Word of the Day

: May 8, 2019

muse

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verb MYOOZ

What It Means

1 : to become absorbed in thought; especially : to think about something carefully and thoroughly

2 archaic : wonder, marvel

3 : to think or say (something) in a thoughtful way

muse in Context

"On Twitter and Instagram, he's been acting like a moody teenager, posting photos of himself staring at scenic natural landscapes and musing about the nature of time itself." — Jacob Shamsian, Insider, 25 Mar. 2019

"'Television brings people together, but television can also tear us apart,' [Jimmy] Kimmel mused." — Patrick Keefe, The New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2019


Did You Know?

The Muses were the nine Greek goddesses who presided over the arts, including music and literature. A shrine to the Muses was called in Latin a Museum (which came to mean "a place for learned occupation"). An artist or poet about to begin work would call on a particular Muse for inspiration, and a poem itself might begin with such a call; thus, Homer's Odyssey begins, "Sing to me of the man, Muse" (that is, of Odysseus). Today, a muse may be one's special creative spirit, but some artists and writers have also chosen living human beings to serve as their muses.



Test Your Vocabulary

Fill in the blanks to complete the name for the Greek Muse of music: E _ t _ r _ e.

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