Mea"ger, Mea"gre (?), a. [OE. merge, F. maigre, L. macer; akin to D. & G. mager, Icel. magr, and prob. to Gr. long. Cf. Emaciate, Maigre.]

1.

Destitue of, or having little, flesh; lean.

Meager were his looks; Sharp misery had worn him to the bones. Shak.

2.

Destitute of richness, fertility, strength, or the like; defective in quantity, or poor in quality; poor; barren; scanty in ideas; wanting strength of diction or affluence of imagery.

"Meager soil."

Dryden.

Of secular habits and meager religious belief. I. Taylor.

His education had been but meager. Motley.

3. Min.

Dry and harsh to the touch, as chalk.

Syn. -- Thin; lean; lank; gaunt; starved; hungry; poor; emaciated; scanty; barren.

 

© Webster 1913.


Mea"ger, Mea"gre, v. t.

To make lean.

[Obs.]

 

© Webster 1913.


Mea"gre (?), n. [F. maigre.] Zool.

A large European sciaenoid fish (Sciaena umbra or S. aquila), having white bloodless flesh. It is valued as a food fish.

[Written also maigre.]

 

© Webster 1913.