muffinn.
/ˈmʌfɪn/, U.S. /ˈməf(ə)n/ 1.
a. Originally (now British regional): any of various kinds of bread or cake. Now: spec. (in North American usage generally known as English muffin) a small, flat, cake made from yeast batter and cooked on a hotplate, usually eaten split, toasted, and spread with butter, jam, etc., esp. for breakfast or tea.
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the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > cake > bun > [noun]
bun1371
wig1376
barley-bun1552
simnel cake1699
simlin1701
muffin1703
Chelsea bun1711
cross-bun1733
hot cross bun1733
penny bun1777
Sally Lunn1780
huffkin1790
Bath-bun1801
teacake1832
English muffin1842
saffron bun1852
Belgian bun1854
Valentine-bun1854
cinnamon roll1872
lunn1874
Yorkshire teacake1877
barmbrack1878
cinnamon bun1879
sticky bun1880
pan dulce1882
schnecke1899
wad1919
tabnab1933
1703 R. Thoresby Let. 27 Apr. in J. Ray Corr. (1848) 425 A Moofin, a wheat cake baked upon a bake-stone over the fire, as oat-cakes.
1747 H. Glasse Art of Cookery xvii. 151 To make Muffings and Oat-Cakes.
1766 C. Anstey New Bath Guide xiii. v. 93 I freely will own I the Muffins preferr'd To all the genteel Conversation I heard.
1787 ‘P. Pindar’ Lyric Odes to Royal Academicians (ed. 5) xiv. 34 A face..That boasts no more expression than a muffin.
1802 C. Lamb Let. 11 Oct. in Lett. C. & M. A. Lamb (1976) II. 78 We..can trace the dirt in it to having read it at Tea with [bu]tterd muffins, or over a Pipe.
1886 J. K. Jerome Idle Thoughts (1889) 120 I eat a large plateful of hot buttered muffins about an hour beforehand.
1888 J. Fothergill Lasses of Leverhouse xix. 179 ‘Mowffin’, a generic name for tea bread in all its varieties.
a1903 S. K. Craven in Eng. Dial. Dict. (1903) IV. 192/2 [W. Yorkshire] Muffin, bread baked in small round cakes as distinct from ordinary loaves.
1937 E. K. Haines Cook Bk. xii. 360 Raised muffins..A good old-fashioned change from the modern quick muffin.
1956 C. Spry & R. Hume Cookery Bk. 772 I was after the muffin of the muffin-man, the floury, yeasty affair that has to be properly toasted and buttered before it is eaten.
1970 A. L. Simon & R. Howe Dict. Gastron. 270/1 Muffins are made with milk, butter, flour and yeast and are toasted, buttered and served hot.
1990 B. Neal Biscuits, Spoonbread, & Sweet Potato Pie v. 104 Muffins are essentially free-form crumpets, but the batter is heavier.
b. Originally North American. A small, usually sweet sponge cake, baked in a cup-shaped container. Frequently with modifying word indicating the flavour or additional ingredients.
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the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > cake > [noun] > a cake > sponge-cake
Savoy cake?1750
sponge cake1808
muffin1835
Madeira cake1845
Victoria sandwich1861
angels' food1865
marble cake1871
sponge1877
angel cake1878
angel food cake1878
layer cake1882
sponge sandwich1884
Lady Baltimore cake1889
sand cake1892
sandwich cake1911
Victoria sponge1934
red velvet1951
1835 A. B. Longstreet Georgia Scenes 36 Waffles were handed to Ned, and he took one:..and so on of muffins, rolls and corn bread.
1887 Cent. Mag. Nov. 16/2 A procession of little darkies like an antique frieze was seen to pass and repass, supporting plates of hot batter-cakes, muffins, Sally Lunns, rice waffles.
1920 Amer. Woman Aug. 10/4 Bran Muffins... Beat well, and bake twenty to thirty minutes in well buttered gem-pans in a moderate oven.
1987 Gourmet Apr. 128/1 Oven-warm scones and blueberry muffins piled up next to pots of gooseberry, black-currant, and greengage jam.
1996 Minx Nov. 41/1 Lunch—minestrone served with crusty wholewheat bread and celery (instead of a tuna sarnie and a double choc muffin).
2. Originally U.S. A kind of flat earthenware or china plate. Now rare.
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the world > food and drink > food > setting table > table utensils > [noun] > table-vessels > dish or plate
disha700
scuttlec1050
trencherc1308
plattera1325
paten?1340
esquele1371
skelec1400
plat1415
plate?c1450
skewel1567
trencher-plate1580
goggan1586
trench1602
table plate1669
mazarine1673
discus1680
wearing plate1683
silver plate1710
nappy1731
roundel1797
muffin1820
entrée dish1846
pinax1858
1820 Columbian Centinel 12 Jan. 3/6 An extensive assortment of Crockery, Glass, and China Ware, viz...Twifflers and Muffins.
1885 C. Mackeson in Brit. Almanac Compan. 94 In some parts of the country identical titles are very differently applied. Among the double meanings..[are] Muffin Maker for a maker of tea-cakes or the maker of a muffin in China manufacture.
1910 A. Bennett Clayhanger i. iv. 29 He was ‘mould-runner’ to a ‘muffin-maker’, a muffin being..a small plate, fashioned by its maker on a mould.
3. colloquial.
a. A fool; = muff n.5 1. Now also: an overly compliant person, a dogsbody.
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society > leisure > sport > player or sportsperson > [noun] > poor performer
muff1819
muffin1830
rabbit1904
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [noun] > inaptitude or awkwardness > person
muff1819
muffin1830
jackleg1844
stumer1891
stumblebum1932
1830 W. T. Moncrieff Heart of London ii. i A visitor? hurrah! some muffin, I daresay—he must pay his footing.
1977 M. Helprin Refiner's Fire vii. x. 208 ‘They are fools, you know, behaviorists..as convincing and attractive as bats.’ ‘Yes... Muffins of the lowest caliber.’
1996 New Yorker 15 Apr. 56/2 It was already attracting a group of young, eager volunteers like Cornelius—‘muffins’, in the parlance of ‘Primary Colors’—whose job was to perform whatever tasks..needed doing.
b. U.S. (chiefly Baseball). A person who habitually muffs a catch or ball. Now historical.
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1859 N.Y. Herald 17 Oct. 2/3 ‘A Muffin Player’ [signature to letter regarding baseball].
1864 Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2 Sept. 3/5 Four clubs all will vote for the fly game, for they all think the bound game only suited for boys and muffins.
1867 Ball Players' Chron. 11 July 6/3 The muffins (poorest players) of the Trimountain Club played a match game of base ball on Friday afternoon.
1875 Chicago Tribune 26 Sept. 12/2 The muffin character of the game renders it entirely unworthy of a detailed account.
1973 H. Peterson Man who invented Baseball 77 The Knick ‘muffins’—as the second string was called—put at least eight men on base.
4. Canadian slang. A young woman, esp. one who regularly partners a particular man, by arrangement, during a social season. Now historical.
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the world > people > person > young person > young woman > [noun]
daughterOE
maidenOE
young womanOE
mayc1175
burdc1225
maidc1275
wenchc1290
file1303
virginc1330
girla1375
damselc1380
young ladya1393
jilla1425
juvenclec1430
young person1438
domicellea1464
quean1488
trull1525
pulleta1533
Tib1533
kittyc1560
dell1567
gillian1573
nymph1584
winklota1586
frotion1587
yuffrouw1589
pigeon1592
tit1599
nannicock1600
muggle1608
gixy1611
infanta1611
dilla1627
tittiea1628
whimsy1631
ladykin1632
stammel1639
moggie1648
zitellaa1660
baggagea1668
miss1668
baby1684
burdie1718
demoiselle1720
queanie?1800
intombi1809
muchacha1811
jilt1816
titter1819
ragazza1827
gouge1828
craft1829
meisie1838
sheila1839
sixteenc1840
chica1843
femme1846
muffin1854
gel1857
quail1859
kitten1870
bud1880
fräulein1883
sub-debutante1887
sweet-and-twenty1887
flapper1888
jelly1889
queen1894
chick1899
pusher1902
bit of fluff1903
chicklet1905
twist and twirl1905
twist1906
head1913
sub-deb1916
tabby1916
mouse1917
tittie1918
chickie1919
wren1920
bim1922
nifty1923
quiff1923
wimp1923
bride1924
job1927
junior miss1927
hag1932
tab1932
sort1933
palone1934
brush1941
knitting1943
teenybopper1966
weeny-bopper1972
Valley Girl1982
1854 P. Henderson Life of Oliphant (1956) 50 I had a charming muffin yesterday. She is engaged to be married, so don't be alarmed.
1856 I. L. Bird Englishwoman in Amer. 260 Every unmarried gentleman, who chooses to do so, selects a young lady to be his companion in the numerous amusements of the season..when she acquiesces, [she] is called a ‘muffin’.
1873 R. A. Fitzgerald Wickets in West 118 We were then told that the term ‘muffin’ is not in good odour at the present day; that no lady will admit she ever was or ever could be a muffin.
1904 A. Griffiths Fifty Years Public Service iv. 52 A pleasant tête-a-tête drive for many miles..with your ‘muffin’ by your side.
1965 G. R. Stevens Incompleat Canad. 202 At the beginning of the winter season each young man chose ‘a muffin’—a ‘steady date’ for the season—an arrangement terminated by mutual consent in the following spring.
Compounds
C1.
muffin-maker n.
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1768 N.Y. Gaz. 29 Feb. (advt.) Sarah Sells, Muffin-Maker, in Broad-Street.
1790 By-stander 382 The Italian muffin-maker.
1870 C. Dickens Edwin Drood v. 29 Former pastrycook and muffin-maker, much respected.
1910 A. Bennett Clayhanger i. iv. 29 He was ‘mould-runner’ to a ‘muffin-maker’, a muffin being..a small plate, fashioned by its maker on a mould.
2000 Fleet Owner (Electronic ed.) 1 May Famed cookie and muffin maker Otis Spunkmeyer is one food distributor looking to gain more efficiency..by reworking its fleet operation.
C2.
muffin bell n. the bell rung by a seller of muffins.
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society > trade and finance > selling > [noun] > horn or bell used by sellers
muffin bell1822
fish-horn1856
1822 H. Luttrell Lett. to Julia i. 50 But hark! the muffin-bell is ringing.
1840 T. Hood Up Rhine 83 By and by a bell rang, and that sent him into a fresh tantrum. ‘What..has a little muffin-bell to do with religion?’
1976 Billings (Montana) Sunday Gaz. 4 July 2 c/2 The Muffin Bell brought children swarming to the muffin man.
1987 I. Sinclair White Chappell Scarlet Tracings vii. 56 The hand twitched at the muffin bell to summon Mrs Hudson.
muffin cap n. now historical a flat woollen cap formerly worn by charity-school boys, etc.
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the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > headgear > [noun] > cap > types of > denoting office or profession > academic
four-cornered capc1440
corner-cap1566
cornered cap1583
square cap1584
cap1611
university cap1646
trencher-cap1721
trencher1834
muffin cap1837
mortarboard1854
house cap1863
colleger1889
square1928
1837 C. Dickens Oliver Twist (1838) I. vi. 93 He..remained stationary in the muffin-cap and leathers.
1840 R. H. Barham Spectre of Tappington in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 14 Mr. Peters..had received a liberal education at a charity-school, and was apt to recur to the days of his muffin-cap and leathers.
1860 R. S. Surtees Plain or Ringlets? lv. 201 A full suit of heather-coloured Tweed, with a muffin-cap of a similar material.
1884 City Churches in Sat. Rev. 29 Mar. 406/1 The youngest of the ‘Charitable Grinders’, with his leather breeches and muffin cap.
muffin countenance n. colloquial = muffin face n.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > face with expression or expression > [noun] > without expression or expressionless
muffin face1777
mask1795
muffin countenance1823
poker face1874
dead-pan1933
po-face1965
1823 Spirit of Public Jrnls. (1825) 53 The muffin countenance of the renowned Sancho Panza.
muffin dish n. (a) a covered dish used to keep muffins (sense 1a) hot (now chiefly historical); (b) a dish in which muffins (sense 1b) are cooked.
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1866 Harper's Mag. Dec. 27 Biggs..deposited the muffin-dish on the table with as near an approach to emphasis as he dared.
1895 Army & Navy Co-op. Soc. Price List 15 Sept. 824 Muffin Dish and Cover.
1989 Miller's Collectables Price Guide 1989–90 241/2 An Art Deco muffin dish, 12 in (30.5 cm) wide.
1998 HFN (Nexis) 17 Aug. 56 Emile Henry's new six-cup muffin dish is made of clay from France's Burgundy region.
muffin face n. colloquial a face reminiscent of a muffin in some way; spec. an expressionless face; a person having such a face.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > face with expression or expression > [noun] > without expression or expressionless
muffin face1777
mask1795
muffin countenance1823
poker face1874
dead-pan1933
po-face1965
1777 I. Jackman All World's Stage i. 16 Who is that gentleman?.. Has he a muffin face?
1973 Nation Rev. (Melbourne) 31 Aug. 1455/2 British casting directors seldom pick muffin-faces for their baddies. They prefer 'em nasty and lean and sardonic.
1995 San Diego Union-Tribune (Nexis) 27 Dec. d-2 ‘Buddyball’ wouldn't bounce off the bottom line. It went as flat as Buddy Ryan's muffin face.
muffin-faced adj. colloquial having a face reminiscent of a muffin; spec. having an expressionless face.
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the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > face with expression or expression > [adjective] > without expression or expressionless
mask-like1584
wooden-faced1605
void1796
muffin-faced1823
blank1859
blank-faced1881
poker-faced1915
stone-faced1932
po-faced1934
1823 ‘J. Bee’ Slang Muffin-faced, one who has large protruding muscles on his phiz, which is pale withal, is ‘a muffin-fac'd son of a ——’.
1837 S. Smith Let. to Singleton in Wks. (1859) II. 277/1 His little muffin-faced son.
1853 ‘C. Bede’ Adventures Mr. Verdant Green v. 42 The muffin-faced waiter handled his plated salver, and looked fixedly at nothing.
2000 Newsday 16 Nov. b3 Only his daughter, Little Cindy Lou Who (the muffin-faced Taylor Momsen), suspects the true meaning of Christmas.
muffin-fight n. colloquial a tea party (cf. muffin-worry n. and bunfight n. at bun n.2 Compounds 2); (also more literally) a food fight.
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the world > food and drink > food > meal > feast > [noun] > tea-party
school feast1708
tea1738
tea-treatc1748
tea-visit1765
tea-party1778
tea-drinking1781
thé1788
tea junketing1820
tea-night1823
tea-shine1838
tea-fight1849
tea soirée1850
muffin-worry1859
kettledrum1861
muffin-fight1876
pink tea1883
bun-worry1889
train tea1895
tea-meeting1897
bun-struggle1899
American tea1915
silver tea1921
bunfight1928
society > leisure > social event > social gathering > party > [noun] > tea- or coffee-party
tea1738
tea-visit1765
tea-party1778
tea-drinking1781
thé1788
tea junketing1820
tea-night1823
cookie shine1830
tea-shine1838
tea-fight1849
tea soirée1850
muffin-worry1859
muffin-fight1876
coffee-party1886
kaffeeklatsch1888
bun-worry1889
train tea1895
tea-meeting1897
bun-struggle1899
silver tea1921
bunfight1928
klatsch1953
coffee morning1962
1876 Appletons' Jrnl. 22 Jan. 108/3 Now we have no end of ‘kettle-drums’, ‘muffin-fights’, tea-parties, afternoon receptions, suppers, hops, clubs, and cliques.
1887 A. Elliot Old Man's Favour I. ii. i. 198 A rare dinner, an occasional muffin-fight.
1941 J. Smiley Hash House Lingo 39 Muffin fight, tea party.
1996 Portland (Maine) Press Herald (Nexis) 25 Nov. 1 c The scene of irrepressible gaiety that ends in a 2 a.m. muffin fight in the kitchen.
muffin-head n. (also muffin-yed) originally British regional a fool, an idiot.
ΚΠ
1892 Mrs. H. Ward David Grieve I. 116 Yo good-for-nowt, yo muffin-yed, yo donkey!
1997 Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) (Nexis) 4 Dec. e1 Zelda, you muffinhead, don't tell me you've been suckered into the trendy toy trap again.
muffin man n. now historical a seller of muffins.
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society > trade and finance > selling > seller > sellers of specific things > [noun] > seller of provisions > seller of bakery goods
pieman1301
waferer1362
wafroner1457
bun-seller1653
cake man1662
cake boy1776
muffin man1810
1810 Splendid Follies II. 6 A muffin-man.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair 624 The Destitute Orange-girl, the Neglected Washerwoman, the Distressed Muffin-man, find in her a fast and generous friend.
1970 Country Life 17 Dec. 1199/1 The comic antics of characters that have vanished for ever, such as the lamp-lighter, the muffin-man, and the errand-boy.
1993 M. J. Staples Pearly Queen (BNC) 100 In the winter, a muffin man's baize-covered tray was laden mainly with crumpets.
muffin plate n. now rare a plate (occasionally with a cover) on or in which muffins are cooked or stored.
ΚΠ
1769 N.Y. Gaz. & Weekly Mercury 3 July (advt.) Can set any kind of fire work in brick; such as coppers, stills..hatters kettles, muffin plates [etc.].
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz (1837) 2nd Ser. 84 He dives among the crowd..to secure the muffin plate for the old lady's daughter.
1895 Army & Navy Co-op. Soc. Price List 15 Sept. 292/2 Hot Water Muffin-Plate and Cover.
2000 Country Living (Nexis) 1 May 31 The line's immediate success encouraged the manufacturer to add new pieces every year..including a tiny bud vase and urn in 1939, a covered muffin plate in 1940 [etc.].
muffin ring n. a metal ring into which the batter for a muffin is poured to be cooked (now also used in the cooking of other items).
ΚΠ
1850 C. E. Beecher Domest. Receipt-bk. 100 Corn Muffins... Let it rise four or five hours. Bake in muffin rings.
1860 J. E. Worcester Dict. Eng. Lang. Muffin-ring, a ring, usually of tinned iron, in which muffins are cooked;—called also Muffin-Tin.
1951 Good Housek. Home Encycl. 452/1 Muffin rings or pastry cutters can be placed in the water to hold the egg.
2000 Mirror (Nexis) 13 May 19 You can make this as we do, in one 20.5cm spring form tin and then cut the cheesecake into slices, or in six individual 7.5cm muffin rings.
muffin-tin n. a tin in which muffins are cooked.
ΚΠ
1860 J. E. Worcester Dict. Eng. Lang. Muffin-ring, a ring, usually of tinned iron, in which muffins are cooked;—called also Muffin-Tin.
1938 Amer. Home June 50/1 Pour into greased muffin tins filling about two thirds full.
1988 M. Atwood Cat's Eye (1989) xxix. 156 I'm in the kitchen, greasing muffin-tins for my mother.
muffin-worry n. colloquial (now rare) a tea party.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > meal > feast > [noun] > tea-party
school feast1708
tea1738
tea-treatc1748
tea-visit1765
tea-party1778
tea-drinking1781
thé1788
tea junketing1820
tea-night1823
tea-shine1838
tea-fight1849
tea soirée1850
muffin-worry1859
kettledrum1861
muffin-fight1876
pink tea1883
bun-worry1889
train tea1895
tea-meeting1897
bun-struggle1899
American tea1915
silver tea1921
bunfight1928
society > leisure > social event > social gathering > party > [noun] > tea- or coffee-party
tea1738
tea-visit1765
tea-party1778
tea-drinking1781
thé1788
tea junketing1820
tea-night1823
cookie shine1830
tea-shine1838
tea-fight1849
tea soirée1850
muffin-worry1859
muffin-fight1876
coffee-party1886
kaffeeklatsch1888
bun-worry1889
train tea1895
tea-meeting1897
bun-struggle1899
silver tea1921
bunfight1928
klatsch1953
coffee morning1962
1859 Habits Good Society (Suppl.) 93 He can no longer claim exemption from solemn dinners, from weary muffin-worries, and witless tea-parties.
1860 J. C. Hotten Dict. Slang (ed. 2) Muffin-worry, an old ladies' tea party.
1921 C. A. W. Monckton Some Experiences New Guinea Resident Magistrate xxi. 247 The greatest danger he was ever likely to shove his head into, namely, that of being choked to death at some suburban muffin worry.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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