Mull

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /mʌl/

Definitions

1. To engage in careful or prolonged thought ; to soften or mix a substance by heating and stirring ; a warm spiced beverage often made with wine or cider
2. To consider something thoughtfully and at length ; to prepare by heating and combining ingredients until softened ; a drink seasoned with spices and served hot
3. To reflect deeply on a matter ; to treat by heating and stirring to blend or soften ; a hot aromatic drink made by adding spices to wine or cider

Etymology: "Mull" in the sense of thinking something over is the most surprising sense to connect to its others. The verb's core idea is dust and softening, not reflection. In Middle English, "molle" or "mulle" meant dust or rubbish, possibly from Old English "myl," meaning dust or mould. Related words in Dutch and German, "mul" and "Müll," still mean something like rubbish or mould, and the word may share a root with "mill," meaning to grind. Dust and grinding turn into softening and mixing, which gives the cooking sense. The idea of thinking is a separate strand. Middle English "mollen," meaning to soften or dissolve, came from Old French "moillier," which traces to Latin "molliare," meaning to steep, from "mollis," meaning soft. Over time, the notion of turning something over slowly in the mind, like soaking it, came to describe careful, prolonged thought. The drink follows the same pattern. A warm spiced beverage made with wine or cider was named for the act of heating and stirring, and the word was shortened from an earlier form, "mulmul."

Synonyms: ponder, consider, reflect, contemplate, ruminate

Antonyms: dismiss, ignore, overlook, reject, discount