muffle

Everyday

1. To muffle a sound is to make it quieter and less clear, for example by covering it. tree →
2. To muffle someone or something up is to wrap them in warm clothes or cloth. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on sound, materials like foam, cloth and egg boxes muffle sound by absorbing vibrations. In stories muffled voices come through a wall or muffled footsteps in snow make a scene mysterious. Phrases: «muffled voices», «muffle the sound», «muffled up against the cold».

Examples

• The thick snow muffled our footsteps. tree →
• We heard muffled voices through the wall. tree →
• She muffled her giggles with a pillow. tree →
• We tested which material muffles sound best. tree →
• The children were muffled up in scarves and hats. tree →
• Car mufflers (US) make engines quieter. tree →

Note

Past form «muffled». Related: «muffler» (a scarf, UK old-fashioned; a car exhaust silencer, US). Muffling does not stop sound completely; it reduces it.