Dictionary

mammet en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmamɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

From Middle English mawmet, from Anglo-Norman maumet, shortened form of mauhoumet, mahumet; deriving from Andalusian Arabic مَحُمَّدْ (“Maḥummad”), ultimately derived from Arabic مُحَمَّد (muḥammad). Doublet of Muhammad and Mahound.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) A false god; an idol.
   • Moloc that mawmett. there darre no man wᵗ ſay The Reſte of ſuche Reconyng may make a fowle fraye c. 1521, John Skelton, Speke Parott:
2. A doll or puppet; a lifeless figure, an effigy, a scarecrow.
   • And then to haue a wretched puling foole, / A whining mammet, in her Fortunes tender, / To answer, Ile not wed, I cannot Loue: / I am too young, I pray you pardon me. c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
   • this is no world / To play with mammets and to tilt with lips c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act HENRY 4-1, scene ii], page 3:
   • He didn't want to go, and I didn't want him to go; and we stood there like two mommets and there was nothing we could say. 1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 49:
3. A contemptible person; a weakling, a fool.
   • Blind, deaf, insensate driveler!—Torpid, blockish, brainless mammet! 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, vol. V, letter 88:
   • "Had it anything to do with father's making such a mommet of himself in the carriage this afternoon? 1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 32:

Forms

Relateds

mammetry · Baphomet