Mute (?), v. t. [L. mutare to change. See Molt.]
To cast off; to molt.
Have I muted all my feathers?
Beau. & Fl.
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Mute, v. t. & i. [F. mutir, 'emeutir, OF. esmeltir, fr. OD. smelten, prop., to melt. See Smelt.]
To eject the contents of the bowels; -- said of birds.
B. Jonson.
© Webster 1913.
Mute, n.
The dung of birds.
Hudibras.
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Mute, a. [L. mutus; cf. Gr. to shut, Skr. mta bound, mka 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.
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 Zool., a European wild white swan (Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes.<-- in distinction from the Trumpeter swan -->
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.
Shak.
All sat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts.
Milton.
© Webster 1913.
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.
© Webster 1913.