mutes
mutes — verb
- mutespresent simple I / you / we / they
- muteses3rd person singular
- mutesing-ing form
- mutesedpast simple
1. the third-person singular present form used when a person, object, or material m
the third-person singular present form used when a person, object, or material makes a sound much quieter or stops it from being heard
Yuki mutes the television whenever her baby starts crying upstairs.
mutes + device to stop household noise
Heavy snow mutes the traffic outside the hospital before dawn.
The thick curtain mutes street music from the festival below.
Nila mutes her phone before the play begins at school.
文法句型
mutes + [noise/device]
mutes + [place/surface] + sound
用法筆記
The object is usually a device, a noise, or something that carries the noise. Distinguish it from sense 2, where a person's microphone is the thing being silenced during a call.
常見錯誤
2. the third-person singular present form used when someone stops another person's
the third-person singular present form used when someone stops another person's microphone from being heard on an online call or meeting
Adisa mutes one student when loud dishes crash in the kitchen.
mutes + person during an online class
The host mutes Christopher after the dog starts barking again.
During staff meetings, the app mutes late arrivals for a minute.
Our teacher mutes Gabriel while the class settles after break.
- unmutes
lets the person's audio be heard again
文法句型
mutes + [person]
mutes + [participant] on a call
用法筆記
This sense belongs to video calls, livestreams, and online classes. The object is a person or participant, even though what actually goes silent is that person's microphone.
常見錯誤
3. the third-person singular present form used when a player puts a mute on an inst
the third-person singular present form used when a player puts a mute on an instrument so the sound becomes softer or changes color
Otis mutes his trumpet before the quiet solo begins.
mutes + trumpet for a softer tone
In the second movement, the score mutes the violins together.
The guitarist mutes each string with her palm near the bridge.
Before rehearsal, Constanza mutes her cello for the opening passage.
文法句型
mutes + [instrument]
用法筆記
Common with brass and string instruments. In guitar contexts, it can describe technique-based muting with the hand, while in orchestral contexts it often means attaching a separate device.
常見錯誤
4. the third-person singular present form used when someone hides another person's
the third-person singular present form used when someone hides another person's posts, messages, or chat alerts on a social platform without removing the connection
Mayumi mutes her cousin on Instagram during exam week.
mutes + person on a named platform
Felipe mutes the family chat after midnight every school night.
mutes + chat to stop alerts
Aylin mutes one account but still follows its travel photos.
When campaign season starts, my uncle mutes political groups online.
文法句型
mutes + [account/person/chat]
mutes + [chat] on a platform
用法筆記
The person, account, or chat usually stays in your contacts or follows list. Distinguish it from 'blocks', which cuts contact more strongly, and from 'unfollows', which ends the update stream entirely.
常見錯誤
mutes — noun
- mutessingular
- mutesesplural
1. small devices attached to musical instruments to make the sound softer or to giv
small devices attached to musical instruments to make the sound softer or to give it a different tone
The trumpet case held three mutes for jazz and orchestra work.
mutes for different playing styles
Before the recording, the string players clipped on their practice mutes.
Music shops sell rubber mutes for beginners who practise at home.
The conductor asked for cup mutes in the last section.
- dampers
broader term for things that reduce vibration, not just musical devices
文法句型
mutes for + instrument
different mutes
put on mutes
用法筆記
Most often used for trumpet, trombone, violin, cello, and similar instruments. Different shapes create different colors of sound, not just lower volume.
常見錯誤
2. buttons or controls on electronic devices that stop the sound completely
buttons or controls on electronic devices that stop the sound completely
The classroom tablets have side mutes beside the volume keys.
mutes on a device beside other controls
Grandpa could not find the mutes on either remote control.
Our office headsets use touch mutes instead of hard buttons.
During the fire drill, staff checked the mutes on every monitor.
- mute buttons
the fuller everyday name for these controls
文法句型
press the mutes
mutes on + device
find the mutes
用法筆記
This use often appears in manuals or when talking about several devices at once. For one control, people more often say 'the mute button' or simply 'the mute'.
常見錯誤
3. (old use, now extremely offensive) a hurtful plural label once used for people w
(old use, now extremely offensive) a hurtful plural label once used for people who could not speak
Older reports sometimes called Deaf children mutes, which modern editors reject.
historical mention with explicit rejection
The museum caption explains why the word mutes now sounds deeply insulting.
Current disability guides tell writers never to call people mutes.
That history book keeps the old term mutes only in quoted material.
文法句型
call people mutes
the word mutes
用法筆記
Do not use this word for people in modern English. Use a full phrase such as 'people who cannot speak' or follow the community's preferred wording instead.