Mouse (mous), n.; pl. Mice (m&imac;s). [OE. mous, mus, AS. m&umac;s, pl. m&ymac;s; akin to D. muis, G. maus, OHG. & Icel. m&umac;s, Dan. muus, Sw. mus, Russ. muishe, L. mus, Gr. my^s, Skr. m&umac;sh mouse, mush to steal. Cf. Muscle, Musk.]
1. Zool.
Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridae. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed, or deer, mouse (Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest.
2. Naut. (a)
A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping.
(b)
Same as 2d Mousing, 2.
3.
A familiar term of endearment.
Shak.
4.
A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow.
[Slang]
5.
A match used in firing guns or blasting.
Field mouse, Flying mouse, etc. See under Field, Flying, etc. -- Mouse bird Zool., a coly. -- Mouse deer Zool., a chevrotain, as the kanchil. -- Mouse galago Zool., a very small West American galago (Galago murinus). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel. -- Mouse hawk. Zool. (a) A hawk that devours mice. (b) The hawk owl; -- called also mouse owl. -- Mouse lemur Zool., any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus, found in Madagascar. -- Mouse piece Cookery, the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; -- called also mouse buttock.
© Webster 1913.
Mouse (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Moused (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mousing (?).]
1.
To watch for and catch mice.
2.
To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.
© Webster 1913.
Mouse, v. t.
1.
To tear, as a cat devours a mouse.
[Obs.] "[Death]
mousing the flesh of men."
Shak.
2. Naut.
To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See Mouse, n., 2.
© Webster 1913.