mud

/mʌd/
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Wet earth is the core sense, with extensions to building paste, drilling fluid, reputation-damaging attacks, strong coffee, and the act of coating or clouding something with mud.

Examples

  • The rumor dragged his name through the mud.
  • The cook kept a pot of bitter mud on the stove.
  • He tried to answer the mud before it ruined his reputation.
  • The mason packed mud between the stones.
  • The river left a band of dark mud along the bank.

Similar words

slander
drilling fluid
sludge
ooze
dirty
muck
dirt
plaster
mortar
calumny

Meanings

Wet, soft earth

noun
physical
neutral
Soft, wet earth or fine sediment mixed with water, especially after rain or near water.

Examples

  • The children splashed through the mud after the storm.
  • Wet mud clung to the tires and slowed the truck.
  • She scraped mud from her boots before stepping inside.
  • The river left a band of dark mud along the bank.
  • A pig rolled happily in the cool mud.
  • Heavy rain turned the field into deep mud.

Similar words

Paste-like building material

noun
construction
informal
A wet paste used in building work, especially drywall joint compound, mortar, plaster, or earthen wall material.

Examples

  • The crew mixed mud for the drywall seams.
  • He spread a thin layer of mud over the joint tape.
  • The mason packed mud between the stones.
  • Fresh mud filled the cracks around the window frame.
  • She sanded the dried mud until the wall was smooth.
  • The old hut had walls sealed with straw and mud.

Similar words

Drilling fluid

noun
energy
technical
A prepared fluid pumped through a borehole to cool the bit, carry cuttings, and help control pressure.

Examples

  • The engineer checked the mud weight before drilling deeper.
  • Fresh mud carried rock cuttings back to the surface.
  • The crew added barite to the mud to raise its density.
  • A blocked pump stopped the mud from circulating.
  • Good mud control helps protect the well from a blowout.
  • The lab tested the mud for viscosity every hour.

Similar words

Slander and disgrace

noun
rhetoric
informal
Damaging accusations, insults, or scandal that stain a person's reputation.

Examples

  • The debate turned ugly when both sides started slinging mud.
  • The rumor dragged his name through the mud.
  • After the scandal, her name was mud with the board.
  • The article repeated old mud without checking the facts.
  • Campaign ads threw mud instead of explaining policy.
  • He tried to answer the mud before it ruined his reputation.

Similar words

Strong coffee

noun
drink
slang
Strong, dark, or bitter coffee, named jokingly for its thick look or taste.

Examples

  • The diner poured another mug of strong mud.
  • After the night shift, all he wanted was hot mud.
  • She joked that the office mud was strong enough to stand a spoon in.
  • The cook kept a pot of bitter mud on the stove.
  • We drank cheap mud from paper cups at dawn.
  • He called the burnt coffee campfire mud.

Similar words

Cover or cloud with mud

verb
physical
neutral
To cover something with mud, apply a muddy building paste, or stir sediment into water.

Examples

  • Rain mudded the trail overnight.
  • The cattle mudded the pond as they crossed it.
  • Workers mudded the drywall before sanding it smooth.
  • The off-road tires mudded the side of the truck.
  • Do not mud the clean water by stepping into the spring.
  • She was mudding the seams when the power went out.

Similar words

Etymology

From late Middle English mudde, probably from Middle Low German mudde or Middle Dutch modde, words for thick wet earth.

FAQ

What does mud mean?

Mud usually means wet, soft earth, but it can also mean building paste, drilling fluid, slander, strong coffee, or the act of coating something with mud.

Is mud the same as soil?

No. Soil can be dry or loose, while mud is soil or fine sediment mixed with enough water to become soft and sticky.

What is drilling mud?

Drilling mud is an engineered fluid pumped through a borehole to cool the drill bit, carry rock cuttings, and help control pressure.

What does it mean to sling mud?

To sling mud is to make damaging accusations or insults, especially in politics or public arguments.

Can mud mean coffee?

Yes. In informal slang, mud can mean strong, dark, or bitter coffee.

What are the verb forms of mud?

The verb forms are mud, muds, mudded, and mudding, with a doubled d before -ed and -ing.

Comments & contributions

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Frosty Skylark
Jul 1
En espanol decimos lodo o barro, pero mud season me parece imposible de traducir bien
1
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Rainy Tiger
Jun 26
lol I only knew mud as the thing my dog brings into the kitchen
0
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Contribution
Earnest Parrot
Jun 24
Baseball has a weird use too. New MLB balls get rubbed with special mud before games so they are not shiny and slick. sounds fake but it is an actual rule thing
2
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Contribution
Violet Bunting
Jun 18
Drywall note: hot mud is not mud that is warm in the bucket. It is the powder setting compound, the 20 minute / 45 minute stuff, and it hardens by a chemical set so you mix small batches.
2
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Contribution
Hardy Trout
Jun 15
In Vermont and Maine, mud season is a whole mini-season, not just one muddy day. It is that thaw time when dirt roads go soft and everyone complains about their driveway for like a month
4
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