The sounds water and fire, being once annexed to those two elements, it was certainly more natural to call beings participating of the first “watery”, and the last “fiery”, than to commute the terms, and call them by the reverse. J. Harris [ 1913 Webster ]

The utmost that could be obtained was that her sentence should be commuted from burning to beheading. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

He . . . thinks it unlawful to commute, and that he is bound to pay his vow in kind. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To pay, or arrange to pay, in gross instead of part by part; as, to commute for a year's travel over a route. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. to travel regularly from a place of residence to another place, such as where one's daily work is performed. Often, such travel is performed between a suburb and a nearby city; as, to commute to work. [ PJC ]

Deaf-mutes are still so called, even when, by artificial methods, they have been taught to speak imperfectly. [ 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 ]

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

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

2. A keeping silent or mute. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exchange; to barter; to traffic. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Bought, trucked, permuted, or given. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

The caresses of parents and the blandishments of friends transmute us into idols. Buckminster. [ 1913 Webster ]

Transmuting sorrow into golden joy
Free from alloy. H. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]