Mute, a.
Etymology: [L. mutus; cf. Gr. m bound, m dumb: cf. OE. muet, fr. F. muet, a dim. of OF. mu, L. mutus.]
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. Dryden.
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.
2 more senses
4. Not giving a ringing sound when struck; -- said of a metal. Mute swan (Zoöl.), a European wild white swan (Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes.
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. 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.
4 other Webster entries under this spelling
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. B. Jonson.
Mute, n.
The dung of birds. Hudibras.
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.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for mute; he lists it under taciturn.
Where he writes about it:
Dumb, mute, silent and speechless refer to fact or state; taciturn refers to habit and disposition. — from taciturn
The talkative person may be stricken dumb with surprise or terror; the obstinate may remain mute; one may be silent through preoccupation of mind or of set purpose; but the taciturn person is averse to the utterance of thought or feeling and to communication with others, either from natural disposition or for the occasion. — from taciturn