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 1848. Burton, Waggeries etc., p. 25. They soon raised a pretty muss, and kept on tearin' at each other like a pack o' wolves.

1848. Durivage, Stray Subjects, p. 138. You're eternally kicking up a muss with somebody.

1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 9. We're all in a muss now gettin' ready for the journey.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Muss. A quarrel; a row.

1888. Texas Siftings, 18 Aug. 'Raw oysters for two, mister.' 'Yes, sir—have 'em in the shell?' 'Yes, John, if you think you kin open 'em 'thout makin' a muss.'

2. (old).—A term of endearment. [Probably from mouse].

1596. Jonson, Every Man in His Humour, ii. 3. What ails you, sweetheart? Are you not well? Speak, good MUSS.

Verb. (American).—To confuse; to disorder; to mess-up.

Mussy, adj. (American).—Disordered. Also mussed-up.

1888. Detroit Free Press. Neither of us got two winks of sleep during the night on the car, and Mr. Bowser narrowly escaped coming into deadly conflict with conductor and porter. We reached Chicago in a mussed-up condition.

Mustang, subs. (American).—An officer entering the U.S. navy from the merchant service, after serving through the Civil War.

Mustard-pot, subs.(venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see Monosyllable.

Mutcher, subs, (thieves').—See quot.

1862. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab., iv. 282. They loiter about the streets and public-houses to steal from drunken persons, and are called 'Bug-hunters' and mutchers.

Mute, subs, (old: now recognised). —See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mute. An undertaker's servant, who stands at the door of a person lying in state: so named from being supposed mute with grief.

Mutton (or laced mutton).—i. A loose woman. Generic for the sex.

1569. Bracton, De Legibus, ii. Courtisans. oves.

1578. WHETSTONE, Promos and Cas., 6, pl. i. p. 14. And I smealt he loved LASE MUTTON Well.

1594. Greene, Frier Bacon, in Wks. (Grosart), xiii. 94. The old lecher hath gotton holy mutton to him, a Nunne my lord.

1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, i. 1. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and she, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.

1596. Nashe, Have with You, [Grosart (1885), iii. 61]. He that wold not stick so to extoll stale rotten lac'd mutton, will sucke figges out of an asses fundament.

1599. Breton, Wil of Wit [Grosart (1879), ii. c. 62/1. 18]. If your stomache stande to flesh, eate of a little warme mutton, but take heede it be not laced.

1602. Middleton, Blurt Master Constable, sign. B. Laz. Pilcher, Cupid hath got me a stomacke, and I long for lac'd mutton. Pil. Plaine mutton without a lace would serve.

1602. Dekker, Honest Whore [Dodsley, Old Plays, iii. 365]. Baa, lamb, there you lie, for I am mutton.

1604. Marlow, Doctor Faustus [Nares].I am one that loves an inch of raw mutton, better than an ell of dride stockfish; and the first letter of my name begins with letchery.

1606. Return from Parnassus [Dodsley Old Plays (1874), ix. 180]. But there's no pleasure always to be tied to a piece of mutton For mine own part I am well-provided of three bouncing wenches.