What does "mud" mean?

1. (wet earth) soft, wet earth or dirt. 2. (insults or slander) unfair or dishonest things people say to make someone look bad, especially in politics. 3. (construction material) a wet mixture used in building, like wet concrete or the paste used to smooth walls. 4. (to make dirty) to cover something with mud or make it dirty.

mud — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01wet earth

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun

n. soft, wet earth or dirt.

n. a liquid or semi-liquid mixture of water and any combination of soil, silt, and clay. Uncountable in its general sense.

“The children came inside covered in mud after playing in the garden during the rain.”

“Heavy vehicles had churned the unpaved access road into a thick, impassable slurry of mud that delayed the delivery of essential supplies.”

Synonyms

dirt sludge muck

02insults or slander

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal

n. unfair or dishonest things people say to make someone look bad, especially in politics.

n. willfully abusive or slanderous remarks, typically used in the context of political campaigns to damage a rival's reputation.

“The two politicians spent the whole debate throwing mud at each other instead of talking about the issues.”

“Despite the lack of evidence, the tabloid continued to sling mud at the candidate, hoping the scandal would stick in the minds of undecided voters.”

Synonyms

slander libel dirt

Antonyms

praise

03construction material

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technical · Informal

n. a wet mixture used in building, like wet concrete or the paste used to smooth walls.

n. any of various fluid or semi-fluid substances used in construction, such as drywall joint compound or wet concrete.

“The builder applied a layer of mud to the wall to hide the gaps between the boards.”

“The crew worked quickly to spread the mud before the heat caused the concrete to set prematurely in the summer sun.”

Synonyms

plaster compound concrete

04to make dirty

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to cover something with mud or make it dirty.

v. to cover or soil with mud; often used figuratively to describe making a situation or topic unclear.

“Be careful not to mud your clean shoes when you walk across the field.”

“The witness's conflicting testimony served only to mud the waters, making it difficult for the jury to determine the sequence of events.”

Synonyms

soil dirty stain

Antonyms

clean purify

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mud” in context.

Verb

01. cover the boots in mud

“The children covered their boots in mud while playing in the garden.”

verb + noun + prep + noun

02. get stuck in the mud

“The car wheels started to spin and we got stuck in the mud after the heavy rain.”

verb + adj + prep + noun

03. throw mud at the candidate

“During the election, both parties tried to throw mud at the opposing candidate to ruin their reputation.”

verb + noun + prep + noun

Adjective

04. thick mud

“It was difficult to walk through the thick mud on the forest path.”

adj + noun

05. wet mud

“The dog left footprints of wet mud all over the clean kitchen floor.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. clump of mud

“A large clump of mud fell off his shoe when he stepped inside the house.”

noun + of + noun

07. mud bath

“She visited the spa to enjoy a relaxing mud bath that is good for the skin.”

noun + noun

Preposition

08. covered in mud

“The football players were completely covered in mud by the end of the match.”

prep + noun

From Middle English mud, mudde, mode, probably a borrowing from Middle Dutch mod, modde or Middle Low German mudde, ultimately from Proto-Germanic mud-, mudra- (“mud”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European mū-, mew- (“moist”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Mudde (“mud”), Middle High German mot (“mud”), Swedish modd (“slush”). Compare also suffixed variants English mother (“vinegar-forming sediment in alcohol”), West Frisian modder (“mud”), Dutch modder (“mud”), German Low German Mudder (“mud”), German Moder (“moldiness, mildew, decay”), Danish mudder (“mud”). Alternative etymology suggests the Proto-Germanic word is possibly borrowed from a Uralic language (compare e.g. Finnish muta (“mud”), Northern Sami mođđi (“mud”), Erzya мода (moda, “earth, ground”) from Proto-Uralic *muďa (“earth”)).