1888. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 223. He’s turned mouse, has he?
Verb. (American).—To go mouse-like: i.e., as in depreciation of one’s
self. [A variant of mouch].
1871. S. L. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’), Screamers. The poor blunderer
mouses among the sublime creations of the old masters.
Intj. (old).—See quot.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Mouse. Be quiet; be still; talk low;
whisper; step light; softly.
To speak like a mouse in a cheese, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Mouse. To speak like a mouse in a cheese;
i.e., faintly or indistinctly.
As drunk as a mouse, phr. (old).—Very drunk. See Drinks and Screwed.
c. 1508[?]. Colin Blowboll’s Testament, line 141. Oft hath made me
dronke as any mouse.
153[?]. Doctour Doubble Ale [quoted by Halliwell]. Then seke
another house, This is not worth a louse; As dronken as a mouse.
Mouse-digger, subs. (Winchester College).—See quot.
1866. Mansfield, School Life, 150. Plying the mouse digger (a kind
of diminutive pick-axe) in search of mice.
Mouser, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum; the cat (q.v.). For
synonyms see Monosyllable. Cf. Mouse, subs. sense 2.
Mouse-foot, subs. (old).—An oath.
1563. Appius & Virginius [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), iv. 151]. Yet,
by the mouse-foot, I am not content.
1601. A. Dent, Pathway, 142. I know a man that will never sweare
but by Cocke, or Pie, or mouse foot. I hope you will not say these
be oathes.
1605. London Prodigal, ii. 2. I’ll come and visit you: by the
mouse-foot I will.
Mouse-hunt, subs. (old colloquial).—A wencher; a grouser (q.v.).
1595. Shakspeare, Romeo & Juliet, iv. 4. Aye, you have been a
mouse-hunt in your time, But I will watch you from such watching
now.
Mousepiece (Mouse-buttock, or Mouse), subs. (colloquial).—A piece of
beef or mutton below the round; the part immediately above the knee
joint.
1591. Lyly, Sappho and Phaon, i. 3. Aptly understood, a mouse of
beef.
Mousetrap, subs. (common).—1. The mouth; the potato-trap (q.v.).
2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see Monosyllable. Cf.
Mouse, subs. sense 2.
3. (common).—A sovereign; a canary (q.v.). [From a fancied resemblance
of the crown and shield to a set trap].
The parson’s mousetrap, subs. phr. (common).—See quot. 1785.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mousetrap. The parson’s mousetrap;
the state of matrimony.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Mousle, verb. (old).—1. To nibble. Hence (2) to tongue a woman: cf.
Mouse, sense 5; to tip the velvet (q.v.).
1672. Marvell, Rehearsal [Grosart (1873), iii. 152]. The poor word
is sure to be mumpled and mowsled to purpose.
1675. Wycherley, Country Wife, v. 1. He put the lip of his tongue
between my lips, and so mousled me—and I said I’d bite it.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii. 4. Ben’s a brisk boy ... he’ll
touzle her and mouzle her; ... if he shou’d not stay for saying
grace ... but fall to without the help of a parson, ha?
1762. Wilson, The Cheats, ii. 4. I.I. Dear Mopus! [He hugs her].
Mr. Mop. Away, Captain! You do so mousle one.
Mouth, subs. (common).—1. See quots. Also mouth-almighty. For synonyms
see Clack-box and Furioso.
1596. Shakspeare, King John, ii. 1, line 397. Large mouth indeed!
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.) Mouth (S.) ... also a cant
word for a noisy, silly, ignorant, prating, scolding fellow.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mouth. A noisy fellow. Mouth half
cocked; one gaping and staring at every thing he sees.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Mouth. A noisy fellow; a silly
fellow.