muezzin 
On which is a Tower, as with us a Steeple, whereupon 
the Mnetden or Thalisman ascendeth. 
Purchas, rilgrimage, p. 800. 
The musical chant of the muezzins from the thousand 
minarets of Cairo sounds most impressively through the 
clear and silent air. 
R. Curzon, Monast. in the Levant, p. 32. 
muff 1 (muf), n. [Early mod. E. muffe, < ME. 
"muffe (in deriv. verb muffle), < D. mof, a muff (> 
G. muff), = Sw. muff=: Dan. mtiffe; prob., after 
F. moufle, etc. (see muffle 1 ), < ML. *muffa, dim. 
muffnla, moffula, a muff, < OHG. *mouwa, MHG. 
HOM!e=LG. oe,iae=MD. momve,T>.maamc, 
a wide, hanging sleeve. Hence muffle^.] 1. A 
cover into which both hands may be thrust in 
order to keep them warm. It is commonly cylin- 
drical and made of fur, but sometimes of velvet, silk, 
plush, etc., in bag shape or other fanciful design. The 
muff was introduced into France toward the close of the 
sixteenth century, and soon after into England. It was 
used by both men and women, and in the seventeenth cen- 
tury was often an essential part of the dress of a man of 
fashion ; but it is now exclusively an article of female ap- 
parel. 
In the early part of Anne's reign it was fashionable for 
men to wear mu/s, as it had been ever since Charles the 
Second's time. 
J. Ashton, Social Life in Reign of Queen Anne, I. 156. 
2. The whitethroat, Sylvia cinerea. Macgillivray. 
Also muffet. 3. A cylinder of blown glass 
ready for slitting and spreading open in the flat- 
tening-furnace to form a plate. 4. A joining- 
tube or coupler for uniting two pipes end to end. 
muff 2 (muf), v. [= D. muffen, dote, = G. muffen, 
be sulky, sulk. Cf . freq. muffle 2 and mumble.] 
1. trans. 1. To mumble; speak indistinctly. 
[Prov. Eng.] 2. To perform clumsily or badly; 
fail, as in some attempt in playing a game; 
muddle ; make a mess of. 
I don't see why you should have muffed that shot 
Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, vi. 
You know we consider him a rhetorical phenomenon. 
Unfortunately he always muffs anything he touches. 
Harper't Mag., LXXVIII. 737. 
3. Specifically, in ball-playing, to fail to hold 
(the ball) when it comes into the hands. 
II. intrans. To act clumsily or badly, espe- 
cially in playing a game, as in receiving a ball 
into one's hands and failing to hold it. 
muff 2 (muf), n. [Cf. D. mof, a clown, boor; 
from the verb.] 1. A simpleton; a stupid or 
weak-spirited person. [Colloq.] 
The Low Dutch call the High "mu/es" that is, etour- 
dis as the French have it, or blockhead upbraiding them 
with their heavinesse. Sir J. liearsby, Travels (1657). 
A muff of a curate. Thackeray, Lovel the Widower, i. 
2. An inefficient apprentice craftsman. 
These boys [who have no liking for their craft] often 
grow up to be unskilful workmen. There are technical 
terms for them in different trades, but perhaps the generic 
appellation is muffs. 
Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, II. 377. 
3. Anything done in a clumsy or bungling fash- 
ion, as a bad stroke of play in a game of ball ; 
specifically, in ball-playing, failure to hold a 
ball that comes into one's hands. 
muff-dog (muf'dog), n. A very small lap-dog, 
such as a woman can carry in her muff, 
muffet (muf 'et), n. [< muffl + -et.~\ Same as 
muffl, 2. 
muffetee (muf-e-te'), n. [< muffi + -et + -ee 2 .] 
A small muff worn over the wrist ; a wristband 
of fur or worsted worn by women, 
muff-glass (muf 'glas), n. Same as pot-glass. 
muffin (muf 'in), n. [Perhaps < roujfi.] 1. A 
light round spongy cake, the English variety of 
which is usually eaten toasted and buttered. 
2. A small earthen plate. 
muffin-cap (muf 'in-kap), n. A round flat cap 
worn by men. The name is given in particular to two 
varieties : (a) A cheap cap of 
coarse woolen, worn by charity 
boys and occasionally by oth- 
ers. (&) A fatigue-cap worn by 
some regiments of the British 
army. [Eng.] 
muffineer (muf-i-ner'), n. 
[< muffin + -eer.~\ 1. A 
dish in which to serve 
toasted muffins, crum- 
pets, etc., so arranged as 
to keep them hot. 2. A 
vessel of metal with a 
perforated cover, used to 
sprinkle sugar or salt on 
muffins. 
muffin-man (muf ' in - 
man), n. A seller of muf- 
finS ' Muffineers, def.,. 
The muflnmm carries his 
delicacies in a basket, wherein they are well swathed in 
flannel, to retain the heat. 
Mintlteu; London Labour and London Poor, I. 214. 
3888 
muffin-ring (muf in-ring), n. A ring of iron or 
tin in which muffins are baked. 
muffle 1 (muf'l), n. [< ME. *muffle (in deriv. verb 
muffle), < MD. moffcl (> G. muffel) = OF. moflc, 
moufle, a kind of mitten or muff, F. moufle, a 
muff, a muffle, = Sp. miifla = It. muffola, a muff 
or mitten, < ML. muffula, moffula, a muff, dim. 
of "muffa, a muff: see mitffl.] It. A muff for 
the hands. 
This day I did first wear a muffle, being my wife's last 
year's muffle. Pepys, Diary, Nov. 80, 1662. (Encyc. Diet.) 
2. A boxing-glove. 
Just like a black-eye in a recent scuffle 
(For sometimes we must box without the muffle). 
Byron, Don Juan, ii. 92. 
3. Same as muffler (c). 4. A cover or wrap, 
especially one used to deaden sound. 
Yesterday morning he sent for the officer on guard, and 
ordered him to take all the muffles off the drums. 
GreviUe, Memoirs, July 18, 1830. 
5. In chem. and metal., an arched vessel, re- 
sisting the strongest fire, made to be placed 
over cupels and tests in the operation of assay- 
ing, to preserve them from coming in contact 
with fuel, smoke, or ashes though at the same 
time of such a form as not to hinder the action 
of the air and fire on the metal, nor prevent the 
inspection of the assayer. 
In the coppilling of a fixed metall, which, as long as any 
lead or drosse or any allay remains with it, continueth 
still melting, flowing, and in motion under the muffle. 
Hmoett, Parly of Beasts, p. 148. (Davies.) 
6. A small furnace with a chamber in which 
pottery or porcelain painted with metallic colors 
is baked or fired. 7. A pulley-block contain- 
ing several sheaves. E. H. Knight Hard muffle- 
colors. See hard. Muffle-painting, ceramic decoration 
by painting which will not bear the heat of the porcelain- 
furnace, but is glazed or fixed at the lower temperature 
of the muffle. Painting upon enamel, whether the enamel 
is applied upon metal or a ceramic paste, is of this nature. 
Muffle-painting is divided into two kinds hard muffle- 
painting, or demi-grand-feu, and ordinary or soft muffle- 
painting. 
muffle 1 (muf'l), v. t.; pret. and pp. muffled, ppr. 
muffling. [< ME. muffelen, conceal (the face) ; 
cf. D. moffelen, conceal, pilfer; from the noun 
(see muffle 1 , n.); perhaps in part confused with 
muffle 2 , .] 1. To infold or wrap up, especially 
in some cloth or woven fabric, so as to conceal 
from view or protect from the weather; wrap 
up or cover close, particularly the neck and 
face; envelop or inwrap in some covering. 
As though our eyes were muffled with a cloude. 
Oascoigne, Chorusses from Jocasta, iii. 
The face lies muffled up within the garment. 
Addison, Cato, iv. 3. 
2. To blindfold. 
Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, 
Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will ! 
Shot., B. and J., i. 1. 177. 
3. Figuratively, to wrap up or cover; conceal; 
involve. 
The sable fumes of Hell's inf email vault . . . 
Muffled the face of that profound Abyss. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 1. 
They were in former ages mu 
superstition. Ar 
ed up in darkness and 
uthnot, Hist. John Bull. 
4. To envelop more or less completely in some- 
thing that deadens sound: used especially of 
bells, drums, and oars. See muffled. 
The bells they were muffed, 
And mournful did play. 
The Death of Queen Jane (ballad). 
5. To restrain from speaking by wrapping up 
the head ; put to silence. 
Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother, 
We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled 
Till we do hear from them. Shak., AU's Well, iv. 1. 100. 
I wish you could muffle that 'ere Stiggins. 
Diclteru, Pickwick, xxvii. 
- Syn. 5. Muzzle, etc. See gag. 
muffle 2 (muf'l). v. i.; pret. and pp. muffled, ppr. 
muffling. [< D. moffelen = G. dial, muffeln, 
mumble ; freq. of the verb represented by muff 2 , 
v. Cf. waffle.] To mumble; mutter; speak 
indistinctly. 
The Freedom or Apertness and vigour of pronnncing 
as ... in the Bocca Romana and giving somewhat more 
of Aspiration ; And . . . the closeness and Muffling, and 
. . . Laziness of speaking, . . . render the sound of their 
Speech considerably different. 
Holder, Elements of Speech, p. 79. 
muffle 3 (muf'l), re. [< F. mufle, the muffle, < G. 
muffel, a dog or other animal with large hang- 
ing lips.] The tumid and naked part of the 
upper lip and nose of ruminants and rodents. 
muffled (muf 'Id), p. n. 1. Wrapped up closely, 
especially about the face ; concealed from view ; 
also, blinded by or as by something wrapped 
about the face and covering the eyes. 
mug 
A plague upon him ! muffled! He can say nothing of 
me. Shalt., All's Well, iv. 3. 134. 
Muffled pagans know there is a God, but not what this 
God is. Jlev. T. Adams, Works, III. 160. (Dairies.) 
2. Dulled or deadened : applied to a sounding 
body or to the sound produced by it. 
A sort of muffled rhyme rhyme spoilt by the ends being 
blunted or broken off. Craik, Hist. Eng. Lit., II. 94. 
Muffled drum. See drumi. Muffled oars, oars having 
mats or canvas put round their looms when rowing, to pre- 
vent them from making a noise against the tholes or in the 
rowlocks. 
muffle-furnace (muf 'l-fer'nas), n. See furnace. 
mufflejaw (muf'l-ja), n. A'cottoid fish, Urani- 
dea rfcharasoni, a kind of millerVthumb. 
muffler (muf'ler), . Anything used to muffle 
or wrap up. Specifically (a) A sort of kerchief or scarf 
worn by women in the sixteenth century and later to cover 
the lower part of the face, the neck and ears, etc., either for 
protection against the sun or wind, or for partial conceal- 
ment when in public. See half-mask. 
He might put on a hat, a muffler, and a kerchief, and so 
escape. Shalt., M. W. of W., iv. 2. 73. 
(6) A glove, generally without fingers but with a thumb ; 
a mitten. 
Threadbare mufflers of grey worsted, with a private 
apartment only for the thumb, and a common room or tap 
for the rest of the fingers. Dickens, Chimes, i. 
(c) A wrapper or scarf for the throat, usually of wool or 
silk ; a large silk handkerchief so used. Also muffle, (d) 
In mech., any device for deadening sound : usually a cham- 
ber or box for inclosing cog-wheels or other noisy parts of 
machinery, or steam- or air-valves in which the sound of 
escaping steam and air is desired to be muffled, as in the 
automatic air-valves of steam-radiators, etc. In the piano- 
forte tire muffler is a device for deadening the tones, usu- 
ally consisting of a strip of soft felt, which can be inserted 
between the hammers and the strings by pulling a stop or 
lever. 
mufflin (muf'lin), n. [Origin obscure.] A tit- 
mouse: as, the long-tailed mufflin, Acredula 
rosea. [Local, Eng.] 
mufflon, n. See moiiflon. 
mufti 1 (muf 'ti), n. [< Ar. mufti (> Turk. Hind. 
mufti), a magistrate (see def. 1), one who gives 
a response, < mu-, a formative prefix, + afti. 
judge (>fetwah, a judgment, doom: see/ete).] 
A Mohammedan law-officer whose duty it was to 
expound the law which the kadi was to execute. 
mufti 2 (muf'ti), n. [Appar. for 'mufti-dress, the 
dress of a mufti, i. e. civil officer or civilian. 
See mufti 1 .'] In India, citizen's dress worn by 
officers when off duty: now commonly used in 
this sense in the British army. 
Heha8no?w^(i-coat, except one sent him out by Messrs. 
Stultz to India in the year 1821. 
Thaclteray, Newcomes, viii. 
An officer of the station who accompanied us was dressed 
in mufti, so that, altogether, we presented by no means 
an imposing appearance. 
W. H. Russell, Diary in India, II. 230. 
mufty (muf'ti), n.; pi. muf ties (-tiz). [Cf. 
WMW 1 .] The whitethroat : same as muff\ 2. 
mug 1 (mug), n. [< Icel. mugga, soft, drizzling 
mist. Cf. W. mwg, smoke, fume, mu-ci, mtcean, 
fog, mist ; Gael, mugach, gloomy, cloudy. Cf. 
also Dan. muggen, musty, moldy, and Dan. mog, 
E. mttcfci ; but these are hardly allied. Hence 
muggy.'] A fog; a mist. Halliwell. [Prov. 
Eng.] 
mug 2 (mug), ii. [Early mod. E. mugge ; cf. Ir. 
mugan, a mug, mucog, a 
cup ; Sw. mugg, an earthen 
cup; Norw. mugge, a mug 
(< E. ?).] 1. A small cy- 
lindrical drinking-vessel, 
commonly with a handle ; 
a small jug. 
With mug in hand to wet his Jjj 
whistle. Cotton. W 
2. The contents of a mug; 
as much as a mug will hold : 
as, a mug of milk and water. 
The clamorous crowd is hush'd 
with mugg of mum, 
Till all, tuned equal, send a gen- 
eral hum. 
Pope, Dunciad, ii. 386. 
mUg S (mug), n. [Origin Ob- 
scure ; perhaps a slang use 
of Wttjp. It is supposed by some to be of Gipsy 
origin, ult. < Skt. miillia, the face.] 1. The 
mouth or face. 
Brougham is no beauty ; but his mug is a book in which 
men may read strange matters and take him as he stands, 
face and figure, and yon feel that there is a man of great 
energy and commanding intellect. 
ffoetes Ambrosiantf, Dec., 1834. 
2. A grimace. [Prov. Eng. or slang.] 
mug 3 (mug), r. .; pret. and pp. mugqed, ppr. 
mugging. [Formerly also mog; < mug*,n.~\ To 
distort the face ; make grimaces. 
Beer - muff. German 
pottery with pewter mount- 
ings ; i8th century. 
