mull
mull Lexical Profile
mull Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To think about a proposal, decision, or problem deeply and at length (often followed by 'over').
"She asked for a few days to mull the job offer before giving her final answer."
To heat, sweeten, and flavor a beverage (such as wine, cider, or ale) with aromatic spices and citrus.
"During the winter holidays, we like to mull apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange peel."
To grind, pulverize, or mix a substance thoroughly into a fine powder or homogeneous paste.
"The artist used a glass slab to mull the mineral pigment with linseed oil."
• noun
Scottish A steep promontory, headland, or cape projecting into the sea, especially along the coast of Scotland.
"The lighthouse stood high upon the rocky mull, guiding vessels through the stormy channel."
A thin, soft, sheer plain-woven fabric made of cotton or silk, historically used for dresses and bookbinding.
"The bookbinder reinforced the spine of the antique volume with a strip of sturdy cotton mull."
A dark, nutrient-rich, well-aerated layer of forest humus formed by the rapid decomposition of organic matter mixed with mineral soil by earthworms.
"Deciduous hardwood forests typically develop a fertile mull layer that supports diverse wildflowers."
• Rhymes for mull
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense 'to ponder' likely stems from Middle English mullen ('to grind or pulverize'), figuratively turning a matter over and over in the mind. The geographical sense ('promontory') derives from Scottish Gaelic maol, meaning 'bare headland' or 'bald'.