chickˈweed noun

1. Any plant of the genus Stellaria, esp S. media, one of the commonest of weeds, much relished by fowls and cage-birds
2. A similar related plant, mouse-ear chickweed, of the genus Cerastium

chickweed wintergreen see wintergreen under winter

chicken-and-egg situation

One in which it is impossible to tell which is the cause and which the effect

chicken out (informal; often with of)

To desert, quit, through losing one's nerve or cowardice

count one's chickens before they are hatched

To plan or act on the basis of expectations or future results without conclusive evidence that they will be fulfilled

like a headless chicken

In a frantic, panic-stricken manner

no (spring) chicken (derogatory or facetious)

No longer young

the chickens have come home to roost see under roost¹

mouse /mows/

noun (pl mice /mīs/)

1. Any of several small rodents of the genus Mus, often found in houses and fields
2. Extended to various voles and other animals more or less like the mouse, such as the flitter-mouse or shrew-mouse
3. A device, usu linked to a computer, which is moved by hand over a flat surface thereby causing the cursor to move correspondingly on screen (computing)
4. A small lead weight used in inserting a sash cord into a window frame
5. A term of endearment (obsolete)
6. A muscle (obsolete)
7. Part of a hindleg of beef, next to the round (also mouseˈ-buttock or mouseˈpiece; dialect)
8. A match for firing a cannon or mine (obsolete)
9. A knot or knob to prevent slipping (also mousˈing; nautical)
10. A black eye, or discoloured swelling (slang)
11. A timid, shy, colourless person

intransitive verb /mowz/

1. To hunt for mice or as if for mice
2. To prowl

transitive verb

1. To treat or to tear as a cat does a mouse
2. To paw or handle amorously (archaic)
3. To secure with a mouse (nautical)

mouseˈkin (archaic) or mousˈie noun

A young or little mouse

mouser /mowˈzer or mowˈsər/ noun

1. A cat good at catching mice
2. A prying person (archaic)

mousery /mowsˈər-i/ noun

A place where mice habitually gather

mousey or mousy /mowsˈi/ adjective (mousˈier; mousˈiest)

1. Like a mouse in colour or smell
2. Full of or infested with mice
3. Noiseless, stealthy
4. (of hair) of a dull light-brown or greyish-brown colour
5. (of a person) shy or unassertive

mousˈily adverb

mousˈiness noun

mousing /mowˈzing or mowˈsing/ noun and adjective

mousle /mowzˈl/ transitive verb

To pull about roughly or disrespectfully

mouseˈbird noun

Any of several small African birds (genera Colius and Urocolius) with a long tail and crested head

mouseˈ-colour noun

The grey colour of a mouse

mouseˈ-colour or mouseˈ-coloured adjective

mouseˈ-deer noun

A chevrotain

mouseˈ-dun adjective

Mouse-coloured

mouseˈ-ear noun

A name of several plants with soft leaves shaped like a mouse's ear, esp forget-me-not

mouse-ear chickweed noun

Any plant of the genus Cerastium, related to chickweed

mouse-eared bat noun

A kind of bat, Myotis myotis, found chiefly in continental Europe and W Asia

mouse hare noun

A pika

mouse hole noun

1. A hole made or used by mice
2. A small hole or opening

mouseˈ-hunt noun (Shakespeare)

A mouser

mouseˈmat or mouseˈpad noun

A small flat piece of fabric backed with foam rubber, used as a surface on which to move a computer mouse

mouseˈ-milking noun (US sl)

The pursuit of any project requiring considerable time and money put into it, but yielding little profit

mouseover see rollover under roll

mouse potato noun (slang)

A person who spends a great deal of time using a computer, esp for leisure (on the analogy of couch potato under couch¹)

mouseˈ-sight noun

Myopia

mouseˈtail noun

A small ranunculaceous plant (genus Myosurus) with a spike of seed vessels very like the tail of a mouse

mouseˈtrap noun

1. A trap for mice
2. Any cheese of indifferent quality
3. Cheddar cheese

transitive verb (N American informal)

To trick or ensnare by means of a stratagem