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happen; to befall; to chance. "There fell out a bloody quarrel betwixt the frogs and the mice." L'Estrange. (c) (Mil.) To leave the ranks, as a soldier. -- To fall over. (a) To revolt; to desert from one side to another.

To soften and make of even thickness by rubbing, as with pumice stone or a blunt instrument. Frizzing machine. (a) (Fabrics) A machine for frizzing the surface of cloth. (b) (Wood Working) A bench with a revolving cutter head slightly protruding above its surface, for dressing boards.

Ground wren (Zoöl.), a small California bird (Chamæa fasciata) allied to the wrens and titmice. It inhibits the arid plains. Called also gronnd tit, and wren lit. -- To bite the ground, To break ground. See under Bite, Break. -- To come to the ground, To fall to the ground, to come to nothing; to fail; to miscarry.…

species of small arctic rodents of the genera Myodes and Cuniculus, resembling the meadow mice in form. They are found in both hemispheres.

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 pa…

A cat that catches mice.

The act of hunting mice.

Infested with mice; smelling of mice.

Divination by the movements of mice.

An extensive group of rodents which includes the rats, mice, jerboas, and many allied forms.

To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations. We are pestered with mice and rats. Dr. H. More. A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world. Dryden.

rsyas. Moore (Encyc. of Music). -- Phrygian stone, a light, spongy stone, resembling a pumice, -- used by the ancients in dyeing, and said to be drying and astringent.

To make smooth with pumice. [R.]

Resembling, or having the structure of, pumice.

e of the several species of small rodents of the genus Mus and allied genera, larger than mice, that infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway, or brown, rat (M. Alexandrinus). These were introduced into Anerica from the Old World.

s Sorex and several allied genera of the family Sorecidæ. In form and color they resemble mice, but they have a longer and more pointed nose. Some of them are the smallest of all mammals.

ike (Lanius excubitor), the great northern shrike (L. borealis), and several others, kill mice, small birds, etc., and often impale them on thorns, and are, on that account called also butcher birds. See under Butcher.

Any one of a tribe (Sigmodontes) of rodents which includes all the indigenous rats and mice of America. So called from the form of the ridges of enamel on the crowns of the worn molars. Also used adjectively.

ora and allied genera. In some respects they are intermediate between the thrushes and titmice.

e form of a miniature tree. -- Tree mouse (Zoöl.), any one of several species of African mice of the subfamily Dendromyinæ. They have long claws and habitually live in trees. -- Tree nymph, a wood nymph. See Dryad. -- Tree of a saddle, a saddle frame. -- Tree of heaven (Bot.), an ornamental tree (Ailantus glandulos…