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Definitions for: Mute
[n] a device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument
[n] a deaf person who is unable to speak
[adj] unable to speak because of hereditary deafness
[adj] expressed without speech; especially because words would be inappropriate or inadequate; "a mute appeal"; "a silent curse"; "best grief is tongueless"- Emily Dickinson; "the words stopped at her lips unsounded"; "unspoken grief"; "choking exasperation and wordless shame"- Thomas Wolfe
[adj] lacking power of speech
[v] deaden (a sound or noise), esp. by wrapping
Webster (1913) Definition: Mute, v. t. [L. mutare to change. See Molt.]
To cast off; to molt.
Have I muted all my feathers? --Beau. & Fl.
Mute, v. t. & i. [F. mutir, ['e]meutir, 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, 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. --Milton.
Note: 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 (Zo["o]l.), a European wild white swan ({Cygnus
gibbus}), which produces no loud notes.
Syn: Silent; dumb; speechless.
Usage: 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.
--Shak.
All sat mute, Pondering the danger with deep
thoughts. --Milton.
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.
Synonyms: damp, dampen, deaf-and-dumb person, deaf-mute, dull, dumb, inarticulate, muffle, nonspeaking, silent, tone down, tongueless, unarticulate, unspoken, walk-on, wordless
See Also: acoustic device, deaf person, dummy, silent person, soften, sordino, sourdine
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