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Mouse
A mouse, plural mice, is a small rodent characteristically having a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are locally common. They are known to invade homes for food and shelter.
Species of mice are mostly found in Rodentia, and are present throughout the order. Typical mice are found in the genus Mus.
Mice are typically distinguished from rats by their size. Generally, when someone discovers a smaller muroid rodent, its common name includes the term mouse, while if it is larger, the name includes the term rat. Common terms rat and mouse are not taxonomically specific. Scientifically, the term mouse is not confined to members of Mus for example, the deer mouse.
Domestic mice sold as pets often differ substantially in size from the common house mouse. This is attributable both to breeding and to different conditions in the wild. The most well known strain, the white lab mouse, has more uniform traits that are appropriate to its use in research.
Cats, wild dogs, foxes, birds of prey, snakes and even certain kinds of arthropods have been known to prey heavily upon mice. Nevertheless, because of its remarkable adaptability to almost any environment, the mouse is one of the most successful mammalian genera living on Earth today.
Mice, in certain contexts, can be considered vermin which are a major source of crop damage, causing structural damage and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces. In North America, breathing dust that has come in contact with mouse excrement has been linked to hantavirus, which may lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
Primarily nocturnal animals, mice compensate for their poor eyesight with a keen sense of hearing, and rely especially on their sense of smell to locate food and avoid predators.Mice build long intricate burrows in the wild. These typically have long entrances and are equipped with escape tunnels or routes. In at least one species, the architectural design of a burrow is a genetic trait.
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Mouse (noun)
Any small rodent of the genus Mus.
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Mouse (noun)
A member of the many small rodent and marsupial species resembling such a rodent.
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Mouse (noun)
A quiet or shy person.
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Mouse (noun)
(plural mice or, rarely, mouses) An input device that is moved over a pad or other flat surface to produce a corresponding movement of a pointer on a graphical display.
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Mouse (noun)
Hematoma.
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Mouse (noun)
A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straightening out.
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Mouse (noun)
A familiar term of endearment.
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Mouse (noun)
A match used in firing guns or blasting.
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Mouse (noun)
A small model of (a fragment of) Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory with desirable properties (depending on the context).
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Mouse (noun)
A small cushion for a woman’s hair.
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Mouse (verb)
To move cautiously or furtively, in the manner of a mouse (the rodent) (frequently used in the phrasal verb to mouse around).
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Mouse (verb)
To hunt or catch mice (the rodents), usually of cats.
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Mouse (verb)
To close the mouth of a hook by a careful binding of marline or wire.
“Captain Higgins moused the hook with a bit of marline to prevent the block beckets from falling out under slack.”
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Mouse (verb)
To navigate by means of a computer mouse.
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Mouse (verb)
To tear, as a cat devours a mouse.
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Mouse (noun)
a small rodent that typically has a pointed snout, relatively large ears and eyes, and a long tail.
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Mouse (noun)
(in general use) any small mammal similar to a mouse, such as a shrew or vole.
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Mouse (noun)
a shy, timid, and quiet person
“Jane may be a bit of a mouse, but she is very nosy”
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Mouse (noun)
a dull light brown colour reminiscent of a mouse’s fur
“her flaxen hair dulled to mouse”
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Mouse (noun)
a small handheld device which is moved across a mat or flat surface to move the cursor on a computer screen
“the right mouse button”
“copy the file with a click of the mouse”
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Mouse (noun)
a lump or bruise on or near the eye
“she touched the mouse under her eye”
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Mouse (verb)
(of a cat or owl) hunt for or catch mice
“female cats are usually much better at mousing than males”
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Mouse (verb)
prowl about as if searching
“he was mousing among the books of the old library”
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Mouse (verb)
use a mouse to move or position a cursor on a computer screen
“simply mouse over any item on the list”