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(mt), 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, 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. 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 (Zol.), 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 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. スポンサード リンク
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