Marble

Marble, mär′bl, n. any species of limestone taking a high polish: that which is made of marble, as a work of art: a little ball used by boys in play.—adj. made of marble: veined like marble: hard: insensible.—v.t. to stain or vein like marble.—adjs. Mar′ble-breast′ed, hard-hearted, cruel; Mar′ble-con′stant, constant or firm as marble, immovable.—n. Mar′ble-cut′ter, one who hews marble: a machine for cutting marble.—adjs. Mar′ble-edged, having the edges marbled, as a book; Mar′ble-heart′ed, hard-hearted, insensible.—ns. Mar′ble-pā′per, paper coloured in imitation of variegated marble; Mar′bler; Mar′bling, the act of veining or painting in imitation of marble.—adv. Mar′bly, resembling marble, in the manner of marble.—Elgin marbles, a collection of marbles obtained chiefly from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in 1811, now in the British Museum. [O. Fr. marbre—L. marmor; cf. Gr. marmaros, marmairein, to sparkle.]