pass muster

verb (used with object)

1. to assemble (troops, a ship’s crew, etc.), as for battle, display, inspection, orders, or discharge.
2. to gather, summon, rouse (often followed by up): He mustered all his courage.

verb (used without object)

3. to assemble for inspection, service, etc., as troops or forces.
4. to come together; collect; assemble; gather.

noun

5. an assembling of troops or persons for formal inspection or other purposes.
6. an assemblage or collection.
7. the act of mustering.
8. Also called muster roll. (formerly) a list of the persons enrolled in a military or naval unit.

Verb Phrases

9. muster in, to enlist into service in the armed forces.
10. muster out, to discharge from service in the armed forces: He will be mustered out of the army in only two more months.

Idioms

11. pass muster,
    1. to pass a cursory inspection.
    2. to measure up to a certain standard; be adequate: Your grades don’t pass muster.

verb

1. to call together (numbers of men) for duty, inspection, etc, or (of men) to assemble in this way
2. US
   1. muster into enlist into military service
   2. muster outto discharge from military service
3. (tr) Australian and NZ to round up (livestock)
4. (tr sometimes foll by up) to summon or gatherto muster one’s arguments; to muster up courage

noun

5. an assembly of military personnel for duty, inspection, etc
6. a collection, assembly, or gathering
7. Australian and NZ the rounding up of livestock
8. a flock of peacocks
9. pass muster to be acceptable

v.c.1300, “to display, reveal, appear,” from Old French mostrer “appear, show, reveal,” also in a military sense (10c., Modern French montrer), from Latin monstrare “to show,” from monstrum “omen, sign” (see monster). Meaning “to collect, assemble” is early 15c.; figurative use (of qualities, etc.) is from 1580s. To muster out “gather to be discharged from military service” is 1834, American English. To muster up in the figurative and transferred sense of “gather, summon, marshal” is from 1620s. Related: Mustered; mustering. n.late 14c., “action of showing, manifestation,” from Old French mostre “illustration, proof; examination, inspection” (13c., Modern French montre), literally “that which is shown,” from mostrer (see muster (v.)). Meaning “act of gathering troops” is from c.1400. To pass musters (1570s) originally meant “to undergo military review without censure.” Meet a required standard, as in That yard cleanup won’t pass muster with Mom. This expression originally meant “to undergo a military review without censure,” muster referring to an assembling of troops for inspection or a similar purpose. [Late 1500s] In addition to the idiom beginning with muster

muster in

also see:

pass muster