mud

UK: /ˈmʌd/ US: /mʌd/ ,(mud)

Inflections of 'mud' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

muds

v 3rd person singular

mudding

v pres p

mudded

v past

mudded

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mud /mʌd/   n. [uncountable]

1. Geology wet, soft dirt:
   He slipped in the mud.
2. Informal Terms scandalous or false and harmful claims or information:
   His campaign team began slinging mud at his opponent.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mud  (mud), n., v., mud•ded, mud•ding. 
n. 

1. Geology wet, soft earth or earthy matter, as on the ground after rain, at the bottom of a pond, or along the banks of a river;
   mire.
2. Informal Terms scandalous or malicious assertions or information:
   The opposition threw a lot of mud at our candidate.
3. Slang Terms brewed coffee, esp. when strong or bitter.
4. Mining a mixture of chemicals and other substances pumped into a drilling rig chiefly as a lubricant for the bit and shaft.

v.t. 

5. to cover, smear, or spatter with mud:
   to mud the walls of a hut.
6. to stir up the mud or sediment in:
   waders mudding the clear water.

v.i. 

7. to hide in or burrow into mud.

• Middle Low German mudde. Cf. mother²
• Middle English mudde, mode 1300–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mud / mʌd/ noun

1. a fine-grained soft wet deposit that occurs on the ground after rain, at the bottom of ponds, lakes, etc
2. slander or defamation
3. clear as mud ⇒ not at all clear
4. here's mud in your eye ⇒ a humorous drinking toast
5. someone's name is mud ⇒ someone is disgraced
6. throw mud at, sling mud at ⇒ to slander; vilify

verb (muds, mudding, mudded)

1. (transitive) to soil or cover with mud

Etymology: 14th Century: probably from Middle Low German mudde; compare Middle High German mot swamp, mud, Swedish modd slush