The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Monk \Monk\, n. [AS. munuc, munec, munc, L. monachus, Gr. ?, fr.
mo`nos alone. Cf. Monachism.]
1. A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of
the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a
religious community of men inhabiting a monastery, and
bound by vows to a life of chastity, obedience, and
poverty. "A monk out of his cloister." --Chaucer.
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Monks in some respects agree with regulars, as in
the substantial vows of religion; but in other
respects monks and regulars differ; for that
regulars, vows excepted, are not tied up to so
strict a rule of life as monks are. --Ayliffe.
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2. (Print.) A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused
by the ink not being properly distributed. It is
distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a
deficiency of ink.
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3. A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the
powder hose or train of a mine.
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4. (Zool.)
(a) A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also
applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus.
(b) The European bullfinch.
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Monk bat (Zool.), a South American and West Indian bat
(Molossus nasutus); -- so called because the males live
in communities by themselves.
Monk bird(Zool.), the friar bird.
Monk seal (Zool.), a species of seal (Monachus
albiventer) inhabiting the Black Sea, the Mediterranean
Sea, and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic.
Monk's rhubarb (Bot.), a kind of dock; -- also called
patience (Rumex Patientia).
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