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muffle

1. Anything with which another thing, as an oar or drum, is muffled; also, a boxing glove; a muff.

2. (Science: chemistry) An earthenware compartment or oven, often shaped like a half cylinder, used in furnaces to protect objects heated from the direct action of the fire, as in scorification of ores, cupellation of ore buttons, etc.

3. A small oven for baking and fixing the colours of painted or printed pottery, without exposing the pottery to the flames of the furnace or kiln.

4. A pulley block containing several sheaves.

Origin: F. Moufle, prop, a mitten, from the resemblance in shape. See Muffle, Muff.