soprano. □ …her remarkable mezzo-soprano voice.
mg mg is a written abbreviation for milligram or milligrams . □ …300 mg of calcium.
Mgr Mgr is a written abbreviation for Monsignor .
MHz MHz is a written abbreviation for megahertz .
MIA /e m a I e I / ADJ MIA is used to describe members of the armed forces who do not return from a military operation but who are not known to have been killed or captured. MIA is an abbreviation for 'missing in action'. [mainly AM ] □ He was listed as MIA.
miaow /miaʊ / (miaows , miaowing , miaowed ) also meow N‑COUNT Miaow is used to represent the noise that a cat makes. □ He made a frightened noise a little like the miaow of a cat. ● VERB Miaow is also a verb. □ [V ] Cats miaow when they are unhappy, purr when they are happy.
mi|as|ma /miæ zmə/ (miasmas ) N‑VAR You can describe something bad or confused that seems to be in the air all around you as a miasma . [LITERARY ] □ [+ of ] His ambition to be part of the U.S. Supreme Court faded in a miasma of despair.
mic. /ma I k/ (mics ) N‑COUNT A mic. is the same as a microphone . [INFORMAL ]
mica /ma I kə/ (micas ) N‑VAR Mica is a hard mineral which is found as small flat crystals in rocks. It has a great resistance to heat and electricity.
mice /ma I s/ Mice is the plural of mouse .
mick|ey /m I ki/ PHRASE If you take the mickey out of someone or something, you make fun of them, usually in an unkind way. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ out of ] He started taking the mickey out of this poor man just because he is bald.
Mi ckey Mou se ADJ You use Mickey Mouse to show that you think something is silly, childish, easy, or worthless. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ This is not a Mickey Mouse course where every player has a chance.
mi|cro /ma I kroʊ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use micro to indicate that something relates to a specific area, rather than a general one [mainly TECHNICAL ] □ The vital task was to allow the economy to operate freely at a micro level.
PREFIX micro-
forms nouns that have small as part of their meaning. For example, a micro-organism is a very small living thing that you cannot see with your eyes alone.
mi|crobe /ma I kroʊb/ (microbes ) N‑COUNT A microbe is a very small living thing, which you can only see if you use a microscope.