Literary notes about mull (AI summary)
The word "mull" demonstrates remarkable versatility in literary usage. It serves as a geographical term, designating islands and coastal features—for instance, the Isle of Mull and related promontories appear in various narratives ([1], [2], [3]). At the same time, "Mull" can function as a personal identifier, appearing as a surname or title in historical and fictional contexts ([4], [5]). Beyond its role in naming, the word adopts a reflective sense when used to mean "to mull over," capturing moments of deliberation or reconsideration in a character’s thought process ([6], [7], [8]). Additionally, in a more colloquial vein, it sometimes denotes mismanagement or a botched situation, thus broadening its range of interpretive nuance ([9]).
- After having rambled through the mountains and glens of Argyle, we visited the adjacent islands of Ila, Jura, Mull, and Icomkill.
— from The Expedition of Humphry Clinker by T. Smollett - Far off can be descried, across the [pg 83] sea, the Mull of Galloway.
— from McClure's Magazine December, 1895 - Derived from the Gaelic mullach , a promontory or island; as Mull of Galloway, Mull of Cantyre, Isle of Mull.
— from The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by W. H. (William Henry) Smyth - The good Lord had surprised Mary Mull at Come-By-Guess Harbor.
— from Harbor Tales Down NorthWith an Appreciation by Wilfred T. Grenfell, M.D. by Norman Duncan - Mull Ethelwold this year succeeded to the Northumbrian kingdom, held it six winters, and then resigned it.
— from The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle - "I was about to chuck it, then I took a second to mull it over.
— from The Samurai Strategy by Thomas Hoover - Bab, however, had little time, little opportunity to mull over thoughts like these.
— from Rich Man, Poor Man by Maximilian Foster - “To think,” she exclaimed, “that I could come out to mull things over and should catch such a fish!
— from Green Eyes by Roy J. (Roy Judson) Snell - Also, when things are mismanaged; "we have made a mull of it." MULLET.
— from The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by W. H. (William Henry) Smyth
