Mitre, Miter n. 1.A covering for the head, worn on solemn occasions by bishops and other church dignitaries. It has been made in many forms, the present form being a lofty cap with two points or peaks.
2.The surface forming the beveled end or edge of a piece where a miter joint is made; also, a joint formed or a junction effected by two beveled ends or edges; a miter joint.
3.(Numis.) A sort of base money or coin.
Miter box (Carp. & Print.), an apparatus for guiding a handsaw at the proper angle in making a miter joint; esp., a wooden or metal trough with vertical kerfs in its upright sides, for guides.
Miter dovetail (Carp.), a kind of dovetail for a miter joint in which there is only one joint line visible, and that at the angle.
Miter gauge (Carp.), a gauge for determining the angle of a miter.
Miter joint, a joint formed by pieces matched and united upon a line bisecting the angle of junction, as by the beveled ends of two pieces of molding or brass rule, etc. The term is used especially when the pieces form a right angle, such as the edges of a window frame, and the edge of each piece at the point of junction is cut at a 45° angle to its long direction. See Miter, 2. Miter shell (Zool.), any one of numerous species of marine univalve shells of the genus Mitra.
Miter square (Carp.), a bevel with an immovable arm at an angle of 45°, for striking lines on stuff to be mitered; also, a square with an arm adjustable to any angle.
Miter wheels, a pair of bevel gears, of equal diameter, adapted for working together, usually with their axes at right angles.
