mute
1. mute \'myu:t\ \'myu:t-.iz-*m\ aj [ME muet, fr. MF, fr. OF mu, fr. L
mutus; akin to OHG maB-wen to cry out, Gk myte-s mute 1: unable to speak :
DUMB 2a: characterized by absence of speech 2b: refusing to plead
directly or stand trial {the prisoner stands ~)R} 3a: contributing nothing
to the pronunciation of a word {the b in plumb is ~} 3b: contributing to
the pronunciation of a word but not representing the n ucleus of a syllable
{the e in mate is ~} - mute.ly av
2. mute n 1: a person who cannot or does not speak 2: STOP 3: a device on
a musical instrument serving to reduce, soften, or muffle it s tone
3. mute vt 1: to muffle or reduce the sound of 2: to tone down (a color)
4. mute vi [ME muten, fr. MF meutir] of a bird : VOID