muster Definition
mus·ter (mus′tər)
transitive verb
- to assemble or summon (troops, etc.), as for inspection, roll call, or service
- to put through a roll call
- to gather together and display; collect; summon: often with up to muster up strength
- to have in number; amount to
Etymology: ME mousteren < OFr moustrer, to exhibit, show < ML mustrare < L monstrare, to show < monstrum: see monster
intransitive verb
to come together or gather; specif., to assemble as for inspection or roll call
noun
- a gathering together or assembling, as of troops for inspection
- the persons or things assembled; assemblage
- the sum of these
- the roll, or list, of persons in a military or naval unit
muster Idioms
muster in (or out)
☆to enlist in (or discharge from) military service
pass muster
to measure up to the required standards
muster Synonyms
muster
v.
muster Usage Examples
Object
- courage: Hopefully, a good number of religious people will muster the courage to read the book anyway.
- enthusiasm: However, I'm afraid I could muster very little enthusiasm for Nicholas Royale's 'The Pied Piper of Hammersmith ' .
- army: Lee was only able to muster an army of 8,000 men.
- will: He stood there before him and screamed his fury with accusing body posture and impotent mustered will.
- troop: As a lieutenant-colonel in the Norfolk militia he was obliged to take part in the military exercises of the neighborhood and to muster troops.
- shot: I can't remember the last game where we failed to muster a single shot to trouble an opposing keeper.
Converse of object
pass: Neither reasons quite pass muster with the truancy team, who are impervious to weak excuses.
Modifies a noun
- roll: The men engaged to be called ' Waterloo Men ' in the muster roll.
- bay: From each of the upper floors there is a " pole drop " to the muster bay.
- station: This led to an uneven distribution between the different muster stations.
- point: Not all staff are able to get to the muster point.
Modifying Another Word
- barely: But halfway into the book, I was so depressed I could barely muster the energy to turn the page.
- only: The final six wickets could only muster a further 73 runs.
- finally: I was depressed when I was in college but I finally mustered up the confidence to go out.
- ever: It has more military might and more economic muscle than Europe can ever muster.
- even: To be honest in very early stages of gigging, don't even think you have to muster even 5 mins.
Noun used with modifier
- militia: Third, Mr Furlong takes issue with Ambrose Evans-Pritchard on the date of the first nationally called militia muster.
- kit: Wednesday Wednesday saw the first kit muster for the troop which we all passed - well done troop!
- cannot: Beside, les Verts, even in a good year, cannot muster the troops.
Particle object:
courage: Next I might even muster up the courage to open that Registry.
Browse dictionary entries near muster
- ‹ musteline
- ‹ mustee
- ‹ mustardy
- ‹ mustard plaster
- ‹ mustard oil
- ‹ mustard gas
- ‹ mustard
- ‹ mustang
- ‹ Mustafa Kemal
- ‹ mustachio
- musth ›
- mustn't ›
- musty ›
- mutability ›
- mutable ›
- mutagen ›
- mutagenesis ›
- mutant ›
- mutate ›
- mutation ›

