muster

n. [ OE. moustre, OF. mostre, moustre, F. montre, LL. monstra. See Muster, v. t. ] 1. Something shown for imitation; a pattern. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A show; a display. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An assembling or review of troops, as for parade, verification of numbers, inspection, exercise, or introduction into service. [ 1913 Webster ]

The hurried muster of the soldiers of liberty. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

See how in warlike muster they appear,
In rhombs, and wedges, and half-moons, and wings. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The sum total of an army when assembled for review and inspection; the whole number of effective men in an army. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the muster was thirty thousands of men. Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye publish the musters of your own bands, and proclaim them to amount of thousands. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Any assemblage or display; a gathering. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of the temporal grandees of the realm, mentof their wives and daughters, the muster was great and splendid. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Muster book, a book in which military forces are registered. --
Muster file, a muster roll. --
Muster master (Mil.), one who takes an account of troops, and of their equipment; a mustering officer; an inspector. [ Eng. ] --
Muster roll (Mil.), a list or register of all the men in a company, troop, or regiment, present or accounted for on the day of muster. --
To pass muster, to pass through a muster or inspection without censure. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such excuses will not pass muster with God. South. [ 1913 Webster ]