Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Meal?

\Meal\ (m[=e]l), n. [OE. mele, AS. m[=ae]l part, portion, portion of time; akin to E. meal a repast. Cf. {Piecemeal}.] A part; a fragment; a portion. [Obs.]
\Meal\, n. [OE. mel; akin to E. meal a part, and to D. maal time, meal, G. mal time, mahl meal, Icel. m[=a]l measure, time, meal, Goth. m[=e]l time, and to E. measure. See {Measure}.] The portion of food taken at a particular time for the satisfaction of appetite; the quantity usually taken at one time with the purpose of satisfying hunger; a repast; the act or time of eating a meal; as, the traveler has not eaten a good meal for a week; there was silence during the meal. What strange fish Hath made his meal on thee ? --Shak.
\Meal\, n. [OE. mele, AS. melu, melo; akin to D. meel, G. mehl, OHG. melo, Icel. mj["o]l, SW. mj["o]l, Dan. meel, also to D. malen to grind, G. mahlen, OHG., OS., & Goth. malan, Icel. mala, W. malu, L. molere, Gr. my`lh mill, and E. mill. [root]108. Cf. {Mill}, {Mold} soil, {Mole} an animal, {Immolate}, {Molar}.] 1. Grain (esp. maize, rye, or oats) that is coarsely ground and unbolted; also, a kind of flour made from beans, pease, etc.; sometimes, any flour, esp. if coarse. 2. Any substance that is coarsely pulverized like meal, but not granulated. {Meal beetle} (Zo["o]l.), the adult of the meal worm. See {Meal worm}, below. {Meal moth} (Zo["o]l.), a lepidopterous insect ({Asopia farinalis}), the larv[ae] of which feed upon meal, flour, etc. {Meal worm} (Zo["o]l.), the larva of a beetle ({Tenebrio molitor}) which infests granaries, bakehouses, etc., and is very injurious to flour and meal.
\Meal\, v. t. 1. To sprinkle with, or as with, meal. --Shak. 2. To pulverize; as, mealed powder.