muting
muting — verb
1. to lower or completely silence a sound, or a device that produces sound
to lower or completely silence a sound, or a device that produces sound
Haruto muted the television so he could hear the baby crying upstairs.
mute + [device] for silencing electronics
Thick curtains muted the traffic noise from the street outside.
Please mute your phone before the film begins at the cinema.
The thick snow muted every sound in the small mountain village.
Élise muted the alarm clock and went straight back to sleep.
文法句型
mute + [noise/device]
用法筆記
Object is usually a noise source (TV, phone, alarm) or the noise itself. Distinguish from sense 2 (people on a video call) and sense 3 (musical instruments).
常見錯誤
2. to stop a person's voice from being heard by others, usually during an online me
to stop a person's voice from being heard by others, usually during an online meeting or video call
The host muted Joaquín because his dog kept barking during the staff meeting.
passive context: be muted by the host
Please mute yourself when you are not speaking on the Zoom call.
reflexive: mute yourself in online meetings
Imani forgot to mute herself and her family heard the whole class.
The teacher had to mute several students who were eating loudly at home.
文法句型
mute + [person]
用法筆記
Common in video-conferencing contexts (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet). Usually used reflexively (mute yourself) or by a host muting another participant.
3. to fit a small device onto a musical instrument so that its sound becomes softer
to fit a small device onto a musical instrument so that its sound becomes softer or has a different tone
Dario muted his trumpet so the neighbours would not complain about his late practice.
The violinists muted their strings for the soft passage in the second movement.
collocation: mute the strings in classical music
Jazz players often mute their horns to create a smoky, distant sound.
Christopher muted his guitar by resting his palm gently on the strings.
- dampen
broader; works for any vibrating object
文法句型
mute + [instrument]
用法筆記
Object is a musical instrument, usually brass (trumpet, trombone), strings (violin, guitar), or piano. The effect can be physical (a mute device) or technique-based (palm-muting on guitar).
4. to hide a person's posts or messages on a social-media app without ending the fr
to hide a person's posts or messages on a social-media app without ending the friendship or connection
Aylin muted her cousin on Instagram because of the endless holiday photos.
mute someone on a named platform
You can mute an account on Twitter without the person ever finding out.
Nellie muted three group chats while she was studying for her final exam.
Sana muted her old classmate rather than start an awkward argument online.
- hide
broader; can apply to any content, not just a specific person
文法句型
mute + [user/account]
用法筆記
Object is typically a social-media account, user, or chat thread. Differs from 'block' or 'unfollow' because the muted person is not notified and remains a contact.
常見錯誤
muting — noun
1. a small device fitted to a brass or string instrument to make its sound softer o
a small device fitted to a brass or string instrument to make its sound softer or to change its tone
Iris bought a brass mute for her trumpet at a small shop near the conservatory.
A rubber mute slid neatly onto the bridge of the cello before the recording.
mute placement: onto the bridge of a string instrument
Old jazz records often feature a trumpet with a felt mute pressed against its bell.
Tunde packed three different mutes in his case for the studio session.
- damper
broader; any sound-reducing device, not only for musical instruments
用法筆記
Common types include brass mutes (cup, straight, harmon) for trumpet and trombone, and small clip-on mutes for violins and cellos.
2. a button or switch on a device such as a phone or remote control that makes the
a button or switch on a device such as a phone or remote control that makes the sound stop completely
Takeshi pressed the mute on the remote when the loud advert started playing.
press the mute on a remote control
The mute on this old microwave is hidden behind a small panel near the clock.
Tamás tapped the mute on his headset just before sneezing into his sleeve.
Hit the mute button if you need a quick moment of quiet during the call.
- silencer
informal; less common for electronic devices
用法筆記
Often appears in the compound 'mute button' on remotes, phones, and headsets. The button itself can also be referred to simply as 'the mute'.
3. (old use, now extremely offensive) a person who cannot speak — a dated medical t
(old use, now extremely offensive) a person who cannot speak — a dated medical term avoided in modern English
Nineteenth-century medical books used the word 'mute' for any patient who could not speak.
Modern writers describe a person as 'unable to speak', never as a mute.
explicit avoidance pattern in modern usage
The novel, written in 1890, refers to the silent boy as a mute throughout the story.
Modern Deaf communities reject the word mute as both inaccurate and deeply insulting.
用法筆記
Do NOT use this word to describe a person in modern English — it is widely considered offensive. Use 'a person who is unable to speak' or, in Deaf-community contexts, follow community-preferred terms.
常見錯誤
muting — adjective
1. not speaking or making a sound, often because of strong feeling or because someo
not speaking or making a sound, often because of strong feeling or because someone has chosen to stay quiet
Lauren stood mute at the funeral, unable to find the right words for her uncle.
stand/sit/remain + mute for emotional silence
The crowd fell mute as the conductor raised his baton above the orchestra.
fall mute: sudden collective silence
Hoa remained mute throughout the interview, refusing to answer a single question.
Luca was mute with shock when he saw the broken vase on the kitchen floor.
- silent
more everyday; less emotionally charged
- speechless
stronger; implies surprise or shock
- wordless
literary; emphasises the absence of words rather than sound
用法筆記
Often paired with verbs like 'stand', 'sit', 'fall', 'remain' or the preposition 'with' to name the cause (mute with shock / rage / grief). More literary than 'silent'.
2. (old use, now extremely offensive) unable to speak — formerly used by doctors an
(old use, now extremely offensive) unable to speak — formerly used by doctors and now avoided
Victorian doctors described patients as deaf and mute in their hospital case notes.
historical medical pairing: deaf and mute
Older novels often describe a quiet servant as mute from birth.
The 1920s textbook lists the boy as mute alongside several other dated labels.
Modern dictionaries warn readers that calling someone mute is offensive today.
用法筆記
Like noun sense 3, this adjective use is now considered offensive. Use 'unable to speak' in modern English, or follow community-preferred terms in Deaf contexts.
常見錯誤
3. felt strongly inside but not said aloud, often used about feelings, looks, or si
felt strongly inside but not said aloud, often used about feelings, looks, or signs
Eli gave his sister a mute look of thanks across the crowded family table.
mute + [look/gesture] for silent emotional expression
There was mute sympathy in the doctor's eyes as she shared the test result.
Dylan nodded with mute admiration when his daughter finished her first piano piece.
The room filled with mute disapproval the moment the minister mentioned the new tax.
用法筆記
Used attributively before nouns like 'look', 'sympathy', 'admiration', 'disapproval', 'appeal', 'witness'. Distinguishes from sense 1 (silent person) by describing the feeling or gesture rather than the person.
4. refusing to answer or to give a plea when asked to do so in a court of law
refusing to answer or to give a plea when asked to do so in a court of law
The accused stood mute when the judge asked him to enter a plea.
stand mute as a fixed legal phrase
If a defendant remains mute, the court usually enters a not-guilty plea on their behalf.
passive legal procedure when defendant stays silent
Nala chose to stand mute on the advice of her defence lawyer that morning.
Standing mute is a legal right in most modern court systems around the world.
文法句型
stand mute
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'stand mute' in legal English. The defendant's silence is treated by the court, not by the person directly.
5. (of a letter in a word) written but not actually said when the word is spoken
(of a letter in a word) written but not actually said when the word is spoken
The 'k' in 'knife' is mute, although many young learners still try to say it.
mute letter in a written word
French has many mute letters at the ends of common everyday words.
Antonia explained that the 'b' in 'lamb' is a mute letter in English.
Mute consonants often confuse children when they first learn to spell.
用法筆記
Used specifically about letters within a written word. 'Silent letter' is the more common everyday term; 'mute' is preferred in some traditional and academic descriptions.