All 7 Uses

muster
in
Sweet Far Thing
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Every bit of confidence she's mustered disappears, and the illusion of Nan Washbrad flickers.†
Chpt 2 *
Tom flops into a chair and tries to muster what dignity he has left by arranging and rearranging his disheveled tie.†
Chpt 2
But I can't muster any of it.†
Chpt 3
She sees me dancing with Simon, a look of pure horror on her face, for it is her duty to see that every gentleman who might court me passes muster.†
Chpt 4
With as much grace as I can muster, I lower myself like a soufflé falling in upon itself.†
Chpt 4
"Yes, it is," I say, and hold her hand because that is all the magic I can muster.†
Chpt 4
I am reminded that there are limits to my power, and some circumstances must be borne with as much grace as one can muster, even if it means spending several days in abject misery, clutching a pan like a life preserver.†
Chpt 4

Definitions:

(1) (muster as in: muster strength or the crew)
to gather
The exact meaning of this sense of muster is often subject to its context. For example:
- "mustered her courage/strength/a smile" -- to gather from within
- "muster the soldiers/crew" -- to gather -- typically for inspection
- "muster volunteers/votes" -- to gather enough to do something
(2) (muster as in: didn't pass muster)
inspection -- especially of soldiers or a crew
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
More rarely, muster can refer to a counting or census. Much more rarely, muster can refer to a call to duty such as compulsory military service or jury duty. In that sense, you may see the expression muster in or muster out. Still more rarely, a muster can refer to a group of peacocks.