Mummies

1 definition found

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

  Mummy \Mum"my\ (m[u^]m"m[y^]), n.; pl. {Mummies}
     (m[u^]m"m[i^]z). [F. momie; cf. Sp. & Pg. momia, It. mummia;
     all fr. Per. m[=u]miy[=a], fr. m[=u]m wax.]
     1. A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the
        ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means,
        in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction. --Bacon.


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     2. Dried flesh of a mummy. [Obs.] --Sir. J. Hill.
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     3. A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when
        heated; -- formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal
        properties. [Obs.] --Shak. --Sir T. Herbert.
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     4. A brown color obtained from bitumen. See {Mummy brown}
        (below).
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     5. (Gardening) A sort of wax used in grafting, etc.
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     6. One whose affections and energies are withered.
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     {Mummy brown}, a brown color, nearly intermediate in tint
        between burnt umber and raw umber. A pigment of this color
        is prepared from bitumen, etc., obtained from Egyptian
        tombs.
  
     {Mummy wheat} (Bot.), wheat found in the ancient mummy cases
        of Egypt. No botanist now believes that genuine mummy
        wheat has been made to germinate in modern times.
  
     {To beat to a mummy}, to beat to a senseless mass; to beat
        soundly.
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