- Mummies
- 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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Dried flesh of a mummy. [Obs.] --Sir. J. Hill. [1913 Webster]
3. A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; -- formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties. [Obs.] --Shak. --Sir T. Herbert. [1913 Webster]
4. A brown color obtained from bitumen. See {Mummy brown} (below). [1913 Webster]
5. (Gardening) A sort of wax used in grafting, etc. [1913 Webster]
6. One whose affections and energies are withered. [1913 Webster]
{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. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
