mute

mute¹ [mju:t] adj

[Date: 1300-1400; : French; Origin: muet, from Latin mutus]

1.) written someone who is mute does not speak, or refuses to speak

= ↑silent

▪ Billy continued to stand there, mute and defiant.

2.) old-fashioned someone who is mute is unable to speak

>mutely adv

mute ²

mute² v [T]

1.) formal to make the sound of something quieter, or make it disappear completely

▪ Excess noise can be reduced by muting alarms and telephones.

2.) to make a musical instrument sound softer

3.) formal to reduce the level of criticism, protest, discussion etc that is happening

▪ The incident so shocked all the students that it muted further protest.

mute ³

mute³ n

1.) a small piece of metal, rubber etc that you place over or into a musical instrument to make it sound softer

2.) old-fashioned someone who cannot speak

→↑deaf mute