mute

Everyday

1. To mute a sound, phone, TV or video call is to turn its sound off so nothing can be heard; the mute button does this. tree →
2. Mute means silent, not speaking: she stayed mute. tree →
3. Muted colours or sounds are soft, quiet or not bright. tree →
4. A mute on a musical instrument, like a trumpet or violin, is something that makes its sound quieter or different. tree →
5. (old-fashioned, now offensive) Mute was once used for a person who cannot speak; today we say «non-speaking» or «a person who does not speak». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and online classes «mute» is very common: «You're on mute!», «Please mute your microphone.» In stories a character may be «struck mute» with surprise. In music lessons a trumpet mute changes the sound. Phrases: on mute, mute button, mute yourself, mute the TV, muted colours, a mute swan.

Examples

• Please mute your microphone when the teacher is talking. tree →
• Dad, you're still on mute! tree →
• She muted the TV during the adverts. tree →
• He stood mute with shock. tree →
• The room was painted in muted greens and greys. tree →
• The trumpet player put a mute in his trumpet. tree →
• A mute swan is a white swan with an orange beak. tree →
• You can mute a group chat if it gets too noisy. tree →
• But Night stood still and mute. tree →

Note

Verb forms: mute, mutes, muted, muting. «On mute» = sound off; «unmute» = turn sound back on. In spelling, a «silent letter» is sometimes called a mute letter (the k in «knee»). Be kind: calling a person «mute» can be hurtful; say they do not speak or use sign language. A mute swan is not silent; it can hiss and snort.

In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah the letter Mem is called mute, like water, in contrast to Shin which hisses like fire.

Interpretation. The book says Aleph, air, stands between mute water and hissing fire and makes peace between them.

Examples

• The three fundamental letters א״מ״ש signify, as מ is mute like the water and ש hissing like the fire, there is א among them, a breath of air which reconciles them. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) tree →
• The Three are Water, Air and Fire ; Fire above, Water below, and Air conciliating between them ; and the sign of these things is that the Fire sustains (volatilizes) the waters ; Mem is mute. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →

Note

Verb forms: mute, mutes, muted, muting. «On mute» = sound off; «unmute» = turn sound back on. In spelling, a «silent letter» is sometimes called a mute letter (the k in «knee»). Be kind: calling a person «mute» can be hurtful; say they do not speak or use sign language. A mute swan is not silent; it can hiss and snort.