n.; pl. Mummies [ F. momie; cf. Sp. & Pg. momia, It. mummia; all fr. Per. mūmiyā, fr. mūm wax. ] 1. A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means, in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Dried flesh of a mummy. [ Obs. ] Sir. J. Hill. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; -- formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties. [ Obs. ] Shak. Sir T. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. A brown color obtained from bitumen. See Mummy brown (below). [ 1913 Webster ] 5. (Gardening) A sort of wax used in grafting, etc. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. One whose affections and energies are withered. [ 1913 Webster ] Mummy brown, a brown color, nearly intermediate in tint between burnt umber and raw umber. A pigment of this color is prepared from bitumen, etc., obtained from Egyptian tombs. -- Mummy wheat (Bot.), wheat found in the ancient mummy cases of Egypt. No botanist now believes that genuine mummy wheat has been made to germinate in modern times. -- To beat to a mummy, to beat to a senseless mass; to beat soundly. [ 1913 Webster ]
|