mouse

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender, usually hairless, tails

   I spotted a mouse running through the garden.

2. 2
   noun

   a hand-operated electronic device that controls the coordinates of a cursor on your computer screen as you move it around

   I used my mouse move the cursor on the computer screen.

3. 3
   noun

   person who is quiet or timid

   I'm a mouse at parties – I'd rather be at home.

4. 4
   verb

   to manipulate the mouse of a computer

   I moused over the window in order to close it.

5. 5
   verb

   to go stealthily or furtively

   I moused into the hallway so as not to wake anyone.

6. 6
   noun

   Any of many rodent families (especially Muridae) that have a small body and a long tail.

   Near-synonyms: murine, murid, vole (all parasynonymous with this broad sense)

7. 7
   noun

   An input device that is moved over a pad or other flat surface to produce a corresponding movement of a pointer on a graphical display.

   My mouse needs new batteries.

8. 8
   noun

   A pointer.

   Move the mouse over the icon.

Etymology

From Middle English mous, from Old English mūs, from Proto-West Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Indo-European *múHs. Cognates Germanic cognates include Old Frisian mūs, Old Saxon mūs (German Low German Muus), Dutch muis, Old High German mūs (German Maus), Old Norse mús (Swedish mus, Danish mus, Norwegian mus, Icelandic mús, Faroese mús). Indo-European cognates include Ancient Greek μῦς (mûs), Latin mūs, Spanish mur, Armenian մուկ (muk), Old Church Slavonic мꙑшь (myšĭ) (Russian мышь (myšʹ)), Albanian mi, Persian موش (muš), Northern Kurdish mişk, Sanskrit मूष् (mūṣ). The comp…