mull

¹

[muhl]

verb (used without object)

1. to study or ruminate; ponder.

   Synonyms: weigh, consider

verb (used with object)

1. to think about carefully; consider (often followed byover ).

   to mull over an idea.

2. to make a mess or failure of.

mull

²

[muhl]

verb (used with object)

1. to heat, sweeten, and flavor with spices for drinking, as ale or wine.

mull

³

[muhl]

noun

1. a soft, thin muslin.

mull

⁴

[muhl]

verb (used with object)

Metallurgy.

1. to mix (clay and sand) under a roller for use in preparing a mold.

Mull

⁵

[muhl]

noun

1. an island in the Hebrides, in W Scotland. About 351 sq. mi. (910 sq. km).

Mull

¹

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a mountainous island off the west coast of Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides, separated from the mainland by the Sound of Mull . Chief town: Tobermory. Pop: 2667 (2001). Area: 909 sq km (351 sq miles)

mull

²

/ mʌl /

verb

1. to study or ponder

mull

³

/ mʌl /

verb

1. (tr) to heat (wine, ale, etc) with sugar and spices to make a hot drink

mull

⁴

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a light muslin fabric of soft texture

mull

⁵

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a layer of nonacidic humus formed in well drained and aerated soils Compare mor

mull

⁶

/ mʌl /

noun

1. a promontory

Other Word Forms

• mulled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mull¹

First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps identical with mull “to crumble, pulverize”; mull ⁴

Origin of mull²

First recorded in 1610–20; origin uncertain

Origin of mull³

First recorded in 1670–80; earlier mulmul, from Hindi malmal

Origin of mull⁴

First recorded in 1400–50; of uncertain origin; possibly from Middle English mollen, mullen, originally, “to moisten, soften by wetting”; moil

Word History and Origins

Origin of mull¹

C19: probably from _muddle

Origin of mull²

C17: of unknown origin

Origin of mull³

C18: earlier mulmull, from Hindi malmal

Origin of mull⁴

C20: from Danish muld; see _mould ³

Origin of mull⁵

C14: related to Gaelic maol, Icelandic múli

Example Sentences

As the US mulls its next move, the sleepy fishing villages that dot the Caribbean coast wonder whether diplomacy, or war, is on their horizon.

Read more on BBC

Officials have been mulling over a partial sale of the national carrier for years.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When Nonthavan died, Dis mulled over different scenarios, replaying events in his mind over and over.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Neither experience is medically dangerous, though the person in question may find themselves mulling things over for a good while afterward.

Read more on Literature

I mulled on this while we packed and as a few weeks later we argued about how to get to Siem Reap.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• contemplate 
• deliberate 
• examine 
• ponder 
• weigh