a. [ L. mutus; cf. Gr. my`ein to shut, Skr. mūta bound, mūka dumb: cf. OE. muet, fr. F. muet, a dim. of OF. mu, L. mutus. ] 1. Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the heavenly choir stood mute,
And silence was in heaven. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Incapable of speaking; dumb. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not giving a ringing sound when struck; -- said of a metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mute swan (Zool.), a European wild white swan (Cygnus olor syn. Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes, in distinction from the Trumpeter swan. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ] They spake not a word;
But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,
Gazed each on other. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] All sat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. mutare to change. See Molt. ] To cast off; to molt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have I muted all my feathers? Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The dung of birds. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. same as quiet; as, the muted atmosphere of a church. Opposite of noisy.
Syn. -- hushed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. softened; rendered less loud or harsh; -- of sounds and instruments which produce sounds; as, muted trumpets.
Syn. -- dull, muffled, softened. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. See Moot-hill. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Without uttering words or sounds; in a mute manner; silently. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being mute; speechlessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Turk. & Ar. muteçarif freely disposing of anything, master. ] In Turkey prior to the revolution, an administrative authority of any of certain sanjaks. They were appointed directly by the Sultan. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]