M is for Mauzy

Coming up to the letter "M" in the A-Z Challenge, it was serendipitous last night as we stood outside, with the harbour and the lights and the boats made softer and more mysterious by the mist swirling its long fingers along the shore before slithering onto the decks of the boats clustered at the wharf.

"Isn't it grand," said Dan, breathing it all in, "there's nothing like a mauzy day to set the world to rights!"

"Mauzy," said I, "I can't tell you how much I love that word!"

It seems to me like a perfect combination of the words gauzy and misty and it descibes exactly what is shown in my photo above taken from my house.

In June/July when it gets right mauzy, everyone knows to rush to the shore for the capelin who come in to spawn, followed by schools of whales and the hagdowns (birds). We couldn't believe the sights last year, so many whales chasing the capelin right on to the beach. Yes, mauzy is a very good word indeed.

mauzy a also maus(e)y, mawzy [phonetics unavailable]. Cp EDD mosey adj1 3 'damp and warm, muggy, close; foggy.' Of the weather, damp, foggy, misty or close, sometimes with very light rain or condensation on objects and a cool, gentle wind off the sea; cp CAPLIN (SCULL) WEATHER.
1897 J A Folklore x, 207 Mausey day, one dull and heavy, with no wind and thick mist. 1937 DEVINE 33 A mausey day is a cloudy, foggy day with no wind and a little rain at times. 1957 Daily News 16 Oct, p. 4 Oldtime seal hunters ... expressed the opinion that the long, hard winter, the heavy ice and the 'mauzy' weather of early March were just right for a bumper season. P 105-63 It's a mauzy old day, sir. 1968 KEATING 13-14 'Breeze comin' from duh suddard,' the skipper said. 'Always blows up mauzy weather.' And the fog did indeed roll over the deep as the warm south wind hit the chill air of the bank. 1969 HORWOOD 166 The Caplin Scull is not just a phenomenon of nature, but also a period of the year, and even a special kind of weather—'mausy' weather, with high humidity, frequent fogs or drizzles, easterly winds.

Today's post brought to you by the letter M from The Dictionary of Newfoundland English in partnership with the rest of the alphabet beginning here.