mous|ey /maʊ si/ → see mousy
mous|sa|ka /mʊsɑː kə/ (moussakas ) N‑VAR Moussaka is a Greek dish consisting of layers of meat and aubergine.
mousse /muː s/ (mousses )
1 N‑VAR Mousse is a sweet light food made from eggs and cream. It is often flavoured with fruit or chocolate.
2 N‑VAR Mousse is a soft substance containing a lot of tiny bubbles, for example one that you can put in your hair to make it easier to shape into a particular style.
mous|tache /məstɑː ʃ, [AM ] mʊ stæʃ/ (moustaches ) also mustache N‑COUNT A man's moustache is the hair that grows on his upper lip. If it is very long, it is sometimes referred to as his moustaches . □ He was short and bald and had a moustache. ● mous|tached ADJ □ …three burly, moustached middle-aged men.
mous|ta|chi|oed /məstæ ʃioʊd, [AM ] -tæ tʃoʊd/ also mustachioed ADJ A moustachioed man has a moustache. [HUMOROUS or WRITTEN ]
mousy /maʊ si/ also mousey
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Mousy hair is a dull light brown colour. □ He was aged between 25 and 30, with a medium build and collar-length mousy hair.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as mousy , you mean that they are quiet and shy and that people do not notice them. □ The Inspector remembered her as a small, mousy woman, invariably worried.
mouth ◆◆◇ (mouths , mouthing , mouthed ) Pronounced /maʊ θ/ for the noun, and /maʊ ð/ for the verb. The form mouths is pronounced /maʊ ðz/. 1 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] Your mouth is the area of your face where your lips are or the space behind your lips where your teeth and tongue are. □ She clamped her hand against her mouth. □ His mouth was full of peas. ● -mouthed /-maʊ ðd/ COMB □ He straightened up and looked at me, open-mouthed.
2 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] You can say that someone has a particular kind of mouth to indicate that they speak in a particular kind of way or that they say particular kinds of things. □ You've got such a crude mouth! ● -mouthed COMB □ …Simon, their smart-mouthed teenage son.
3 N‑COUNT The mouth of a cave, hole, or bottle is its entrance or opening. □ [+ of ] By the mouth of the tunnel, he bent to retie his lace. ● -mouthed COMB □ He put the flowers in a wide-mouthed blue vase.
4 N‑COUNT The mouth of a river is the place where it flows into the sea. □ [+ of ] …the town at the mouth of the River Dart.
5 VERB If you mouth something, you form words with your lips without making any sound. □ [V n] I mouthed a goodbye and hurried in behind Momma. □ [V with quote] 'It's for you,' he mouthed.
6 VERB If you mouth something, you say it, especially without believing it or without understanding it. □ [V n] I mouthed some sympathetic platitudes.
7 → see also hand-to-mouth
8 PHRASE If you have a number of mouths to feed , you have the responsibility of earning enough money to feed and look after that number of people. □ With five mouths to feed, he found life very hard.
9 PHRASE If you say that someone does not open their mouth , you are emphasizing that they never say anything at all. [EMPHASIS ] □ Sometimes I hardly dare open my mouth.
10 heart in your mouth → see heart
11 from the horse's mouth → see horse
12 keep your mouth shut → see shut
13 to put your money where your mouth is → see money
14 to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth → see spoon
15 word of mouth → see word
mouth|ful /maʊ θfʊl/ (mouthfuls )
1 N‑COUNT A mouthful of drink or food is the amount that you put or have in your mouth. □ [+ of ] She gulped down a mouthful of coffee.
2 N‑SING If you describe a long word or phrase as a mouthful , you mean that it is difficult to say. [INFORMAL ] □ It's called the Pan-Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Project, which is quite a mouthful.
mou th or|gan (mouth organs ) N‑COUNT A mouth organ is the same as a harmonica . [mainly BRIT ]
mouth|piece /maʊ θpiːs/ (mouthpieces )
1 N‑COUNT The mouthpiece of a telephone is the part that you speak into. □ He shouted into the mouthpiece.
2 N‑COUNT The mouthpiece of a musical instrument or other device is the part that you put into your mouth. □ He showed him how to blow into the ivory mouthpiece.
3 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] The mouthpiece of an organization or person is someone who informs other people of the opinions and policies of that organization or person. □ Their mouthpiece is the vice-president.
mou th-to-mou th re|sus|ci|ta |tion or mouth-to-mouth N‑UNCOUNT If you give someone who has stopped breathing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation , you breathe into their mouth to make them start breathing again.
mouth|wash /maʊ θwɒʃ/ (mouthwashes ) N‑VAR Mouthwash is a liquid that you put in your mouth and then spit out in order to clean your mouth and make your breath smell pleasant.
mou th-watering also mouthwatering
1 ADJ Mouth-watering food looks or smells extremely nice. □ …hundreds of cheeses, in a mouth-watering variety of shapes, textures and tastes.
2 ADJ If you describe something as mouth-watering , you are emphasizing that it is very attractive. [JOURNALISM , EMPHASIS ] □ Prizes worth a mouth-watering £9.6 million are unclaimed.