Musketeer Mus`ket·eer" noun [ French
mousquetaire ; confer Italian
moschettiere .]
A soldier armed with a musket.
Musketo Mus·ke"to noun See Mosquito .
Musketoon Mus`ket·oon" noun [ French
mousqueton ; confer Italian
moschettone .]
1. A short musket. 2. One who is armed with such a musket.
Musketry Mus"ket·ry noun [ French
mousqueterie ; confer Italian
moschetteria .]
1. Muskets, collectively. 2. The fire of muskets. Motley.
Muskiness Musk"i·ness noun The quality or state of being musky; the scent of musk.
Muskmelon Musk"mel`on noun [
Musk +
melon .]
(Botany) The fruit of a cucurbitaceous plant ( Cucumis Melo ), having a peculiar aromatic flavor, and cultivated in many varieties, the principal sorts being the cantaloupe ( Cucumis Melo cantalupensis ), of oval form and yellowish flesh, and the smaller nutmeg melon with greenish flesh. See Illust. of Melon .
Muskogees Mus·ko"gees noun plural ; sing.
Muskogee (Ethnol.) 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` noun 1. (Zoology) 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 hind 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. (Zoology) The musk shrew. 3. (Zoology) The desman.
Muskwood Musk"wood` noun [ So called from its fragrance.]
(Botany) (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 adjective Having an odor of musk, or somewhat the like. Milton.
Muslim Mus"lim noun See Moslem .
Muslin Mus"lin noun [ French
mousseline ; confer Italian
mussolino ,
mussolo , Spanish
muselina ; all from
Mussoul a city of Mesopotamia, Arabic
Mausil , Syr.
Mauzol ,
Muzol ,
Mosul , where it was first manufactured. Confer
Mull a kind of cloth.]
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" noun [ French
mousselinette .]
A sort of coarse or light cotton cloth.
Musmon Mus"mon noun [ Latin
musmo ,
musimo , a Sardinian animal; confer Greek
moy`smwn .]
(Zoology) See Mouflon .
Musomania Mu`so·ma"ni·a noun See Musicomania .
Musquash Mus"quash noun [ American Indian name.]
(Zoology) See Muskrat . Musquash root (Botany) ,
an umbelliferous plant ( Cicuta maculata ), having a poisonous root. See Water hemlock .
Musquaw Mus"quaw noun [ American Indian name.]
(Zoology) The American black bear. See Bear .
Musquet Mus"quet noun See Musket .
Musquito Mus·qui"to noun (Zoology) See Mosquito .
Musrole, Musrol Mus"role, Mus"rol noun [ French
muserolle , from
muserau a muzzle, Old French
musel . See
Muzzle .]
The nose band of a horse's bridle.
Muss Muss noun [ Confer Old French
mousche a fly, also, the play called
muss , from Latin
musca a fly.]
A scramble, as when small objects are thrown down, to be taken by those who can seize them; a confused struggle. Shak.
Muss Muss noun A state of confusion or disorder; -- probably variant of mess , but influenced by muss , a scramble. [ Colloq. U.S.]
Muss Muss transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Mussed ;
present participle & verbal noun Mussing .]
To disarrange, as clothing; to rumple. [ Colloq. U.S.]
Muss Muss noun [ Confer Middle English
mus a mouse. See
Mouse .]
A term of endearment. [ Obsolete] See
Mouse .
B. Jonson.
Mussel Mus"sel noun [ See
Muscle , 3.]
1. (Zoology) 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. (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of Unio , and related fresh-water genera; -- called also river mussel . See Naiad , and Unio . Mussel digger (Zoology) ,
the grayback whale. See Gray whale , under Gray .
Mussitation Mus`si·ta"tion noun [ Latin
mussitatio suppression of the voice, from
mussitare to be silent, to murmur.]
A speaking in a low tone; mumbling. [ Obsolete]
Mussite Mus"site noun (Min.) A variety of pyroxene, from the Mussa Alp in Piedmont; diopside.
Mussulman Mus"sul·man noun ;
plural Mussulmans . [ Arabic
muslimīn , plural of
muslim : confer F. & Spanish
musulman . See
Moslem .]
A Mohammedan; a Moslem.
Mussulmanic Mus`sul·man"ic adjective Of, pertaining to, or like, the Mussulmans, or their customs: Mohammedan.
Mussulmanish Mus"sul·man·ish adjective Mohammedan.
Mussulmanism Mus"sul·man·ism noun Mohammedanism.
Mussulmanly Mus"sul·man·ly adverb In the manner of Moslems.
Mussy Muss"y adjective [ From 2d
Muss .]
Disarranged; rumpled. [ Colloq. U.S.]
Must Must (mŭst)
intransitive verb or auxiliary . [ Middle English
moste , a pret. generally meaning, could, was free to, present
mot ,
moot , Anglo-Saxon
mōste , pret.
mōt , present ; akin to Dutch
moetan to be obliged, Old Saxon
mōtan to be free, to be obliged, Old High German
muozan , German
müssen to be obliged, Swedish
måste must, Goth.
gamōtan 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. » The principal verb, if easily supplied by the mind, was formerly often omitted when
must was used; as, I
must away. "I
must to Coventry."
Shak.
Must Must noun [ Anglo-Saxon
must , from Latin
mustum (sc.
vinum ), from
mustus young, new, fresh. Confer
Mustard .]
1. The expressed juice of the grape, or other fruit, before fermentation. "These men ben full of
must ."
Wyclif (Acts ii. 13. ). No fermenting must fills . . . the deep vats.
Longfellow. 2. [ Confer
Musty .]
Mustiness.
Must Must transitive verb & i. To make musty; to become musty.
Must Must (mŭst)
noun [ Hind.
mast intoxicated, ruttish, from Sanskrit
matta , p.p. of
mad to rejoice, intoxicate.]
(Zoology) Being in a condition of dangerous frenzy, usually connected with sexual excitement; -- said of adult male elephants which become so at irregular intervals. --
noun (a) The condition of frenzy. (b) An elephant in must.
Mustac Mus"tac noun [ French
moustac .]
(Zoology) A small tufted monkey.
Mustache Mus·tache" (mŭs*tȧsh"; 277)
noun ;
plural Mustaches [ Written also
moustache .] [ French
moustache , Italian
mostaccio visage,
mostacchio mustache, from Greek
my`stax upper lip and the beard upon it; confer
ma`stax mouth: confer Spanish
mostacho .]
1. That part of the beard which grows on the upper lip; hair left growing above the mouth. 2. (Zoology) A West African monkey ( Cercopithecus cephus ). It has yellow whiskers, and a triangular blue mark on the nose. 3. (Zoology) Any conspicuous stripe of color on the side of the head, beneath the eye of a bird.
Mustacho Mus·ta"cho noun ;
plural Mustachios A mustache. Longfellow.
Mustachoed Mus·ta"choed adjective Having mustachios.
Mustahfiz Mus`tah"fiz` noun [ Turk. & Arabic
mustahfiz who trusts to another's keeping, a soldier of a garrison.]
See Army organization , above.
Mustaiba Mus`ta·i"ba noun A close- grained, heavy wood of a brownish color, brought from Brazil, and used in turning, for making the handles of tools, and the like. [ Written also
mostahiba .]
MaElrath.
Mustang Mus"tang noun [ Spanish
musteño belonging to the graziers, strayed, wild.]
(Zoology) The half-wild horse of the plains in Mexico, California, etc. It is small, hardy, and easily sustained. Mustard grape (Botany) ,
a species of grape ( Vitis candicans ), native in Arkansas and Texas. The berries are small, light-colored, with an acid skin and a sweet pulp.
Mustard Mus"tard noun [ Old French
moustarde , French
moutarde , from Latin
mustum must, -- mustard was prepared for use by being mixed with
must . See
Must ,
noun ]
1. (Botany) The name of several cruciferous plants of the genus Brassica (formerly Sinapis ), as white mustard ( B. alba ), black mustard ( B. Nigra ), wild mustard or charlock ( B. Sinapistrum ). » There are also many herbs of the same family which are called
mustard , and have more or less of the flavor of the true mustard; as, bowyer's mustard (
Lepidium ruderale ); hedge mustard (
Sisymbrium officinale ); Mithridate mustard (
Thlaspi arvense ); tower mustard (
Arabis perfoliata ); treacle mustard (
Erysimum cheiranthoides ).
2. A powder or a paste made from the seeds of black or white mustard, used as a condiment and a rubefacient. Taken internally it is stimulant and diuretic, and in large doses is emetic. Mustard oil (Chemistry) ,
a substance obtained from mustard, as a transparent, volatile and intensely pungent oil. The name is also extended to a number of analogous compounds produced either naturally or artificially.
Mustee Mus·tee" noun See Mestee .
Musteline Mus"te·line adjective [ Latin
mustelinus , from
mustela weasel.]
(Zoology) Like or pertaining to the family Mustelidæ , or the weasels and martens.
Muster Mus"ter noun [ Middle English
moustre , Old French
mostre ,
moustre , French
montre , Late Latin
monstra . See
Muster ,
transitive verb ]
1. Something shown for imitation; a pattern. [ Obsolete]
2. A show; a display. [ Obsolete]
Piers Plowman. 3. An assembling or review of troops, as for parade, verification of numbers, inspection, exercise, or introduction into service. The hurried muster of the soldiers of liberty.
Hawthorne. See how in warlike muster they appear,
In rhombs, and wedges, and half-moons, and wings.
Milton. 4. The sum total of an army when assembled for review and inspection; the whole number of effective men in an army. And the muster was thirty thousands of men.
Wyclif. Ye publish the musters of your own bands, and proclaim them to amount of thousands.
Hooker. 5. Any assemblage or display; a gathering. Of the temporal grandees of the realm, mentof their wives and daughters, the muster was great and splendid.
Macaulay. Muster book ,
a book in which military forces are registered. --
Muster file ,
a muster roll. --
Muster master (Mil.) ,
one who takes an account of troops, and of their equipment; a mustering officer; an inspector. [ Eng.] --
Muster roll (Mil.) ,
a list or register of all the men in a company, troop, or regiment, present or accounted for on the day of muster. --
To pass muster ,
to pass through a muster or inspection without censure. Such excuses will not pass muster with God.
South.
Muster Mus"ter transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Mustered ;
present participle & verbal noun Mustering .] [ Middle English
mustren , prop., to show, Old French
mostrer ,
mustrer ,
moustrer ,
monstrer , French
montrer , from Latin
monstrare to show. See
Monster .]
1. To collect and display; to assemble, as troops for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like. Spenser. 2. Hence: To summon together; to enroll in service; to get together. "Mustering
all its force ."
Cowper. All the gay feathers he could muster .
L'Estrange. To muster troops into service (Mil.) ,
to inspect and enter troops on the muster roll of the army. --
To muster troops out of service (Mil.) ,
to register them for final payment and discharge. --
To muster up ,
to gather up; to succeed in obtaining; to obtain with some effort or difficulty. One of those who can muster up sufficient sprightliness to engage in a game of forfeits.
Hazlitt.
Muster Mus"ter intransitive verb To be gathered together for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like; to come together as parts of a force or body; as, his supporters mustered in force. "The
mustering squadron."
Byron.