| muff | 1. A soft cover of cylindrical form, usually of fur, worn by women to shield the hands from cold. 2. <mechanics> A short hollow cylinder surrounding an object, as a pipe. 3. A blown cylinder of glass which is afterward flattened out to make a sheet. 4. [Perhaps a different word; cf. Prov. E. Maffle to slammer] A stupid fellow; a poor-spirited person. "A muff of a curate." 5. [See 4. A failure to hold a ball when once in the hands. 6. <zoology> The whitethroat. Origin: Cf. LG. Muff, D. Mof, G, Dan, & Sw. Muff, F. Moufle mitten, LL. Muffula, MHG. Mouwe sleeve, D. Mouw, and E. Muffle, v. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| muffish | Stupid; awkward. See: Muff, 4 & 5. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| muffle | 1. Anything with which another thing, as an oar or drum, is muffled; also, a boxing glove; a muff. 2. <chemistry> 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. A small oven for baking and fixing the colours of painted or printed pottery, without exposing the pottery to the flames of the furnace or kiln. 4. A pulley block containing several sheaves. Origin: F. Moufle, prop, a mitten, from the resemblance in shape. See Muffle, Muff. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| muffle furnace | An electric furnace heated by direct transfer of heat from a resistant muffle, a dental furnace heated by a muffle. (05 Mar 2000) |