mummerNOUN
1. An actor in a traditional masked mime or a mummers' play.
‘Carol singing, Morris-men, mummers, community plays are just a few of the traditions under threat from what is seen as an arbitrary piece of legislation.’
‘The mummers wore oversized, wire-constructed costumes and carried little umbrellas as they mummed along.’
‘While the traditional roles are not always filled by the same mummers, they have their favourites.’
‘Since the Living History Society rekindled the mummers tradition some five years ago the youngsters involved have gone from strength to strength as well as raise funds for various charities.’
‘Bulgaria welcomed 2003 with a blend of the modern and the traditional, with revellers jamming open-air concerts and mummers parading to ward off evil spirits.’
‘And in come the mummers, faces muffled and painted, outlandishly costumed in multicolored skirts, frock coats, long-johns, turned jackets, stuffed pants.’
‘You can hardly move for minstrels, mummers and madcaps: the rolling programme of ye olde entertainment includes music from the Singing Plague Victims and have-a-go heraldry for youngsters.’
mum
VERB mums, mumming, mummed
[NO OBJECT]
Act in a traditional masked mime or a mummers' play.
‘after they had masked and mummed, away they went’
‘The Camloch Mummers have been invited to the festival this year, and responses to a questionnaire on the mumming or rhymers tradition are asked for.’
‘The English writers thought they found sacrifice in sword dancing and mumming, which sometimes included mock killings; surely this reflected ancient sacrifices, faded to rude play acting?’
‘He was the first to draw scholarly attention to the custom of Christmas mumming in Newfoundland and its accompanying traditional drama, as evidenced in the standard work on the subject, Christmas Mumming in Newfoundland.’
‘An essential part of the mumming tradition was audience participation, with the crowd hissing the dragon and cheering St George to victory, and that's probably where we get our robust pantomime backchat these days.’
