Much Ado About Nothing 920
good) | I don't think much of that idea. (=I don't think it is very good) | The new book is better than his last one, but that's not saying much. (=the last one was so bad that almost anything would be better) 3 as much again the same amount again: It cost me nearly £20 to have the TV aerial put up, and as much again to have it moved to the right place. 4 as much as one can do the most possible: He was so rude, it was as much as I could do to keep my temper. (=I nearly lost it) 5 I thought as much I had expected that the stated usually bad thing was so (and now I have been shown to be right): So he's been cheating. I thought as much. 6 make much of: a) to treat as important: Why are you making so much of such a trifling matter? b) to understand well: I couldn't make much of that new book. c) to treat with a show of fondness: He always made much of his niece. -> compare MAKE LITTLE OF (LITTLE) 7 so much for that is the end of: So much for past events; let me now move on to speculate about the future. | Now it's raining; so much for my idea of taking a walk. (=it is no longer possible) 8 this/that much the particular amount or words: I'll say this much for him, he's a good worker. (=although I don't like him) 9 too much for too hard for: Climbing the stairs is too much for my grandmother now.
Much Ado About 'Nothing a humorous play by William SHAKESPEARE. People sometimes use the title as a phrase to describe a situation in which there has been a lot of excitement about something that is not really important.
much-'heralded adj [A] talked about a lot or for a long time before it actually comes or exists: Ford today revealed their much-heralded new family car.
much-ness /'mʌtʃnəs/ n much of a muchness BrE infml the same in most ways; not very different from one another: We found it hard to choose a carpet: they were all much of a muchness.
mu-ci-lage /'mju:sɪlɪdʒ/ n [U] sticky liquid obtained from plants and used especially as glue
muck¹ /mʌk/ n [U] infml or dial 1 dirt or mud: The kids were covered in muck. 2 waste matter dropped from animals' bodies, especially when used for spreading on the land; MANURE 3 make a muck of infml, especially BrE to spoil or do (something) wrongly or badly 4 where there's muck there's brass infml or dial where there is dirt there is money; a phrase connected especially with the North of England
muck² v [T] infml to spread muck on: to muck the fields
muck about/around phr v infml, especially BrE 1 [I] to behave in a silly or aimless way: Stop mucking about and listen to what I'm saying. 2 [T[muck sbdy. about/around)] to treat without consideration: My boss is mucking me about again; he keeps changing his mind.
muck in phr v [I (with)] infml, especially BrE to join in work or activity (with others): If we all muck in we'll soon finish the job.
muck (sthg. ⇔) out phr v [I,T] 1 to clean (places where animals live): to muck out the stable 2 to do this for (an animal): to muck out the horses
muck sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] infml, especially BrE 1 to make dirty: I mucked up my shirt when I was working in the garden. 2 a) to spoil (an arrangement): The change in the weather has mucked up our sports timetable. b) to do (something) wrong: to muck up an examination
muck-heap /'mʌkhi:p/ n a pile of MANURE (=animal waste matter) especially outside a farm
muck-lucks /'mʌklʌks/ n [P] AmE boots made from CANVAS with a thick SOLE worn over thick socks or other shoes for walking in snow -> see PAIR (USAGE)
muck-rak-ing /'mʌkreɪkɪŋ/ n [U] the practice of searching out and telling unpleasant stories, which may or may not be true, about well-known people: Those gossip columnists really enjoy muckraking.—muckraking adj —er n
muck-spread-er /'mʌkspredə/ n a machine used on a farm to spread MANURE (=animal waste matter) on fields
muck-spread-ing /'mʌkspredɪŋ/ n [U] the spreading of MANURE (=animal waste matter) on farm land to improve the goodness of the soil
muck-y /'mʌki/ adj infml or dial 1 dirty 2 especially BrE (of weather) bad; stormy
mu-cous mem-brane /,mju:kəs 'membreɪn/ n [U] the surface on certain inner parts of the body which is kept wet and smooth by producing mucus
mu-cus /'mju:kəs/ n [U] a slippery liquid produced in certain delicate parts of the body, especially the nose —cous adj
mud /mʌd/ n [U] 1 very wet earth in a sticky mass 2 someone's name is mud infml someone is unpopular and spoken about with disapproval after causing trouble: My name's mud in the office after what happened today. -> see also SLING mud at (SLING¹) 3 here's mud in your eye interj infml (used for expressing good wishes when drinking with someone; similar to CHEERS)
'mud bath n a health treatment in which heated mud is put on the body, used especially by people suffering from ARTHRITIS or RHEUMATISM to lessen pain -> see also MUDPACK
mud-dle¹ /'mʌdl/ n [C usually sing.] a state of confusion and disorder: The papers are all in a muddle. | I was in such a muddle that I didn't even know what day it was.
muddle² v [T(UP)] 1 to put into disorder: Careful – you're muddling up the papers! 2 to confuse in the mind: That waitress gets muddled when she has to take a lot of orders at once. —dler n
muddle along phr v [I] to continue in a confused manner, without a clear plan
muddle through phr v [I] to reach successful results without having a clear plan or using the best methods: There were problems, but we muddled through somehow.
muddle-headed adj unable to think clearly —ness n [U]
mud-dy¹ /'mʌdi/ adj 1 covered with or containing mud: the muddy waters of the river | Take off those muddy boots. 2 (of colours) like mud; not bright: a muddy brown | a muddy (=dull and unhealthy) complexion 3 not clear; confused: muddy thinking —diness n [U]
muddy² v [T] to make dirty with mud: Your dog's muddying my dress.
mud-flap /'mʌdflæp/ BrE || also splash guard AmE — n a piece of rubber or other heavy material hanging behind the wheel of a vehicle, especially a TRUCK, to keep the mud from the road flying up -> see picture at CAR
mud-flat /'mʌdflæt/ n [often pl.] an area of muddy land, covered by the sea when it comes up and uncovered when it goes down
mud-guard /'mʌdgɑ:dɪ-gɑ:d/ BrE || fender AmE — n a cover over the wheel of a bicycle etc to keep the mud from the road from flying up -> see picture at BICYCLE
mud-pack /'mʌdpæk/ n a MUD BATH for the face
mud 'pie n a little ball of wet mud made by children at play
mud-slide /'mʌdslaid/ n an occasion when a lot of wet earth suddenly falls down the side of a hill: Torrential rains caused a massive mudslide.
mud-sling-er /'mʌdslɪŋə/ n derog a person who tells wicked, often untrue, stories about an opponent, especially in politics —ing n [U]
mues-li /'mju:zli/ n [U] grain, nuts, dried fruits etc, mixed together and eaten with milk as a breakfast food. Muesli is considered to be a healthy food and is often given as an example of the kind of food eaten by people interested in eating healthy foods.
mu-ez-zin /mu:'ezən, 'mwezən/ n a man who calls Muslims to prayer from a MINARET
muff¹ /mʌf/ n a short tube of thick cloth or fur, into which one can put one's hands to keep them warm, used especially in former times
muff² v [T] 1 (in games) to fail to hold; miss: to muff a catch 2 [(UP)] infml to spoil a chance to do (something) well; BUNGLE: I had a chance to impress her with my efficiency and I muffed it (up). —muff n
muf-fin /'mʌfɪn/ n 1 BrE || English muffin AmE — a small thick round breadlike cake, usually eaten hot with butter -> compare CRUMPET 2 AmE a small sweetened cake which usually has something particular added to give it an interesting taste: blueberry/bran/chocolate chip muffins
Muffin the 'Mule a wooden PUPPET in the form of a MULE (=an animal similar to a horse) who appeared on a British television programme for children between 1946 and 1957 called Muffin the Mule
muf-fle /'mʌfəl/ v [T usually pass.] 1 to make (a sound) less