▪ 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.
| c 1380 Wyclif 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. 1436 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 148 Thow clepest thi selfe duc, whan woltow ryse Ande in pleyne felde do mustre with thi lance? c 1477 Caxton Jason 104 The noble and riche flees wherof Iason made mustre fro ferre. c 1520 Treat. Galaunt (W. de W., repr. 1860) 19 Small gyrdynge in the waste, with all theyr other mustur. 1538 Latimer 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. 1577 Hellowes Gueuara's Chron. 45 At these dayes the pillers giue a muster vpon the fierce waters: declaring the pryde of his power. 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxvii. (1887) 151 They begin to make some muster and shew of their learning. 1603 Owen Pembrokeshire (1892) 80 Wyndowes of this stone would make the like varietie and muster to the eye. 1602 Carew 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. a 1661 Fuller 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).
| c 1369 Chaucer 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]. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love ii. vi. (Skeat) l. 86 They shulde hete, nat dignite, but moustre of badnesse and mayntenour of shrewes. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 223 To have knowledge of the rivers and mines of gold, and to bring a moster of the same. 1582 Hakluyt Voy. (1599) II. 162 You shall send home into this realme certain Mowsters or pieces of Shew to be brought to the Diershall. 1613 J. 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. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 84 Merchants bringing and receiving Musters. 1727 A. Hamilton New Acc. E. Ind. I. v. 45, I shewed him the Musters of my Goods. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xvi, Your suit should succeed, being..founded in justice and honour, and Elizabeth being the very muster of both. 1879 China 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.
| c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxii. 234 And when the firste thousand is thus passed, and hathe made his mostre, he withdrawethe him on that o syde. 1419 Ordin. 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. c 1450 Merlin 658 The kynge..made a mustre of armed peple. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon viii. 187 The kyng Charlemagne began for to make hys mustres, for to know how much people that he had. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 227 In musture and in batayle euer the pryce haue they The kynges grace to serue. 1536 Bellenden Cron. Scot. xv. xiii. (1821) II. 441 The Erle of Ros come, with mony folkis, to Perth, and maid his mowster to the king. a 1548 Hall 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. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. 80 Metellus toke muster and required Cesar to be there. 1560 J. 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. 1568 Grafton 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. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxxvii. iii, Iehova this account shall make, When he of his shall muster take. 1601 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. (Qo. 1) iii. ii, No signior, as I remember you seru'd on a great horse, last generall muster. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 89 The Candeots..make muster euery eight day, before the Seriant-maiors. 1667 Temple 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. 1726–31 Tindal 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. 1816 Scott Old Mort. ii, Frequent musters and assemblies of the people, both for military exercise and for sports and pastimes, were appointed by authority. 1849 Cobden Speeches 86 In addition to these, the pensioners are liable to muster and drill. 1864 Chamb. 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. 1874 Green Short Hist. vii. §6. 410 Catholic lords led their tenantry to the muster at Tilbury. |
| transf. a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Mm j b, The daie of forgettynge maketh the muster of my thoughtes. 1539 Tonstall Serm. Palm. Sund. E vij, If a muster shuld be taken of swearers. 1796 Burke 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).
| 1575 Gascoigne 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. 1598 Acts 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. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xii. 56 Such a Ship..might well passe muster for a man of warre. 1673 Articles & Rules for better Govt. of H.M. Forces xliv, No Muster-Master shall knowingly let any pass the Musters, but such as are qualified. 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2426/4 The new Regiment Commanded by the Prince de Steinhuise has pass'd Muster. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. 42 She may pass Muster well enough. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes II. 106 Enough good looks to make her pass muster. 1882 Mrs. 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.
| 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. iv. ii, Are all the people of our house in muster? 1869 Mrs. 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.
| 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. A j b, Syr George Blaag, and Syr Thomas Holcroft, Commissioners of the mousters. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. xxi. 121 The Commissaries of the Musters. 1647 Sprigge Anglia Rediv. (1854) 327 Commissary-general Stane, commissary-general of the Musters. 1785 G. A. Bellamy Apology III. 49 He had been named..deputy Commissary to the musters. 1802 C. 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.
| 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 197 What with Death, and running away, and what with the Captains false Musters, they hardly arose to that Number. 1686 South 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. 1727–52 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Muster, False Muster, is when such men pass in review, as are not actually listed as soldiers. 1790 Wesley Wks. (1872) IV. 493 Still I complain of false musters. 1801 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1837) I. 326 Our friend, the Commissary, has been guilty of making false musters, as appears in the clearest manner. 1817 Jas. 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.
| 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 351 While he was in those parts, he pay'd his Army twelve Musters together. 1670 Cotton 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.
| 1841 S. 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. 1867 M. 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.]. 1892 W. 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. 1946 F. 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. 1950 N.Z. Jrnl. Agric. Oct. 348/3 After the marking muster musterers proceed to the high country and muster wethers. 1956 Coast to Coast 1955–6 35 Whole country's gone dead since muster. 1961 B. Crump Hang on Minute Mate 75 We're starting the shearing muster in a few days. 1963 Times 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.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings v. 13 And king Salomon chees werk⁓men of al Israel; and the moustre [Vulg. indictio] was thretti thousandis of men. 1401 J. Hanard in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 16 And Oweyn ys moster a Monday was..viij Mill. and xijxx. spers. 1483 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 317 What so ever parson..will make assemble congregation or moustre of people. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 12 The double number of them makes the muster the greater. 1810 Sporting Mag. XXXVI. 145 A tolerable muster of amateurs and boxing gentry. 1863 W. 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.
| 1565 Gargrave 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. 1612 Bacon 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. 1748 Anson's Voy. i. i. 5 He knew by the musters that his squadron wanted three hundred seamen of their complement. 1840 Dickens 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’.]
| c 1470 in 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.] 1820 W. 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).
| a 1400–50 Alexander 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.
| 1892 Lee Hist. Columbus, Ohio II. 146 The Fourth Ohio Infantry..returned for muster out, Jun. 12. 1899 U.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.
| 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 63 When *muster day, and foughten fielde are odde. a 1660 Contemp. 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. 1875 Encycl. Brit. II. 562/1 The conscripts then took the military oath, sacramentum, and were dismissed until the appointed muster-day. |
| 1849 Aytoun Scheik of Sinai ii, Each morning, in the market-place, The *muster⁓drum is beat. |
| 1838 B. Drake Tales 179 Our sons..assembling in the ‘*muster field’, divide themselves into armies, and pelt each other with Buckeye balls. |
| 1601 Shakes. All's Well iv. iii. 189 So that the *muster file, rotten and sound, vppon my life amounts not to fifteene thousand pole. |
| 1798 Deb. Congress U.S. 15 May (1851) 1707 At the *muster ground on the Commons of Portsmouth. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. VI. xxxvii. 184 The chosen muster-ground of the most various elements of human culture brought together by men. |
| 1586 Earl of Leicester Corr. (Camden) 278 But, betwene the auditor and the *muster-maker, you will easilie find the faults. |
| 1599 Chapman 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. |
| 1876 Voyle & 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. |
| 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. xii, The *muster-place be Lanrick mead. |
▪ II. † ˈmuster, n.2 Obs.
Also 6 mowster.
Short for musterdevillers.
| 1466 Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.) 170 Item, my mastyr owyth hym for ij. yerdes of must'. 1500 Inv. in Ann. Reg. (1768) Antiq. 137 A coarse single gown of muster. 1504 Will of Broumfeld (Somerset Ho.), A coote cloth of Mowster. 1549 Act 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.
| a 1300 Cursor 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. c 1330 R. 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. c 1400 Rule St. Benet 2 In þis sentence mustirs sain benet us hu we sal lede ure lif. c 1440 York Myst. i. 145 Ande in my fyrste makyng to mustyr my mighte,..I byd in my blyssyng ȝhe aungels gyf lyghte. c 1450 Merlin xxii. 407 So dide Galashin that often was he shewed, and mustred, with the fynger on bothe sides. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 145 In mustryng and shewyng your corayges. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 73 b, Anticke images of gold..mounsteryng their countenaunces towardes the enteryng of the palaice. 1622 R. 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.
| 1601 Shakes. 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.
| c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 415 Vndir an old pore habyt regneþ oft Grete vertu, þogh it moustre porely, c 1430 Lydg. 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. 1513 Douglas 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. 1533 Bellenden 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. 1565 J. 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. 1578 Lyte Dodoens vi. i. 653 When these buddes do open and spreade, the sweete and pleasant Roses do muster and shewe foorth of colour white. 1597 Bacon 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.
| c 1420 Lydg. 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. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 349/2 Musteryn, or gadyr togedur, commonstro, coaduno. c 1450 Merlin xxvii. 560 Thei moustred and assembled all the peple that thei myght gete. 1530 Palsgr. 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. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 164 b, How busy he was in mustering, how diligent in setting forward. 1557 Act 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. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 137 b, This man would have also footemen ready monstered. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 112, I then in London,.. Muster'd my Soldiers. 1613 R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3), Muster, take view of men, in armour. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. i. xxii. (1739) 40 They mustered their Arms once every year both in Towns and Hundreds. 1682 Bunyan 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.]. 1799 Med. Jrnl. I. 93 On Sundays, when they were mustered by the commanding officer. 1865 W. G. Palgrave Arabia II. 275 Before long he had mustered and equipped about thirty frigates. 1879 Froude Cæsar xv. 241 All sides were mustering their forces in view of an impending fight. 1894 J. T. Fowler Adamnan Introd. 61 The Clan Neill, mustered by Columba himself. |
| fig. 1700 Blackmore Paraphr. Job xv. 67 She'll draw her Troops of Terrors in array, Muster her Griefs, and horrid War display. |
† b. refl.
| 1535 Coverdale Isa. viii. 9 Mustre you and gather you, take youre councel together. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 327 So that at the last they mustered themselues and they were aboue ten thousand men. 1594 T. 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. c 1642 Twyne 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.
| c 1450 Lovelich Grail xlv. 150 Eche Man In his beste Aray, To-forn him they Mostred þere þat day. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) I. 143 Whan alle thassamble had mustryd and were gaderd to gyder. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccliv. 154 They went & mostred before the bastide of Arde. 1530 Palsgr. 643/1, I muster, as men do that shall go to a felde. 1535 Coverdale 1 Kings xx. 27 The children of Israel mustured,..and wente to mete them, and pitched their tentes ouer against them. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 720 Besides his soules faire temple is defaced, To whose weake ruines muster troopes of cares. 1775 A. Cooke in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) I. 19 The country round were alarmed and mustering. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 186 At every conventicle they mustered in arms. 1874 Green Short Hist. iii. §7. 152 The royal army had already mustered in great force at the King's summons. |
| transf. and fig. 1593 Shakes. 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. 1611 Mure Misc. Poems i. 88 A field of fancies musterd in my mynd. 1689 H. Pitman Relat. 23 When the young ones [i.e. turtle] are hatcht, they musters out of their Cells and marches into the Sea. 1700 Blackmore Paraphr. Job xxxvi. 158 Recruits of Vapours which arise, Drawn from the Sea to muster in the Skys. |
† d. trans. To enlist, enroll. Obs.
| 1439 Rolls of Parlt. V. 32/2 And so have mustred and entred in of record the Kyngs Souldeours. 1587 Golding De Mornay xxx. (1592) 483 Because he yelded his soule vnto death, & did muster himself among the transgressers. 1611 Shakes. 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. 1748 Smollett 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.
| 1670 Eachard 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. 1820 Scoresby 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. 1835 Sir J. Ross Narr. 2nd Voy. iv. 43 The ship's company was mustered. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxiii, The Carpenter sometimes mustered in the starboard watch. 1867 Smyth 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.
| 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Censor,..one that valueth or mustreth. 1636 R. Brathwait Rom. Emp. 13 In the eigth yeere of his reigne hee mustred the City. |
g. Of an army, etc.: To comprise, to number.
| 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville III. 6 The whole garrison mustered but six or eight men. 1851 Hussey Papal Power i. 2 Formed a Synod of their own, mustering about 80. 1907 Athenæum 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).
| 1834 J. A. Wakefield Hist. War 93 The place appointed for us to be discharged at (or mustered out of the service of the United States). 1862 U.S. Statutes XII. 339 No person under the age of eighteen shall be mustered into the United States service. 1864 Sala 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.
| 1904 19th 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.
| c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxxxi. i, Muster hither musicks joyes, Lute, and lyre, and tabretts noise. 1692 R. 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. 1743 Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas 16 All the Hands we could muster in both Watches, Officers included, were but twelve. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. ii. 135 All the..remnants of old sails that could be mustered. 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §286, I melted down all the pewter plates and dishes that we could muster on board the buss. 1832 H. Martineau Ireland ii. 16 A respectable addition was made by them to the few shillings Sullivan had been able to muster. 1835 J. P. Kennedy Horse Shoe R. ii, I mustered my horse and gun, and some decent clothes. 1838 Thirlwall Greece II. 333 The Platæans could only muster 600. 1838 Lett. fr. Madras (1843) 172 We cannot muster many volumes yet. 1841 Lytton Nt. & Morn. i. iv, With your wife's fortune, you muster 2000l a-year. 1855 Macaulay 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.).
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 85 Muster your Wits, stand in your owne defence. 1671 Milton Samson 402 Mustring all her wiles. 1742 Young Nt. Th. viii. 1319 They scarce can swallow their ebullient spleen, Scarce muster patience to support the farce. 1814 Scott Wav. xv, Cantering his white pony down the avenue with all the speed it could muster. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xxv, At length you have mustered heart to visit the old place. 1849 C. Brontë Shirley I. vi. 119 Mr. Moore's dark face mustered colour; his lips smiled [etc.]. 1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting vii. 289, I re-mounted, mustered a canter, by dint of great persuasion. 1876 Trevelyan 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.)
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. ii. iv. 20 Oh, heauens Why doe's my bloud thus muster to my heart. 1687 A. 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. 1820 Scott Abbot iii, I think he comes of gentle blood—see how it musters in his face at your injurious reproof. 1869 Lowell Gold Egg xxv, What marvels manifold, Seemed silently to muster! 1886 C. 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’.
| a 1625 Fletcher & 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.
| 1846 C. J. Pharazyn Jrnl. 23 June 45 (MS.), Assisted in mustering Ewes and Lambs into Stock-Yard. 1852 J. 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. 1858 McCombie Hist. Victoria vii. 89 Takere..had attacked Mr. Bolden when mustering his stock. 1860 St. Leonard's Jrnl. 31 July, To muster stragglers off Isolated Hill. 1867 M. A. Barker Station Life in N.Z. (1870) xvi. 122 It is very difficult to ‘muster’ these ranges. 1875 Wood & Lapham Waiting for Mail 29 Mustering cattle. 1878 E. S. Elwell Boy Colonists 208 They all started from the hut to muster off ‘Nob’ mountain. 1930 L. 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. 1934 A. Russell Tramp-Royal in Wild Australia xxiii. 210 Here we loosed the herd and went east to muster up another section of the run. 1946 F. 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. 1947 P. Newton Wayleggo (1949) 12 The musterer's job is to muster the sheep off such country into the respective homesteads. 1950 N.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. 1874 A. Bathgate Colonial Experiences vii. 80 A shepherd, while out mustering, descried the errant steed on a small plateau. 1878 E. S. Elwell Boy Colonists 173 Walker's men never mustered beyond the ‘Saddle’. 1892 Hornung Under Two Skies 41 All hands were away mustering in a distant paddock. 1944 F. Clune Red Heart 18, I found Bob Buck out mustering. |
7. intr. To pass muster for.
| 1820 Lamb 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.
| c 1592 Marlowe Massacre Paris ii. iii. B 7, Ile muster vp an army secretly. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. viii. 18 In Oxfordshire shalt muster vp thy friends. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. ii. i. (1651) 450 They press and muster up wenches as we do souldiers. 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 305 We were muster'd up, and received the next day two months Pay. 1790 Beatson Nav. & Mil. Mem. I. 185 Mr Hodge..mustered up about three hundred volunteers. 1891 C. 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.
| 1628 Prynne Cens. Cozens 10 Which I shall enumerate and muster vp in order. 1662 Bk. Com. Prayer Pref., The old Objections mustered up. 1743 R. Blair Grave 79 Whilst busy-meddling Memory..musters up The past Endearments of their softer Hours. 1777 Priestley Matt. & Spir. (1782) I. xvi. 188 D{supr} Oswald..has mustered up all his logic to invalidate it. 1813 Scott Let. 6 Nov., A very large river..is at this moment mustering up all its waters with a voice like distant thunder. 1893 F. 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.
| c 1440 Promp. 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. 1496 Dives & 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. 1825 Jamieson, Muster, to talk with exceeding volubility. Clydes. 1847 Halliwell, Mustir, to talk together privately. |