| 释义 |
▪ I. muster, n.1|ˈmʌstə(r)|
Forms: α. 4–5 moustre, 4–6 mustre, 5 mostre, muster, mowstre, (pl. mustres, mustrez), 5–6 moster, mouster, mustour(e, musture, 6 mowster, moystere, mustere. β. 5 mo(u)nstre, 6 mounster.
[ME. mostre, moustre, a. OF. mostre, moustre fem. (later in learned form monstre fem., whence mod.F. montre) = Sp. muestra, Pg., It., mostra, a Com. Rom. verbal noun f. mostrare to show:—L. monstrāre.
In the sense ‘pattern’, ‘sample’, the word passed from OF. into the Teut. langs. as MHG. (mod.G.) muster, MDu., MLG. monster, munster (mod.Du. monster).]
†1. The action, or an act, of showing; manifestation; exhibition, display. to do muster: to show one's mettle, give proof of prowess. Obs.
c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 360 For þei abiden surely þe shewyng of oure Lord Jesus Crist [tr. 1 Cor. i. 7, expectantibus revelationem Domini nostri Jesu Christi]. For þei shal be knowun at domesday,..þat þei ben of Cristis secte, and shulen be taken in after his mustre. 1436Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 148 Thow clepest thi selfe duc, whan woltow ryse Ande in pleyne felde do mustre with thi lance? c1477Caxton Jason 104 The noble and riche flees wherof Iason made mustre fro ferre. c1520Treat. Galaunt (W. de W., repr. 1860) 19 Small gyrdynge in the waste, with all theyr other mustur. 1538Latimer Let. 13 June Serm. & Rem. (Parker Soc.) 395 She herself, with her old sister of Walsingham [and other images]..would make a jolly muster in Smithfield; they would not be all day in burning. 1577Hellowes Gueuara's Chron. 45 At these dayes the pillers giue a muster vpon the fierce waters: declaring the pryde of his power. 1581Mulcaster Positions xxxvii. (1887) 151 They begin to make some muster and shew of their learning. 1603Owen Pembrokeshire (1892) 80 Wyndowes of this stone would make the like varietie and muster to the eye. 1602Carew Surv. Cornwall i. (1723) 75 b, You shall hardly find an assembly of boyes in Deuon or Cornwall, where the most vntowardly amongst them, will not as readily giue you a muster of this exercise [sc. wrestling], as you are prone to require it. a1661Fuller Worthies (1662) i. xvi. 50 [tr. Record of Hen. V] He that useth such Arms or Coats of Arms, shall on the day of his Muster [orig. die Monstrationis suæ] manifestly shew..by virtue of whose gift he enjoyeth the same.
2. A pattern, specimen, example. Now only Comm., a pattern, sample.
In mod. use confined to certain particular branches of commerce or particular localities (used, e.g. in the Sheffield cutlery trade, and by British merchants in Asia).
c1369Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 912 Trewly she Was hir chefe patrone of beaute And chefe ensample of al hir [sc. Nature's] werke And moustre [MS. Fairfax, moūstre, i.e. mounstre]. 1387–8T. Usk Test. Love ii. vi. (Skeat) l. 86 They shulde hete, nat dignite, but moustre of badnesse and mayntenour of shrewes. 1578T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 223 To have knowledge of the rivers and mines of gold, and to bring a moster of the same. 1582Hakluyt Voy. (1599) II. 162 You shall send home into this realme certain Mowsters or pieces of Shew to be brought to the Diershall. 1613J. May Declar. Est. Clothing v. 26 They haue a practize..to shut in a fine woofe at both ends of their cloth, which serveth for a muster to shewe. 1698Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 84 Merchants bringing and receiving Musters. 1727A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. v. 45, I shewed him the Musters of my Goods. 1821Scott Kenilw. xvi, Your suit should succeed, being..founded in justice and honour, and Elizabeth being the very muster of both. 1879China Overland Trade Rep. XXIII. No. 12. 2/3 A few musters of new Teas have been shewn.
3. a. An act of mustering (soldiers, sailors, etc.); an assembling of men for inspection, ascertainment or verification of numbers, introduction into service, exercise, or the like. Phrase, to make, take a muster.
† to make one's muster: to muster or review one's men; also, to present oneself for inspection.
c1400Mandeville (1839) xxii. 234 And when the firste thousand is thus passed, and hathe made his mostre, he withdrawethe him on that o syde. 1419Ordin. War xiii. in Black Bk. Adm. (Rolls) I. 463 That noman be so hardy to have other men at his mustrez, than tho that be with hym self withold for the same voiage. c1450Merlin 658 The kynge..made a mustre of armed peple. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon viii. 187 The kyng Charlemagne began for to make hys mustres, for to know how much people that he had. 1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 227 In musture and in batayle euer the pryce haue they The kynges grace to serue. 1536Bellenden Cron. Scot. xv. xiii. (1821) II. 441 The Erle of Ros come, with mony folkis, to Perth, and maid his mowster to the king. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI 185 The people of the erles parte, beyng in their muster in Sainct Jhons felde..: sodaynly the lord Fawconbridge, whiche toke the musters, wisely declared to the multitude, the offences and breaches of the late agremente. 1553T. Wilson Rhet. 80 Metellus toke muster and required Cesar to be there. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 467 That the kyng of England wold hire eight thousande horsemen,..& that mounsters [orig. delectus] shoulde be take in sondry places. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 327 The Lorde Percye caused all his companie..to make their Musters, and they found them selues to be the number of three thousand men of armes, and vij thousande Archers. c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxxvii. iii, Iehova this account shall make, When he of his shall muster take. 1601B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. (Qo. 1) iii. ii, No signior, as I remember you seru'd on a great horse, last generall muster. 1632Lithgow Trav. iii. 89 The Candeots..make muster euery eight day, before the Seriant-maiors. 1667Temple Let. 21 May, Wks. 1720 I. 34 The Levies here and Musters go on with all the Care and Speed this Government is capable of. 1726–31Tindal Rapin's Hist. Eng. xvii. (1743) II. 89 They took a muster and found their Army amounted to four thousand Foot, and six hundred Horse. 1816Scott Old Mort. ii, Frequent musters and assemblies of the people, both for military exercise and for sports and pastimes, were appointed by authority. 1849Cobden Speeches 86 In addition to these, the pensioners are liable to muster and drill. 1864Chamb. Encycl. VI. 637/1 Muster ..is a calling over of the names of all the men composing a regiment or a ship's company. Ibid., In regiments of the line, a muster is taken on the 24th of each month; in ships of war, weekly. 1874Green Short Hist. vii. §6. 410 Catholic lords led their tenantry to the muster at Tilbury.
transf.a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Mm j b, The daie of forgettynge maketh the muster of my thoughtes. 1539Tonstall Serm. Palm. Sund. E vij, If a muster shuld be taken of swearers. 1796Burke Regic. Peace i. Wks. VIII. 140 In divisions..we are to make a muster of our strength.
b. Phr. to pass muster, earlier † to pass (the) musters: orig. Mil. to undergo muster or review without censure; hence transf. and fig. to bear examination or inspection, to come up to the required standard, to be above, or go free from, censure; to succeed, be accepted (as or for the possessor of certain qualities).
1575Gascoigne Making of Verse in Steele Gl., etc. (Arb.) 35 And yet the latter verse is neyther true nor pleasant, and the first verse may passe the musters. 1598Acts Privy Council XXIX. 21 You must have spetiall care that not wone (sic) dwellers, victuallers, horsboyes, hirelinges or vagrant pasvolentes do offer to passe musters in the bandes. 1627Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xii. 56 Such a Ship..might well passe muster for a man of warre. 1673Articles & Rules for better Govt. of H.M. Forces xliv, No Muster-Master shall knowingly let any pass the Musters, but such as are qualified. 1689Lond. Gaz. No. 2426/4 The new Regiment Commanded by the Prince de Steinhuise has pass'd Muster. 1738Swift Pol. Conversat. 42 She may pass Muster well enough. 1855Thackeray Newcomes II. 106 Enough good looks to make her pass muster. 1882Mrs. J. H. Riddell Pr. Wales' Gard.-Party 266 Perhaps if her lot had been cast in the present day she might have more than passed muster.
c. Phrase. in muster: mustered, assembled for inspection.
1820Byron Mar. Fal. iv. ii, Are all the people of our house in muster? 1869Mrs. Stowe Old Town Folks xlv. (1870) 510 There was a splendid lunch laid out in the parlour, with all the old silver in muster.
†d. master of the musters, commissary of the musters: = muster-master. Obs.
1548Patten Exped. Scot. A j b, Syr George Blaag, and Syr Thomas Holcroft, Commissioners of the mousters. 1633T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. xxi. 121 The Commissaries of the Musters. 1647Sprigge Anglia Rediv. (1854) 327 Commissary-general Stane, commissary-general of the Musters. 1785G. A. Bellamy Apology III. 49 He had been named..deputy Commissary to the musters. 1802C. James Milit. Dict. s.v. Commissary-, Commissary-general of the musters, or muster-master general.
e. false muster: a fraudulent presentation at a muster, or a fraudulent inclusion in a muster-roll, of men who are not available for service. Formerly often fig.
1665Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 197 What with Death, and running away, and what with the Captains false Musters, they hardly arose to that Number. 1686South Serm. (1697) II. ix. 418 It is this Plague of the World, Deception, which takes wrong Measures, and makes false Musters almost in every Thing. 1727–52Chambers Cycl. s.v. Muster, False Muster, is when such men pass in review, as are not actually listed as soldiers. 1790Wesley Wks. (1872) IV. 493 Still I complain of false musters. 1801Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1837) I. 326 Our friend, the Commissary, has been guilty of making false musters, as appears in the clearest manner. 1817Jas. Mill Brit. India II. iv. viii. 274 He excelled in deceiving the government with false musters and accounts.
† f. Payment given to soldiers at a muster.
1662J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 351 While he was in those parts, he pay'd his Army twelve Musters together. 1670Cotton Espernon ii. viii. 398 During which time the Army had receiv'd five Musters, and yet complain'd of being ill us'd.
g. Austral. and N.Z. A collecting of stock (cattle, sheep, etc.) by riding round the scattered herd and driving it together.
1841S. Revans Lett. I. 90 (MS.), I am not yet confident of the mode in which flock and stock musters will be dealt with by the natives. 1867M. A. Barker Station Life in N.Z. (1870) xx. 173 It is impossible to estimate our loss until the grand muster at shearing. 1884‘R. Boldrewood’ Melb. Mem. xiii. 95 All the stockmen in the country came cheerfully to his muster. 1884[see Dict.]. 1892W. E. Swanton Notes on N.Z. ii. 97 Previous to the shearing, there is the general muster, which means the rounding up and bringing in of all the sheep, good or bad, on the ‘run’. 1898― Rom. Canvas Town 135 The brandings and musters went on all right. 1946F. D. Davison Dusty ix. 90 The paddock..was not the easiest in the world to lift sheep from, but Tom had a feeling..that the count would show a clean muster. 1950N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Oct. 348/3 After the marking muster musterers proceed to the high country and muster wethers. 1956Coast to Coast 1955–6 35 Whole country's gone dead since muster. 1961B. Crump Hang on Minute Mate 75 We're starting the shearing muster in a few days. 1963Times 12 Mar. p. xii/7 (caption) A muster of merinos for shearing on Benangaroo, a 40,000 acre sheep and cattle property near Coolac, in the southern tablelands of New South Wales.
4. The number (of persons or things) mustered or assembled on a particular occasion; an assembly, collection.
1382Wyclif 1 Kings v. 13 And king Salomon chees werk⁓men of al Israel; and the moustre [Vulg. indictio] was thretti thousandis of men. 1401J. Hanard in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 16 And Oweyn ys moster a Monday was..viij Mill. and xijxx. spers. 1483in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 317 What so ever parson..will make assemble congregation or moustre of people. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 12 The double number of them makes the muster the greater. 1810Sporting Mag. XXXVI. 145 A tolerable muster of amateurs and boxing gentry. 1863W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting viii. 325 We set off, a strong muster, two days ago, to hunt part of the forest in which the elephants stand. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 236 I've never seen half, or quarter the muster we've got here lately.
5. A muster-roll. † Also, a census report.
1565Gargrave in J. J. Cartwright Chapters Yorksh. Hist. (1872) 15, I have ben at York, wher I taryed untyll Tuysday last to have receyvyd the bokes of musters. 1612Bacon Ess., Greatness of Kingdoms (Arb.) 470 The population may appeare by Musters, and the number and greatnesse of Cities and Towns by Carts and Mappes. 1748Anson's Voy. i. i. 5 He knew by the musters that his squadron wanted three hundred seamen of their complement. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge xl, I..got put down upon the muster.
¶6. Alleged term for: A company (of peacocks).[The notion is that of sense 1, ‘show, display’.] c1470in Lydg. Hors, Shepe & G. etc. (Caxton 1479, Roxb. repr.) 30 A muster of pecoks. [Hence 1486 in Bk. St. Albans F vj; and in many later works which copy the list of terms there given.] 1820W. Irving Sketch Bk., Christmas Day (1865) 259 Master Simon..told me that, according to the most ancient and approved treatise on hunting, I must say a muster of peacocks.
†7. Some astronomical instrument. Obs. rare—1.
Perh. a dial, clock; cf. F. montre watch, It. mostra ‘a watch or a dyall of the sunne’ (Florio).
a1400–50Alexander 130 Quadrentis coruen all of quyte siluyre.., Mustours & mekil quat mare þen a littill.
8. muster out: the action of ‘mustering out’; discharge from service. U.S.
1892Lee Hist. Columbus, Ohio II. 146 The Fourth Ohio Infantry..returned for muster out, Jun. 12. 1899U.S. Statutes 12 Jan. XXX. 784 All matters pertaining to the muster out of volunteers.
9. attrib. and Comb.: muster-day, muster-drum, muster-field, muster-ground, muster-parade, muster-place; muster-card Comm., a pattern-card; † muster file, a muster-roll; † muster maker, ? the reviewing officer at a muster; † muster mistress humorous, a female muster-master; muster paper, ‘a description of paper supplied from the dockyards, ruled and headed, for making ships' books’ (Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 1867); muster party, Austral., an expedition undertaken for the purpose of ‘mustering’ cattle on a run. Also muster-book, -master, -roll.
1576Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 63 When *muster day, and foughten fielde are odde. a1660Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) II. 162 The Major tellinge him he would putt him nexte mustar daye in the heade of a selecte regiment of horse. 1875Encycl. Brit. II. 562/1 The conscripts then took the military oath, sacramentum, and were dismissed until the appointed muster-day.
1849Aytoun Scheik of Sinai ii, Each morning, in the market-place, The *muster⁓drum is beat.
1838B. Drake Tales 179 Our sons..assembling in the ‘*muster field’, divide themselves into armies, and pelt each other with Buckeye balls.
1601Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 189 So that the *muster file, rotten and sound, vppon my life amounts not to fifteene thousand pole.
1798Deb. Congress U.S. 15 May (1851) 1707 At the *muster ground on the Commons of Portsmouth. 1876Bancroft Hist. U.S. VI. xxxvii. 184 The chosen muster-ground of the most various elements of human culture brought together by men.
1586Earl of Leicester Corr. (Camden) 278 But, betwene the auditor and the *muster-maker, you will easilie find the faults.
1599Chapman Hum. Dayes Myrth E i b, He was taken learning trickes at old Lucilas house the *muster mistris of all the smock-tearers in Paris.
1876Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict. (ed. 3) s.v. Muster Roll, The Queen's Regulations lay down that the presence of the commanding officer is necessary on all *muster parades.
1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 118 These *muster parties were extremely congenial to Mr. Neuchamp's tastes and tendencies.
1810Scott Lady of L. iii. xii, The *muster-place be Lanrick mead.
▪ II. † ˈmuster, n.2 Obs.
Also 6 mowster.
Short for musterdevillers.
1466Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 170 Item, my mastyr owyth hym for ij. yerdes of must'. 1500Inv. in Ann. Reg. (1768) Antiq. 137 A coarse single gown of muster. 1504Will of Broumfeld (Somerset Ho.), A coote cloth of Mowster. 1549Act 3 & 4 Edw. VI, c. 2 §1 Russetes, Musters, Marbles, Grayes, Royes, and suche lyke colors.
▪ III. muster, v.1|ˈmʌstə(r)|
Forms: α. 3–6 mustre, 4–5 mostre, 5 mostere, mouster, mustere, -ir, -yr, 5–6 moustre, 6 must(o)ure, mustyrre, 4– muster; β. (? 5 monstre), 6 monster, mounster.
[ad. OF. mostrer, moustrer (later, in learned form monstrer, whence mod.F. montrer to show) = Pr., Sp., Pg. mostrar, It. mostrare:—L. monstrāre to show. Cf. M.Du., Du. monsteren, MHG., mod.G. mustern to muster.
The β type is doubtful for the 15th c., as u and n are usually indistinguishable in MSS. of that date. For the 16th c., though some instances might be due to misprints, the existence of the type is proved by the spelling mounster. In military use the form with n may have been due to the influence of Du. monsteren.]
†1.
a. trans. To show, to show forth, display, exhibit; to show up, report, tell, explain. Sometimes with clause as obj. Obs.
a1300Cursor M. 9512 Þat suilk a man cuth think in thoght þat mustre þat mercle moght? Ibid. 25523 Þat ilk time þou mistred [sic] þe, Suet iesu! wit hert sa fre, To maria magdalene. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 309 To þe pape of Rome þei mostred þer resoun. 13..Evang. Nicod. 51 in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr. LIII. 392 His miracles musters his myght. c1400Rule St. Benet 2 In þis sentence mustirs sain benet us hu we sal lede ure lif. c1440York Myst. i. 145 Ande in my fyrste makyng to mustyr my mighte,..I byd in my blyssyng ȝhe aungels gyf lyghte. c1450Merlin xxii. 407 So dide Galashin that often was he shewed, and mustred, with the fynger on bothe sides. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 145 In mustryng and shewyng your corayges. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 73 b, Anticke images of gold..mounsteryng their countenaunces towardes the enteryng of the palaice. 1622R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea lix. 139 If they had come to boord with the Spanish high-charged ships, it is not to be doubted but they would have mustred themselues better, then those which could not with their prowesse nor props, haue reached to their wastes.
†b. ? To set an example of. Obs.
1601Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 55 They weare themselues in the cap of the time, there do muster true gate, eat, speake, and moue vnder the influence of the most receiued starre.
†c. intr. for refl. To show, to appear, to be displayed; to make a (good, bad, etc.) appearance.
c1412Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 415 Vndir an old pore habyt regneþ oft Grete vertu, þogh it moustre porely, c1430Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 3 So this citee with lawde, preyse, and glorye, For joy moustered lyke the sone beme, To yeve ensample thorowouȝt this reme. 1513Douglas æneis x. xiii. 31 Sik like Mezentius mustyrris in the feyld, With huge armour, baith speyr, helm, and scheyld. Ibid. xii. vi. 41 And haltandly in his cart for the nanis He skippis vp and musturis wantonly. 1533Bellenden Livy iii. iii. (S.T.S.) I. 251 For þe nobill palacis and towris musturit so aufully within þe ciete, þat þai drewe þe myndis of equis and wolchis fra all segeing. 1565J. Calfhill Answ. Martiall ix. 167 b, When the Papists beholde the work of their owne hands, the Crosse it self, fayre mustering in y⊇ church, which might peraduenture haue bene a logge for the chimney. 1578Lyte Dodoens vi. i. 653 When these buddes do open and spreade, the sweete and pleasant Roses do muster and shewe foorth of colour white. 1597Bacon Ess., Coulers Good & Evill v. (Arb.) 144 And this maketh the greater shew if it be done without order, for confusion maketh things muster more.
2. a. trans. To collect or assemble (primarily soldiers) for ascertainment or verification of numbers, inspection as to condition and equipment, exercise, display, or introduction into service. Also † to muster their arms: of an army, to appear in armed array. Also absol.
c1420Lydg. Thebes iii. in Chaucer's Wks. (1561) 373 Soche a nombre gadred in to one Of worthy knightes, neuer aforn was sein, Whan they in feere, were moustred in a plein. c1440Promp. Parv. 349/2 Musteryn, or gadyr togedur, commonstro, coaduno. c1450Merlin xxvii. 560 Thei moustred and assembled all the peple that thei myght gete. 1530Palsgr. 643/1, I muster, I take the muster of men, as a capytayne doth, je fais les monstres. What place wyll you sygne to muster your folkes in. a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VI 164 b, How busy he was in mustering, how diligent in setting forward. 1557Act 4 & 5 Philip & Mary, c. 3 §1 Commaundment hathe bene given..to divers..persons to muster their Majesties People..and to levie a nomber of them for the Service of their Majesties. 1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 137 b, This man would have also footemen ready monstered. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 112, I then in London,.. Muster'd my Soldiers. 1613R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3), Muster, take view of men, in armour. 1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. i. xxii. (1739) 40 They mustered their Arms once every year both in Towns and Hundreds. 1682Bunyan Holy War iii. 52 When the King had mustered his Forces (for it is he that mustereth the Host to the Battel), he gave [etc.]. 1799Med. Jrnl. I. 93 On Sundays, when they were mustered by the commanding officer. 1865W. G. Palgrave Arabia II. 275 Before long he had mustered and equipped about thirty frigates. 1879Froude Cæsar xv. 241 All sides were mustering their forces in view of an impending fight. 1894J. T. Fowler Adamnan Introd. 61 The Clan Neill, mustered by Columba himself.
fig.1700Blackmore Paraphr. Job xv. 67 She'll draw her Troops of Terrors in array, Muster her Griefs, and horrid War display.
†b. refl.
1535Coverdale Isa. viii. 9 Mustre you and gather you, take youre councel together. 1568Grafton Chron. II. 327 So that at the last they mustered themselues and they were aboue ten thousand men. 1594T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. Seneca, Those lewde and lasciuious bookes, which haue mustered themselues of late yeeres in Pauls Churchyard, as chosen souldiers ready to fight vnder the deuils banner. c1642Twyne in Wood's Life (O.H.S.) I. 60 That afternoone they mustered themselves in the fields.
c. intr. for refl. Of an army, etc.: To come together for inspection, exercise, or preparation for service.
c1450Lovelich Grail xlv. 150 Eche Man In his beste Aray, To-forn him they Mostred þere þat day. 1471Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 143 Whan alle thassamble had mustryd and were gaderd to gyder. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccliv. 154 They went & mostred before the bastide of Arde. 1530Palsgr. 643/1, I muster, as men do that shall go to a felde. 1535Coverdale 1 Kings xx. 27 The children of Israel mustured,..and wente to mete them, and pitched their tentes ouer against them. 1593Shakes. Lucr. 720 Besides his soules faire temple is defaced, To whose weake ruines muster troopes of cares. 1775A. Cooke in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) I. 19 The country round were alarmed and mustering. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 186 At every conventicle they mustered in arms. 1874Green Short Hist. iii. §7. 152 The royal army had already mustered in great force at the King's summons.
transf. and fig.1593Shakes. Lucr. 442 Whose ranks of blew vains..mustring to the quiet Cabinet, Where their deare gouernesse and ladie lies, Do tell her shee is dreadfullie beset. 1611Mure Misc. Poems i. 88 A field of fancies musterd in my mynd. 1689H. Pitman Relat. 23 When the young ones [i.e. turtle] are hatcht, they musters out of their Cells and marches into the Sea. 1700Blackmore Paraphr. Job xxxvi. 158 Recruits of Vapours which arise, Drawn from the Sea to muster in the Skys.
†d. trans. To enlist, enroll. Obs.
1439Rolls of Parlt. V. 32/2 And so have mustred and entred in of record the Kyngs Souldeours. 1587Golding De Mornay xxx. (1592) 483 Because he yelded his soule vnto death, & did muster himself among the transgressers. 1611Shakes. Cymb. iv. iv. 10 Newnesse Of Clotens death (we being not knowne, not muster'd Among the Bands) may driue vs to a render Where we haue liu'd. 1748Smollett Rod. Rand. xxvii, I had been rated on the books, and mustered as surgeon's mate.
e. To call the roll of. Now chiefly Naut.
to muster in (U.S.): to muster (a watch) at the time of going on duty.
1670Eachard Cont. Clergy 48 He falls a fighting with his text,..then he musters all again, to see what word was lost, or lam'd in the skirmish. 1820Scoresby Acc. Arctic Reg. II. 199 When the crew have been mustered by the proper officer of the customs, and paid a month's wages in advance. 1835Sir J. Ross Narr. 2nd Voy. iv. 43 The ship's company was mustered. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxiii, The Carpenter sometimes mustered in the starboard watch. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Muster the watch, a duty performed nightly at 8 p.m., and repeated when the watch is relieved up to 4 a.m.
† f. To take the census of. Obs.
1565Cooper Thesaurus, Censor,..one that valueth or mustreth. 1636R. Brathwait Rom. Emp. 13 In the eigth yeere of his reigne hee mustred the City.
g. Of an army, etc.: To comprise, to number.
1837W. Irving Capt. Bonneville III. 6 The whole garrison mustered but six or eight men. 1851Hussey Papal Power i. 2 Formed a Synod of their own, mustering about 80. 1907Athenæum 18 May 597/2 Davout's corps..defeated a force comprising the choicest part of the Prussian army, and mustering nearly double its numbers.
h. U.S. to muster in, to muster into (the) service: to enroll as recruits. to muster out (of service): to summon together in order to discharge from service; to discharge, pay off (soldiers).
1834J. A. Wakefield Hist. War 93 The place appointed for us to be discharged at (or mustered out of the service of the United States). 1862U.S. Statutes XII. 339 No person under the age of eighteen shall be mustered into the United States service. 1864Sala in Daily Tel. 25 Feb., Drunken or dishonest subalterns who have been ‘mustered out’— i.e., expelled the army for misconduct.
i. To produce for inspection.
190419th Cent. June 1033 The bluejacket may at any moment be called on to muster his kit.
3. a. To collect, bring together (persons or things); esp. to bring forward from one's own stores. Often in phrases (I, he, etc.) can muster (such or such a number or amount); as many as (I, etc.) can muster.
c1586C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxxi. i, Muster hither musicks joyes, Lute, and lyre, and tabretts noise. 1692R. L'Estrange Fables xxxiii. 32 A Daw that had a mind to be Sparkish, Trick'd himself up with all the Gay-Feathers he could Muster together. 1743Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas 16 All the Hands we could muster in both Watches, Officers included, were but twelve. 1748Anson's Voy. ii. ii. 135 All the..remnants of old sails that could be mustered. 1793Smeaton Edystone L. §286, I melted down all the pewter plates and dishes that we could muster on board the buss. 1832H. Martineau Ireland ii. 16 A respectable addition was made by them to the few shillings Sullivan had been able to muster. 1835J. P. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. ii, I mustered my horse and gun, and some decent clothes. 1838Thirlwall Greece II. 333 The Platæans could only muster 600. 1838Lett. fr. Madras (1843) 172 We cannot muster many volumes yet. 1841Lytton Nt. & Morn. i. iv, With your wife's fortune, you muster 2000l a-year. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xii. III. 175 A procession of twenty coaches belonging to public functionaries was mustered.
b. fig. To summon, gather up (one's thoughts, courage, strength, etc.).
1588Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 85 Muster your Wits, stand in your owne defence. 1671Milton Samson 402 Mustring all her wiles. 1742Young Nt. Th. viii. 1319 They scarce can swallow their ebullient spleen, Scarce muster patience to support the farce. 1814Scott Wav. xv, Cantering his white pony down the avenue with all the speed it could muster. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge xxv, At length you have mustered heart to visit the old place. 1849C. Brontë Shirley I. vi. 119 Mr. Moore's dark face mustered colour; his lips smiled [etc.]. 1863W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vii. 289, I re-mounted, mustered a canter, by dint of great persuasion. 1876Trevelyan Macaulay II. xv. 478 He mustered strength to dictate a letter.
4. intr. To assemble, gather together in a body. (Cf. 2 c transf. and fig.)
1603Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. iv. 20 Oh, heauens Why doe's my bloud thus muster to my heart. 1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 57 They burn Incense about him, which they say scares away Evil Spirits and Devils, who otherwise would muster about the [dead] Body. 1820Scott Abbot iii, I think he comes of gentle blood—see how it musters in his face at your injurious reproof. 1869Lowell Gold Egg xxv, What marvels manifold, Seemed silently to muster! 1886C. E. Pascoe London of To-day xviii. (ed. 3) 159 The members of the Four-in-Hand and Coaching clubs muster in great force.
†5. trans. To pass in review, to ‘take stock of’.
a1625Fletcher & Mass. Cust. Country v. v, With what a greedy hawkes eye she beholds me? Marke how she musters all my parts.
6. Austral. and N.Z. To collect stock (cattle, sheep, etc.) together for counting, shearing, drafting, branding, etc. Also with off and up, and with place as obj.
1846C. J. Pharazyn Jrnl. 23 June 45 (MS.), Assisted in mustering Ewes and Lambs into Stock-Yard. 1852J. R. Clough Diary 4 May in J. Deans Pioneers of Canterbury (1937) 292 Port Philip men just arrived..and two of the survey men mustered the cattle this day. 1858McCombie Hist. Victoria vii. 89 Takere..had attacked Mr. Bolden when mustering his stock. 1860St. Leonard's Jrnl. 31 July, To muster stragglers off Isolated Hill. 1867M. A. Barker Station Life in N.Z. (1870) xvi. 122 It is very difficult to ‘muster’ these ranges. 1875Wood & Lapham Waiting for Mail 29 Mustering cattle. 1878E. S. Elwell Boy Colonists 208 They all started from the hut to muster off ‘Nob’ mountain. 1930L. G. D. Acland Early Canterbury Runs vii. 164 The country had never been stocked... [They] had once mustered it..and got about 300 wild sheep off it. 1934A. Russell Tramp-Royal in Wild Australia xxiii. 210 Here we loosed the herd and went east to muster up another section of the run. 1946F. D. Davison Dusty vi. 65 There were a lot of sheep to be done, to be mustered from the paddock and brought to yard and shears. 1947P. Newton Wayleggo (1949) 12 The musterer's job is to muster the sheep off such country into the respective homesteads. 1950N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Oct. 349/3 While the hill wethers are being shorn the ewes and lambs are being mustered on the various blocks and are brought in.
absol.1874A. Bathgate Colonial Experiences vii. 80 A shepherd, while out mustering, descried the errant steed on a small plateau. 1878E. S. Elwell Boy Colonists 173 Walker's men never mustered beyond the ‘Saddle’. 1892Hornung Under Two Skies 41 All hands were away mustering in a distant paddock. 1944F. Clune Red Heart 18, I found Bob Buck out mustering.
7. intr. To pass muster for.
1820Lamb Elia Ser. i. Oxford in Vac., I longed to coat him in russia, and assign him his place. He might have mustered for a tall Scapula.
8. muster up.
a. To assemble or bring together (troops) for battle, etc.
c1592Marlowe Massacre Paris ii. iii. B 7, Ile muster vp an army secretly. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. viii. 18 In Oxfordshire shalt muster vp thy friends. 1621Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. ii. i. (1651) 450 They press and muster up wenches as we do souldiers. 1700S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 305 We were muster'd up, and received the next day two months Pay. 1790Beatson Nav. & Mil. Mem. I. 185 Mr Hodge..mustered up about three hundred volunteers. 1891C. Roberts Adrift Amer. 190 The few Indians..returned..with all of the tribe that they could muster up.
b. fig. To summon up, gather up, to marshal.
1628Prynne Cens. Cozens 10 Which I shall enumerate and muster vp in order. 1662Bk. Com. Prayer Pref., The old Objections mustered up. 1743R. Blair Grave 79 Whilst busy-meddling Memory..musters up The past Endearments of their softer Hours. 1777Priestley Matt. & Spir. (1782) I. xvi. 188 Dr Oswald..has mustered up all his logic to invalidate it. 1813Scott Let. 6 Nov., A very large river..is at this moment mustering up all its waters with a voice like distant thunder. 1893F. C. Selous Trav. S.E. Africa 111 She had mustered up courage to speak to him.
▪ IV. muster, v.2 dial. ? Obs.
[Of Scandinavian origin: cf. Norw. mustra to whisper, mumble, to chatter continually (Ross), Icel. muskra to murmur, maunder (Vigf.).]
(See quots.) Hence ˈmustering vbl. n. Also † ˈmusterer1.
c1440Promp. Parv. 349/2 Must(e)ryn, or qwysp(e)ryn privyly (or rummuelon, infra; H. whyspryn), mussito. Ibid. 436/2 Romelynge, or privy mysterynge (P. preuy mustringe), ruminacio, mussitacio. 1496Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) v. iv. 199/2 What is susurro that is called a musterer. It is a preuy rowner, that pryuely telleth false tales amonges the people for to make dyscencyon. 1825Jamieson, Muster, to talk with exceeding volubility. Clydes. 1847Halliwell, Mustir, to talk together privately. |