meiny

meiny

(ˈmeɪnɪ) or

meinie

n, pl meinies
1. a retinue or household
2. Scot a crowd
[C13: from Old French mesnie, from Vulgar Latin mansiōnāta (unattested), from Latin mansiō a lodging; see mansion]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Meiny, Meine

 a family; a body of attendants; a company of people employed together; a great number; the multitude, 1609. See also flock, retinue, train.
Examples: meiny of attendants; of brooks; of chessmen (a set); of cranes, 1484; of geese, 1484; of male foals, 1522; of oxen, 1530; of people, 1609; of pilgrims, 1442; of plants, 1530; of discontented puritans, 1670; of rascals, 1529; of sheep, 1522; of sparrows, 1556; of villains, 1529.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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