DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
mute /ˈmjut/
啞子,默音字母,弱音器(a.)啞的,無聲的,沈默的(vt.)減弱…的聲音(vi.)排泄
mute /ˈmjut/ 形容詞
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.
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Mute v. t. To cast off; to molt.
Have I muted all my feathers? --Beau. & Fl.
Mute, v. t. & i. To eject the contents of the bowels; -- said of birds.
Mute, a.
1. Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent.
All the heavenly choir stood mute,
And silence was in heaven. --Milton.
Note: ☞ 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.
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 Zool., a European wild white swan (Cygnus olor syn. Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes, in distinction from the Trumpeter swan.
Syn: -- Silent; dumb; speechless.
Usage: 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.
They spake not a word;
But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,
Gazed each on other. --Shak.
All sat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts. --Milton.
mute
adj 1: expressed without speech; especially because words would be
inappropriate or inadequate; "a mute appeal"; "a
silent curse"; "best grief is tongueless"- Emily
Dickinson; "the words stopped at her lips unsounded";
"unspoken grief"; "choking exasperation and wordless
shame"- Thomas Wolfe [syn: tongueless, unspoken, wordless]
2: lacking power of speech [syn: tongueless]
3: unable to speak because of hereditary deafness [syn: dumb,
silent]
n 1: a deaf person who is unable to speak [syn: deaf-mute, deaf-and-dumb
person]
2: a device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument
v : deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping [syn: muffle,
dull, damp, dampen, tone down]