verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
mumble/mutter an apology (= say it quietly, especially because you are embarrassed )
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He bumped into me and mumbled an apology.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
darkly
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Brother Salvator Rivera cleared up the untouched dishes at nine P.M., muttering darkly about the waste of food.
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He glared back ferociously so they reverted to the cakes, muttering darkly .
■ NOUN
breath
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Greatly relieved, he muttered under his breath and crossed himself several times.
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He muttered something beneath his breath about the blessings of the blind.
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She was darting back and forth across the clutter on the floor, tweaking cords and muttering beneath her breath .
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Sheridan muttered under his breath several times, making the people he was sitting with uncomfortable.
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He was ill-washed and stubble-chinned and he muttered beneath his breath .
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But the Tarvarian only muttered something under his breath , and spat left and right.
curse
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Mirabilis continued to stab the picture, muttering low-voiced curses , looking up at the walls where the pigeon was still standing.
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She cast her eyes skywards, muttering soft curses .
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I shivered and muttered a curse .
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He held his hand in the air, muttering Swahili curses as I wound the fabric round.
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Sir John had then stamped off, muttering curses about public officials who didn't seem to care.
word
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As always, he muttered incomplete words , unfinished sentences.
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Robbie muttered the words under her breath.
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If they have the Blackshard with them, the Oracle will simply mutter some words of warning and vague threat.
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She accepted the glass and muttered a word of thanks.
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He muttered a few words and his companions chuckled.
■ VERB
begin
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She began to mutter again and he leaned forward to listen.
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He settled back, shut his eyes, began to mutter .
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He began softly to mutter the final act of contrition to himself.
hear
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As I worked at my translations I heard him mutter and grunt at his desk.
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Behind me, as I rang for the elevator, I heard muttering .
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For four weeks we have heard telecasters mutter about the margin of error.
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Good, Cassius heard himself mutter , but knew he had meant Bad.
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As one of them turned away Carrington heard him mutter something, undoubtedly obscene.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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""Why do I have to do all the work?'' she muttered.
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"Sometimes she is such a pain," Jake muttered.
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Grant went out, muttering something about having to see a client.
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He was always muttering to himself about all the experiments he had to do that week.
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They both muttered something about homework and walked away.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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He muttered something inaudible and withdrew.
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He was always muttering to himself about all the experiments he had to do that week.
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I muttered something about helping and followed her out.
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Sometimes her lips moved and she muttered something in a low tone.
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There has been much muttering among the aggrieved franchisees about the possibility of legal action.
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They muttered comments and corrections to each other.