Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 954

Mumble

Mum"ble (?), v. t.

1. To utter with a low, inarticulate voice. Bp. Hall.

2. To chew or bite gently, as one without teeth.

Gums unarmed, to mumble meat in vain. Dryden.

3. To suppress, or utter imperfectly.

Mumblenews

Mum"ble*news` (?), n. A talebearer. [Obs.]

Mumbler

Mum"bler (?), n. One who mumbles.

Mumbling

Mum"bling (?), a. Low; indistinct; inarticulate. -- Mum"bling*ly, adv.

Mumbo Jumbo

Mum"bo Jum`bo (?). An object of superstitious homage and fear. Carlyle.

The miserable Mumbo Jumbo they paraded. Dickens.

Mum-chance

Mum"-chance` (?), n.

1. A game of hazard played with cards in silence. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Decker.

2. A silent, stupid person. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Mum-chance

Mum"-chance`, a. Silent and idle. [Colloq.]

Boys can't sit mum-chance always. J. H. Ewing.

Mumm

Mumm (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Mummed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mumming.] [D. mimmen to mask, mom a mask; akin to G. mumme disguise; prob. of imitative origin, and akin to E. mum, mumble, in allusion to the indistinctness of speech occasioned by talking from behind a mask. Cf. Mumble, Mummery.] To sport or make diversion in a mask or disguise; to mask.

With mumming and with masking all around. Spenser.

Mummer

Mumm"er (?), n. [Cf. OF. mommeur. See Mumm, and cf. Momier.] 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 (#). [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. [Amer. Indian name.] (Zoöl.) 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. [See Mummify.] The act of making a mummy.

Mummified

Mum"mi*fied (?), a. Converted into a mummy or a mummylike substance; having the appearance of a mummy; withered.

Mummiform

Mum"mi*form (?), a. [Mummy + -form.] 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 (?).] [Mummy + -fy: cf. F. momifier.] To embalm and dry as a mummy; to make into, or like, a mummy. Hall (1646).

Mummy

Mum"my (?), n.; pl. Mummies (#). [F. momie; cf. Sp. & Pg. momia, It. mummia; all fr. Per. mmiyā, fr. mm 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) 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.] To embalm; to mummify.

Mummychog

Mum"my*chog (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Mummichog.

Mump

Mump (?), v. i. [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. A beggar; a begging impostor.

Deceived by the tales of a Lincoln's Inn mumper. Macaulay.

Mumpish

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

Mumps

Mumps (?), n. [Prov. E. mump to be sulky. Cf. Mump, Mumble, and Mum.]

1. pl. Sullenness; silent displeasure; the sulks. Skinner.

2. [Prob. so called from the patient's appearance.] (Med.) A specific infectious febrile disorder characterized by a nonsuppurative inflammation of the parotid glands; epidemic or infectious parotitis.

Mun

Mun (?), n. [See Mouth.] 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.] [Prob. akin to mumble: cf. also F. manger to eat (cf. Mange), and mâcher to cher (cf. Masticate). See Mumble.] 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. [So called in allusion to Baron Munchausen's extravagant tales of travel.] An extravagant fiction embodying an account of some marvelous exploit or adventure.

Muncher

Munch"er (?), n. One who munches.

Mund

Mund (?), n. See Mun.

Mundane

Mun"dane (?), a. [L. mundanus, fr. mundus the world, an implement, toilet adornments, or dress; cf. mundus, a., clean, neat, Skr. ma&nsdot;&dsdot; to adorn, dress, ma&nsdot;&dsdot;a adornment. Cf. Monde, Mound in heraldry.] 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. Worldliness. [Obs.]

Mundation

Mun*da"tion (?), n. [L. mundatio, fr. mundare to make clean.] The act of cleansing. [Obs.]

Mundatory

Mun"da*to*ry (?), a. [L. mundatorius.] Cleansing; having power to cleanse. [Obs.]

Mundic

Mun"dic (?), n. Iron pyrites, or arsenical pyrites; -- so called by the Cornish miners.

Mundificant

Mun*dif"i*cant (?), a. [L. mundificans, p.pr. of mundificare to make clean, fr. mundus clean + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.] Serving to cleanse and heal. -- n. A mundificant ointment or plaster.

Mundification

Mun`di*fi*ca"tion (?), n. The act or operation of cleansing.

Mundificative

Mun*dif"i*ca*tive (?), a. Cleansing. -- n. A detergent medicine or preparation.

Mundify

Mun"di*fy (?), v. t. [Cf. F. mondifier, L. mundificare. See Mundificant.] To cleanse. [Obs.]

Mundil

Mun"dil (?), n. A turban ornamented with an imitation of gold or silver embroidery.

Mundivagant

Mun*div"a*gant (?), a. [L. mundus the world + vagans wandering, p.pr. of vagari. See Vagary.] Wandering over the world. [R.]

Mundungus

Mun*dun"gus (?), n. [Cf. Sp. mondongo paunch, tripe, black pudding.] A stinking tobacco.

Munnerary

Mun"ner*a*ry (?), a. [L. munerarius, from munus a gift.] Having the nature of a gift. [Obs.]

Munnerate

Mun"ner*ate (?), v. t. [L. muneratus, p.p. of munerare to give, bestow, fr. munus a gift.] To remunerate.

Muneration

Mu`ner*a"tion (?), n. [L. muneratio.] Remuneration. [Obs.]

Mung

Mung (?), n. [Hind. mng.] (Bot.) Green gram, a kind of pulse (Phaseolus Mungo), grown for food in British India. Balfour (Cyc. of India).

Munga

Mun"ga (?), n. (Zoöl.) See Bonnet monkey, under Bonnet.

Mungcorn

Mung"corn` (?), n. Same as Mangcorn.

Mungo

Mun"go (?), n. A fibrous material obtained by deviling rags or the remnants of woolen goods. &hand; 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.) See Mongoose.
Mungrel
Mun"grel (?), n. & a. See Mongrel.
Municipal
Mu*nic"i*pal (?), a. [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. Municipal condition.
Municipality
Mu*nic`i*pal"i*ty (?), n.; pl. Municipalities (#). [Cf. F. municipalité.] A municipal district; a borough, city, or incorporated town or village.
Municipally
Mu*nic"i*pal*ly (?), adv. In a municipal relation or condition.
Munific
Mu*nif"ic (?), a. [See Munificent.] Munificent; liberal. [Obs. or R.]
Munificate
Mu*nif"i*cate (?), v. t. [L. munificatus, p.p. of munificare to present with a thing, fr. munificus. See Munificent.] To enrich. [Obs.]
Munificence
Mu*nif"i*cence (?), n. [Cf. L. munire to fortify.] Means of defense; fortification. [Obs.] Spenser.
Munificence
Mu*nif"i*cence, n. [L. munificentia: cf. F. munificence.] 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. [L. munificus; munus service, gift + -ficare (in comp.) to make. Cf. Immunity, -fy.] 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. [See Munificate.] To prepare for defense; to fortify. [Obs.]
Muniment
Mu"ni*ment (?), n. [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) 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 ∨ 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. [L. munitus, p.p. of munire to wall, fortify.] To fortify; to strengthen. [Obs.]
Munition
Mu*ni"tion (?), n. [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. [See Immunity.] Freedom; security; immunity. [Obs.] W. Montagu.
Munjeet
Mun*jeet" (?), n. [Hind. majī&tsdot;h a drug used for dyeing red.] See Indian madder, under Madder.
Munjistin
Mun"jis*tin (?), n. (Chem.) An orangered coloring substance resembling alizarin, found in the root of an East Indian species of madder (Rubia munjista).
Munnion
Mun"nion (?), n. See Mullion.
Muntin, Munting
Mun"tin (?), Mun"ting (?), n. [CF. Montant.] (Arch.) Same as Mullion; -- especially used in joiner's work.
Muntjac
Munt"jac (?), n. (Zoöl.) 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 (?). See under Metal.
Muræna
Mu*ræ"na (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. .] (Zoöl.) 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.
Murænoid, Murenoid
Mu*ræ"noid, Mu*re"noid (?), a. [NL. Muræna, the generic name + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Like or pertaining to the genus Muræna, or family Murænidæ.
Murage
Mu"rage (?), n. [F., fr. murer to wall, fr. mur wall, L. murus. See Mure a wall.] A tax or toll paid for building or repairing the walls of a fortified town.
Mural
Mu"ral (?), a. [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. [OE. morder, morther, AS. mor&edh;or, fr. mor&edh; murder; akin to D. moord, OS. mor&edh;, G., Dan., & Sw. mord, Icel. mor&edh;, Goth. ma\'a3rþr, OSlav. mrēti 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. m&rsdot; to die, m&rsdot;ta death. √105. Cf. Amaranth, Ambrosia, Mortal.] 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.
&hand; 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.] [OE. mortheren, murtheren, AS. myrrian; akin to OHG. murdiren, Goth. ma\'a3rrjan. 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.