Mouths

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mouth \Mouth\ (mouth), n.; pl. {Mouths} (mou[th]z). [OE. mouth,
     mu[thorn], AS. m[=u][eth]; akin to D. mond, OS. m[=u][eth],
     G. mund, Icel. mu[eth]r, munnr, Sw. mun, Dan. mund, Goth.
     mun[thorn]s, and possibly L. mentum chin; or cf. D. muil
     mouth, muzzle, G. maul, OHG. m[=u]la, Icel. m[=u]li, and Skr.
     mukha mouth.]


     1. The opening through which an animal receives food; the
        aperture between the jaws or between the lips; also, the
        cavity, containing the tongue and teeth, between the lips
        and the pharynx; the buccal cavity.
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     2. Hence: An opening affording entrance or exit; orifice;
        aperture; as:
        (a) The opening of a vessel by which it is filled or
            emptied, charged or discharged; as, the mouth of a jar
            or pitcher; the mouth of the lacteal vessels, etc.
        (b) The opening or entrance of any cavity, as a cave, pit,
            well, or den.
        (c) The opening of a piece of ordnance, through which it
            is discharged.
        (d) The opening through which the waters of a river or any
            stream are discharged.
        (e) The entrance into a harbor.
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     3. (Saddlery) The crosspiece of a bridle bit, which enters
        the mouth of an animal.
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     4. A principal speaker; one who utters the common opinion; a
        mouthpiece.
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              Every coffeehouse has some particular statesman
              belonging to it, who is the mouth of the street
              where he lives.                       --Addison.
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     5. Cry; voice. [Obs.] --Dryden.
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     6. Speech; language; testimony.
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              That in the mouth of two or three witnesses every
              word may be established.              --Matt. xviii.
                                                    16.
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     7. A wry face; a grimace; a mow.
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              Counterfeit sad looks,
              Make mouths upon me when I turn my back. --Shak.
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     {Down at the mouth} or {Down in the mouth}, chapfallen; of
        dejected countenance; depressed; discouraged. [Obs. or
        Colloq.]
  
     {Mouth friend}, one who professes friendship insincerely.
        --Shak.
  
     {Mouth glass}, a small mirror for inspecting the mouth or
        teeth.
  
     {Mouth honor}, honor given in words, but not felt. --Shak.
  
     {Mouth organ}. (Mus.)
        (a) Pan's pipes. See {Pandean}.
        (b) An harmonicon.
  
     {Mouth pipe}, an organ pipe with a lip or plate to cut the
        escaping air and make a sound.
  
     {To stop the mouth}, to silence or be silent; to put to
        shame; to confound.
  
     {To put one's foot in one's mouth}, to say something which
        causes one embarrassment.
  
     {To run off at the mouth}, to speak excessively.
  
     {To talk out of both sides of one's mouth}, to say things
        which are contradictory.
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              The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
                                                    --Ps. lxiii.
                                                    11.
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              Whose mouths must be stopped.         --Titus i. 11.
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