1863. H. Kingsley, Austin Elliot, ch. vi. This man could talk to her and amuse her, when he sat mumchance.
1869. C. Reade, Foul Play, ch. 1. To use her own words, she was one as couldn't abide to sit mumchance.
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, p. 35. A fig for sech mumchance old mivvies.
1895. H.B. Marriott-Watson, in New Review, July, p. 4. But when the Law says mum, why I says mum, too, as in duty bound.
Verb. (theatrical).—To act.
1569. Preston, Cambyses [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), iv. 231]. Running at tilt, justing, with running at the ring, Masquing and mumming, with each kind of thing.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Mascarare, to maske . . . to mum, to cloke, to hide.
1606. Return from Parnassus [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 190]. And all the grisly sprights of griping hell With mumming look hath dogg'd thee since thy birth.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., iii. 149. We call strolling acting, mumming and the actors mummers.
Mumble-crust, subs. (old).—A
toothless man or woman.
1623. Middleton and Rowley, Spanish Gypsy, ii. 1. Farewell, old greybeard;—adieu mother mumble-crust.
Mumble-matins, subs. (old).—A
priest.
d. 1576. Bishop Pilkington, Wks., 26. How can they be learned having none to teach them but Sir John Mumble-matins?
Mumble-news, subs. (old colloquial).—A
tale-bearer.
1594. Shakspeare, Love's Labour Lost, v. 2. Some mumble-news, some trencher-knight, some Dick.
Mumblepeg, subs. (venery).—The
female pudendum. For synonyms
see Monosyllable.
Mumble-Sparrow, subs. (old).—See
quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mumble Sparrow. A cruel sport practised at wakes and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow whose wings are clipped, is put into the crown of a hat; a man having his arms tied behind him, attempts to bite off the sparrow's head, but is generally obliged to desist, by the many pecks and pinches he receives from the enraged bird.
Mumbo-Jumbo, subs. (common).—1.
An African deity.
1831. T. Carlyle, Sartor Re artus, p. 137, ed. 1858. So likewise a day comes when the Runic Thor with his Eddas, must withdraw into dimness and many an African Mumbo-Jumbo and Indian Pawaw be utterly abolished.
1864. The Times, 2 Nov. And Mumbo-Jumbo will not be put off with inferior articles—the slightest blemish in colour or inferiority in cloth is instantly detected and rejected by these semi-savages, hence the greatest care is necessary in catering for their wants.
2. (colloquial).—Unmeaning jargon.
Mum-budget. See Mum.
Mum-glass, subs. (old).—The Monument
on Fish St. Hill.
1760. Dyche & Pardon, Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Mummer, subs. (theatrical).—1. A
player.
1599. Solyman and Perseda [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), v. 309]. I was one of the mummers myself, simple as I stand here.
1605. Marston, Insatiate Countesse, iii. Dost make a mummer of me, oxe-head? Make answer gentleman.
1610. Shakspeare, Coriolanus, ii. 1. If you chance to be pinched with the cholick, you make faces like mummers.
1772. Coles, Dict., s.v.
1821. Egan, Tom & Jerry, p. 78.
