Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small rodent: Any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats, having pointed snouts, small ears, and slender, usually hairless tails.
   • A quiet or timid person: A person who is characteristically quiet, shy, or timid.
   • A hand-operated computer device: A hand-operated electronic device that controls the coordinates of a cursor on a computer screen as it is moved on a flat surface.
   • A swollen bruise: A swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye.

2. Verb:

   • To hunt for mice: To search for or catch mice.
   • To move stealthily: To go about stealthily or furtively; to sneak.
   • To manipulate a computer mouse: To use a computer mouse to control a cursor or interact with a graphical user interface.

Examples

• Noun:

  • The cat chased a small mouse into the hole.
  • Don't be such a mouse; speak up for yourself!
  • Please move the mouse to click the icon.
  • He got a black eye, a real mouse, after the accident.

• Verb:

  • The cat likes to mouse in the barn at night.
  • She moused through the dark hallway, trying not to wake anyone.
  • To open the file, mouse over the folder and double-click.

Advanced Usage

• "to mouse over": To move a computer cursor over an area on the screen, often to trigger a pop-up or reveal more information.

  • Mouse over the link to see a preview of the website.

• "to play cat and mouse": To engage in a constant cycle of pursuit, evasion, and deception. (This idiom uses the noun forms of "cat" and "mouse").

  • The detective played a game of cat and mouse with the suspect.

Variants and Related Words

• Mice (n): The standard plural form of the noun "mouse" for rodents, timid people, or bruises.
  • There are mice in the attic.
• Mouses (n): An accepted, though less common, plural form for the computer device.
  • The IT department ordered new optical mouses for the office.
• Mousy/Mousey (adj): Resembling or characteristic of a mouse, especially in being quiet, timid, or having a dull greyish-brown color.
  • She spoke in a mousy voice.

Synonyms

• Noun (rodent): Rodent, vole.
• Noun (person): Wallflower, introvert, shrinking violet.
• Verb (move stealthily): Sneak, creep, slink, prowl.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Mouse around (v): To search or investigate something in a quiet, stealthy, or aimless manner.
  • He moused around the old desk, looking for the missing key.

Related Idioms

• As quiet as a mouse: Extremely quiet or silent.
  • The children were as quiet as mice while hiding.
• Poor as a church mouse: Extremely poor.
  • After losing his job, he was as poor as a church mouse.

Verb

1. manipulate the mouse of a computer
2. to go stealthily or furtively
   • ..stead of sneaking around spying on the neighbor's house

Noun

1. a hand-operated electronic device that controls the coordinates of a cursor on your computer screen as you move it around on a pad; on the bottom of the device is a ball that rolls on the surface of the pad
   • a mouse takes much more room than a trackball
2. person who is quiet or timid
3. a swollen bruise caused by a blow to the eye
4. any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails