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)

mudded, mudding 

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)

mudded, mudding 

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. informal,  not at all clear

4. to disgrace or defame someone

5. informal,  a humorous drinking toast

6. informal,  someone is disgraced

7. informal,  to slander; vilify

verb

1. (tr) to soil or cover with mud

Other Word Forms

• unmudded 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

Mexican survivors of floods and landslides that killed at least 66 people last week have appealed for urgent aid, saying they are worried about disease outbreaks as rotting animal carcasses pile up in the mud.

Read more on Barron's

But the mud and heat began to take a toll.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And on their way to another title, the Panthers used all those penalties and aggressive tactics to drag teams into the mud alongside them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Elsie-May has been playing a year and said she loved sliding in the mud.

Read more on BBC

Now, the bookshop is drenched in mud and they are taking stock of the damage.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• clay 
• muck 
• silt 
• sludge 
• slush