Muster

v. t. [imp. & p. p. MUSTERED; p. pr. & vb. n. MUSTERING.] [O. Eng. moustre, mostre, O. Fr. mostrer, mustrer, monstrer, N. Fr. montrer, Pr., Sp., & Pg. mostrar, It. mostrare, Lat. monstrare, to show; Ger. mustern, D. monsteren, Sw. mönstre, Dan. mønstre, to muster.]

1Sense 1. To collect and display; to assemble, as troops for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like.

2Sense 2. Hence, generally, to gather for use or exhibition; to get together; to have at disposal. “All the gay feathers he could muster.” L’Estrange.

To muster troops into service (Mil.), to inspect and enter them on the muster-roll of the army.—To muster troops out of service, to inspect and enter them on a muster-roll, according to which they receive pay for the last time, and are dismissed.—To muster up, to gather up; to succeed in obtaining; to obtain with some effort or difficulty. “One of those who can muster up sufficient sprightliness to engage in a game of forfeits.” Hazlitt.

v. i. To be gathered together for parade, inspection, exercise, or the like; to come together as parts of a force or body. “The mustering squadron.” Byron.

So many choice qualities should meet in the English as might render them, in some measure, the muster of the perfections of other nations. W. Scott.

Of the temporal grandees of the realm, and of their wives and daughters, the muster was great and splendid. Macaulay.

To pass muster, to pass without censure through a muster or inspection. South.