Word
muck
US/ˈmək/
UK/mˈʌk/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. dirt, mud, or waste that is wet and sticky. You often use this word to describe something messy or gross, like animal waste on a farm.
n. moist, sticky matter such as mud, dirt, or animal excrement. Often carries a derogatory or informal tone when referring to general filth or low-quality substances.
Examples
“The dog came inside covered in muck from the garden.”
“After the heavy rain, the farmyard was a sea of muck that made walking nearly impossible.”
“The investigative report aimed to scrape away the muck of political corruption to reveal the systemic bribery occurring within the city council.”
Examples
simple
“The dog came inside covered in muck from the garden.”
contextual
“After the heavy rain, the farmyard was a sea of muck that made walking nearly impossible.”
complex
“The investigative report aimed to scrape away the muck of political corruption to reveal the systemic bribery occurring within the city council.”
Usage
Commonly used in the idiom 'muck in' (to help out) or 'muck up' (to ruin something).
Real-World Examples
“When Caitlin Bloomer wrestled the massive Crawzilla crawdad—yes, that's its actual common name—out of the muck during a biological survey in Kentucky, she was convinced it was the largest crayfish ever recorded.” “A resident in the area, who asked not to be named, told the BBC a muck spreader, which are normally used to distribute farmyard manure, had been used to spread medical waste.” Etymology
From Middle English mok, muk, from Old Norse myki, mykr (“dung”) or less likely Old English moc, moce (in hlōsmoc (“pigsty dung”) and lustmoce (“lady's smock (Cardamine pratensis)”)) (compare Icelandic mykja and Danish møg ("dung")), from Proto-Germanic mukį̄ (“dung; manure”), from Proto-Germanic muk-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mewg-, mewk- (“slick, slippery”) (compare Welsh mign (“swamp”), Latin mūcus (“snot”), mucere (“to be moldy or musty”), Latvian mukls (“swampy”), Albanian myk (“mould”), Ancient Greek μύξα (múxa, “mucus, lamp wick”), Ancient Greek μύκης (múkēs, “mushroom”), German Mauke (“mud fever”)), from *(s)mewg, mewk 'to slip'. More at meek.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/muck