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Webster 1913 Edition


Muffle

Muf′fle

(mŭf′f’l)
,
Noun.
The bare end of the nose between the nostrils; – used esp. of ruminants.

Muf′fle

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Muffled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Muffling
.]
[Cf. F.
moufle
a mitten, LL.
muffula
, OD.
moffel
a muff. See
Muff
.]
1.
To wrap up in something that conceals or protects; to wrap, as the face and neck, in thick and disguising folds; hence, to conceal or cover the face of; to envelop; to inclose; – often with up.
South.
The face lies
muffled
up within the garment.
Addison.
He
muffled
with a cloud his mournful eyes.
Dryden.
Muffled
up in darkness and superstition.
Arbuthnot.
2.
To prevent seeing, or hearing, or speaking, by wraps bound about the head; to blindfold; to deafen.
3.
To wrap or fit with something that dulls or deadens the sound of;
as, to
muffle
the strings of a drum, or that part of an oar which rests in the rowlock; to
muffle
the exhaust of a motor vehicle
.

Muf′fle

,
Verb.
I.
[Cf. F.
maffle
,
mumble
, D.
moffelen
.]
To speak indistinctly, or without clear articulation.

Muf′fle

,
Noun.
[F.
moufle
, prop., a mitten, from the resemblance in shape. See
Muffle
,
Verb.
T.
,
Muff
.]
1.
Anything with which another thing, as an oar or drum, is muffled; also, a boxing glove; a muff.
2.
(Metal.)
An earthenware compartment or oven, often shaped like a half cylinder, used in furnaces to protect objects heated from the direct action of the fire, as in scorification of ores, cupellation of ore buttons, etc.
3.
(Ceramics)
A small oven for baking and fixing the colors of painted or printed pottery, without exposing the pottery to the flames of the furnace or kiln.
4.
A pulley block containing several sheaves.
Knight.

Webster 1828 Edition


Muffle

MUF'FLE

, v.t.
1.
To cover from the weather by cloth, fur or any garment; to cover close, particularly the neck and face.
You must be muffled up like ladies.
The face lies muffled up within the garment.
2.
To blindfold.
Alas! that love whose view if muffled still--
He muffled with a cloud his mournful eyes.
3.
To cover; to conceal; to involve.
They were in former ages muffled in darkness and superstition.
4.
In seamanship, to put matting or other soft substance round an oar, to prevent its making a noise.
5.
To wind something round the strings of a drum to prevent a sharp sound, or to render the sound grave and solemn.

MUF'FLE

,
Verb.
I.
To mutter; to speak indistinctly or without clear articulation.

MUF'FLE

,
Noun.
In chimistry, a vessel in the shape of an oblong arch or vault, closed behind by a semi-circular plane, the floor of which is a rectangular plane; or in other words, a little oven to be placed in a furnace, and under which small cupels and crucibles are placed, in which substances are subjected to heat without coming in contact with fuel, smoke or ashes; used in metallurgic operations.

Definition 2024


muffle

muffle

See also: müffle

English

Noun

muffle (plural muffles)

  1. Anything that mutes or deadens sound.
  2. A warm piece of clothing for the hands.
  3. A kiln or furnace, often electric, with no direct flames (a muffle furnace)
  4. The bare end of the nose between the nostrils, especially in ruminants.

Translations

Verb

muffle (third-person singular simple present muffles, present participle muffling, simple past and past participle muffled)

  1. (transitive) To wrap (a person, face etc.) in fabric or another covering, for warmth or protection; often with up.
    • Addison
      The face lies muffled up within the garment.
    • Dryden
      He muffled with a cloud his mournful eyes.
    • Arbuthnot
      muffled up in darkness and superstition
  2. (transitive) To wrap up or cover (a source of noise) in order to deaden the sound.
    to muffle the strings of a drum, or that part of an oar which rests in the rowlock
  3. (transitive) To mute or deaden (a sound etc.).
    • 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, p. 397:
      The singer's voice was muffled by the thick walls, yet Tyrion knew the verse.
  4. (intransitive, dated) To speak indistinctly, or without clear articulation.
  5. (transitive, dated) To prevent seeing, or hearing, or speaking, by wraps bound about the head; to blindfold; to deafen.

Translations