muster
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to assemble (troops, a ship's crew, etc.), as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.
- Synonyms:
- congregate, convene, convoke
-
to gather, summon, rouse (often followed byup ).
He mustered all his courage.
verb (used without object)
-
to assemble for inspection, service, etc., as troops or forces.
-
to come together; collect; assemble; gather.
- Synonyms:
- congregate, convene
noun
-
an assembling of troops or persons for formal inspection or other purposes.
- Synonyms:
- convention, assembly, gathering
-
an assemblage or collection.
-
the act of mustering.
-
Also called muster roll. (formerly) a list of the persons enrolled in a military or naval unit.
verb phrase
-
muster out to discharge from service in the armed forces.
He will be mustered out of the army in only two more months.
-
muster in to enlist into service in the armed forces.
idioms
verb
-
to call together (numbers of men) for duty, inspection, etc, or (of men) to assemble in this way
-
-
to enlist into military service
-
to discharge from military service
-
-
(tr) to round up (livestock)
-
to summon or gather
to muster one's arguments
to muster up courage
noun
-
an assembly of military personnel for duty, inspection, etc
-
a collection, assembly, or gathering
-
the rounding up of livestock
-
a flock of peacocks
-
to be acceptable
Related Words
See gather.
Other Word Forms
- premuster verb (used with object)
- unmustered adjective
Etymology
Origin of muster
1250–1300; Middle English mostren (v.) < Old French mostrer < Latin mōnstrāre to show, derivative of mōnstrum unnatural event; monster
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the merged company will now need all the cash flow it can muster to service a substantial debt load, so it is unlikely to fully turn away from the biggest payer in town.
But Romania, whether on or off the studio lot, only occasionally musters a decent impression of 19th century Virginia, reminding you, as “The Gray House” often does, that this is only a movie.
From Los Angeles Times
Then I went to work on a book project that demanded intense concentration—even more than I could muster in the sanctuary of my home office.
He marched from one spot to another, inspecting a burrow here and a burrow there, but none passed muster.
From Literature
That is unlikely to be the end of the road, however, as after passing muster with parliament it is expected to be put to voters in a referendum.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
