Muster Meaning
/ˈmʌstə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA gathering.
nounA gathering., An assemblage or display; a gathering, collection of people or things.
Sentence Examples
That's me - the coward unable to muster his courage and find out the truth.
Tom tried to muster a smile.
I did that with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The captain ordered the troops to ____ in the main square for a quick inspection.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The captain struggled to ____ enough courage to lead his tired troops into the final battle against the much larger and very powerful enemy army.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English musteren, borrowed from Anglo-Norman mostrer, Middle French monstrer, moustrer (whence the noun monstre, which gave the English noun), from Latin mōnstrō (“to show”), from moneō (“to admonish”). Cognate with French montrer (“to show”), Italian mostrare (“to show”), Spanish mostrar (“to show”). See also monster.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"She seems to hear the Repetition of his Mens Names with Admiration; and waits only to answer him with as false a Muster of Lovers."
— 1743, Richard Steele, Joseph Addison, The Lucubrations of Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.:
"Of the temporal grandees of the realm, and of their wives and daughters, the muster was great and splendid."
— 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter XI, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
"Come, let vs take a muster speedily: / Doomesday is neere; dye all, dye merrily."
— c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
"And after long being there, I 'light, and walked to the place where the King, Duke &c., did stand to see the horse and foot march by and discharge their guns, to show a French Marquisse (for whom this muster was caused) the goodness of our firemen […]"
— 1663 July 13 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “July 4th, 1663”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume (please specify |volume=I to X), London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1893–1899, →OCLC:
"2010, Ohtar, "Enthroned", Slechtvalk, A Forlorn Throne.
To shorten his way and to hasten for the muster he takes a long lost road."
—
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The captain ordered the troops to ____ in the main square for a quick inspection.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The captain struggled to ____ enough courage to lead his tired troops into the final battle against the much larger and very powerful enemy army.