muffier

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Anything used to muffle or wrap up. Specifically— A sort of kerchief or scarf worn by women in the sixteenth century and later to cover the lower part of the face, the neck and ears, etc., either for protection against the sun or wind, or for partial concealment when in public. See half-mask.
2. n. A glove, generally without fingers but with a thumb; a mitten.
3. n. A wrapper or scarf for the throat, usually of wool or silk; a large silk handkerchief so used. Also muffle.
4. n. In mech., any device for deadening sound: usually a chamber or box for inclosing cog-wheels or other noisy parts of machinery, or steam - or air - valves in which the sound of escaping steam and air is desired to be muffied, as in the automatic air-valves of steam-radiators, etc. In the pianoforte the muffier is a device for deadening the tones, usually consisting of a strip of soft felt, which can be inserted between the hammers and the strings by pulling a stop or lever.