Mute

Mute, a. [L. mutus; cf. Gr. ? to shut, Skr. m?ta bound, m?ka dumb: cf. OE. muet, fr. F. muet, a dim. of OF. mu, L. mutus.] 1. Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent.

All the heavenly choir stood mute,
And silence was in heaven.

☞ In law a prisoner is said to stand mute, when, upon being arranged, he makes no answer, or does not plead directly, or will not put himself on trial.

2. Incapable of speaking; dumb. Dryden.

3. Not uttered; unpronounced; silent; also, produced by complete closure of the mouth organs which interrupt the passage of breath; -- said of certain letters. See 5th Mute, 2.

4. Not giving a ringing sound when struck; -- said of a metal.

Mute swan (Zoöl.), a European wild white swan (Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes.

Syn. -- Silent; dumb; speechless. -- Mute, Silent, Dumb. One is silent who does not speak; one is dumb who can not, for want of the proper organs; as, a dumb beast, etc.; and hence, figuratively, we speak of a person as struck dumb with astonishment, etc. One is mute who is held back from speaking by some special cause; as, he was mute through fear; mute astonishment, etc. Such is the case with most of those who never speak from childhood; they are not ordinarily dumb, but mute because they are deaf, and therefore never learn to talk; and hence their more appropriate name is deaf-mutes.

They spake not a word;
But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,
Gazed each on other.

All sat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts.

Mute, v. t. & i. [F. mutir, émeutir, OF. esmeltir, fr. OD. smelten, prop., to melt. See Smelt.] To eject the contents of the bowels; -- said of birds. B. Jonson.

Mute, n. The dung of birds. Hudibras.

Mute, n. 1. One who does not speak, whether from physical inability, unwillingness, or other cause. Specifically: (a) One who, from deafness, either congenital or from early life, is unable to use articulate language; a deaf-mute. (b) A person employed by undertakers at a funeral. (c) A person whose part in a play does not require him to speak. (d) Among the Turks, an officer or attendant who is selected for his place because he can not speak.

2. (Phon.) A letter which represents no sound; a silent letter; also, a close articulation; an element of speech formed by a position of the mouth organs which stops the passage of the breath; as, p, b, d, k, t.

3. (Mus.) A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument, in order to deaden or soften the tone.

Mute (mūt), v. t. [L. mutare to change. See Molt.] To cast off; to molt.

Have I muted all my feathers?