minute

a. Of or pertaining to a minute or minutes; occurring at or marking successive minutes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Minute bell, a bell tolled at intervals of a minute, as to give notice of a death or a funeral. --
Minute book, a book in which written minutes are entered. --
Minute glass, a glass measuring a minute or minutes by the running of sand. --
Minute gun, a discharge of a cannon repeated every minute as a sign of distress or mourning. --
Minute hand, the long hand of a watch or clock, which makes the circuit of the dial in an hour, and marks the minutes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Minuted; p. pr. & vb. n. Minuting. ] To set down a short sketch or note of; to jot down; to make a minute or a brief summary of. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Empress of Russia, with her own hand, minuted an edict for universal tolerance. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. minutus, p. p. of minuere to lessen. See Minish, Minor, and cf. Menu, Minuet. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Very small; little; tiny; fine; slight; slender; inconsiderable; as, minute details. “Minute drops.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Attentive to small things; paying attention to details; critical; particular; precise; as, a minute observer; minute observation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Little; diminutive; fine; critical; exact; circumstantial; particular; detailed. -- Minute, Circumstantial, Particular. A circumstantial account embraces all the leading events; a particular account includes each event and movement, though of but little importance; a minute account goes further still, and omits nothing as to person, time, place, adjuncts, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A figure which strikes the hour on the bell of some fanciful clocks; -- called also jack of the clock house. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A timeserver; an inconstant person. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. At intervals of a minute; very often and regularly. J. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

Minutely proclaimed in thunder from heaven. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ From 4th Minute. ] In a minute manner; with minuteness; exactly; nicely. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From 1st Minute. ] Happening every minute; continuing; unceasing. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Throwing themselves absolutely upon God's minutely providence. Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Minutemen A militiaman who was to be ready to march at a moment's notice; -- a term used in the American Revolution. [ 1913 Webster ]