miter

Mi"ter, Mi"tre, n. Etym: [F. mitre, fr. L. mitra headband, turban, Gr. 1. A covering for the head, worn on solemn occasions by church dignitaries. It has been made in many forms, the present form being a lofty cap with two points or peaks. Fairholt. 2. The surface forming the beveled end or edge of a piece where a miter joint is made; also, a joint formed or a junction effected by two beveled ends or edges; a miter joint. 3. (Numis.) Defn: A sort of base money or coin. Miter box (Carp. & Print.), an apparatus for guiding a handsaw at the proper angle in making a miter joint; esp., a wooden or metal trough with vertical kerfs in its upright sides, for guides. -- Miter dovetail (Carp.), a kind of dovetail for a miter joint in which there is only one joint line visible, and that at the angle. -- Miter gauge (Carp.), a gauge for determining the angle of a miter. -- Miter joint, a joint formed by pieces matched and united upon a line bisecting the angle of junction, as by the beveled ends of two pieces of molding or brass rule, etc. The term is used especially when the pieces form a right angle. See Miter, 2. -- Miter shell (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of marine univalve shells of the genus Mitra. -- Miter square (Carp.), a bevel with an immovable arm at an angle of 45º, for striking lines on stuff to be mitered; also, a square with an arm adjustable to any angle. -- Miter wheels, a pair of bevel gears, of equal diameter, adapted for working together, usually with their axes at right angles. Mi"ter, Mi"tre, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mitered or Mitred; p. pr. & vb. n. Mitering or Mitring.] 1. To place a miter upon; to adorn with a miter. "Mitered locks." Milton. 2. To match together, as two pieces of molding or brass rule on a line bisecting the angle of junction; to bevel the ends or edges of, for the purpose of matching together at an angle. Mi"ter, Mi"tre, v. i. Defn: To meet and match together, as two pieces of molding, on a line bisecting the angle of junction.

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