Muffle
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ʌfəl
Origin
Middle English muflen "to muffle", aphetic alteration of Anglo-Norman amoufler, from Old French enmoufler ("to wrap up, muffle"), from moufle ("mitten"), from Medieval Latin muffula ("a muff"), of origin (—first recorded in the Capitulary of Aachen in 817 CE), from Frankish *muffël "a muff, wrap, envelope" from *muff- ("") "sleeve, wrap" (from Proto-Germanic *mawwÅ ("sleeve")) + *vël ("") "skin, hide" (from Proto-Germanic *fellÄ… ("skin, film, fleece"), from Proto-Indo-European *pel(e)(w)-, *plÄ“(w)- ("skin, hide")). Akin to Middle High German mouwe, mÅwe ("sleeve") (German Muff ("") "muff", Dutch mouw ("") "sleeve"). Alternate etymology traces the Medieval Latin word to Frankish *molfell ("soft garment made of hide") from *mol ("softened, forworn") (akin to Old High German molawÄ“n ("") "to soften", Middle High German molwic "soft") + *fell ("hide, skin"). Akin to Old High German fel ("fell, skin, hide"), Old English fell ("fell, skin, hide"). More at mulch, fell, camouflage.
Verb
- (transitive) To wrap (a person, face etc.) in fabric or another covering, for warmth or protection; often with up.
- AddisonThe face lies muffled up within the garment.
- DrydenHe muffled with a cloud his mournful eyes.
- Arbuthnotmuffled up in darkness and superstition
- (transitive) To wrap up or cover (a source of noise) in order to deaden the sound.to muffle the strings of a drum, or that part of an oar which rests in the rowlock
- (transitive) To mute or deaden (a sound etc.).
- 1999, George RR Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam 2011, p. 397:The singer's voice was muffled by the thick walls, yet Tyrion knew the verse.
- (intransitive, dated) To speak indistinctly, or without clear articulation.
- (transitive, dated) To prevent seeing, or hearing, or speaking, by wraps bound about the head; to blindfold; to deafen.