Mouse

Heb. ‘akhbar, “swift digger”), properly the dormouse, the field-mouse (1 Sam. 6:4). In Lev. 11:29, Isa. 66:17 this word is used generically, and includes the jerboa (Mus jaculus), rat, hamster (Cricetus), which, though declared to be unclean animals, were eaten by the Arabs, and are still eaten by the Bedouins. It is said that no fewer than twenty-three species of this group (‘akhbar=Arab. ferah) of animals inhabit Palestine. God “laid waste” the people of Ashdod by the terrible visitation of field-mice, which are like locusts in their destructive effects (1 Sam. 6:4, 11, 18). Herodotus, the Greek historian, accounts for the destruction of the army of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:35) by saying that in the night thousands of mice invaded the camp and gnawed through the bow-strings, quivers, and shields, and thus left the Assyrians helpless. (See SENNACHERIB.)

(the corn-eater). The name of this animal occurs in (Leviticus 11:29; 1 Samuel 6:4,5; Isaiah 66:17) The Hebrew word is in all probability generic, and is not intended to denote any particular species of mouse. The original word denotes a field-ravager, and may therefore comprehend any destructive rodent. Tristram found twenty-three species of mice in Palestine. It is probable that in (1 Samuel 6:5) the expression “the mice that mar the land” includes and more particularly refers to the short-tailed field-mice (Arvicola agrestis, Flem.), which cause great destruction to the corn-lands of Syria.

MOUSE (the corn-eater). Tristram found twenty-three species of mice in Palestine. In Lev 11:29, and Isa 66:17 this word is doubtless used generically, including as unclean even the larger rat, jerboa, dormouse, and sandrat. Mice are often in the East nearly as destructive to the crops as locusts. They made great havoc in the fields of the Philistines after that people had taken the ark of the Lord. 1 Sam 6:4-5. In the twelfth century they destroyed the young sprouts of grain in some parts of Syria for four successive years and came near to producing a general famine, and they abound in those regions at the present day. A modern traveller, in speaking of Hamath, says: "The western part of its territory is the granary of Northern Syria, though the harvest never yields more than ten for one, chiefly in consequence of the immense numbers of mice, which sometimes wholly destroy the crops."

MOUSE (the corn-eater). Tristram found twenty-three species of mice in Palestine. In Lev 11:29, and Isa 66:17 this word is doubtless used generically, including as unclean even the larger rat, jerboa, dormouse, and sandrat. Mice are often in the East nearly as destructive to the crops as locusts. They made great havoc in the fields of the Philistines after that people had taken the ark of the Lord. 1 Sam 6:4-5. In the twelfth century they destroyed the young sprouts of grain in some parts of Syria for four successive years and

came near to producing a general famine, and they abound in those regions at the present day. A modern traveller, in speaking of Hamath, says: "The western part of its territory is the granary of Northern Syria, though the harvest never yields more than ten for one, chiefly in consequence of the immense numbers of mice, which sometimes wholly destroy the crops." MOWING means reaping with a sickle, for the heat dries up' the grass before it is high enough for the scythe. Ps 129:7.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridæ. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed, or deer, mouse (Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest.

2. A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping.

3. Same as 2d Mousing, 2.

4. A familiar term of endearment. Shak.

5. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]

6. A match used in firing guns or blasting. Field mouse, Flying mouse, etc. See under Field, Flying, etc. -- Mouse bird (Zoöl.), a coly. -- Mouse deer (Zoöl.), a chevrotain, as the kanchil. -- Mouse galago (Zoöl.), a very small West American galago (Galago murinus). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel. -- Mouse hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A hawk that devours mice. (b) The hawk owl; -- called also mouse owl. -- Mouse lemur (Zoöl.), any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus, found in Madagascar. -- Mouse piece (Cookery), the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; -- called also mouse buttock.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To watch for and catch mice.

2. To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To tear, as a cat devours a mouse. [Obs.] "[Death] mousing the flesh of men." Shak.

2. To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See Mouse, n., 2.