muss

A corruption of mess, a state of confusion; a squabble; a row. This vulgarism is also common in New York.

"My head aches," said he; "they have put my mind and body both in a confounded muss.'--Mrs. Child, Letters from New York, p. 129.

I saw the British flag a flyin' from the top of the mast, and my first notioin was to haul it down, and up with the stars and stripes; but I concluded I hadn't better say nothin' about it, for it might get the two nations into a muss, and then there would have to he a war.--Hiram Bigelow's Letter in Fam. Companion.

There is also an old English word muss, meaning a scramble; but it has evidently no connection with the above.

TO MUSS

A corruption of to mess. To disarrange; disorder; put in confusion. Ex. 'I hate to ride in an omnibus, because it musses my clothes;' 'I'm all mussed up.' The word is much used in New York.