3 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use mortal to show that something is very serious or may cause death. □ The police were defending themselves and others against mortal danger. ● mor|tal|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed/adj/adv] □ He falls, mortally wounded.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use mortal to emphasize that a feeling is extremely great or severe. [EMPHASIS ] □ When self-esteem is high, we lose our mortal fear of jealousy. ● mor|tal|ly ADV □ Candida admits to having been 'mortally embarrassed'.
mor|tal|ity /mɔː r tæ l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] The mortality in a particular place or situation is the number of people who die. □ The nation's infant mortality rate has reached a record low.
mo r|tal si n (mortal sins ) N‑VAR In the Roman Catholic Church, a mortal sin is an extremely serious sin and the person who has committed it will be punished after death unless they are forgiven by the Church.
mor|tar /mɔː r tə r / (mortars )
1 N‑COUNT A mortar is a big gun which fires missiles high into the air over a short distance. □ He was killed in a mortar attack.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Mortar is a mixture of sand, water, and cement or lime which is put between bricks to hold them together.
3 N‑COUNT A mortar is a bowl in which you can crush things such as herbs, spices, or grain using a rod called a pestle.
4 bricks and mortar → see brick
mo r|tar board (mortar boards ) also mortarboard N‑COUNT A mortar board is a stiff black cap which has a flat square top with a bunch of threads attached to it. In Britain, mortar boards are sometimes worn on formal occasions by university students and teachers. In the United States, mortar boards are worn by students at graduation ceremonies at high schools, colleges, and universities.
mort|gage ◆◆◇ /mɔː r g I dʒ/ (mortgages , mortgaging , mortgaged )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A mortgage is a loan of money which you get from a bank or building society in order to buy a house. □ …an increase in mortgage rates.
2 VERB If you mortgage your house or land, you use it as a guarantee to a company in order to borrow money from them. □ [V n] They had to mortgage their home to pay the bills.
mor|tice lock /mɔː r t I s lɒk/ (mortice locks ) also mortise lock N‑COUNT A mortice lock is a type of lock which fits into a hole cut into the edge of a door rather than being fixed to one side of it.
mor|ti|cian /mɔː r t I ʃ ə n/ (morticians ) N‑COUNT A mortician is a person whose job is to deal with the bodies of people who have died and to arrange funerals. [mainly AM ]
mor|ti|fi|ca|tion /mɔː r t I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft poss N ] Mortification is a strong feeling of shame and embarrassment. □ The chairman tried to disguise his mortification.
mor|ti|fied /mɔː r t I fa I d/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is mortified , you mean that they feel extremely offended, ashamed, or embarrassed. □ If I reduced somebody to tears I'd be mortified.
mor|ti|fy /mɔː r t I fa I / (mortifies , mortifying , mortified ) VERB [no cont] If you say that something mortifies you, you mean that it offends or embarrasses you a great deal. □ [V n] It would not be the first time Judy has mortified her son.
mor|ti|fy|ing /mɔː r t I fa I I ŋ/ ADJ If you say that something is mortifying , you mean that it makes you feel extremely ashamed or embarrassed. □ She felt it would be utterly mortifying to be seen in such company as his by anyone.
mor|tise lock /mɔː r t I s lɒk/ → see mortice lock
mor|tu|ary /mɔː r tʃuəri, [AM ] -eri/ (mortuaries ) N‑COUNT A mortuary is a building or a room in a hospital where dead bodies are kept before they are buried or cremated, or before they are identified or examined.
mo|sa|ic /moʊze I I k/ (mosaics ) N‑VAR A mosaic is a design which consists of small pieces of coloured glass, pottery, or stone set in concrete or plaster. □ …a Roman villa which once housed a fine collection of mosaics.
mo|sey /moʊ zi/ (moseys , moseying , moseyed ) VERB If you mosey somewhere, you go there slowly, often without any particular purpose. [INFORMAL ] □ [V adv/prep] He usually moseys into town for no special reason.
mosh /mɒ ʃ/ (moshes , moshing , moshed ) VERB If people at a rock concert mosh , they jump up and down together in front of the stage, often pushing each other. □ [V ] Moshing down the front crushed against the stage is all part of the gig experience.
mosh|pit /mɒ ʃp I t/ (moshpits ) also mosh pit N‑COUNT The moshpit at a rock concert is the area in front of the stage where people jump up and down. [mainly BRIT ]
Mos|lem /mɒ zləm, mʊ zl I m/ → see Muslim
mosque /mɒ sk/ (mosques ) N‑COUNT A mosque is a building where Muslims go to worship.
mos|qui|to /mɒskiː toʊ/ (mosquitoes or mosquitos ) N‑COUNT Mosquitos are small flying insects which bite people and animals in order to suck their blood.
mos|qui |to net (mosquito nets ) N‑COUNT A mosquito net is a curtain made of very fine cloth which is hung round a bed in order to keep mosquitoes and other insects away from a person while they are sleeping.
moss /mɒ s, [AM ] mɔː s/ (mosses ) N‑VAR Moss is a very small soft green plant which grows on damp soil, or on wood or stone. □ …ground covered over with moss.
mossy /mɒ si, [AM ] mɔː si/ ADJ A mossy surface is covered with moss. □ …a mossy wall.
most ◆◆◆ /moʊ st/ Most is often considered to be the superlative form of much and many . 1 QUANT You use most to refer to the majority of a group of things or people or the largest part of something. □ [+ of ] By stopping smoking you are undoing most of the damage smoking has caused. □ [+ of ] Sadly, most of the house was destroyed by fire in 1828. ● DET Most is also a determiner. □ Most people think the Queen has done a good job during her reign. ● PRON Most is also a pronoun. □ Seventeen civilians were hurt. Most are students who had been attending a party.