| 释义 |
▪ I. muffle, n.1|ˈmʌf(ə)l|
Also 8 (? erron.) muftel.
[App. f. muffle v.1]
1. Something that muffles or covers the face or neck. = muffler 1 a. rare.
1570Levins Manip. 184/10 A Muffle, focale. a1850Rossetti Dante & Circ. i. (1874) 164 Why, with a hood on (if one only thinks) Or muffle of prim veils and scapularies.
†b. A muzzle. Obs.
1570Levins Manip. 184/11 A Muffle for a dog, fistella [read fiscella].
2. Something that muffles or deadens sound.
1734in Mackenzie Newcastle (1827) I. 314 Muftel's for the bells, 1s. 1830Greville Mem. (1874) II. 7 He sent for the officer on guard, and ordered him to take all the muffles off the drums.
3. Muffling effect; muffled sound.
1886Stevenson Dr. Jekyll, Incident of Let. (ed. 8) 50 The fog still slept on the wing above the drowned city..; and through the muffle and smother of these fallen clouds, the procession of the town's life was still rolling in..with a sound as of a mighty wind. 1902Daily Chron. 11 Oct. 3/4 All one heard was the muffle of many hoofs and the eternal rattle of gun-carriage and baggage wagon.
▪ II. ˈmuffle, n.2
[a. F. mufle, of unknown origin.]
1. The thick part of the upper lip and nose of ruminants and rodents. (Cf. quot. 1846.)
1601Holland Pliny I. 331 Some haue but one horne apiece, and that either in the midst of the forehead, as the Oryx; or else in the nose, and muffle, as the Rhinoceros. 1846G. R. Waterhouse Nat. Hist. Mammalia I. 50 note, The French naturalists use the word ‘muffle’ for that part at the end of the nose which is naked in the Ox, Dog, &c.; where the same part is covered by hairs, as in the Rabbit, the animal is said to have no muffle. The term will be used to designate the corresponding part of the nose, whether hairy or not, in this work. 1855Longfellow Hiaw. ii. 24 Mudjekeewis..drew the Belt of Wampum..Over the long nose and nostrils, The black muffle of the nostrils [of the Great Bear]. 1891Flower & Lydekker Introd. Mammals 163 Potorous{ddd}Tarsus short. Muffle naked.
†b. A proboscis. Obs. rare.
1601Holland Pliny I. 314 Their forefeet..again are charged full by the meanes of their [sc. bees'] muffle. Ibid. 353 Through that muffle or trunke of his, he [sc. the elephant] soundeth (as it were) out of a Trumpet.
2. Comb.: muffle-jaw U.S. = miller's thumb 2 c.
1882Jordan & Gilbert Synopsis Fishes N. Amer. 696 Uranidea richardsonii{ddd}Miller's Thumb;..Muffle-jaw.
▪ III. † muffle, n.3 Obs. rare—1.
[ad. G. muffel-(thier), a perversion of F. mouflon.]
= moufflon.
1601Holland Pliny II. 399 A beast [in Sardinia] called Ophion [marg., A Muffle, as Munster taketh it].
▪ IV. muffle, n.4|ˈmʌf(ə)l|
Also 9 muffel.
[a. F. moufle, prob. a use of moufle mitten (whence muffle n.5). Cf. G. muffel in the same sense.]
1. A receptacle, placed within a furnace, in which substances may be exposed to heat without coming in contact with the products of combustion.
a. in Chemistry and Metallurgy, used for cupellation, calcination, annealing, etc.
1644Digby Nat. Soul x. §ii. 433 It continueth melted, flowing, and in motion vnder the muffle. 1677tr. Glaser's Compl. Chem. 70 Place a good Cupple with its Muffle in a little Furnace made for this purpose. 1791Hamilton Berthollet's Dyeing II. ii. ii. i. 54 Indigo exposed to the action of fire..under a muffle fumes and swells. 1825J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 475 The enamel-kiln is made in the shape of a chemist's muffle. 1868Joynson Metals 113 On then heating the metal to bright redness, in a muffle or iron cylinder, a white surface of arsenide of iron is produced. 1884J. Paton in Encycl. Brit. XVII. 314/1 [The needles] are..then re-heated in the muffle. 1897Daily News 2 Oct. 2/5 These odd little furnaces are called ‘muffles’, and consume the tobacco to get at the ash.
b. Ceramics, etc. A chamber in a kiln in which pottery, porcelain, and glass is baked after being painted; also applied to the kiln or furnace containing such a chamber.
1742Phil. Trans. XLII. 188 The Vessels that are painted or cover'd over with this Glazing, must be..put under a Muffle, and as soon as the Glass runs, you must smoak them, and take out the Vessels. 1832G. R. Porter Porcelain & Gl. ii. xiv. 301 The glass is placed during the firing in a close iron box or oven, which is called a muffle. 1881Porcelain Works, Worcester 30 The kilns used for this purpose may properly be called muffles.
2. A receptacle for fuel in a kiln for drying grain.
1797Monthly Mag. III. 49/2 The fuel in these kilns is put into a cast-metal muffle, placed under the centre, and adapted to the size of the kiln. To this muffle are joined pipes of rolled iron, &c. which carry the heat to the extreme parts, and terminate in a chimney.
3. attrib., as muffle chamber, muffle furnace, muffle plate. muffle kiln, a kiln in which the pottery which is being fired is enclosed within a chamber and thus protected from direct contact with the source of heat.
1884Knight Dict. Mech., Suppl. s.v. Muffle, The other view has grating g, cinder hole f, charging hole d, *muffle chamber b, escape for fumes l.
1839Ure Dict. Arts 578 Sometimes the cylinders are spread in a large *muffle furnace, in order to protect them from being tarnished by sulphureous and carbonaceous fumes. 1949Electronic Engin. XXI. 412 An apparatus was constructed for holding a bar-shaped specimen in the muffle furnace. 1974Nature 27 Sept. 305/2 Several single crystals were placed on a glass slide and heated in a muffle furnace at 180° C for 24 h.
1897Sparkes & Gandy Potters i. 43 The pigments..are all mixed in vehicles of an oily nature, and a most necessary step is to fire this oil out... This is done in..a *muffle kiln..fired up to red heat only. 1947W. B. Honey German Porcelain 8 More or less glassy pigments [were] applied over the glaze and fixed by a low-temperature firing in a muffle-kiln. 1971L. A. Boger Dict. World Pott. & Porc. 260/1 Enamel colors are fired at a comparatively low temperature of 700°C to 900°C in a muffle kiln.
1816Mushet in Encycl. Brit., Suppl. I. 572/1 Fig. 5 [is] the *muffle plate.
▪ V. muffle, n.5|ˈmʌf(ə)l|
[a. F. moufle mitten, OF. mofle, moufle:—med.L. muffula thick glove. Cf. Du. moffel muff, mitten.]
1. A boxing-glove; = muffler 2 a. ? Obs.
1747in H. Wilson Wonderf. Charact. (1821) III. 448 Muffles are provided, that will effectually secure them [sc. pupils] from the inconvenience of black eyes, broken jaws, and bloody noses. 1819Moore Tom Crib Pref. 19 The Greeks, for mere exercise of sparring, made use of muffles or gloves as we do. 1819Byron Juan ii. xcii, Just like a black eye in a recent scuffle (For sometimes we must box without a muffle). 1858Eclectic Rev. Ser. vi. III. 428 That all boys in a school be taught to box with muffles.
2. = mitten n. 1 and 2.
1808Jamieson, Muffles, s. pl., mittens, gloves that do not cover the fingers, used by women. 18..D. Nicholson Caithness Words (E.D.D.), A muffle has only two divisions; one for the thumb, and the other for the four fingers.
3. A sort of leather glove for lunatics who are given to tearing up their clothes, etc. (cf. muff n.2 1 b).
1862Mayhew & Binny Crim. Prisons Lond. 433 Several handcuffs on pegs, and instruments that appear like leathern bottles, but which, we are informed, are muffles, which were sent from Hanwell some years ago, when some lunatic prisoners were given to tearing up their clothes.
▪ VI. muffle, n.6|ˈmʌf(ə)l|
[a. F. moufle.]
‘A pulley-block containing several sheaves’ (Knight Dict. Mech. 1875).
▪ VII. muffle, v.1|ˈmʌf(ə)l|
Forms: 5 muffelle, moffel, 5–6 mufle, muffel, moffle, 6 muffyl, -il, moffell, 6– muffle.
[Of somewhat obscure origin; app. f. OF. mofle, moufle thick glove (see muffle n.5, muff n.2); but no early instance of the n. is found in Eng., and of the OF. mofler v. Godef. has only one instance in the sense ‘to stuff’. Cf. however OF. enmouflé ‘muffled’, from 13th c.]
1. trans. To wrap or cover up or enfold esp. so as to conceal, also for protection from the weather and for warmth. Freq. with up, occas. with round.
c1430Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 7055 She mufled hir face hir to desgyse That noon shuld know hir in noo wise. 1470–85Malory Arthur viii. xxv. 311 Thenne came syre Breunor..wyth his lady in his hand muffeld. a1500Chester Pl., Antichrist 390 Moffled in mantells. 1530Palsgr. 641/2, I muffyl ones visage or his heed, I cover hym with clothes that he shulde nat be knowen, or from colde, je emmoufle. 1589Nashe Pasquill & Marforius 12 His face handsomlie muffled with a Diaper-napkin to couer his beard. 1593Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. i. 46 The Duke of Suffolk, muffled vp in ragges? 1638Junius Paint. Ancients 131 Michal..muffled up in the bed an image in stead of her husband David. 1657W. Morice Coena quasi κοινὴ Deut. iii. 139 To..muffle their left hand when their right dispenseth almes. 1754Richardson Grandison (1811) I. xxxiii. 247 He tied a handkerchief over my face, head, and mouth, having first muffled me up in the cloak. 1815Hist. J. Decastro & bro. Bat. III. 44 A lady is muffled up to the throat. 1847Tennyson Princess ii. 443 But we three Sat muffled like the Fates. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton ix, She besought Bell to muffle up her throat. 1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xxxv, The ladies must muffle themselves: there is only just about time to do it well before sunset.
b. said of a garment, etc.
1754Richardson Grandison (1811) I. xxxiii. 251 The cloak enough muffling me, and the handkerchief being over my mouth. 1828Scott F.M. Perth ii, A tall young man wrapped in a cloak, which obscured or muffled a part of his face.
c. transf. and fig.
1582Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 86 Thee whilste thee sunbeams are maskt, hyls darcklye be muffled. 1590Shakes. Com. Err. iii. ii. 8 Muffle your false loue with some shew of blindnesse: Let not my sister read it in your eye. 1768H. Walpole Hist. Doubts 81 What did Henry ever muffle and disguise but the truth? 1810Scott Lady of L. i. Introd., Till envious ivy did around thee cling, Muffling with verdant ringlet every string. 1859Tennyson Vivien 186 And therefore be as great as ye are named, Not muffled round with selfish reticence. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxiv. 260 Mystical emblems, Emblems muffled darkly.
†2. To prevent from seeing by covering up the head (or only the eyes); to blindfold; also fig. Obs.
1566Gascoigne Jocasta iii. ii. Hearbes (1587) 99 b, As though our eyes were mufled with a clowde. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. A v, How long will ye suffer your mouthes to be mooseled, and your eyes muffeled with such blynde errours. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. i. 177 Alas that loue, whose view is muffled still, Should without eyes, see path-wayes to his will. 1658Osborn Jas. I, Wks. (1673) 499 Muffled with love to the person of that Prince and his own Ambition. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative 27 Taught by late experience how dangerous it is to sight in such dismal Woods, when their eyes were muffled with the leaves. 1688South Serm. (1727) I. xii. 490 When the Malefactor comes once to be muffled, and the fatal Cloth drawn over his Eyes. 1700Dryden Ceyx & Alcyone 231 And since he was forbid to leave the Skies He muffled with a Cloud his mournful Eyes.
3. To restrain (a person) from speaking by wrapping up his head.
1570Levins Manip. 184/13 To Muffle y⊇ mouth, obturare. 1601Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 134 Enter Parolles with his Interpreter. Ber. A plague vpon him, muffeld; he can say nothing of me: hush, hush. 1837Dickens Pickw. xxvii, ‘I vish you could muffle that 'ere Stiggins, and take him with you,’ said Mr. Weller. 1846H. Marshall Milit. Misc. 373 A practice prevailed at one time in some lunatic asylums, of ‘muffling’ the more noisy patients, which consisted in binding a cloth tightly over the mouth and nostrils, for the alleged purpose of ‘dunning’ the noise, and keeping the patients quiet.
4. To envelop or wrap up (oars, a drum, bell, etc.) so as to deaden the sound.
1761Brit. Mag. II. 500 They laid all their oars across, except two in each boat, which they muffled with baize, to prevent their being heard at a distance. 1806A. Duncan Nelson's Funeral 28 The drums were muffled with black cloth. Ibid., Ninety-second..Regiment;..band playing muffled. 1833Marryat P. Simple xliv, Cutting up old blankets to muffle the oars. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. xxxvi, Kenwigs proceeded to muffle the knob of the street door knocker therein.
fig.1901Speaker 20 July 450/1 Academism is all very well, but..it too often muffles the hammer of criticism, which ought to hit the nails of economic theory hard and on the head.
b. To deaden (a sound). Chiefly in pass.
1832Tennyson Œnone 210 From beneath Whose thick mysterious boughs..The panther's roar came muffled. 1877Black Green Past. i, The call of the cuckoo soft and muffled and remote. 1897Allbutt's Syst. Med. IV. 389 The first [heart] sound is muffled and prolonged.
5. To render (glass) semi-opaque by giving it a crinkled surface. (Cf. muff v.4)
1908Let. from glass-manufacturer (Birmingham), We speak of the ‘muffling’ of the glass being good or bad according as the glass is well or badly ‘muffled’. These are the only parts of an imaginary verb ‘to muffle’ which are used.
▪ VIII. † ˈmuffle, v.2 Obs. rare.
[Onomatopœic: cf. maffle v. (? Associated with muffle v.1 3, 4.)]
intr. To speak indistinctly.
1669Holder Elem. Speech 79 On the other side, the closeness and Mufling, and (as I may say) Laziness of speaking..render the sound of their Speech considerably different. |