muster 
Why does my blood thus mutter to my heart? 
, M. lor M., ii. 4. 31. 
Trump iiur pibroch summon here 
Miuteriny clan, of uudron tramping. 
.v.-.)N, I,. .,f th.- [., 1.81. 
What marvels manifold 
- , mi'il Mlently to mutter! Lowell, Gold Egg. 
muster (mus'ter), n. [Early mod. E. also 1111111.1- 
/( /, iiinir.itcr; < ME. moustre (= MD. monster 
= MLG. L(!. ii/niif-lt'i- = G. muxli-r = S\v. Dan. 
miiii/tter), < OF. nioxlre, mimxtre, F. moiitre = 
I'tf. It. in / IK I i-ii, < ML. nioiistra (after Kom.), a 
review, a show, < L. monxtrare, show: see ;.-- 
<er, t'.] 1. A show; a review; an exhibition; 
in modern use, an exhibition in array; array. 
He desyred his grace to take the muster of hyni, and to 
see him shoote. 
Hall, quoted in Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, p. 130. 
The moat untowardly among them [boys in Devon and 
Cornwall | will not as readily give you a mutter (or trial) of 
this exercise as you are prone to require ft. 
Strutt, .Sports and Pastimes, p. 140. 
There was a splendid lunch laid out in the parlor, with 
all I lir old silver In mutter, and with all the delicacies that 
Boston confectioners and caterers could furnish. 
//. B. Slowe, Oldtown, p. 567. 
2. A pattern ; a sample. 
Forasmuch as It is reported that the Woollen clothesdied 
in Turkic bee most excellently died, you shall send home 
into this realme certaine Motvstert or pieces of Shew. 
Hakluytt Voyage*, II. 162. 
These nmn-inilliners generally require what they call a 
mutter, or pattern, which they . . . reproduce exactly. 
Tiiiti'-x. American in Japan (1857), p. 183. 
3. A gathering of persons, as of troops for 
review or inspection, or in demonstration of 
strength; an assembling in force or in array; 
an array; an assemblage. 
The mene peple that hadde no myster of bateile, the 
kynge made hem to a-bide by an hill, and made a muttre 
of armed peple. Merlin(E. E. T. S.), ill 658. 
Of the temporal grandees of the realm and of their wives 
and daughters the mutter was great and splendid. 
Macaulay. 
A gathering of happiness, a concentration and combina- 
tion of pleasant details, a throng of glad faces, a imttter of 
elated hearts. Charlotte Bronte, Shirley, xv. 
4. A register or roll of troops mustered ; also, 
the troops enrolled. 
Ye publish the musters of your own bands. 
Hooker, F.ccles. Polity. 
That Mustapha was forced to remoue, missing fortle 
thousand uf his first musters. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 280. 
5. In hunting, a company or flock of peacocks. 
Strutt. 
According to the most ancient and approved treatise on 
hunting, I must say a muster of peacocks. 
W . Irving, Christinas Day. 
Tarpaulin muster, a joint contribution by a number of 
persons: a whalers' expression. To pass muster, to pass 
inspection ; pass without censu-e, as one among a number 
on inspection ; be allowed to pass. 
Double-dealers may pass mutter for a while; but all 
parties wash their hands of them in the conclusion. 
Sir n. L'Estrange. 
muster-book (nms'ter-buk), n. A book in which 
muster-rolls are written. 
musterdt, An obsolete spelling of muxtanl. 
muster-day (mus'ter-da), . A day appointed 
for militia-training in bodies collected from dif- 
ferent places. [New Eng.] 
General Klngsland of Dnnwlch ordered our people to 
attach themselves to the Dunwlch Company. One or two 
muster-days passed, and nothing was done. 
S. Judd, Margaret, ill. 
muster-file (mus'ter-fil), H. Same as muster- 
roll. 
muster-master (mils' ter-mas*ter),n. Formerly, 
one charged with taking account of troops, anil 
<>H heir arms and other military apparatus. He 
reviewed all the regiments and inspected the muster-rolls. 
The chief officer of this kind was called muster-matter- 
general. 
My muster-master 
Talks of his tactics, and his ranks and nles. 
B. Jonton, Staple of News, Iv. 1. 
The Mtister-matter-yenfral, or the review of reviews. 
Qoldmith, Citizen of the World, 1L 
muster-roll (raus'ter-rol), . 1. A list or re- 
turn of all troops, including all officers ami sol- 
diers actually present on parade, or otherwise 
accounted for, on muster-day; hence, any simi- 
lar list. 
It may be thought I seek to make a great mwster-roU of 
sciences. Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 2BS. 
2. A similar register kept on shipboard, in 
wliieli are recorded the names of the ship's eom- 
|iany. Descriptive muster-roll, a quarterly return 
made to the Bureau of Equipment ami lUvruitiiig of the 
Nnvy l>i>]iartnuMit from every t'nited States vessel of war, 
specifying the names, rating, date, pl:uv. and term of en- 
listment, place of birth. au r e. previous naval service, and 
minute personal description, of each of the ri > \\ . 
3913 
mustilert (mus'ti-ler), . [< OF. niiixtilii-ri, in 
pi. lunstflii ri-s, armor for the calf of the leg, < 
iiiuxirl, IHII.I/I-II; the calf of the leg.] A piece 
of defensive armor used in the fifteenth cen- 
tury, said to have been a stuffed doublet like 
the gambeson. 
mustily(mus'ti-li), adv. 1. In a musty manner; 
moldily ; sourly. 
These clothes smell muttily, do they not, gallants? 
Fletcher (and another), Falte One, lit 2. 
2f. Dully; heavily. 
Apollo, what's the matter, pray, 
You look so muttily to-day '( 
Cotton, Burlesque upon Burlesque, p. 225. (Dana.) 
mustiness (mus'ti-nes), . The state or qual- 
ity of being musty or sour; moldiness; damp 
foulness. 
musto (mus'to), . [Sp. Pg. It. mosto, < L. 
muxtum, must: see must*.] Same as musft. 
mustredevilliarst, . See muslardnllars. 
musty (mus'ti), a. and n. [A var. of moistij, 
conformed to the orig. noun musft: see moisty, 
moist, ts/ 2 .] I. a. 1. Moldy; sour: as, a 
in null/ cask ; / usty corn or straw ; musty books. 
Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a 
musty room, comes me the prince and Claudlo. 
Shot., Much Ado, I. 3.61. 
Astrology's 
Last home, a musty pile of almanacs. 
Whittier, Bridal of Pennacook, ProL 
2. Having an ill flavor ; vapid : as, muxty wine. 
3. Dull; heavy; spiritless; moping; stale. 
The proverb Is something musty. 
Shak., Hamlet, iii. 2. 369. 
On her birthday 
We were forced to be merry, and, now she 's musty, 
We must be sad, on pain of her displeasure. 
Massinger, Duke of Milan, II. 1. 
II. H. Snuff having a musty flavor. 
I made her resign her snuff-box for ever, and half drown 
herself with washing away the stench of the musty. 
Stale, Tatler, No. 79. 
Mutty, a cheap kind of snuff, also mentioned In Tatler, 
No. 27. It derived its name from the fact that a large 
quantity of musty snuff was captured with the Spanish 
Fleet at Vigo In 1702, and musty-flavoured snuff, or mutty, 
accordingly became the fashion for many succeedlngyears. 
A. Dobson, Selections from Steele, p. 464, note. 
musty (mus'ti), r. )'. [< musty, a."\ To become 
musty. 
Dost think 't shall musty f Shirley, Gamester, ii. 2. 
mutability (mu-ta-bil'i-ti), n. [= F. mutabilite 
= Sp. mutabilidad = Pg. mutabilidade = It. mu- 
tabilitci, < L. mutabilita(t-)s, changeableness, < 
miitabilis, changeable : see mutable.'] The state 
or quality of being mutable, (a) The quality of be- 
ing subject to change or alteration In either form, state, 
or essential qualities. 
Wherefore this lower world who can deny 
But to be subject still to Mutability? 
Spenser, K. Q., VII. viL 47. 
(6) Changeableness. as of mind, disposition, or will ; In- 
constancy; instability: as, the mutability of opinion or 
purpose. 
Nice longing, slanders, 'mutability, 
All faults that may be named. 
Shale., Cymbeline, ii. 5. 2ti. 
mutable (mu'ta-bl), n. [In older E. muable; < 
OF. muable, F. muable = Pr. mutable, mudable 
= Sp. mudable = Pg. mudnvel = It. mutabile, 
< L. mtitabilix. changeable, < mtitarc, change: 
see mute*.] 1. Capable of being altered in 
form, qualities, or nature; subject to change; 
changeable. 
Honorable matrimonle, a loue by al lawes allowed, not 
mutable- nor encombred with . . . value cares 4 passions. 
I'l'tt.iiliniii Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 40. 
The race of delight la short, and pleasures have mutable 
faces. Sir T. Broime, Christ. Mor., ii. 1. 
2. Changeable or inconstant in mind or feel- 
ings; unsettled; unstable; liable to change. 
That man whiche is mutable for-euerye occasyon mustc 
nedes often repente hjnn. 
Sir T. Elyot, The Oovernour, ill. 19. 
For the mutable, rank-scented many, let them 
Regard me as I do not flatter, and 
Therein behold themselves. Shak., Cor., iii. 1. 66. 
= Syn. 1. Alterable. 2. Unsteady, wavering, variable, 
Irresolute, tickle, vacillating, 
mutableness (mu'ta-bl-nes), H. Same as miitn- 
liilitii. 
mutably (mfl'ta-bli), adr. Changeably. 
mutacism (mu'ta-sizm), n. Same as myta- 
mutage (mu'taj), H. [< F. mutage, < muter, stop 
the fermentation of must, < OF. mut, F. muet, 
dumb. < !.. Hindi.*, dumb: see mutel, r.] Apro- 
cess for checking the fermentation of the must 
of grapes. It Is accomplished either by diffusing sul- 
phurous aeid fnmi ignited sul|>hur in the cask t-ontainlntt 
mutchkin 
the must, or l<y a>l<linK to it a small quantity of sulphite of 
lime. 
mutandum(mu-tan'dum), n.; pi. mutanda (-dft). 
[L., neut. gerundive of mutare, change: MM- 
ifc- 2 .] A thing to be changed: chiefly used 
in the plural. 
mutant (mu'tant), a. [< L. mutun(t-)x, ppr. of 
inn/are, change: see mute 2 , mutate.} Jneutom., 
said of a perpendicular part the apex of which 
licnds over. 
mutate (mu'tat), r. ; pret. and pp. mutated, ppr. 
m a tn ti nil. [< I .. 111 it tn lux, pp. of mutare, change : 
see mute'*.] I. tninx. 1. To change. Specifi- 
cally 2. In phonetic*, to change (a vowel- 
sound) by the influence of a vowel in the fol- 
lowing syllable. See mutation, 3. 
It is extremely probable that all subjunctive! originally 
had mutated vowels. 
H. Sweet, Trans. Phllol. Soc., 1876-6, p. 548. 
II. intntiiK. To change; interchange. 
Bradley, I have reason to know, mutates with Brackley. 
A", and Q., 7th let., VL 66. 
mutate (mu'tat), . [< I... mutatun, pp. : see the 
verb.] Changed, 
mutation (mu-ta'shon), H. [< ME. miitaciouii, 
< OF. mittaciou, mutation, F. ;te<ioH = 8p. mu- 
tacion Pg. mutac&o = It. mutazione, < L. /- 
tatio(n-), a changing, < mvtarr, pp. mutatux, 
change: see <e2.] l. The act or process of 
changing; change; variableness. 
Wenest thon that thise niutacimins of fortune fleten 
withouten governour? Chaucer, Boethlus, L prove 6. 
While above In the variant breezes 
Numberless noisy weathercocks rattled and sang of inn- 
tut i" n. Longfellow, Evangellne, 1. 1. 
2. Rotation; succession. 
There spak God first to Samuelle, and schewed him the 
iiiiituriimu of ordre of ITesthode, and the mlsterle of the 
Sacrement. Marulemlle, Travels, p. 106. 
3. In phonetics, the change of a vowel through 
the influence of an a, i, or in the following 
syllable : proposed for rendering German i- 
laut into English. H. Ktceet. 4. In music: (a) 
In medieval solmizatioii, the change or passage 
from one hexachord to another, involving a 
change of the syllable applied to a given tone. 
(6) In violin-playing, the shifting of the hand 
from one position to another. 5. The change 
or alteration in a boy's voice at puberty. 6. In 
French law, transfer by purchase or descent. 
7t. A post-house. 
Neere or upon these Causeys were seated . . . mutations; 
for so they called in that age the places where strangers, 
as they jimmied, did change their post horses, dranght- 
beasta, or wagons. Holland, tr. ofC'amden, p. 66. (Danes.) 
mutation-Stop (mu-ta'shon-stop), n. In organ- 
buiWinij, a stop whose pipes produce tones a 
fifth or a major third above the proper pitch of 
the digital struck (or above one of its octaves). 
When the tone Is a fifth, the stop is called a quint ; when 
it is a third, the stop Is called a tierce ; other names are 
tvxlfth, namrtl, larigot, etc. Mutation-stops, like mixture- 
-top-, which are partly of the same nature, contribute 
much to the harmonic breadth of heavy combinations. 
mutatis mutandis (mu-ta'tis mu-tan'dis). [L.: 
mutatis, abl. of mitlatus, pp., and mutandis, abl. 
of mutandttni, gerundive of mutare, change : see 
m n tn tinn.} Those things having been changed 
which were to be changed ; with the necessary 
changes. 
mutative (mu'ta-tiv), a. [< OF. mutatif; as 
mutate + -ire."] Mutatory. 
He does not appear to know the difference . . . between 
mood and tense. ... To the indicative mood he give* a 
precative tense (sic), to the imperative mood a mutatipe 
tense (sic). Atheiurttm, No. 3184, p. 686. 
mutatory (mu'ta-to-ri), a. [< LL. mutatoriux, 
belonging to changing, < L. mutator, a changer, 
< mutare, change: see mutation.'} Changing; 
mutable; variable. 
mutch (much), H. [< MD. mutxe, earlier almutse, 
amiit.ii. D. mute = OHG. almuz, armuz, MHG. 
mut:e, G. miitze, a cap, hood, < ML. almutia, ar- 
miitin: see amioe 2 .] A cap or coif worn by 
women. [Scotch.] 
On the top of her head 
Is a mutch, and on that 
A shocking bad hat. 
Barhaw, Ingoldshy Legends, I. 62. 
mutchkin (much 'kin), n. [< mutch + -kin. 
Cf. D. mutsje, a little cap, a quartern, dim. of 
mute, a cap: see mutch.} A liquid measure in 
Scotiand,containing four gills, and forming the 
fourth part of a Scotch pint. 
Come, bring the tither lauteUnn In, 
And here 's for a conclusion, 
To every New Light mother's son, 
From this time forth, Confusion. 
Burnt. The Ordination. 
