- marcel n. A hairstyle characterized by deep regular waves made by a heated

  curling iron. v. tr. & intr.

- on the march: Advancing steadily; progressing: Technology is on the march.

- steal a march on: To get ahead of, especially by quiet enterprise.

- march2 n. 1. The border or boundary of a country or an area of land; a

  frontier. 2. A tract of land bordering on two countries and claimed by both.

  intr.v. To have a common boundary: England marches with Scotland. [see marcher2]

- mare's nest n. 1. A hoax or fraud. 2. An extraordinarily complicated situation.

- marginalia pl.n. Notes in the margin or margins of a book.

- mariachi n. 1. A street band in Mexico.

- Mariolatry n. Excessive veneration or worship of the Virgin Mary.

  --Mariolater n. --Mariolatrous adj.

- marionette n. A jointed puppet manipulated from above by strings or wires

  attached to its limbs.

- mark n. 13. Slang A person who is the intended victim of a swindler; a dupe.

- maroon1 tr.v. 1. To put ashore on a deserted island or coast and intentionally

  abandon. 2. To abandon or isolate with little hope of ready rescue or escape:

  The travelers were marooned by the blizzard. n.

- maroon2 n. A dark reddish brown to dark purplish red.

- marplot n. an officious meddler whose interference compromises the success of

  an undertaking. [After Marplot, a character in The Busy Body, a play by

  Susannah Centlivre (1669-1723)]

- marquee n. 1. A large tent, often with open sides, used chiefly for outdoor

  entertainment. 2. A rooflike structure, often bearing a signboard, projecting

  over an entrance, as to a theater or hotel. Also called marquise. adj. Being

  an athlete of exceptional skill and popularity: The team is hoping to sign a

  marquee player.

- marsh hen n. Any of various marsh birds of the family Rallidae, which includes

  the gallinules, coots, and rails.

- marshmallow n. 3. Slang A timid, cowardly, or ineffective person

 --marshmallowy adj.

- Martha's Vineyard An island of southeast Massachusetts off the southwest coast

  of Cape Cod. Settled in 1642, it was a whaling and fishing center in the 18th

  and early 19th centuries and is now a resort area.

- martin n. Any of several swallows, such as the house martin and the purple

  martin.

- martingale n. 3. Games A method of gambling in which one doubles the stakes

  after each loss.

- martyrium n. A church or other edifice built at a site, especially a tomb,

  associated with a Christian martyr or saint.

- Mary I or Mary Tudor 1516-1558 Queen of England and Ireland (1553-1558) who

  reestablished Roman Catholicism (1555). Her persecution of Protestants earned

  her the nickname "Bloody Mary."

- Mary Jane n. Slang Marijunana.

- Mary Janes A trademark used for patent leather shoes for girls, usually having

  a low heel and a single strap that fastens at the side.

- masa n. Dough made of dried corn that has been soaked in limewater then rinsed

  and ground, used especially in tortillas and tamales.

- masher n. 1. A kitchen utensil for mashing vegetables or fruit. 2. Slang A man

  who attempts to force his attentions on a woman. (See mash n.6 & v.5)

- masochism n. 3. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or

  trying experience. [After Leopold von Sacher-Masoch(1836-1895), Austrian novelist.]