Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

MUSCLE — MYOGRAPHICAL

MUSCLE, n. [L. musculus, a muscle, and a little mouse.]

1. In anatomy, the muscles are the organs of motion, consisting of fibers or bundles of fibers inclosed in a thin cellular membrane. The muscles are susceptible of contraction and relaxation, and in a healthy state the proper muscles are subject to the will, and are called voluntary muscles. But other parts of the body, as the heart, the urinary bladder, the stomach, etc. are of a muscular texture, and susceptible of contraction and dilatation, but are not subject to the will, and are therefore called involuntary muscles. The red color of the muscles is owing to the blood vessels which they contain. The ends of the muscles are fastened to the bones which they move, and when they act in opposition to each other, they are called antagonists.

Muscles are divided into the head, belly and tail. The head is the part fixed on the immovable joint called its origin, and is usually tendinous; the belly is the middle fleshy part, which consists of the true muscular fibers; the tail is the tendinous portion inserted into the part to be moved, called the insertion; but in the tendon, the fibers are more compact than in the belly of the muscle, and do not admit the red globules.

2. A bivalvular shell fish of the genus Mytilus; sometimes written mussel.

MUSCOSITY, n. Mossiness.

MUSCOVADO, n. Unrefined sugar; the raw material from which loaf and lump sugar are procured by refining. Muscovado is obtained from the juice of the sugar cane by evaporation and draining off the liquid part called molasses.

[This word is used wither as a noun or an adjective.]

MUSCOVY-DUCK, n. The musk-duck, Anas moschata.

MUSCOVY-GLASS, n. Mica, which see.

MUSCULAR, a. [from muscle.] Pertaining to a muscle; as a muscular fiber.

1. Performed by a muscle; as muscular motion.

2. Strong; brawny; vigorous; as a muscular body or frame.

MUSCULARITY, n. The state of being muscular.

MUSCULITE, n. A petrified muscle or shell.

MUSCULOUS, a. [L. musculosus.] Full of muscles.

1. Strong; brawny.

2. Pertaining to a muscle or to muscles.

MUSE, n. s as z. [L. musa.]

1. Properly, song; but in usage, the deity or power of poetry. Hence poets in modern times, as in ancient, invoke the aid of the Muse or Muses, or in other words, the genius of poetry.

Granville commands; your aid, O Muses, bring,

What Muse for Granville can refuse to sing?

2. Deep thought; close attention or contemplation which abstracts the minds from passing scenes; hence sometimes, absence of mind.

As in great muse, no word to creature spake.

He was fill’d

With admiration and deep muse to hear

Of things so high and strange.

MUSE, v.i. s as z. [L. musso and mussito, to mutter or murmur, to demur, to be silent. The Greek signifies to press, or utter sound with the lips compressed. The latter verb belongs to a sound uttered through the nose or with close lips, or of the same family, L. mussitatio. The word then primarily denotes what we call humming, to hum, as persons do when idle, or alone and steadily occupied.]

1. To ponder; to think closely; to study in silence.

He mused upon some dangerous plot.

I muse on the works of thy hands. Psalm 143:5.

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

3. To wonder.

Do not muse of me.

MUSE, v.t. To think on; to meditate on.

MUSEFUL, a. Thinking deeply or closely; silently thoughtful.

Full of museful mopings.

MUSELESS, a. Disregarding the power of poetry.

MUSER, n. One who thinks closely in silence, or one apt to be absent in mind.

MUSET, n. The place through which the hare goes to relief; a hunting term.

MUSEUM, n. [Gr. a place for the muses or for study.]

A house or apartment appropriated as a repository of things that have an immediate relation to the arts; a cabinet of curiosities.

MUSH, n. The meal of maiz boiled in water.

MUSHROOM, n.

1. The common name of numerous cryptogamian plants of the natural order of Fungi. Some of them are esculent, others poisonous. Mushrooms grow on dunghills and in moist rich ground, and often spring up in a short time.

The origin of man, in the view of the atheist, is the same with that of the mushroom.

2. An upstart; one that rises suddenly from a low condition in life.

MUSHROOM-STONE, n. A fossil or stone that produces mushrooms; the Lyncurius.

MUSIC, n. s as z. [L. musica.]

1. Melody or harmony; any succession of sounds so modulated as to please the ear, or any combination of simultaneous sounds in accordance or harmony. Music is vocal or instrumental. Vocal music is the melody of a single voice, or the harmony of two or more voices in concert. Instrumental music is that produced by one or more instruments.

By music minds an equal temper know.

2. Any entertainment consisting in melody or harmony.

What music and dancing and diversions and songs are to many in the world, that prayers and devotions and psalms are to you.

3. The science of harmonical sounds, which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependencies and relations of sounds to each other. This may be called speculative or theoretical music.

4. The art of combining sounds in a manner to please the ear. This is practical music or composition.

5. Order; harmony in revolutions; as the music of the spheres.

MUSICAL, a. Belonging to music; as musical proportion; a musical instrument.

1. Producing music or agreeable sounds; as a musical voice.

2. Melodious; harmonious; pleasing to the ear; as musical sounds or numbers.

MUSICALLY, adv. In a melodious or harmonious manner; with sweet sounds.

MUSICALNESS, n. The quality of being melodious or harmonious.

MUSIC-BOOK, n. A book containing tunes or songs for the voice or for instruments.

MUSICIAN, n. A person skilled in the science of music, or one that sings or performs on instruments of music according to the rules of the art.

MUSIC-MASTER, n. One who teaches music.

MUSING, ppr. Meditating in silence.

MUSING, n. Meditation; contemplation.

MUSK, n. [L. muscus; Gr. musk, and moss.] A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk [Moschus moschiferus,] an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe, the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen’s egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk, one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal.

MUSK, n. Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower.

MUSK, v.t. To perfume with musk.

MUSK-APPLE, n. A particular kind of apple.

MUSK-CAT, n. The musk which see.

MUSK-CHERRY, n. A kind of cherry.

MUSKET, n. [L. musca, a fly.]

1. A species of fire-arms used in war, and fired by means of a lighted match. This manner of firing was in use as late as the civil war in England. But the proper musket is no longer in use. The name, however, in common speech, is yet applied to fusees or fire-locks fired by a spring lock.

2. A male hawk of a small kind, the female of which is the sparrow hawk.

MUSKETEER, n. A soldier armed with a musket.

MUSKETOE, n. [L. musca, a fly.] A small insect of the genus Culex, that is bred in water; a species of gnat that abounds in marshes and low lands, and whose sting is peculiarly painful and vexatious.

MUSKETOON, n. A short thick musket, carrying five ounces of iron, or seven and a half of lead; the shortest kind of blunderbuss.

1. One who is armed with a musketoon.

MUSKINESS, n. [from musk.] The scent of musk.

MUSKMELON, n. [musk and melon.] A delicious species of melon; named probably from its fragrance.

MUSK-OX, n. A species of the genus Bos, which inhabits the country about Hudson’s Bay. It has the large horns united at the skull, but turned downward on each side of the head. The hair of this animal is very long and fine.

MUSK-PEAR, n. A fragrant kind of pear.

MUSKRAT, MUSQUASH, n. An American animal of the murine genus, the Muz zibethicus. It has a compressed, lanceolated tail, with toes separate. It has the smell of musk in summer, but loses it in winter. The fur is used by hatters. Its popular name in America is musquash.

MUSK-ROSE, n. A species of rose; so called form its fragrance.

MUSK-SEED, n. A plant of the genus Hibiscus.

MUSK-WOOD, n. A species of plant of the genus Trichilia.

MUSKY, a. Having the odor of musk; fragrant.

MUSLIN, n. s as z. A sort of fine cotton cloth, which bears a downy knot on its surface.

MUSLIN, a. Made of muslin; as a muslin gown.

MUSLINET, n. A sort of coarse cotton cloth.

MUSMON, MUSIMON, n. An animal esteemed a species of sheep, described by the ancients as common in Corsica, Sardinia and Barbary. Buffon considers it to be the sheep in a wild state.

MUSROLE, n. The nose band of a horse’s bridle.

MUSS, n. A scramble. [Not used.]

MUSSEL. [See Muscle.]

MUSSITE, n. [from the valley of Mussa, in Piedmont.]

A variety of pyroxene of a greenish white color; otherwise called diopside.

MUSSULMAN, n. A Mohammedan or follower of Mohammed. The word, it is said, signifies in the Turkish language a true believer, or orthodox. It may be from Ar. eslam, salvation.

MUSSULMANISH, a. Mohammedan.

MUST, v.i.

1. To be obliged; to be necessitated. It expresses both physical and moral necessity. A man must eat for nourishment, and he must sleep for refreshment. We must submit to the laws or be exposed to punishment. A bill in a legislative body must have three readings before it can pass to be enacted.

2. It expresses moral fitness or propriety, as necessary or essential to the character or end proposed. “Deacons must be grave,” “a bishop must have a good report of them that are without.” 1 Timothy 3:7-8.

MUST, n. [L. mustum; Heb. to ferment.]

New wine; wine pressed from the grape but not fermented.

MUST, v.t. To make moldy and sour.

MUST, v.i. To grow moldy and sour; to contract a fetid smell.

MUSTAC, n. A small tufted monkey.

MUSTACHES, n. [Gr. the upper lip, and the hair growing on it.] Long hair on the upper lip.

MUSTARD, n. A plant of the genus Sinapis, and its seed, which has a pungent taste and is a powerful stimulant. It is used externally in cataplasms, and internally as a diuretic and stimulant.

MUSTEE, MESTEE, n. A person of a mixed breed.

MUSTELINE, a. [L. mustelinus, from mustela, a weasel.]

Pertaining to the weasel or animals of the genus Mustela; as a musteline color; the musteline genus.

MUSTER, v.t. [L. monstro, to show.] Properly, to collect troops for review, parade and exercise; but in general, to collect or assemble troops, persons or things. The officers muster their soldiers regularly; they muster all their forces. The philosopher musters all the wise sayings of the ancients.

MUSTER, v.i. To assemble; to meet in one place.

MUSTER, n. [L. monstrum, a show or prodigy.]

1. An assembling of troops for review, or a review of troops under arms.

2. A register or roll of troops mustered.

Ye publish the musters of your own bands.

3. A collection, or the act of collecting.

To pass muster, to be approved or allowed.

MUSTER-BOOK, n. A book in which forces are registered.

MUSTER-MASTER, n. One who takes an account of troops, and of their arms and other military apparatus. The chief officer of this kind is called muster-master-general.

MUSTER-ROLL, n. A roll or register of the troops in each company, troop or regiment.

MUSTILY, adv. [from musty.] Moldily; sourly.

MUSTINESS, n. The quality of being musty or sour; moldiness; damp foulness.

MUSTY, a. [from must.] Moldy; sour; foul and fetid; as a musty cask; musty corn or straw; musty books.

1. State; spoiled by age.

The proverb is somewhat musty.

2. Having an ill flavor; as musty wine.

3. Dull; heavy; spiritless.

That he may not grow musty and unfit for conversation.

MUTABILITY, n. [L. mutabilitas, from mutabilis, muto, to change.]

1. Changeableness; susceptibility of change; the quality of being subject to change or alteration, either in form, state or essential qualities.

Plato confesses that the heavens and the frame of the world are corporeal, and therefore subject to mutability.

2. The state of habitually or frequently changing.

3. Changeableness, as of mind, disposition or will; inconstancy; instability; as the mutability of opinion or purpose.

MUTABLE, a. [L. mutabilis, from muto, to change.]

1. Subject to change; changeable; that may be altered in form, qualities or nature. Almost every thing we see on earth is mutable; substances are mutable in their form, and we all know by sad experience how mutable are the conditions of life.

2. Inconstant; unsettled; unstable; susceptible of change. Our opinions and our purposes are mutable.

MUTABLENESS, n. Changeableness; mutability; instability.

MUTATION, n. [L. mutatio.] The act or process of changing.

1. Change; alteration, either in form or qualities.

The vicissitude or mutations in the superior globe are no fit matter for this present argument.

MUTE, a. [L. mutus.]

1. Silent; not speaking; not uttering words, or not having the power of utterance; dumb. Mute may express temporary silence, or permanent inability to speak.

To the mute my speech is lost.

In this phrase, it denotes unable to utter words. More generally, it denotes temporarily silent; as, all sat mute.

All the heavenly choir stood mute.

2. Uttering no sound; as mute sorrow.

3. Silent; not pronounced; as a mute letter.

MUTE, n. In law, a person that stands speechless when he ought to answer or plead.

1. In grammar, a letter that represents no sound; a close articulation which intercepts the voice. Mutes are of two kinds, pure and impure. The pure mutes instantly and entirely intercept the voice, as k, p and t, in the syllables ek, ep, et. The impure mutes intercept the voice less suddenly, as the articulations are less close. Such are b, d, and g, as in the syllables eb, ed, eg.

2. In music, a little utensil of wood or brass, used on a violin to deaden or soften the sounds.

MUTE, v.i. To eject the contents of the bowels, a birds.

MUTE, n. The dung of fowls.

MUTELY, adv. Silently; without uttering words or sounds.

MUTENESS, n. Silence; forbearance of speaking.

MUTILATE, v.t. [L. mutilo, probably from the root of meto, to cut off.]

1. To cut off a limb or essential part of an animal body. To cut off the hand or foot is to mutilate the body or the person.

2. To cut or break off, or otherwise separate any important part, as of a statue or building.

3. To retrench, destroy or remove any material part, so as to render the thing imperfect; as, to mutilate the poems of Homer or the orations of Cicero.

Among the mutilated poets of antiquity, there is none whose fragments are so beautiful as those of Sappho.

MUTILATED, pp. Deprived of a limb or of an essential part.

MUTILATED, MUTILATE, a. In botany, the reverse of luxuriant; not producing a corol, when not regularly apetalous; applied to flowers.

MUTILATING, ppr. Retrenching a limb or an essential part.

MUTILATION, n. [L. mutilatio.] The act of mutilating; deprivation of a limb or of an essential part.

1. Mutilation is a term of very general import, applied to bodies, to statues, to buildings and to writings; but appropriately, it denotes the retrenchment of a human limb or member, and particularly of the male organs of generation.

MUTILATOR, n. One who mutilates.

MUTILOUS, a. Mutilated; defective; imperfect.

Mutine, a mutineer, and mutine, to mutiny, are not in use.

MUTINEER, n. [See Mutiny.] One guilty of mutiny; a person in military or naval service, who rises in opposition to the authority of the officers, who openly resists the government of the army or navy, or attempts to destroy due subordination.

MUTING, n. The dung of fowls.

MUTINOUS, a. Turbulent; disposed to resist the authority of laws and regulations in an army or navy, or openly resisting such authority.

1. Seditious. [See Mutiny.]

MUTINOUSLY, adv. In a manner or with intent to oppose lawful authority or due subordination in military or naval service.

MUTINOUSNESS, n. The state of being mutinous; opposition to lawful authority among military men.

MUTINY, n. [L. muto, to change.] An insurrection of soldiers or seamen against the authority of their commanders; open resistance of officers or opposition to their authority. A mutiny is properly the act of numbers, but by statutes and orders for governing the army and navy in different countries, the acts which constitute mutiny are multiplied and defined; and acts of individuals, amounting to a resistance of the authority or lawful commands of officers, are declared to be mutiny. Any attempt to excite opposition to lawful authority, or any act of contempt towards officers, or disobedience of commands, is by the British mutiny act declared to be mutiny. Any concealment of mutinous acts, or neglect to attempt a suppression of them, is declared also to be mutiny.

[Note-In good authors who lived a century ago, mutiny and mutinous were applied to insurrection and sedition in civil society. But I believe these words are now applied exclusively to soldiers and seamen.]

MUTINY, v.i. To rise against lawful authority in military and naval service; to excite or attempt to excite opposition to the lawful commands of military and naval officers; to commit some act which tends to bring the authority of officers into contempt, or in any way to promote insubordination.

MUTTER, v.i. [L. mutio, muttio, and musso, mussito; allied perhaps to muse, which see.]

1. To utter words with a low voice and compressed lips, with sullenness or in complaint; to grumble; to murmur.

Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare,

And mutter to himself.

2. To sound with a low rumbling noise.

Thick lightnings flash, the muttering thunder rolls.

MUTTER, v.t. To utter with imperfect articulations, or with a low murmuring voice.

Your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. Isaiah 59:3.

They in sleep will mutter their affairs.

MUTTER, n. Murmur; obscure utterance.

MUTTERED, pp. Uttered in a low murmuring voice.

MUTTERER, n. A grumbler; one that mutters.

MUTTERING, ppr. Uttering with a low murmuring voice; grumbling; murmuring.

MUTTERINGLY, adv. With a low voice; without distinct articulation.

MUTTON, n.

1. The flesh of sheep, raw or dressed for food.

2. A sheep. [But this sense is now obsolete or ludicrous.]

MUTTONFIST, n. A large red brawny hand.

MUTUAL, a. [L. mutuus, from muto, to change.]

Reciprocal; interchanged, each acting in return or correspondence to the other; given and received. Mutual love is that which is entertained by two persons each for the other; mutual advantage is that which is conferred by one person or another, and received by him in return. So we say, mutual assistance, mutual aversion.

And, what should most excite a mutual flame,

Your rural cares and pleasures are the same.

MUTUALITY, n. Reciprocation; interchange.

MUTUALLY, adv. Reciprocally, in the manner of giving and receiving.

The tongue and the pen mutually assist one another.

[Note-Mutual and mutually properly refer to two persons or their intercourse; but they may be and often are applied to numbers acting together or in concert.]

MUTUATION, n. [L. mutuatio.] The act of borrowing. [Little used.]

MUTULE, n. In architecture, a square modillion under the cornice. In French, it is rendered a corbel or bracket.

MUZZLE, n.

1. The mouth of a thing; the extreme or end for entrance or discharge; applied chiefly to the end of a tube, as the open end of a common fusee or pistol, or of a bellows.

2. A fastening for the mouth which hinders from biting.

With golden muzzles all their mouths were bound.

MUZZLE, v.t. To bind the mouth; to fasten the mouth to prevent biting or eating.

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. Deuteronomy 25:4.

1. To fondle with the mouth close. [Low.]

2. To restrain from hurt.

My dagger muzzled--

MUZZLE, v.i. To bring the mouth near.

The bear muzzles and smells to him.

MUZZLE-RING, n. The metalline ring or circle that surrounds the mouth of a cannon or other piece.

MY, pronoun. adj. [contracted from migen, mine. Me was originally mig, and the adjective migen. So in L. meus. See Mine.]

Belonging to me; as, this is my book. Formerly, mine was used before a vowel, and my before a consonant; my is now used before both. We say, my book; my own book; my old friend. Mine is still used after a verb; as, this book is mine.

MYNHEER, n. A Dutchman.

MYOGRAPHICAL, a. [See Myography.]

Pertaining to a description of the muscles.