mugwump

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“
The sheet-iron thunder crashes; and the orchestra is engaged in another mortal combat with that revolutionary mugwump, the small reed-instrument, that persists in reforming the tune of the opera Then the pale, sad man produces a large brass horn, big enough at the business end for a cow to walk into.

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Definitions (15)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
  2. noun A Republican who bolted the party in 1884, refusing to support presidential candidate James G. Blaine.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (10)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • This side of the line we are fairly reeking with patriotism   just now; even that mugwump-alien—your brother—contemplates   celebrating in a fitting manner the anniversary of our country's   independence of British Tyranny Will you please slap Bessie for me—the pert minx! —  Eugene Field, A Study In Heredity And Contradictions, v2
  • It might not be quite delicate for a mugwump to approach the President directly, but I could approach him indirectly, with all delicacy, since in that case not even courtesy would require him to take notice of an application which no one could prove had ever reached him. —  The Project Gutenberg eBook of Chapters From My Autobiography, by Mark Twain.
  • Sep 03, 08 - 12: 15 pm Comment from: mugwump Comment from: Frenkel Exciton —  MacDailyNews
  • For years, CEO of Salesforce. com Marc Benioff appeared in public wearing an "End of Software" button on his lapel -- just to rankle Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, or any other software mugwump making a killing on selling packaged applications. —  ZDNET.com.au
  • Instead of discussing Progressivism's German accents, Hawley takes refuge in Adams's description of himself as an "economic mugwump," a term he sprinkles liberally throughout the book to explain Roosevelt's positions as well. —  Claremont.org
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Massachusett mugguomp, mummugguomp, war leader.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Algonkin mugquomp, a great man, chief, captain, leader: used in Eliot's translation of the Bible (1661) to render the English terms captain, duke, centurion, etc.
  2. from mugwump, n.
 

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/ˈməgwəmp/
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