mouse

[mous, mouz]

noun

plural

mice 

1. any of numerous small Old World rodents of the family Muridae, especially of the genus Mus, introduced widely in other parts of the world.

2. any similar small animal of various rodent and marsupial families.

3. a quiet, timid person.

4. Computers.,  a palm-sized, button-operated pointing device that can be used to move, select, activate, and change items on a computer screen.

5. Informal.,  a swelling under the eye, caused by a blow or blows; black eye.

6. Slang.,  a girl or woman.

verb (used with object)

moused, mousing 

1. to hunt out, as a cat hunts out mice.

2. Nautical.,  to secure with a mousing.

verb (used without object)

moused, mousing 

1. to hunt for or catch mice.

2. to prowl about, as if in search of something.

   The burglar moused about for valuables.

3. to seek or search stealthily or watchfully, as if for prey.

4. Computers.,  to use a mouse to move the cursor on a computer screen to any position.

mouse

noun

1. any of numerous small long-tailed rodents of the families Muridae and Cricetidae that are similar to but smaller than rats See also fieldmouse harvest mouse house mouse

2. any of various related rodents, such as the jumping mouse

3. a quiet, timid, or cowardly person

4. computing a hand-held device used to control the cursor movement and select computing functions without keying

5. slang,  a black eye

6. nautical another word for mousing

verb

1. to stalk and catch (mice)

2. (intr) to go about stealthily

3. (tr) nautical to secure (a hook) with mousing

mouse

1. A hand-held input device that is moved about on a flat surface to direct the cursor on a computer screen. It also has buttons for activating computer functions. The underside of a mechanical mouse contains a rubber-coated ball that rotates as the mouse is moved; optical sensors detect the motion and move the screen pointer correspondingly. An optical mouse is cordless and uses reflections from an LED to track the mouse's movement over a special reflective mat which is marked with a grid that acts as a frame of reference.

mouse

1. A common device that allows the user to reposition an arrow on their computer screen in order to activate desired applications. The term mouse comes from the appearance of the device, with the cord to the main computer being seen as a tail of sorts.

The user usually sends signals to the computer when the user depresses or “clicks” a switch. A number of slang terms, such as “click on X” or “click and drag” have arisen from the appearance of symbols on a screen when a mouse is used.

Other Word Forms

• mouselike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mouse¹

before 900; Middle English mous (plural mis ), Old English mūs (plural mȳs ); cognate with German Maus, Old Norse mūs, Latin mūs, Greek mŷs

Word History and Origins

Origin of mouse¹

Old English mūs; compare Old Saxon mūs, German Maus, Old Norse mūs, Latin mūs, Greek mūs

Idioms and Phrases

see play cat and mouse; poor as a churchmouse; quiet as a mouse. Also see under mice.

Example Sentences

A 2022 study in mice and ferrets showed that a universal flu vaccine NIH plans to support has promise.

From Salon

When transplanted into mice as a test, it appeared to work.

From BBC

With the company and its mouse mascot now a cool 48 years old, we weren’t sure what to expect.

From Los Angeles Times

We have seen no bulky equipment during our visits to Starbucks since the new guidelines were issued on 7 August, though we did see one man with a laptop stand, keyboard and mouse.

From BBC

Woodland creatures that could carry the disease and should be avoided include chipmunks, wood rats, mice and marmots.

From Los Angeles Times