Chapter LI: Bella (33)

Defn: To sport or make diversion in a mask or disguise; to mask. With mumming and with masking all around. Spenser.

MUMMER Mumm"er, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. mommeur. See Mumm, and cf. Momier.]

Defn: One who mumms, or makes diversion in disguise; a masker; a buffon. Jugglers and dancers, antics, mummers. Milton.

MUMMERY Mum"mer*y, n.; pl. Mummeries. Etym: [F. momerie, of Dutch or German origin. See Mumm.]

1. Masking; frolic in disguise; buffoonery. The mummery of foreign strollers. Fenton.

2. Farcical show; hypocritical disguise and parade or ceremonies. Bacon.

MUMMICHOG Mum"mi*chog, n. Etym: [Amer. Indian name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of small American cyprinodont fishes of the genus Fundulus, and of allied genera; the killifishes; -- called also minnow. [Written also mummychog, mummachog.]

MUMMIFICATION Mum`mi*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [See Mummify.]

Defn: The act of making a mummy.

MUMMIFIED Mum"mi*fied, a.

Defn: Converted into a mummy or a mummylike substance; having the appearance of a mummy; withered.

MUMMIFORM Mum"mi*form, a. Etym: [Mummy + -form.]

Defn: Having some resemblance to a mummy; -- in zoölogy, said of the pupæ of certain insects.

MUMMIFY Mum"mi*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mummified; p. pr. & vb. n. Mummifying.] Etym: [Mummy + -fy: cf. F. momifier.]

Defn: To embalm and dry as a mummy; to make into, or like, a mummy. Hall (1646).

MUMMY Mum"my, n.; pl. Mummies. Etym: [F. momie; cf. Sp. & Pg. momia, It. mummia; all fr. Per. m, fr. m wax.]

1. A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means, in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction. Bacon.

2. Dried flesh of a mummy. [Obs.] Sir. J. Hill.

3. A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; -- formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties. [Obs.] Shak. Sir T. Herbert.

4. A brown color obtained from bitumen. See Mummy brown (below).

5. (Gardening)

Defn: A sort of wax used in grafting, etc.

6. One whose affections and energies are withered. Mummy brown, a brown color, nearly intermediate in tint between burnt umber and raw umber. A pigment of this color is prepared from bitumen, etc., obtained from Egyptian tombs. -- Mummy wheat (Bot.), wheat found in the ancient mummy cases of Egypt. No botanist now believes that genuine mummy wheat has been made to germinate in modern times. -- To beat to a mummy, to beat to a senseless mass; to beat soundly.

MUMMY Mum"my, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mummied; p. pr. & vb. n. Mummying.]

Defn: To embalm; to mummify.

MUMMYCHOG Mum"my*chog, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mummichog.

MUMP Mump, v. i. Etym: [Akin to mumble; cf. D. mompen to cheat; perh. orig., to whine like a beggar, D. mompelen to mumble. See Mumble, Mum, and cf. Mumps.]

1. To move the lips with the mouth closed; to mumble, as in sulkiness. He mumps, and lovers, and hangs the lip. Taylor, 1630.

2. To talk imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly; to chatter unintelligibly.

3. To cheat; to deceive; to play the beggar. And then when mumping with a sore leg, ... canting and whining. Burke.

4. To be sullen or sulky. [Prov. Eng.]

MUMP Mump, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mumped; p. pr. & vb. n. Mumping.]

1. To utter imperfectly, brokenly, or feebly. Old men who mump their passion. Goldsmith.

2. To work over with the mouth; to mumble; as, to mump food.

3. To deprive of (something) by cheating; to impose upon.

MUMPER Mump"er, n.

Defn: A beggar; a begging impostor. Deceived by the tales of a Lincoln's Inn mumper. Macaulay.

MUMPISH Mump"ish, a.

Defn: Sullen, sulky. -- Mump"ish*ly, adv. -- Mump"ish*ness, n.

MUMPS Mumps, n. Etym: [Prov. E. mump to be sulky. Cf. Mump, Mumble, and Mum.]

1. pl.

Defn: Sullenness; silent displeasure; the sulks. Skinner.

2. Etym: [Prob. so called from the patient's appearance.] (Med.)

Defn: A specific infectious febrile disorder characterized by a nonsuppurative inflammation of the parotid glands; epidemic or infectious parotitis.

MUN Mun, n. Etym: [See Mouth.]

Defn: The mouth. [Obs.] One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns, Butter them and sugar them and put them in your muns. Old Rhyme. Halliwell.

MUNCH Munch, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Munched; p. pr. & vb. n. Munching.] Etym: [Prob. akin to mumble: cf. also F. manger to eat (cf. Mange), and mâcher to cher (cf. Masticate). See Mumble.]

Defn: To chew with a grinding, crunching sound, as a beast chews provender; to chew deliberately or in large mouthfuls. [Formerly written also maunch and mounch.] I could munch your good dry oats. Shak.

MUNCHAUSENISM Mun*chau"sen*ism, n. Etym: [So called in allusion to Baron Munchausen's extravagant tales of travel.]

Defn: An extravagant fiction embodying an account of some marvelous exploit or adventure.

MUNCHER Munch"er, n.

Defn: One who munches.

MUND Mund, n.

Defn: See Mun.

MUNDANE Mun"dane, a. Etym: [L. mundanus, fr. mundus the world, an implement, toilet adornments, or dress; cf. mundus, a., clean, neat, Skr. mansds to adorn, dress, mansdsa adornment. Cf. Monde, Mound in heraldry.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the world; worldly; earthly; terrestrial; as, the mundane sphere. -- Mun"dane*ly, adv. The defilement of mundane passions. I. Taylor.

MUNDANITY Mun*dan"i*ty, n.

Defn: Worldliness. [Obs.]

MUNDATION Mun*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. mundatio, fr. mundare to make clean.]

Defn: The act of cleansing. [Obs.]

MUNDATORY Mun"da*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. mundatorius.]

Defn: Cleansing; having power to cleanse. [Obs.]

MUNDIC Mun"dic, n.

Defn: Iron pyrites, or arsenical pyrites; -- so called by the Cornish miners.

MUNDIFICANT Mun*dif"i*cant, a. Etym: [L. mundificans, p.pr. of mundificare to make clean, fr. mundus clean + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]

Defn: Serving to cleanse and heal. -- n.

Defn: A mundificant ointment or plaster.

MUNDIFICATION Mun`di*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act or operation of cleansing.

MUNDIFICATIVE Mun*dif"i*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Cleansing. -- n.

Defn: A detergent medicine or preparation.

MUNDIFY Mun"di*fy, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. mondifier, L. mundificare. See Mundificant.]

Defn: To cleanse. [Obs.]

MUNDIL Mun"dil, n.

Defn: A turban ornamented with an imitation of gold or silver embroidery.

MUNDIVAGANT Mun*div"a*gant, a. Etym: [L. mundus the world + vagans wandering, p.pr. of vagari. See Vagary.]

Defn: Wandering over the world. [R.]

MUNDUNGUS Mun*dun"gus, n. Etym: [Cf. Sp. mondongo paunch, tripe, black pudding.]

Defn: A stinking tobacco.

MUNERARY Mu"ner*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. munerarius, from munus a gift.]

Defn: Having the nature of a gift. [Obs.]

MUNERATE Mu"ner*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. muneratus, p.p. of munerare to give, bestow, fr. munus a gift.]

Defn: To remunerate.

MUNERATION Mu`ner*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. muneratio.]

Defn: Remuneration. [Obs.]

MUNG Mung, n. Etym: [Hind. m.] (Bot.)

Defn: Green gram, a kind of pulse (Phaseolus Mungo), grown for food in British India. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

MUNGA Mun"ga, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Bonnet monkey, under Bonnet.

MUNGCORN Mung"corn`, n.

Defn: Same as Mangcorn.

MUNGO Mun"go, n.

Defn: A fibrous material obtained by deviling rags or the remnants of woolen goods.

Note: Mungo properly signifies the disintegrated rags of woolen cloth, as distinguished from those of worsted, which form shoddy. The distinction is very commonly disregarded. Beck (Draper's Dict. ).

MUNGOOSE; MUNGOOS Mun"goose, Mun"goos, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mongoose.

MUNGREL Mun"grel, n. & a.

Defn: See Mongrel.

MUNICIPAL Mu*nic"i*pal, a. Etym: [L. municipalis, fr. municipium a town, particularly in Italy, which possessed the right of Roman citizenship, but was governed by its own laws, a free town, fr. municeps an inhabitant of a free town, a free citizen; munia official duties, functions + capere to take: cf. F. municipal. Cf. Immunity, and Capacoius.]

1. Of or pertaining to a city or a corporation having the right of administering local government; as, municipal rights; municipal officers.

2. Of or pertaining to a state, kingdom, or nation. Municipal law is properly defined to be a rule of civil conduct prescribed by the supreme power in a state. Blackstone.

MUNICIPALISM Mu*nic"i*pal*ism, n.

Defn: Municipal condition.

MUNICIPALITY Mu*nic`i*pal"i*ty, n.; pl. Municipalities. Etym: [Cf. F. municipalité.]

Defn: A municipal district; a borough, city, or incorporated town or village.

MUNICIPALIZE Mu*nic"i*pal*ize, v. t. [Municipal + -ize.]

Defn: To bring under municipal oversight or control; as, a municipalized industry.

London people are now determined to centralize and to municipalize such services. The Century.

MUNICIPALLY Mu*nic"i*pal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a municipal relation or condition.

MUNIFIC Mu*nif"ic, a. Etym: [See Munificent.]

Defn: Munificent; liberal. [Obs. or R.]

MUNIFICATE Mu*nif"i*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. munificatus, p.p. of munificare to present with a thing, fr. munificus. See Munificent.]

Defn: To enrich. [Obs.]

MUNIFICENCE Mu*nif"i*cence, n. Etym: [Cf. L. munire to fortify.]

Defn: Means of defense; fortification. [Obs.] Spenser.

MUNIFICENCE Mu*nif"i*cence, n. Etym: [L. munificentia: cf. F. munificence.]

Defn: The quality or state of being munificent; a giving or bestowing with extraordinary liberality; generous bounty; lavish generosity. The virtues of liberality and munificence. Addison.

Syn. -- Benevolence; beneficence; liberality; generosity; bounty; bounteousness. See Benevolence.

MUNIFICENT Mu*nif"i*cent, a. Etym: [L. munificus; munus service, gift + -ficare (in comp.) to make. Cf. Immunity, -fy.]

Defn: Very liberal in giving or bestowing; lavish; as, a munificent benefactor. -- Mu*nif"i*cent*ly, adv.

Syn. -- Bounteous; bountiful; liberal; generous.

MUNIFY Mu"ni*fy, v. t. & i. Etym: [See Munificate.]

Defn: To prepare for defense; to fortify. [Obs.]

MUNIMENT Mu"ni*ment, n. Etym: [L. munimentum, fr. munire to fortify. See Munition.]

1. The act of supporting or defending. [Obs.]

2. That which supports or defends; stronghold; place or means of defense; munition; assistance. "Other muniments and petty helps." Shak.

3. (Law)

Defn: A record; the evidences or writings whereby a man is enabled to defend the title to his estate; title deeds and papers. Blount. Muniment house or room, that room in a cathedral, castle, or other public building, which is used for keeping the records, charters, seals, deeds, and the like. Gwilt.

MUNITE Mu*nite", v. t. Etym: [L. munitus, p.p. of munire to wall, fortify.]

Defn: To fortify; to strengthen. [Obs.]

MUNITION Mu*ni"tion, n. Etym: [F., munition of war, L. munitio a fortifying, fortification, fr. munire to fortify, defend with a wall; cf. moenia walls, murus (for moirus) a wall, and Skr. mi to fix, make firm. Cf. Ammunition.]

1. Fortification; stronghold. [Obs.] His place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks. Is. xxxiii. 16.

2. Whatever materials are used in war for drfense or for annoying an enemy; ammunition; also, stores and provisions; military stores of all kinds. The bodies of men, munition, and money, may justly be called the sinews of war. Sir W. Raleigh.

MUNITY Mu"ni*ty, n. Etym: [See Immunity.]

Defn: Freedom; security; immunity. [Obs.] W. Montagu.

MUNJEET Mun*jeet", n. Etym: [Hind. majitsh a drug used for dyeing red.]

Defn: See Indian madder, under Madder.

MUNJISTIN Mun"jis*tin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An orangered coloring substance resembling alizarin, found in the root of an East Indian species of madder (Rubia munjista).

MUNNION Mun"nion, n.

Defn: See Mullion.

MUNTIN; MUNTING Mun"tin, Mun"ting, n. Etym: [CF. Montant.] (Arch.)

Defn: Same as Mullion; -- especially used in joiner's work.

MUNTJAC Munt"jac, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of small Asiatic deer of the genus Cervulus, esp. C. muntjac, which occurs both in India and on the East Indian Islands. [Written also muntjak.]

MUNTZ METAL Muntz" met`al.

Defn: See under Metal.

MURAENA Mu*ræ"na, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of large eels of the family Mirænidæ. They differ from the common eel in lacking pectoral fins and in having the dorsal and anal fins continuous. The murry (Muræna Helenæ) of Southern Europe was the muræna of the Romans. It is highly valued as a food fish.

MURAENOID; MURENOID Mu*ræ"noid, Mu*re"noid, a. Etym: [NL. Muræna, the generic name + - oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the genus Muræna, or family Murænidæ.

MURAGE Mu"rage, n. Etym: [F., fr. murer to wall, fr. mur wall, L. murus. See Mure a wall.]

Defn: A tax or toll paid for building or repairing the walls of a fortified town.

MURAL Mu"ral, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. muralis, fr. murus wall. See Mure a wall.]

1. Of or pertaining to a wall; being on, or in, a wall; growing on, or against, a wall; as, a mural quadrant. "Mural breach." Milton. "Mural fruit." Evelyn.

2. Resembling a wall; perpendicular or steep; as, a mural precipice. Mural circle (Astron.), a graduated circle, in the plane of the meridian, attached permanently to a perpendicular wall; -- used for measuring arcs of the meridian. See Circle, n., 3. -- Mural crown (Rom. Antiq.), a golden crown, or circle of gold indented so as to resemble a battlement, bestowed on him who first mounted the wall of a besieged place, and there lodged a standard.

MURDER Mur"der, n. Etym: [OE. morder, morther, AS. moredhor, fr. moredh murder; akin to D. moord, OS. moredh, G., Dan., & Sw. mord, Icel. moredh, Goth. maúrþr, OSlav. mreti to die, Lith. mirti, W. marw dead, L. mors, mortis, death, mori, moriri, to die, Gr. broto`s (for mroto`s) mortal, 'a`mbrotos immortal, Skr. mrs to die, mrsta death. *105. Cf. Amaranth, Ambrosia, Mortal.]

Defn: The offense of killing a human being with malice prepense or aforethought, express or implied; intentional and unlawful homicide. "Mordre will out." Chaucer. The killing of their children had, in the account of God, the guilt of murder, as the offering them to idols had the guilt of idolatry. Locke. Slaughter grows murder when it goes too far. Dryden.

Note: Murder in the second degree, in most jurisdictions, is a malicious homicide committed without a specific intention to take life. Wharton.

MURDER Mur"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Murdered; p. pr. & vb. n. Murdering.] Etym: [OE. mortheren, murtheren, AS. myr; akin to OHG. murdiren, Goth. maúr. See Murder, n.]

1. To kill with premediated malice; to kill (a human being) willfully, deliberately, and unlawfully. See Murder, n.

2. To destroy; to put an end to. [Canst thou] murder thy breath in middle of a word Shak.

3. To mutilate, spoil, or deform, as if with malice or cruelty; to mangle; as, to murder the king's English.

Syn. -- To kill; assassinate; slay. See Kill.

MURDERER Mur"der*er, n.

1. One guilty of murder; a person who, in possession of his reason, unlawfully kills a human being with premeditated malice.

2. A small cannon, formerly used for clearing a ship's decks of boarders; -- called also murdering piece. [Obs.]

MURDERESS Mur"der*ess, n.

Defn: A woman who commits murder.

MURDERMENT Mur"der*ment, n.

Defn: Murder. [Obs.] Farfax.

MURDEROUS Mur"der*ous, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to murder; characterized by, or causing, murder or bloodshed; having the purpose or quality of murder; bloody; sanguinary; as, the murderous king; murderous rapine; murderous intent; a murderous assault. "Murderous coward." Shak. -- Mur"der*ous*ly, adv.

Syn. -- Bloody; sanguinary; bloodguilty; bloodthirsty; fell; savage; cruel.

MURDRESS Mur"dress, n.

Defn: A battlement in ancient fortifications with interstices for firing through.

MURE Mure, n. Etym: [L. murus; or F. mur, fr. L. murus. Cf. Munition.]

Defn: A wall. [Obs.] Shak.

MURE Mure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mured.] Etym: [F. murer, L. murare. See Mure, n.]

Defn: To inclose in walls; to wall; to immure; to shut up. Spenser. The five kings are mured in a cave. John. x. (Heading).

MURENGER Mu"ren*ger, n.

Defn: One who had charge of the wall of a town, or its repairs.

MUREX Mu"rex, n.; pl. Murices. Etym: [L., the purple fish.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of marine gastropods, having rough, and frequently spinose, shells, which are often highly colored inside; the rock shells. They abound in tropical seas.

MUREXAN Mu*rex"an, n. Etym: [From Murexide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A complex nitrogenous substance obtained from murexide, alloxantin, and other ureids, as a white, or yellowish, crystalline which turns red on exposure to the air; -- called also uramil, dialuramide, and formerly purpuric acid.

MUREXIDE Mu*rex"ide, n. Etym: [L. murex the purple fish, purple.] (Chem.)

Defn: A crystalline nitrogenous substance having a splendid dichroism, being green by reflected light and garnet-red by transmitted light. It was formerly used in dyeing calico, and was obtained in a large quantities from guano. Formerly called also ammonium purpurate.

MUREXOIN Mu*rex"o*ïn, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A complex nitrogenous compound obtained as a scarlet crystalline substance, and regarded as related to murexide.

MURIATE Mu"ri*ate, n. Etym: [See Muriatic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of muriatic hydrochloric acid; a chloride; as, muriate of ammonia.

Note: This term, as also the word muriatic, was formerly applied to the chlorides before their true composition was understood, and while they were erroneously supposed to be compounds of an acid with an oxide. Muriate and muriatic are still occasionally used as commercial terms, but are obsolete in scientific language.

MURIATED Mu"ri*a`ted, a.

1. Put in brine. Evelyn.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Combined or impregnated with muriatic or hydrochloric acid.

3. (Photog.)

Defn: Prepared with chloride of silver through the agency of common salt.

MURIATIC Mu`ri*at"ic, a. Etym: [L. muriaticus pickled, from muria brine: cf. F. muriatique.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, sea salt, or from chlorine, one of the constituents of sea salt; hydrochloric. Muriatic acid, hydrochloric acid, HCl; -- formerly called also marine acid, and spirit of salt. See hydrochloric, and the Note under Muriate.

MURIATIFEROUS Mu`ri*a*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Muriatic + -ferous.] (Old Chem.)

Defn: Producing muriatic substances or salt. [Obs.]

MURICATE; MURICATED Mu"ri*cate, Mu"ri*ca`ted, a. Etym: [L. muricatus, fr. murex a pointed rock or stone.]

Defn: Formed with sharp points; full of sharp points or of pickles; covered, or roughened, as a surface, with sharp points or excrescences.

MURICOID Mu"ri*coid, a. Etym: [Murex + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like, or pertaining to, the genus Murex, or family Muricidæ.

MURICULATE Mu*ric"u*late, a.

Defn: Minutely muricate.

MURIDE Mu"ride, n. Etym: [L. muria brine.] (Old Chem.)

Defn: Bromine; -- formerly so called from its being obtained from sea water.

MURIFORM Mu"ri*form, a. Etym: [L. murus a wall + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Resembling courses of bricks or stones in squareness and regular arrangement; as, a muriform variety of cellular tissue.

MURINE Mu"rine, a. Etym: [L. murinus, from mus, muris, mouse: cf. F. murin.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to a family of rodents (Muridæ), of which the mouse is the type.

MURINE Mu"rine, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a tribe of rodents, of which the mouse is the type.

MURINGER Mu"rin*ger, n.

Defn: See Murenger. Jacob.

MURK Murk, a. Etym: [See Murky.]

Defn: Dark; murky. He can not see through the mantle murk. J. R. Drake.

MURK Murk, n.

Defn: Darkness; mirk. [Archaic] Shak.

MURK Murk, n.

Defn: The refuse of fruit, after the juice has been expressed; marc.

MURKILY Murk"i*ly, adv.

Defn: Darkly; gloomily.

MURKINESS Murk"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being murky.

MURKY Murk"y, a. [Compar. Murkier; superl. Murkiest.] Etym: [OE. mirke, merke, AS. myrce, mirce; akin to Icel. myrkr, Dan. & Sw. mörk.]

Defn: Dark; obscure; gloomy. "The murkiest den." Shak. A murky deep lowering o'er our heads. Addison.

MURLINS Mur"lins, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A seaweed. See Baddrelocks.

MURMUR Mur"mur, n. Etym: [F. murmure: cf. L. murmur. CF. Murmur, v. i.]

1. A low, confused, and indistinct sound, like that of running water.

2. A complaint half suppressed, or uttered in a low, muttering voice. Chaucer. Some discontents there are, some idle murmurs. Dryden.

MURMUR Mur"mur, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Murmured; p. pr. & vb. n. Murmuring.] Etym: [F. murmurer, L. murmurare, murmurari, fr. murmur murmur; cf. Gr.marmara a rustling sound; prob. of imitative origin.]

1. To make a low continued noise, like the hum of bees, a stream of water, distant waves, or the wind in a forest. They murmured as doth a swarm of bees. Chaucer.

2. To utter complaints in a low, half-articulated voice; to feel or express dissatisfaction or discontent; to grumble; -- often with at or against. "His disciples murmured at it." John vi. 61. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. Num. xiv. 2. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured. 1 Cor. x. 10.

MURMUR Mur"mur, v. t.

Defn: To utter or give forth in low or indistinct words or sounds; as, to murmur tales. Shak. The people murmured such things concerning him. John vii. 32.

MURMURATION Mur`mur*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. murmuratio.]

Defn: The act of murmuring; a murmur. [Obs.] Skelton.

MURMURER Mur"mur*er, n.

Defn: One who murmurs.

MURMURING Mur"mur*ing, a. & n.

Defn: Uttering murmurs; making low sounds; complaining. -- Mur"mur*ing*ly, adv.

MURMUROUS Mur"mur*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. L. murmuriosus, OF. murmuros.]

Defn: Attended with murmurs; exciting murmurs or complaint; murmuring. [Archaic or Poetic] The lime, a summer home of murmurous wings. Tennyson.

MURNIVAL Mur"ni*val, n. Etym: [Perh. fr. F. mornifle a game at cards.]

Defn: In the game of gleek, four cards of the same value, as four aces or four kings; hence, four of anything. [Obs.] [Written also mournival.]

MURPHY Mur"phy, n.

Defn: A potato. [Humorous] Thackeray.

MURR Murr, n. Etym: [Prob. abbrev. from murrain.]

Defn: A catarrh. [Obs.] Gascoigne.

MURRAIN Mur"rain, n. Etym: [OE. moreine, OF. morine, fr. OF. morir, murir, 8die, L. mori, moriri.] (Far.)

Defn: An infectious and fatal disease among cattle. Bacon. A murrain on you, may you be afflicted with a pestilent disease. Shak.

MURRAIN Mur"rain, a.

Defn: Having, or afflicted with, murrain.

MURRAYIN Mur"ray*in, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A glucoside found in the flowers of a plant (Murraya exotica) of South Asia, and extracted as a white amorphous slightly bitter substance.

MURRE Murre, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of sea birds of the genus Uria, or Catarractes; a guillemot.

Note: The murres are allied to the auks, and are abundant on the northern coasts of Europe and America. They often breed in large communities on the projecting ledges of precipituous cliffs, laying one or two large eggs on the bare rocks.

MURRELET Murre"let, n. Etym: [Murre + -let.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of several species of sea birds of the genera Synthliboramphus and Brachyramphus, inhabiting the North Pacific. They are closely related to the murres.

MURREY Mur"rey, n. Etym: [OF. morée a dark red color, mor blackish brown, fr. L. morum mulberry, blackberry, or fr. Maurus a Moor. Cf. Mulberry, Moor, Morelle.]

Defn: A dark red color. -- a.

Defn: Of a dark red color. Bacon.

MURRHINE Mur"rhine, a. Etym: [L. murrhinus, fr. murrha: cf. F. murrhin.]

Defn: Made of the stone or material called by the Romans murrha; -- applied to certain costly vases of great beauty and delicacy used by the luxurious in Rome as wine cups; as, murrhine vases, cups, vessels. Murrhine glass, glassware made in imitation of murrhine vases and cups.

MURRION Mur"ri*on, a. Etym: [See Murrain.]

Defn: Infected with or killed by murrain. [Obs.] Shak.

MURRION Mur"ri*on, n.

Defn: A morion. See Morion.

MURRY Mur"ry, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Muræna.

MURTH Murth, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: Plenty; abundance. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

MURTHER Mur"ther, n. & v.

Defn: Murder, n. & v. [Obs. or Prov.] "The treason of the murthering." Chaucer.

MURTHERER Mur"ther*er, n.

Defn: A murderer. [Obs. or Prov.]

MURZA Mur"za, n.

Defn: One of the hereditary nobility among the Tatars, esp. one of the second class.

Note: This word must not be confounded with the Persian Mirza, though perhaps of the same origin.

MUS Mus, n.; pl. Mures. Etym: [L., a mouse.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of small rodents, including the common mouse and rat.

MUSA Mu"sa, n.; pl. Musæ. Etym: [NL., fr. Ar. mauz, mauza, banana.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of perennial, herbaceous, endogenous plants of great size, including the banana (Musa sapientum), the plantain (M. paradisiaca of Linnæus, but probably not a distinct species), the Abyssinian (M. Ensete), the Philippine Island (M. textilis, which yields Manila hemp), and about eighteen other species. See Illust. of Banana and Plantain.

MUSACEOUS Mu*sa"ceous, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or resembling, plants of the genus Musa.

MUSAL Mus"al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Muses, or to Poetry. [R.]

MUSANG Mu*sang", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small animal of Java (Paradoxirus fasciatus), allied to the civets. It swallows, but does not digest, large quantities of ripe coffee berries, thus serving to disseminate the coffee plant; hence it is called also coffee rat.

MUSAR Mu"sar, n.

Defn: An itinerant player on the musette, an instrument formerly common in Europe.

MUSARD Mu"sard, n. Etym: [F., fr. muser to loiter, trifle. See Muse, v. i.]

Defn: A dreamer; an absent-minded person. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

MUSCA Mus"ca, n.; pl. Muscæ. Etym: [L., a fly.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of dipterous insects, including the common house fly, and numerous allied species.

Note: Formerly, a large part of the Diptera were included under the genus Musca.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A small constellation situated between the Southern Cross and the Pole. Muscæ volitantes (. Etym: [L., flying flies.] (Med.) Specks or filaments apparently seen moving or glinding about in the field of vision. Their appearance is often a symptom of disease of the eye, or of disorder of the nervous system.

MUSCADEL Mus"ca*del`, n. Etym: [It. moscadello, moscatello, LL. muscatellum or muscadellum (sc. vinum), fr. muscatellus nutmeglike, dim. of muscatus smelling like musk, muscatum and muscata (sc. nux) nutmeg: cf. F. muscadelle, fr. Italian. See Musk and cf. Moschatel, Muscardin, Muscat, Nutmeg.]

Defn: See Muscatel, n. Quaffed off the muscadel. Shak.

MUSCADINE Mus"ca*dine, n. Etym: [See Muscadel.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several very different kinds of grapes, but in America used chiefly for the scuppernong, or southern fox grape, which is said to be the parent stock of the Catawba. See Grapevine.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A fragrant and delicious pear.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Muscardin. Northern muscadine (Bot.), a derivative of the northern fox grape, and scarcely an improvement upon it. -- Royal muscadine (Bot.), a European grape of great value. Its berries are large, round, and of a pale amber color. Called also golden chasselas.

MUSCALES Mus*ca"les, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. muscus moss.] (Bot.)

Defn: An old name for mosses in the widest sense, including the true mosses and also hepaticæ and sphagna.

MUSCALLONGE Mus"cal*longe, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Muskellunge.

MUSCARDIN Mus"car*din, n. Etym: [F., fr. muscadin a musk-scented lozenge, fr. muscade nutmeg, fr. L. muscus musk. See Muscadel.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The common European dormouse; -- so named from its odor. [Written also muscadine.]

MUSCARDINE Mus`car*dine", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A disease which is very destructive to silkworms, and which sometimes extends to other insects. It is attended by the development of a fungus (provisionally called Botrytis bassiana). Also, the fungus itself.

MUSCARIFORM Mus*car"i*form, a. Etym: [L. muscarium fly brush + -form.]

Defn: Having the form of a brush.

MUSCARIN Mus*ca"rin, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A solid crystalline substance, C5H13NO2, found in the toadstool (Agaricus muscarius), and in putrid fish. It is a typical ptomaine, and a violent poison.

MUSCAT Mus"cat, n. Etym: [F. See Muscadel.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several varieties of Old World grapes, differing in color, size, etc., but all having a somewhat musky flavor. The muscat of Alexandria is a large oval grape of a pale amber color. [Written also muskat.]

MUSCATEL Mus"ca*tel`, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, or derived from, a muscat grapes or similar grapes; a muscatel grapes; muscatel wine, etc.

MUSCATEL Mus"ca*tel`, n.

1. A common name for several varieties of rich sweet wine, made in Italy, Spain, and France.

2. pl.

Defn: Finest raisins, dried on the vine; "sun raisins." [Variously written moscatel, muscadel, etc.]

MUSCHELKALK Musch"el*kalk`, n. Etym: [G., from muschel shell + kalk limestone.] (Geol.)

Defn: A kind of shell limestone, whose strata form the middle one of the three divisions of the Triassic formation in Germany. See Chart, under Geology.

MUSCI Mus"ci, n. pl. Etym: [L. muscus moss.] (Bot.)

Defn: An order or subclass of cryptogamous plants; the mosses. See Moss, and Cryptogamia.

MUSCICAPINE Mus*cic"a*pine, a. Etym: [L. musca a fly + capere to catch.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Muscicapidæ, a family of birds that includes the true flycatchers.

MUSCID Mus"cid, n.

Defn: Any fly of the genus Musca, or family Muscidæ.

MUSCIFORM Mus"ci*form, a. Etym: [Musca + -form.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the form or structure of flies of the genus Musca, or family Muscidæ.

MUSCIFORM Mus"ci*form, a. Etym: [Muscus + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the appearance or form of a moss.

MUSCLE Mus"cle, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. musculus a muscle, a little mouse, dim. of mus a mouse. See Mouse, and cf. sense 3 (below).]

1. (Anat.) (a) An organ which, by its contraction, produces motion. See Illust. of Muscles of the Human Body, in Appendix. (b) The contractile tissue of which muscles are largely made up.

Note: Muscles are of two kinds, striated and nonstriated. The striated muscles, which, in most of the higher animals, constitute the principal part of the flesh, exclusive of the fat, are mostly under the control of the will, or voluntary, and are made up of great numbers of elongated fibres bound together into bundles and inclosed in a sheath of connective tissue, the perimysium. Each fiber is inclosed in a delicate membrane (the sarcolemma), is made up of alternate segments of lighter and darker material which give it a transversely striated appearance, and contains, scattered through its substance, protoplasmic nuclei, the so-called muscle corpuscles. The nonstriated muscles are involuntary. They constitute a large part of the walls of the alimentary canal, blood vessels, uterus, and bladder, and are found also in the iris, skin, etc. They are made up of greatly elongated cells, usually grouped in bundles or sheets.

2. Muscular strength or development; as, to show one's muscle by lifting a heavy weight. [Colloq.]

3. Etym: [AS. muscle, L. musculus a muscle, mussel. See above.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mussel. Muscle curve (Physiol.), contraction curve of a muscle; a myogram; the curve inscribed, upon a prepared surface, by means of a myograph when acted upon by a contracting muscle. The character of the curve represents the extent of the contraction.

MUSCLED Mus"cled, a.

Defn: Furnished with muscles; having muscles; as, things well muscled.

MUSCLE READING Mus"cle read`ing.

Defn: The art of making discriminations between objects of choice, of discovering the whereabouts of hidden objects, etc., by inference from the involuntary movements of one whose hand the reader holds or with whom he is otherwise in muscular contact.

MUSCLING Mus"cling, n. (Fine Arts)

Defn: Exhibition or representation of the muscles. [R.] A good piece, the painters say, must have good muscling, as well as coloring and drapery. Shaftesbury.

MUSCOGEES Mus*co"gees, n. pl.

Defn: See Muskogees.

MUSCOID Mus"coid, a. Etym: [Muscus + -oid: cf. F. muscoide.] (Bot.)

Defn: Mosslike; resembling moss.

MUSCOID Mus"coid, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A term formerly applied to any mosslike flowerless plant, with a distinct stem, and often with leaves, but without any vascular system.

MUSCOLOGY Mus*col"o*gy, n. Etym: [Muscus + -logy.]

Defn: Bryology.

MUSCOSITY Mus*cos"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. muscosus mossy, fr. muscus moss.]

Defn: Mossiness. Jonhson.

MUSCOVADO Mus`co*va"do, a. Etym: [Corrupted fr. Sp. mascabado; cf. Pg. mascavado, F. moscouade, n., formerly also mascovade, It. mascavato.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, unrefined or raw sugar, obtained from the juice of the sugar cane by evaporating and draining off the molasses. Muscovado sugar contains impurities which render it dark colored and moist.

MUSCOVADO Mus`co*va"do, n.

Defn: Unrefined or raw sugar.

MUSCOVITE Mus"co*vite, n. Etym: [See Muscovy glass.]

1. A native or inhabitant of Muscovy or ancient Russia; hence, a Russian.

2. (Min.)

Defn: Common potash mica. See Mica.

MUSCOVY DUCK Mus"co*vy duck`. Etym: [A corruption of musk duck.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A duck (Cairina moschata), larger than the common duck, often raised in poultry yards. Called also musk duck. It is native of tropical America, from Mexico to Southern Brazil.

MUSCOVY GLASS Mus"co*vy glass`. Etym: [From Muscovy, the old name of Russia: cf. F. verre de Moscovie.]

Defn: Mica; muscovite. See Mica.

MUSCULAR Mus"cu*lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. musculaire. See Muscle.]

1. Of or pertaining to a muscle, or to a system of muscles; consisting of, or constituting, a muscle or muscles; as, muscular fiber. Great muscular strength, accompanied by much awkwardness. Macaulay.

2. Performed by, or dependent on, a muscle or the muscles. "The muscular motion." Arbuthnot.

3. Well furnished with muscles; having well-developed muscles; brawny; hence, strong; powerful; vigorous; as, a muscular body or arm. Muscular Christian, one who believes in a part of religious duty to maintain a healthful and vigorous physical state. T. Hughes. -- Muscular CHristianity. (a) The practice and opinion of those Christians who believe that it is a part of religious duty to maintain a vigorous condition of the body, and who therefore approve of athletic sports and exercises as conductive to good health, good morals, and right feelings in religious matters. T. Hughes. (b) An active, robust, and cheerful Christian life, as opposed to a meditative and gloomy one. C. Kingsley. -- Muscular excitability (Physiol.), that property in virtue of which a muscle shortens, when it is stimulated; irritability. -- Muscular sense (Physiol.), muscular sensibility; the sense by which we obtain knowledge of the condition of our muscles and to what extent they are contracted, also of the position of the various parts of our bodies and the resistance offering by external objects.

MUSCULARITY Mus`cu*lar"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being muscular. Grew.

MUSCULARIZE Mus"cu*lar*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make muscular. Lowell.

MUSCULARLY Mus"cu*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a muscular manner.

MUSCULATION Mus`cu*la"tion, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The muscular system of an animal, or of any of its parts.

MUSCULATURE Mus"cu*la*ture, n. Etym: [Cf. F. musculature.] (Anat.)

Defn: Musculation.

MUSCULE Mus"cule, n. Etym: [L. musculus: cf. F. muscule.] (Mil.)

Defn: A long movable shed used by besiegers in ancient times in attacking the walls of a fortified town.

MUSCULIN Mus"cu*lin, n. Etym: [L. musculus a muscle.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: See Syntonin.

MUSCULOCUTANEOUS Mus`cu*lo*cu*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. musculus + E. cutaneous.] (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining both to muscles and skin; as, the musculocutaneous nerve.

MUSCULOPHRENIC Mus`cu*lo*phren"ic, a. Etym: [L. musculus muscle + E. phrenic.] (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining to the muscles and the diaphragm; as, the musculophrenic artery.

MUSCULOSITY Mus`cu*los"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being musculous; muscularity. [Obs.]

MUSCULOSPIRAL Mus`cu*lo*spi"ral, a. Etym: [L. musculus muscle + E. spiral.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the muscles, and taking a spiral course; -- applied esp. to a large nerve of the arm.

MUSCULOUS Mus"cu*lous, a. Etym: [L. musculosus: cf. F. musculeux.]

Defn: Muscular. [Obs.] Jonhson.

MUSE Muse, n. Etym: [From F. musse. See Muset.]

Defn: A gap or hole in a hedge, hence, wall, or the like, through which a wild animal is accustomed to pass; a muset. Find a hare without a muse. Old Prov.

MUSE Muse, n. Etym: [F. Muse, L. Musa, Gr. Mosaic, n., Music.]

1. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: One of the nine goddesses who presided over song and the different kinds of poetry, and also the arts and sciences; -- often used in the plural. Granville commands; your aid, O Muses, bring: What Muse for Granville can refuse to sing Pope.

Note: The names of the Muses were Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polymnia or Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania.

2. A particular power and practice of poetry. Shak.

3. A poet; a bard. [R.] Milton.

MUSE Muse, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mused; p. pr. & vb. n. Musing.] Etym: [F. muser to loiter or trifle, orig., to stand with open mouth, fr. LL. musus, morsus, muzzle, snout, fr. L. morsus a biting, bite, fr. mordere to bite. See Morsel, and cf. Amuse, Muzzle, n.]

1. To think closely; to study in silence; to meditate. "Thereon mused he." Chaucer. He mused upon some dangerous plot. Sir P. Sidney.

2. To be absent in mind; to be so occupied in study or contemplation as not to observe passing scenes or things present; to be in a brown study. Daniel.

3. To wonder. [Obs.] Spenser. B. Jonson.

Syn. -- To consider; meditate; ruminate. See Ponder.

MUSE Muse, v. t.

1. To think on; to meditate on. Come, then, expressive Silence, muse his praise. Thomson.

2. To wonder at. [Obs.] Shak.

MUSE Muse, n.

1. Contemplation which abstracts the mind from passing scenes; absorbing thought; hence, absence of mind; a brown study. Milton.

2. Wonder, or admiration. [Obs.] Spenser.

MUSEFUL Muse"ful, a.

Defn: Meditative; thoughtfully silent. "Museful mopings." Dryden. -- Muse"ful*ly, adv.

MUSELESS Muse"less, a.

Defn: Unregardful of the Muses; disregarding the power of poetry; unpoetical. Milton.

MUSER Mus"er, n.

Defn: One who muses.

MUSET Mu"set, n. Etym: [OF. mussette, dim. of musse, muce, a hiding place, fr. F. musser, OF. mucier, muchier, to conceal, hide. Cf. Micher.]

Defn: A small hole or gap through which a wild animal passes; a muse. Shak.

MUSETTE Mu*sette", n. Etym: [F., dim. of OF. muse.]

1. A small bagpipe formerly in use, having a soft and sweet tone.

2. An air adapted to this instrument; also, a kind of rustic dance.

MUSEUM Mu*se"um, n. Etym: [L., a temple of the Muses, hence, a place of study, fr. Gr.

Defn: A repository or a collection of natural, scientific, or literary curiosities, or of works of art. Museum beetle, Museum pest. (Zoöl.) See Anthrenus.

MUSH Mush, n. Etym: [Cf. Gael. mus, muss, pap, porridge, any thick preparation of fruit, OHG. muos; akin to AS. & OS. mos food, and prob, to E. meat. See Meat.]

Defn: Meal (esp. Indian meal) boiled in water; hasty pudding; supawn. [U.S.]

MUSH Mush, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. moucheter to cut with small cuts.]

Defn: To notch, cut, or indent, as cloth, with a stamp.

MUSHROOM Mush"room, n. Etym: [OE. muscheron, OF. mouscheron, F. mousseron; perhaps fr. mousse moss, of German origin. See Moss.]

1. (Bot.) (a) An edible fungus (Agaricus campestris), having a white stalk which bears a convex or oven flattish expanded portion called the pileus. This is whitish and silky or somewhat scaly above, and bears on the under side radiating gills which are at first flesh-colored, but gradually become brown. The plant grows in rich pastures and is proverbial for rapidity of growth and shortness of duration. It has a pleasant smell, and is largely used as food. It is also cultivated from spawn. (b) Any large fungus, especially one of the genus Agaricus; a toadstool. Several species are edible; but many are very poisonous.

2. One who rises suddenly from a low condition in life; an upstart. Bacon.

MUSHROOM Mush"room, a.

1. Of or pertaining to mushrooms; as, mushroom catchup.

2. Resembling mushrooms in rapidity of growth and shortness of duration; short-lived; ephemerial; as, mushroom cities. Mushroom anchor, an anchor shaped like a mushroom, capable of grasping the ground in whatever way it falls. -- Mushroom coral (Zoöl.), any coral of the genus Fungia. See Fungia. -- Mushroom spawn (Bot.), the mycelium, or primary filamentous growth, of the mushroom; also, cakes of earth and manure containing this growth, which are used for propagation of the mushroom.

MUSHROOM-HEADED Mush"room-head`ed, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a cylindrical body with a convex head of larger diameter; having a head like that of a mushroom.

MUSHY Mush"y, a.

Defn: Soft like mush; figuratively, good-naturedly weak and effusive; weakly sentimental. She 's not mushy, but her heart is tender. G. Eliot.

MUSIC Mu"sic, n. Etym: [F. musique, fr. L. musica, Gr.

1. The science and the art of tones, or musical sounds, i.e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences, and relations of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to please the ear.

Note: Not all sounds are tones. Sounds may be unmusical and yet please the ear. Music deals with tones, and with no other sounds. See Tone.

2. (a) Melody; a rhythmical and otherwise agreeable succession of tones. (b) Harmony; an accordant combination of simultaneous tones.

3. The written and printed notation of a musical composition; the score.

4. Love of music; capacity of enjoying music. The man that hath ni music in himself Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. Shak.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A more or less musical sound made by many of the lower animals. See Stridulation. Magic music, a game in which a person is guided in finding a hidden article, or in doing a specific art required, by music which is made more loud or rapid as he approaches success, and slower as he recedes. Tennyson. -- Music box. See Musical box, under Musical. -- Music hall, a place for public musical entertainments. -- Music loft, a gallery for musicians, as in a dancing room or a church. -- Music of the spheres, the harmony supposed to be produced by the accordant movement of the celestial spheres. -- Music paper, paper ruled with the musical staff, for the use of composers and copyists. -- Music pen, a pen for ruling at one time the five lines of the musical staff. -- Music shell (Zoöl.), a handsomely colored marine gastropod shell (Voluta musica) found in the East Indies; -- so called because the color markings often resemble printed music. Sometimes applied to other shells similarly marked. -- To face the music, to meet any disagreeable necessity without flinching. [Colloq. or Slang]

MUSICAL Mu"sic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. musical.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to music; having the qualities of music; or the power of producing music; devoted to music; melodious; harmonious; as, musical proportion; a musical voice; musical instruments; a musical sentence; musical persons. Musical, or Music, box, a box or case containing apparatus moved by clockwork so as to play certain tunes automatically. -- Musical fish (Zoöl.), any fish which utters sounds under water, as the drumfish, grunt, gizzard shad, etc. -- Musical glasses, glass goblets or bowls so tuned and arranged that when struck, or rubbed, they produce musical notes. CF. Harmonica, 1.

MUSICAL Mu"sic*al, n.

1. Music. [Obs.] To fetch home May with their musical. Spenser.

2. A social entertainment of which music is the leading feature; a musical party. [Colloq.]

MUSICALE Mu`si`cale", n. Etym: [F. Cf. Soirée musicale.]

Defn: A social musical party. [Colloq.]

MUSICALLY Mu"sic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a musical manner.

MUSICALNESS Mu"sic*al*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being musical.

MUSIC DRAMA Mu"sic dra`ma.

Defn: An opera in which the text and action are not interrupted by set arias, duets, etc., the music being determined throughout by dramatic appropriateness; musical drama of this character, in general. It involves the use of a kind of melodious declamation, the development of leitmotif, great orchestral elaboration, and a fusion of poetry, music, action, and scene into an organic whole. The term is applied esp. to the later works of Wagner: "Tristan und Isolde," "Die Meistersinger," "Rheingold," "Walküre," "Siegfried," "Götterdämmerung," and "Parsifal."

MUSIC HALL Music hall.

Defn: A place for public musical entertainments; specif. (Eng.), esp. a public hall for vaudeville performances, in which smoking and drinking are usually allowed in the auditorium.

MUSICIAN Mu*si"cian, n. Etym: [F. musicien.]

Defn: One skilled in the art or science of music; esp., a skilled singer, or performer on a musical instrument.

MUSICOMANIA Mu`si*co*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [Music + mania: cf. F. musicomanie.] (Med.)

Defn: A kind of monomania in which the passion for music becomes so strong as to derange the intellectual faculties. Dunglison.

MUSIMON Mus"i*mon, n. Etym: [See Musmon.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mouflon.

MUSINGLY Mus"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a musing manner.

MUSIT Mu"sit, n.

Defn: See Muset.

MUSK Musk, n. Etym: [F. musc, L. muscus, Per. musk, fr. Skr. mushka testicle, orig., a little mouse. See Mouse, and cd. Abelmosk, Muscadel, Muscovy duck, Nutmeg.]

1. A substance of a reddish brown color, and when fresh of the consistence of honey, obtained from a bag being behind the navel of the male musk deer. It has a slightly bitter taste, but is specially remarkable for its powerful and enduring odor. It is used in medicine as a stimulant antispasmodic. The term is also applied to secretions of various other animals, having a similar odor.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The musk deer. See Musk deer (below).

3. The perfume emitted by musk, or any perfume somewhat similar.

4. (Bot.) (a) The musk plant (Mimulus moschatus). (b) A plant of the genus Erodium (E. moschatum); -- called also musky heron's-bill. (c) A plant of the genus Muscari; grape hyacinth. Musk beaver (Zoöl.), muskrat (1). -- Musk beetle (Zoöl.), a European longicorn beetle (Aromia moschata), having an agreeable odor resembling that of attar of roses. -- Musk cat. See Bondar. -- Musk cattle (Zoöl.), musk oxen. See Musk ox (below). -- Musk deer (Zoöl.), a small hornless deer (Moschus moschiferus), which inhabits the elevated parts of Central Asia. The upper canine teeth of the male are developed into sharp tusks, curved downward. The male has scent bags on the belly, from which the musk of commerce is derived. The deer is yellow or red-brown above, whitish below. The pygmy musk deer are chevrotains, as the kanchil and napu. -- Musk duck. (Zoöl.) (a) The Muscovy duck. (b) An Australian duck (Biziura lobata). -- Musk lorikeet (Zoöl.), the Pacific lorikeet (Glossopsitta australis) of Australia. -- Musk mallow (Bot.), a name of two malvaceous plants: (a) A species of mallow (Malva moschata), the foliage of which has a faint musky smell. (b) An Asiatic shrub. See Abelmosk. -- Musk orchis (Bot.), a European plant of the Orchis family (Herminium Minorchis); -- so called from its peculiar scent. -- Musk ox (Zoöl.), an Arctic hollow-horned ruminant (Ovibos moschatus), now existing only in America, but found fossil in Europe and Asia. It is covered with a thick coat of fine yellowish wool, and with long dark hair, which is abundant and shaggy on the neck and shoulders. The full-grown male weighs over four hundred pounds. -- Musk parakeet. (Zoöl.) Same as Musk lorikeet (above). -- Musk pear (Bot.), a fragrant kind of pear much resembling the Seckel pear. -- Musk plant (Bot.), the Mimulus moschatus, a plant found in Western North America, often cultivated, and having a strong musky odor. -- Musk root (Bot.), the name of several roots with a strong odor, as that of the nard (Nardostachys Jatamansi) and of a species of Angelica. -- Musk rose (Bot.), a species of rose (Rosa moschata), having peculiarly fragrant white blossoms. -- Musk seed (Bot.), the seed of a plant of the Mallow family (Hibiscus moschatus), used in perfumery and in flavoring. See Abelmosk. -- Musk sheep (Zoöl.), the musk ox. -- Musk shrew (Zoöl.), a shrew (Sorex murinus), found in India. It has a powerful odor of musk. Called also sondeli, and mondjourou. -- Musk thistle (Bot.), a species of thistle (Carduus nutans), having fine large flowers, and leaves smelling strongly of musk. -- Musk tortoise, Musk turtle (Zoöl.), a small American fresh-water tortoise (Armochelys, or Ozotheca, odorata), which has a distinct odor of musk; -- called also stinkpot.

MUSK Musk, v. t.

Defn: To perfume with musk.

MUSKADEL Mus"ka*del`, n.

Defn: See Muscadel.

MUSKAT Mus"kat, n.

Defn: See Muscat.

MUSKELLUNGE Mus"kel*lunge, n. Etym: [From the Amer. Indian name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large American pike (Esox nobilitor) found in the Great Lakes, and other Northern lakes, and in the St. Lawrence River. It is valued as a food fish. [Written also maskallonge, maskinonge, muskallonge, muskellonge, and muskelunjeh.]

MUSKET Mus"ket, n. Etym: [F. mousquet, It. moschetto, formerly, a kind of hawk; cf. OF. mousket, moschet, a kind of hawk falcon, F. mouchet, prop., a little fly (the hawk prob. being named from its size), fr. L. musca a fly. Cf. Mosquito.] [Sometimes written also musquet.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The male of the sparrow hawk.

2. A species of firearm formerly carried by the infantry of an army. It was originally fired by means of a match, or matchlock, for which several mechanical appliances (including the flintlock, and finally the percussion lock) were successively substituted. This arm has been generally superseded by the rifle.

MUSKETEER Mus`ket*eer", n. Etym: [F. mousquetaire; cf. It. moschettiere.]

Defn: A soldier armed with a musket.

MUSKETO Mus*ke"to, n.

Defn: See Mosquito.

MUSKETOON Mus`ket*oon", n. Etym: [F. mousqueton; cf. It. moschettone.]

1. A short musket.

2. One who is armed with such a musket.

MUSKETRY Mus"ket*ry, n. Etym: [F. mousqueterie; cf. It. moschetteria.]

1. Muskets, collectively.

2. The fire of muskets. Motley.

MUSKINESS Musk"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being musky; the scent of musk.

MUSKMELON Musk"mel`on, n. Etym: [Musk + melon.] (Bot.)

Defn: The fruit of a cucubritaceous plant (Cicumis Melo), having a peculiar aromatic flavor, and cultivated in many varieties, the principal sorts being the cantaloupe, of oval form and yellowish flesh, and the smaller nutmeg melon with greenish flesh. See Illust. of Melon.

MUSKOGEES Mus*ko"gees, n. pl.; sing. Muskogee (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A powerful tribe of North American Indians that formerly occupied the region of Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. They constituted a large part of the Creek confederacy. [Written also Muscogees.]

MUSKRAT Musk"rat`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A North American aquatic fur-bearing rodent (Fiber zibethicus). It resembles a rat in color and having a long scaly tail, but the tail is compressed, the bind feet are webbed, and the ears are concealed in the fur. It has scent glands which secrete a substance having a strong odor of musk. Called also musquash, musk beaver, and ondatra.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The musk shrew.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The desman.

MUSKWOOD Musk"wood`, n. Etym: [So called from its fragrance.] (Bot.) (a) The wood of a West Indian tree of the Mahogany family (Moschoxylum Swartzii). (b) The wood of an Australian tree (Eurybia argophylla).

MUSKY Musk"y, a.

Defn: Having an odor of musk, or somewhat the like. Milton.

MUSLIM Mus"lim, n.

Defn: See Moslem.

MUSLIN Mus"lin, n. Etym: [F. mousseline; cf. It. mussolino, mussolo, Sp. muselina; all from Mussoul a city of Mesopotamia, Ar. Mausil, Syr. Mauzol, Muzol, Mosul, where it was first manufactured. Cf. Mull a kind of cloth.]

Defn: A thin cotton, white, dyed, or printed. The name is also applied to coarser and heavier cotton goods; as, shirting and sheeting muslins. Muslin cambric. See Cambric. -- Muslin delaine, a light woolen fabric for women's dresses. See Delaine. [Written also mousseline de laine.]

MUSLINET Mus`lin*et", n. Etym: [F. mousselinette.]

Defn: A sort of coarse or light cotton cloth.

MUSMON Mus"mon, n. Etym: [L. musmo, musimo, a Sardinian animal; cf. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mouflon.

MUSOMANIA Mu`so*ma"ni*a, n.

Defn: See Musicomania.

MUSQUASH Mus"quash, n. Etym: [American Indian name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Muskrat. Musquash root (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant (Cicuta maculata), having a poisonous root. See Water hemlock.

MUSQUAW Mus"quaw, n. Etym: [American Indian name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The American black bear. See Bear.

MUSQUET Mus"quet, n.

Defn: See Musket.

MUSQUITO Mus*qui"to, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Mosquito.

MUSROLE; MUSROL Mus"role, Mus"rol, n. Etym: [F. muserolle, fr. muserau a muzzle, OF. musel. See Muzzle.]

Defn: The nose band of a horse's bridle.

MUSS Muss, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. mousche a fly, also, the play called muss, fr. L. musca a fly.]

Defn: A scramble, as when small objects are thrown down, to be taken by those who can seize them; a confused struggle. Shak.

MUSS Muss, n.

Defn: A state of confusion or disorder; -- prob. variant of mess, but influenced by muss, a scramble. [Colloq. U.S.]

MUSS Muss, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mussed; p. pr. & vb. n. Mussing.]

Defn: To disarrange, as clothing; to rumple. [Colloq. U.S.]

MUSS Muss, n. Etym: [Cf. OE. mus a mouse. See Mouse.]

Defn: A term of endearment. [Obs.] See Mouse. B. Jonson.

MUSSEL Mus"sel, n. Etym: [See Muscle, 3.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of many species of marine bivalve shells of the genus Mytilus, and related genera, of the family Mytidæ. The common mussel (Mytilus edulis; see Illust. under Byssus), and the larger, or horse, mussel (Modiola modiolus), inhabiting the shores both of Europe and America, are edible. The former is extensively used as food in Europe.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of Unio, and related fresh-water genera; -- called also river mussel. See Naiad, and Unio. Mussel digger (Zoöl.), the grayback whale. See Gray whale, under Gray.

MUSSITATION Mus`si*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. mussitatio suppression of the voice, fr. mussitare to be silent, to murmur.]

Defn: A speaking in a low tone; mumbling. [Obs.]

MUSSITE Mus"site, n. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of pyroxene, from the Mussa Alp in Piedmont; diopside.

MUSSULMAN Mus"sul*man, n.; pl. Mussulmans. Etym: [Ar. muslimin, pl. of muslim: cf. F. & Sp. musulman. See Moslem.]

Defn: A Mohammedan; a Moslem.

MUSSULMANIC Mus`sul*man"ic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or like, the Mussulmans, or their customs: Mohammedan.

MUSSULMANISH Mus"sul*man*ish, a.

Defn: Mohammedan.

MUSSULMANISM Mus"sul*man*ism, n.

Defn: Mohammedanism.

MUSSULMANLY Mus"sul*man*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of Moslems.

MUSSY Muss"y, a. Etym: [From 2d Muss.]

Defn: Disarranged; rumpled. [Colloq. U.S.]

MUST Must, v. i. or auxiliary. Etym: [OE. moste, a pret. generally meaning, could, was free to, pres. mot, moot, AS. moste, pret. mot, pres.; akin to D. moetan to be obliged, OS. motan to be free, to be obliged, OHG. muozan, G. müssen to be obliged, Sw. måste must, Goth. gamotan to have place, have room, to able; of unknown origin.]

1. To be obliged; to be necessitated; -- expressing either physical or moral necessity; as, a man must eat for nourishment; we must submit to the laws.

2. To be morally required; to be necessary or essential to a certain quality, character, end, or result; as, he must reconsider the matter; he must have been insane. Likewise must the deacons be grave. 1 Tim. iii. 8. Morover, he [a bishop] must have a good report of them which are without. 1 Tim. iii. 7.

Note: The principal verb, if easy supplied by the mind, was formerly often omitted when must was used; as, I must away. "I must to Coventry." Shak.

MUST Must, n. Etym: [AS. must, fr. L. mustum (sc. vinum), from mustus young, new, fresh. Cf. Mustard.]