MUSE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Muse

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noun

Muse n. A gap or hole in a hedge, hence, wall, or the like, through which a wild animal is accustomed to pass; a muset. "Find a hare without a muse."

Muse n.

(Class. Myth.) One of the nine goddesses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who presided over song and the different kinds of poetry, and also the arts and sciences; often used in the plural. At one time certain other goddesses were considered as muses. "Granville commands; your aid, O Muses, bring: What Muse for Granville can refuse to sing?" Note: The names of the Muses and the arts they presided over were: Calliope (Epic poetry), Clio (History), Erato (Lyric poetry), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (Tragedy), Polymnia or Polyhymnia (religious music), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), and Urania (astronomy).

A particular power and practice of poetry; the inspirational genius of a poet.

A poet; a bard. (R.)

Muse n.

Contemplation which abstracts the mind from passing scenes; absorbing thought; hence, absence of mind; a brown study.

Wonder, or admiration. (Obs.)

verb

Muse v. t.

To think on; to meditate on. "Come, then, expressive Silence, muse his praise."

To wonder at. (Obs.)

Muse v. i. (past & past part. mused; pres. part. musing)

To think closely; to study in silence; to meditate. "Thereon mused he." "He mused upon some dangerous plot."

To be absent in mind; to be so occupied in study or contemplation as not to observe passing scenes or things present; to be in a brown study.

To wonder. (Obs.)

Synonyms: To consider; meditate; ruminate. See Ponder.

See images of 'Muse'

Etymology of 'Muse'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Muse" Quotes from Famous Books

... her honour because she organised out of her charity the first infants' school in the Austrian empire, and did many other good works. It is both pity and solace that the noble woman did not wed Beethoven. She was his muse for years. That was, as she said, something to thank God for. She was also a beautiful spiritual ...

— The Love Affairs of Great Musicians, Volume 1 • Rupert Hughes

... Certainly the Muse of Song made herself very often a shrieking sister in those days. When she turned her attention to politics, and had her patrons to be sung up and her patrons' enemies to be sung down, she very often screamed and called names, ...

— A History of the Four Georges, Volume II (of 4) • Justin McCarthy

... the field against Goliath. And shall I not rejoice, shall I not exult even unto tears?' Her eyes glowed, and the musician was kindled to equal fire. It seemed to him less a girl who was speaking than Truth and Purity and some dead muse of his own. 'The Pale that I left,' she went on, 'was truly a prison. But now—now it will be the forging-place of a regenerated people! Oh, I am counting the days till I ...

— Ghetto Comedies • Israel Zangwill

... Muse, tell me why, for what attaint of her deity, or in what vexation, did the Queen of heaven drive one so excellent in goodness to circle through so many afflictions, to face so many toils? Is anger so fierce ...

— The Aeneid of Virgil • Virgil

... know whether it is meant for a saint or a muse, a goddess or a fate; but to me it is only a beautiful woman, bigger, lovelier, and more imposing than any woman I ever saw," answered Fanny, slowly, trying to express the impression ...

— An Old-fashioned Girl • Louisa May Alcott

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