Library / English Dictionary

MUSTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: muster   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Compulsory military service

Synonyms:

conscription; draft; muster; selective service

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("muster" is a kind of...):

militarisation; militarization; mobilisation; mobilization (act of assembling and putting into readiness for war or other emergency:)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "muster"):

levy; levy en masse (the act of drafting into military service)

Derivation:

muster (call to duty, military service, jury duty, etc.)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A gathering of military personnel for duty

Example:

he was thrown in the brig for missing muster

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("muster" is a kind of...):

assemblage; gathering (a group of persons together in one place)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Derivation:

muster (call to duty, military service, jury duty, etc.)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Call to duty, military service, jury duty, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "muster" is one way to...):

call; send for (order, request, or command to come)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

muster (compulsory military service)

muster (a gathering of military personnel for duty)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Gather or bring together

Example:

Summon all your courage

Synonyms:

come up; muster; muster up; rally; summon

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "muster" is one way to...):

collect; garner; gather; pull together (assemble or get together)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Credits

 Context examples: 

He had a horror of destroying documents, especially those which were connected with his past cases, and yet it was only once in every year or two that he would muster energy to docket and arrange them; for, as I have mentioned somewhere in these incoherent memoirs, the outbursts of passionate energy when he performed the remarkable feats with which his name is associated were followed by reactions of lethargy during which he would lie about with his violin and his books, hardly moving save from the sofa to the table.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Plan to hand in the most polished performance you can muster.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Pressing the veil to his lips, he thrust it into the bosom of his tunic, and rushed as fast as feet could bear him to arm himself and join the muster.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I mustered courage once, to ask Miss Murdstone when I was going back to school; and she answered dryly, she believed I was not going back at all.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Think of an action you can take, even if all you can muster is baby steps.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

It seems to me that they muster for an onslaught.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When we stopped for supper I couldn't muster courage to take any, though I should have liked it very much, but sat by the fire and said I didn't want anything.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Saturn makes us grow up and take on responsibilities that only a few years earlier would have been beyond our ability to muster.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“I have overmuch to do,” Sir Nigel answered, “for we must be aboard, horse and man, as early as we may. How many do you muster, Sir Oliver?”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The picture I had before me, of the beautiful little treasure of my heart, sobbing and crying all night—of her being alone, frightened, and wretched, then—of her having so piteously begged and prayed that stony-hearted woman to forgive her—of her having vainly offered her those kisses, work-boxes, and trinkets—of her being in such grievous distress, and all for me—very much impaired the little dignity I had been able to muster.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)