mud

[ muhd ]

noun

1. wet, soft earth or earthy matter, as on the ground after rain, at the bottom of a pond, or along the banks of a river; mire.
2. Informal. scandalous or malicious assertions or information:

   The opposition threw a lot of mud at our candidate.

3. Slang. brewed coffee, especially when strong or bitter.
4. a mixture of chemicals and other substances pumped into a drilling rig chiefly as a lubricant for the bit and shaft.

verb (used with object)

, mud·ded, mud·ding.

1. to cover, smear, or spatter with mud:

   to mud the walls of a hut.

2. to stir up the mud or sediment in:

   waders mudding the clear water.

verb (used without object)

, mud·ded, mud·ding.

1. to hide in or burrow into mud.

mud

/ mʌd /

noun

1. a fine-grained soft wet deposit that occurs on the ground after rain, at the bottom of ponds, lakes, etc
2. informal.
   slander or defamation
3. clear as mud informal.
   not at all clear
4. drag someone's name in the mud
   to disgrace or defame someone
5. here's mud in your eye informal.
   a humorous drinking toast
6. someone's name is mud informal.
   someone is disgraced
7. throw mud at or sling mud at informal.
   to slander; vilify

verb

1. tr to soil or cover with mud

Other Words From

• un·mudded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mud¹

1300–50; Middle English mudde, mode < Middle Low German mudde. mother ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of mud¹

C14: probably from Middle Low German mudde; compare Middle High German mot swamp, mud, Swedish modd slush

Idioms and Phrases

see clear as mud ; name is mud ; sling mud at .

Example Sentences

On Florida Street, people are busy at work trying to fix broken doors and clear out the mud.

From BBC

Protesters chanted, "we are stained with mud, you are stained with blood" as they took to the streets on Saturday evening.

From BBC

Huge metal containers – broken free from their articulated lorries – rested at unfathomable angles amid a jumble of cars, crumpled furniture and treacherous mud.

From BBC

In Havana, residents used shovels, brooms and buckets to clear rubbish, mud and branches as they assessed the damage on Thursday.

From BBC

Forget that the Pistons had only won twice this season, that they’d been stuck in the mud on a rebuild with no real ending in sight.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clay
• muck
• silt
• sludge
• slush