monk

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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. [1913 Webster]

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.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

3.A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine. [1913 Webster]

4.(Zool.) (a) A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus. (b) The European bullfinch. [1913 Webster]

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). [1913 Webster]