MUD, mud, _n._ wet soft earth.--_v.t._ to bury in mud: to dirty: to stir the sediment in, as in liquors; to bury in mud.--_v.i._ to go under the mud like the eel.--_ns._ MUD'-BATH, a kind of mud connected with some mineral springs into which the patient plunges himself; MUD'-BOAT, -SCOW, a boat for carrying away the mud dredged from a river, &c.; MUD'-CONE, a mud-volcano.--_adv._ MUD'DILY.--_n._ MUD'DINESS.--_adj._ MUD'DY, foul with mud: containing mud: covered with mud: confused: stupid.--_v.t._ to dirty: to render dull:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ mud'died.--_adjs._ MUD'DY-HEAD'ED, having a muddy or dull head or understanding; MUD'DY-METT'LED (_Shak._), dull-spirited: spiritless.--_ns._ MUD'-FISH, a fish which burrows in the mud; MUD'-FLAT, a muddy strip of shore submerged at high tide; MUD'-GUARD, the dash-board of a carriage; MUD'-HOLE, a place full of mud: an orifice in the bottom of a boiler where the sediment is collected; MUD'-LARK, a man who cleans public sewers or who picks up a living along the banks of tidal rivers: a street-arab; MUD'-WALL, a wall composed of mud, or one in which mud is used in place of mortar: the bee-eater. [Old Low Ger. _mudde_, Dut.
_modder_.]
MUDDLE, mud'l, _v.t._ to render muddy or foul, as water: to confuse, esp.
with liquor: to waste, squander, misuse.--_v.i._ to potter about.--_n._ confusion, mess: mental confusion, bewilderment.--_n._ MUDD'LEHEAD, a blockhead.--_adv._ MUDDLEHEAD'EDLY.--_n._ MUDDLEHEAD'EDNESS. [Freq. of _mud_.]
MUDIR, m[=oo]'d[=e]r, _n._ governor of an Egyptian province.
MUEZZIN, m[=u]-ez'in, _n._ the Mohammedan official attached to a mosque, whose duty it is to announce the hours of prayer.--Also MUED'DIN. [Ar.]
MUFF, muf, _n._ a warm, soft cover for the hands in winter, usually of fur or dressed skins.--_n._ MUFFETTEE', a small muff worn over the wrist.
[Prob. from Dut. _mof_; cf. Ger. _muff_, a muff.]
MUFF, muf, _n._ a stupid fellow.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ to perform awkwardly, spoil: to act clumsily, esp. in letting a ball slip out of the hands.
[Prob. related to Dut. _muffen_, to dote; Ger. _muffen_, to sulk.]
MUFFIN, muf'in, _n._ a soft, light, spongy cake, eaten hot with butter: a small plate: one who dangles after a young woman: a poor ball-player.--_ns._ MUFF'IN-CAP, a round flat cap for men; MUFFINEER', a dish for keeping muffins hot: a metal cruet for sprinkling salt or sugar on muffins.
MUFFLE, muf'l, _n._ the thick naked upper lip and nose, as of a ruminant.
[Ger.]
MUFFLE, muf'l, _v.t._ to wrap up as with a muff: to blindfold: to cover up so as to render sound dull, as a bell or a drum: to cover from the weather.--_n._ something used for smothering sound: a boxing-glove: a clay oven, as for firing pottery.--_adj._ MUFF'LED, wrapped up closely: dulled or deadened--of sound.--_n._ MUFF'LER, a cover that muffles the face.
[_Muff_.]
MUFFLE, muf'l, _v.i._ to mumble.
MUFTI, muf'ti, _n._ a doctor or official expounder of Mohammedan law in Turkey: the dress of an officer off duty. [Ar.]
MUG, mug, _n._ a kind of earthen or metal cup for liquor, its contents.--_ns._ MUG'GER (_Scot._), a tramping tinker or vendor of earthenware; MUG'-HOUSE, an alehouse; MUG'-HUNT'ER, one who competes at games merely for the prizes. [Ir. _mugan_, a mug, _mucog_, a cup.]
MUG, mug, _n._ the human face, the mouth.
MUGGINS, mug'inz, _n._ a children's card-game played with a full pack divided equally, each in turn laying down a card face up, the first one who calls 'Muggins' when one matches another adding his card to the other's pile, the aim being to get out as soon as possible. [Ety. dub.]
MUGGLETONIAN, mug-l-t[=o]'ni-an, _n._ a member of a sect founded in England by John Reeve and Lodowick _Muggleton_ (1607-97), which lingered till well into the 19th cent. They claimed to be the two witnesses of Rev. xi. 3-6, denied the Trinity, holding grotesque anthropomorphist opinions, with many strange doctrines over and above, as that the devil became incarnate in Eve, &c.
MUGGY, mug'i, _adj._ foggy: close and damp, as weather: wet or mouldy, as straw.--Also MUG'GISH. [Ice. _mugga_, mist; cf. Gael. _mugach_, cloudy.]
MUGWORT, mug'wurt, _n._ a common British species of wormwood.
MUGWUMP, mug'wump, _n._ an Indian chief: a person of great importance, or who thinks himself so: a humorous political use of the above. [Algonkin _mugquomp_, a great man.]
MULATTO, m[=u]-lat'[=o], _n._ the offspring of black and white parents:--_fem._ MULATT'RESS. [Sp. _mulato_.]
MULBERRY, mul'ber-i, _n._ the tree the leaves of which form the food of the silkworm: the berry of this tree. [_Mul-_ is A.S. _mor-_ (as in A.S.
_morbeam_, a mulberry)--L. _morus_; Gr. _m[=o]ron_.]
MULCH, the same as MULSH (q.v.).
MULCT, mulkt, _n._ a fine: a penalty.--_v.t._ to fine.--_adjs._ MULC'TARY, MULC'T[=U]ARY, imposing a fine: paid as a fine. [L. _mulcta_, a fine.]
MULE, m[=u]l, _n._ the offspring of the horse and ass: an instrument for cotton-spinning: an obstinate person.--_ns._ M[=U]LE'-DEER, the black-tail of North America; M[=U]LETEER', one who drives mules.--_adj._ M[=U]L'ISH, like a mule: obstinate.--_adv._ M[=U]L'ISHLY.--_n._ M[=U]L'ISHNESS. [A.S.
_mul_--L. _mulus_, mule.]
MULEY, m[=u]'li, _adj._ hornless.--_n._ any cow.--Also MOOL'Y, MUL'LEY.
MULIEBRITY, m[=u]-li-eb'ri-ti, _n._ womanhood: effeminacy, softness.--_adj._ MUL'IER[=O]SE, fond of women.--_n._ MULIEROS'ITY.
[L.,--_mulier_, a woman.]
MULL, mul, _n._ a muddle or mess.--_v.t._ to break to pieces: to confuse, muddle.
MULL, mul, _n._ a promontory: a horn snuff-box. [Prob. Gael. _maol_.]
MULL, mul, _n._ a soft muslin.--Also MUL'MUL. [Hind.]
MULL, mul, _v.t._ to warm, spice, and sweeten (wine, ale, &c.).--_v.i._ to toil on, moil: to bustle about.--_adj._ MULLED.--_n._ MULL'ER. [M. E.
_molde-ale_, a funeral banquet, _molde_, grave earth, and _ale_=feast.]
MULLEN, MULLEIN, mul'en, _n._ any plant of genus _Verbascum_.--Also _Hag-taper_, _Adam's flannel_, _Aaron's rod_, _Shepherd's club_.
MULLER, mul'[.e]r, _n._ a glass pestle for mixing paints: a mechanical pulveriser.
MULLET, mul'et, _n._ a genus of fishes nearly cylindrical in form, highly esteemed for the table. [Fr. _mulet_--L. _mullus_, the red mullet.]
MULLET, mul'et, _n._ the rowel of a spur: (_her._) a five-pointed star--a mark of cadency, indicating the third son. [O. Fr. _molette_--L. _mola_, a mill.]
MULLIGATAWNY, mul-i-ga-taw'ni, _n._ an East Indian curry-soup. [Tamil _milagu-tann[=i]r_, pepper-water.]
MULLIGRUBS, mul'i-grubz, _n._ (_coll._) colic: sulkiness.
[Illustration]
MULLION, mul'yun, _n._ an upright division between the lights of windows, between panels, &c.--_v.t._ to shape into divisions by mullions.--_adj._ MULL'IONED. [Same as _munnion_, from Fr. _moignon_, a stump--L. _mancus_, maimed.]
MULLOCK, mul'ok, _n._ rubbish, esp. mining refuse.
MULSE, muls, _n._ sweetened wine. [L. _mulsum_--_mulc[=e]re_, to soothe.]
MULSH, mulsh, _n._ loose material, strawy dung, &c., laid down to protect the roots of plants--also MULCH.--_v.t._ to cover with mulsh.--_adj._ soft.
MULT. See MULTURE.
MULTANGULAR, mult-ang'gul-ar, _adj._ having many angles or corners.--_adv._ MULTANG'ULARLY.--_n._ MULTANG'ULARNESS.
MULTANIMOUS, mul-tan'i-mus, _adj._ having various faculties and powers of mind, many-sided.
MULTARTICULATE, mul-tar-tik'[=u]-l[=a]t, _adj._ many-jointed.--Also MULTIARTIC'ULATE.
MULTEITY, mul-t[=e]'i-ti, _n._ manifoldness, very great numerousness.