mumchance

1 of 4

noun

mum·chance

ˈməmˌchan(t)s,

-cha(a)n-,

-chain-,

-chȧn-

: an old dice game in which the caster is not permitted to choose the player with whom he contests the stake compare hazard

[influenced in meaning by mum entry 1] dialectal, England : a silent stupid person

mumchance

2 of 4

intransitive verb

: masquerade

chiefly dialectal : to be silent out of caution or stupidity

mumchance

3 of 4

adjective

chiefly dialectal

: silent

mumchance

4 of 4

adverb

chiefly British

: silently

peering down mumchance at its reflection in the river—

Richard Llewellyn

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Low German mummenschanze throw in a dice game played by masked revelers, from Middle Low German, from mummen dice game played by masked revelers (from mummen to go masked, perhaps from Middle French momer) + (assumed) Middle Low German schanze throw of dice, from Middle French chance throw of dice, chance

and Adverb