See Also: musty(1)(dictionary)
musty(2)(dictionary)
musty(dictionary)

musty(2) (iou)



musty adjective2 & verb. E16.
[Perh. alt. of MOISTY after MUST noun1.]
A. adjective.
Mouldy; having a smell or taste indicative or suggestive of mouldiness or decay; stale-smelling, fusty. E16.
Pope The musty wine, foul cloth, or greasy glass. Dickens Unsavoury smells of musty hay. A. Carter The dining room..never lost a musty and unused smell. D. Leavitt Her room was musty from the closed windows.
Having lost newness, interest, or liveliness; antiquated, disused, old-fashioned. L16.
Henry Fielding None but a musty moralist..would have condemned such behaviour. Charles Churchill Read musty lectures on Benevolence.
Ill-humoured, peevish, sullen. obsolete exc. dial. E17.
B. verb intrans. & trans. Become or make musty. M17-E18.
mustily adverb E17.
mustiness noun E16.