See Also: TNT Mirror(finance)
Mirror(medicine)
two-way mirror(dictionary)
mirror(dictionary)
one-way mirror(dictionary)
Mirror, The(dictionary)
MIRROR DES JUSTICES(law)
Daily Mirror, The(dictionary)
Sunday Mirror, The(dictionary)
mirror 1, noun(dictionary)

mirror (iou)



mirror noun & verb. ME.

A. noun.
I. lit.
A smooth surface, formerly of polished metal, now usu. (exc. in some scientific instruments) of glass coated on one side with aluminium or silver, which reflects light rays to form an image; a looking-glass. ME.
T. Ireland She tried to catch her reflection in the mirror on the wall.
A glass or crystal used in magic. arch. ME.
II. fig.
A person or thing embodying a feature or characteristic deserving of imitation; a pattern, an exemplar; a model of excellence; a paragon. Freq. foll. by of. Now rare. ME.
L. Strachey In the eyes of Victoria he was the mirror of manly beauty.
b. A person or thing embodying something to be avoided; a deterrent, a warning. rare. LME-M17.
A thing or (poet.) a person regarded as giving a faithful reflection or true description of something. LME.
R. Christiansen The Poet's mind was no longer a mirror reflecting Nature.
III. transf.
Something which reflects an image, esp. water. Usu. poet. LME.
Architecture. A small round or oval ornament with a border. M19.
Ornithology. A white spot on the black wingtip of a gull. E20.
Phrases: by mirrors (as if) by magic. long mirror: see LONG adjective1. magic mirror: see MAGIC adjective. magnetic mirror: see MAGNETIC adjective. with mirrors = by mirrors above.
Comb.: mirrorball a revolving ball covered with small mirrored facets, used to provide lighting effects at discos or dances; mirror carp an abnormal variety of the carp having just two or three rows of enlarged scales; mirror embroidery = mirror-work below; mirror finish a reflective surface; mirror fugue Music a fugue that can be played reversed or inverted; mirror-glass (glass used in) a mirror; mirror image an image etc. identical to its original but with the structure reversed; loosely an identical image, copy, etc.; mirror nucleus, mirror nuclide Nuclear Physics either of two nuclides of the same atomic mass, each having as many protons as the other has neutrons; mirror-plate (a) a plate of glass suitable for a mirror; (b) a metal plate used for fixing a mirror etc. to a wall or base; mirror scale a graduated scale provided with an adjacent mirror so as to avoid parallax errors when taking readings; mirror site Computing a site on a network which exactly replicates another site, usu. created to provide faster access for users in a distant part of the world by enabling them to use a server geographically closer to them; mirror stage Psychology a stage in a child's development considered to be typified by its reacting to its reflection as if it were a real person; mirror symmetry: as of an object and its reflection; mirror-work small round pieces of mirror appliqued on fabric; mirror-writer a person who practises mirror writing; mirror writing reversed writing (esp. characteristic of aphasia), like ordinary writing reflected in a mirror.
b. verb trans.
Be a model for in behaviour. Only in LME.
Reflect as in a mirror. L16.
W. Golding The clear water mirrored the clear sky.
Imitate, reproduce, represent. E19.
O. Wilde The gracious and comely form he had so skilfully mirrored in his art. Scott Fitzgerald Tom glanced around to see if we mirrored his unbelief.
Computing.
a. Maintain a copy of (a network site) at a mirror site. L20.
b. Store copies of data in (two or more hard disks) as a method of protecting it: L20.
mirrored adjective (a) fitted with a mirror or mirrors; (b) having a reflective surface; (c) reflected (as) by a mirror: E19.
mirrorize verb trans. reflect (as) in a mirror L16.
mirror-like adjective resembling (that of) a mirror; smooth and reflective: L18.
mirrory adjective mirror-like L19.