Etymology : Middle English mustre, from Middle French mostre, monstre, from monstrer
Pronunciation : 'm&s-t&r
Function : noun
Date : 14th century
1. act of mustering; military enrollment; assembly; gathering up; list of names in a military unit. gather together, assemble for action or ceremonial purposes, collect. muster\mus"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. mustered ; p. pr. & vb. n. mustering.] [oe. mustren, prop., to show, of. mostrer, mustrer, moustrer, monstrer, f. montrer, fr. l. monstrare to show. see:
monster.].
2. to collect and display; to assemble, as troops for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like.
3. hence: to summon together; to enroll in service; to get together. "mustering all its force." all the gay feathers he could muster.
4. Something shown for imitation; a pattern.
5. A show; a display.
6. An assembling or review of troops, as for parade, verification of numbers, inspection, exercise, or introduction into service.
7. The sum total of an army when assembled for review and inspection; the whole number of effective men in an army.
8. Any assemblage or display; a gathering.
9. To collect and display; to assemble, as troops for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like.
10. Hence: To summon together; to enroll in service; to get together.
11. To be gathered together for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like; to come together as parts of a force or body; as, his supporters mustered in force. a gathering of military personnel for duty; "he was thrown in the brig for missing muster" call to duty, military service, jury duty, etc. gather or bring together; "muster the courage to do something"; "she rallied her intellect"; "Summon all your courage".
12. 1. If you muster something such as support, strength, or energy, you gather as much of it as you can in order to do something. He travelled around West Africa trying to muster support for his movement.
13. When soldiers muster or are mustered, they gather together in one place in order to take part in a military action. The men mustered before their clan chiefs The general had mustered his troops north of the Hindu Kush. = gather.
14. If someone or something passes muster, they are good enough for the thing they are needed for. I could not pass muster in his language If it doesn't pass muster, a radio station could have its license challenged.