Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Mutter

Mut′ter

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Muttered
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Muttering
.]
[Prob. of imitative origin; cf. L.
muttire
,
mutire
.]
1.
To utter words indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; esp., to utter indistinct complaints or angry expressions; to grumble; to growl.
Wizards that peep, and that
mutter
.
Is. viii. 19.
Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare,
And
mutter
to himself.
Dryden.
2.
To sound with a low, rumbling noise.
Thick lightnings flash, the
muttering
thunder rolls.
Pope.

Mut′ter

,
Verb.
T.
To utter with imperfect articulations, or with a low voice;
as, to
mutter
threats
.
Shak.

Mut′ter

,
Noun.
Repressed or obscure utterance.

Webster 1828 Edition


Mutter

MUT'TER

,
Verb.
I.
[L. mutio, muttio, and musso,mussito; allied perhaps to muse, which see.]
1.
To utter words with a low voice and compressed lips, with sullenness or in complaint; to grumble; to murmur.
Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare,
And mutter to himself.
2.
To sound with a low rumbling noise.
Thick lightnings flash, the muttering thunder rolls.

MUT'TER

,
Verb.
T.
To utter with imperfect articulations, or with a low murmuring voice.
Your lips have spoken lies,your tongue hath muttered perverseness. Is.59.
They in sleep will mutter their affairs.

MUT'TER

,
Noun.
Murmur; obscure utterance.

Definition 2024


Mutter

Mutter

See also: mutter, mütter, and Mütter

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmʊtɐ/, [ˈmʊtɐ]

Noun

Mutter f (genitive Mutter, plural Mütter, diminutive Mütterchen n or Mütterlein n)

  1. mother
Usage notes
  • The substantive Mutter can also decline like a proper noun and can take the ending -s in the genitive singular, e.g. Mutters Geburtstag.
Declension
Antonyms

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Originally the same as etymology 1, but secondarily distinguished in the plural; so denoted by a sexual metaphor, which is also found in other languages. Compare for example Dutch moer.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmʊtɐ/, [ˈmʊtɐ]

Noun

Mutter f (genitive Mutter, plural Muttern)

  1. nut (for a bolt)
Synonyms
  • Schraubenmutter

mutter

mutter

See also: Mutter, mütter, and Mütter

English

Noun

mutter (plural mutters)

  1. A repressed or obscure utterance; an instance of muttering.
    The prisoners were docile, and accepted their lot with barely a mutter.
Translations

Verb

mutter (third-person singular simple present mutters, present participle muttering, simple past and past participle muttered)

  1. To utter words, especially complaints or angry expressions, indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; to say under one's breath.
    You could hear the students mutter as they were served sodden spaghetti, yet again, in the cafeteria.
    The beggar muttered words of thanks, as passersby dropped coins in his cup.
    • 2012 June 28, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in the Guardian:
      This set – the set of Rosol's life – was studded with aces and menacing ground-strokes that left Nadal an impotent spectator often muttering to himself and at the umpire regarding a perceived misdemeanour by his opponent.
  2. To speak softly and incoherently, or with imperfect articulations.
    The asylum inmate muttered some doggerel about chains and pains to himself, over and over.
    • Dryden
      Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare, / And mutter to himself.
  3. To make a sound with a low, rumbling noise.
    April could hear the delivery van's engine muttering in the driveway.
    • Alexander Pope
      Thick lightnings flash, the muttering thunder rolls.
Derived terms
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

Noun

mutter

  1. (Indian cuisine) Peas.
Derived terms

Danish

Etymology

From German Mutter (mother).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɔtər/, [ˈmɔd̥ɐ] or IPA(key): /mutər/, [ˈmud̥ɐ]

Noun

mutter c (singular definite mutteren, not used in plural form)

  1. mommy, mummy, ma
  2. old woman
  3. missus

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From German Mutter

Noun

mutter m (definite singular mutteren, indefinite plural muttere or mutre or mutrer, definite plural mutterne or mutrene)

  1. a nut (for bolts)
    skrue og mutter - nut and bolt

References


Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From German Mutter

Noun

mutter m (definite singular mutteren, indefinite plural mutterar or mutrar, definite plural mutterane or mutrane)

  1. a nut (for bolts)

References


Swedish

Noun

mutter c

  1. a nut (for bolts)

Declension

Inflection of mutter 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative mutter muttern muttrar muttrarna
Genitive mutters mutterns muttrars muttrarnas

Noun

mutter n (uncountable)

  1. mutter; obscure utterance

Declension