Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MUCK, n. [Sax. meox, miox; Dan. mög, dung; mug, mold, soil; L. mucus; qu. from moisture or putrefaction. In W. mwg is smoke, which may be allied to Eng. muggy, from dissolving, wasting. So in French fumer, to smoke, to dung or muck. See the Heb. and Ch. verbs under Mucilage. In Russ. mochu is to moisten, and makayu, to dip, to soak.]

1. Dung in a moist state, or a mass of dung and putrefied vegetable matter. With fattening muck besmear the roots. Philip.
2. Something mean, vile or filthy. To run a muck, to run madly and attack all we meet. Pope. Dryden. Running a muck, is a phrase derived from the Malays (in whose language amock signifies to kill,) applied to desperate persons who intoxicate themselves with opium, and then arm themselves with a dagger and attempt to kill all they meet. Ed. Encyc.