muffle 1
/muf"euhl/ , v. , muffled, muffling , n.
v.t.
1. to wrap with something to deaden or prevent sound: to muffle drums.
2. to deaden (sound) by wrappings or other means.
3. to wrap or envelop in a cloak, shawl, coat, etc., esp. to keep warm or protect the face and neck (often fol. by up ): Muffle up the children before they go out.
4. to wrap (oneself) in a garment or other covering: muffled in silk.
5. to alter temporarily the profile of (a plaster mold) in order to run a base coat of plaster that will later be covered by a finish coat having the true profile.
n.
6. something that muffles.
7. muffled sound.
8. an oven or arched chamber in a furnace or kiln, used for heating substances without direct contact with the fire.
[ 1400-50; late ME mufeln, perh. aph. form of AF * amoufler, for OF enmoufler to wrap up, muffle, deriv. of moufle mitten (see EN- 1 , MUFF); (def. 8) directly moufle lit., mitten ]
muffle 2
/muf"euhl/ , n.
the thick, bare part of the upper lip and nose of ruminants and rodents.
[ 1595-1605; mufle muzzle, snout, prob. b. moufle chubby face (obscurely akin to G Muffel snout) and museau snout, MUZZLE ]