Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MUCK'HEAP, or MUCK'HILL, n.

A dunghill. Burton.

MUCK'I-NESS, n.

Filthiness; nastiness. Johnson.

MUCK'LE, a. [Sax. mycel.]

Much. [Obs.]

MUCK'SWEAT, n.

Profuse sweat. Johnson.

MUCK'WORM, n.

1. A worm that lives in muck.
2. A miser; one who scrapes together money by mean labor and devices. Bunyan.

MUCK'Y, a.

Filthy; nasty. Spenser.

MU'COR, n. [L.]

Moldiness. A genus of Fungi. All mold is considered to consist of small Fungi or mushrooms.

MU-CO-SO-SAC'CHA-RINE, a.

Partaking of the qualities of mucilage and sugar. Fourcroy.

MU-COUS, a. [See Mucus.]

1. Pertaining to mucus or resembling it; slimy, ropy and lubricous; as, a mucous substance.
2. Secreting a slimy substance; as, the mucous membrane. The mucous membrane lines all the cavities of the body which open externally, and secretes the fluid called mucus. Bichat.

MU'COUS-NESS, n.

The state of being mucous; sliminess.

MU'CRO-NATE, or MU'CRO-NA-TED, a. [L. mucronatus, from mucro, a point.]

Narrowed to a point; terminating in a point. Woodward.

MU'CU-LENT, a. [L. muculentus.]

Slimy; moist and moderately viscous.

MU'CUS, n. [L. See Mucilage and Muck.]

1. A viscid fluid secreted by the mucous membrane, which it serves to moisten and defend. It covers the lining membranes of all the cavities which open externally, such as those of the mouth, nose, lungs, intestinal canal, urinary passages, &c. It differs from gelatine. Parr. Ure. In the action of chewing, the mucus mixeth with the aliment. Arbuthnot.
2. This term has also been applied to other animal fluids of a viscid quality, as the synovial fluid, which lubricates the cavities of the joints.

MUD, n. [D. modder; G. moder. See Mother. Εκ του αυτου συμπλοκης του πνευματος εγενετο μωτ. Τουτο τινες φασιν ιλυν, οιδε ὑδατωδους μιξεως σηψιν. Mot, id est, mod; Phœnices ita scribebant. Bochart, Phœn. Lib. 2, Cap. 2. This is said to be a fragment of Sanchoniathon's Phenician history, translated by Philo and preserved by Eusebius. Thus Phenician word mod, μωτ, rendered in Gr. ιλυς, is precisely the English mud, the matter, material or substance of which, according to the ancients, all things were formed. See Castel. Col. 2010, and the word Mother. Plutarch, de Iside, says the Egyptians called Isis muth, that is, mother. This is a remarkable fact, and proves beyond controversy the common origin of the Phenician, Celtic and Teutonic nations. Mud may perhaps be named from wetness, and be connected with L. madeo, Gr. μυδαω; W. mwydaw, to wet.]

Moist and soft earth of any kind, such as is found in marshes and swamps, at the bottom of rivers and ponds, or in highways after rain.

MUD, v.t.

1. To bury in mud or slime. Shak.
2. To make turbid or foul with dirt; to stir the sediment in liquors. Glanville.

MUD'DI-ED, pp.

Soiled with mud.

MUD'DI-LY, adv. [from muddy.]

Turbidly; with foul mixture. Lucilius – writ loosely and muddily. Dryden.

MUD'DI-NESS, n.

Turbidness; foulness caused by mud, dirt or sediment; as, the muddiness of a stream. Addison.

MUD'DLE, v.t. [from mud.]

1. To make foul, turbid or muddy, as water. He did ill to muddle the water. L'Estrange.
2. To intoxicate partially; to cloud or stupefy, particularly with liquor. He was often drunk, always muddled. Arbuthnot. Epicurus seems to have had his brains muddled. Bentley.

MUD'DLED, pp.

Made turbid; half drunk; stupefied.

MUD'DLING, ppr.

Making foul with dirt or dregs; making half drunk; stupefying.

MUD'DY, a. [from mud.]

1. Foul with dirt or fine earthy particles; turbid, as water or other fluids; as, a muddy stream. Water running on fine clay always appears muddy.
2. Containing mud; as, a muddy ditch; a muddy road. Shak.
3. Dirty; dashed, soiled or besmeared with mud; as, muddy boots.
4. Consisting of mud or earth; gross; impure; as, this muddy vesture of decay. Shak.
5. Dark; of the color of mud; as, muddy cheeks. Swift.
6. Cloudy in mind; dull; heavy; stupid. Dost think I am so muddy? Shak.

MUD'DY, v.t.

1. To soil with mud; to dirty.
2. To cloud; to make dull or heavy. Grew.

MUD'DY-HEAD-ED, a.

Having a dull understanding.

MUD'DY-ING, ppr.

Soiling with mud.