Maxim

//ˈmæk.sɪm// name, noun, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname
Noun
  1. 1
    A self-evident axiom or premise; a pithy expression of a general principle or rule. archaic
  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of Maxim. alt-of
  3. 3
    The Maxim gun, a British machine gun of various calibres used by the British army from 1889 until World War I.

    "Again we went on, and climbed the false immensity of another ridge, when several rifles and a maxim opened upon us, and very close they were."

  4. 4
    a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits wordnet
  5. 5
    A precept; a succinct statement or observation of a rule of conduct or moral teaching.

    "In every age and country of the world men must have attended to the characters, designs, and actions of one another, and many reputable rules and maxims for the conduct of human life, must have been laid down and approved of by common consent."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    Any machine gun that derives from the design pattern of Maxim's patented design
  2. 7
    A machine gun informal, obsolete

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Anglo-Norman maxime and Middle French maxime, from Late Latin maxima (“axiom”), noun use of the feminine singular form of Latin maximus (apparently as used in the phrase prōpositiō maxima (“greatest premise”)). Doublet of maxima.

Etymology 2

From Sir Hiram Maxim.

Etymology 3

* (machine guns): After the inventor Sir Hiram Maxim (1840-1916).

Etymology 4

* (machine guns): After the inventor Sir Hiram Maxim (1840-1916).

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