dumb, mute

名詞 mute:

1. a deaf person who is unable to speak
   同義詞：deaf-mute, deaf-and-dumb person
2. a device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument

動(dòng)詞 mute:

1. deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
   同義詞：muffle, dull, damp, dampen, tone down

形容詞 mute:

1. expressed without speech; especially because words would be inappropriate or inadequate- Thomas Wolfe
   同義詞：tongueless, unspoken, wordless
2. lacking power of speech
   同義詞：tongueless
3. unable to speak because of hereditary deafness
   同義詞：dumb, silent

1. He's a deaf mute and cannot tell anyone secret.
   他是個(gè)聾啞人，不會(huì)把他們的秘密告訴任何人。
2. He's mute on the subject of social system.
   他對(duì)社會(huì)制度的問(wèn)題保持沉默。

mute

adj.（形容詞）
mut.er,mut.est
Refraining from producing speech or vocal sound.
緘默的：不說(shuō)話的或不發(fā)出聲音的

Unable to speak.
不能說(shuō)話的
Unable to vocalize, as certain animals.See Synonyms at dumb
不能發(fā)音的，如某些動(dòng)物參見(jiàn) dumb
Expressed without speech; unspoken:
不用言語(yǔ)表達(dá)的；無(wú)聲的：
例句：
a mute appeal.
無(wú)聲的懇求

Law Refusing to plead when under arraignment.
【法律】 故意不答辨：當(dāng)被指控時(shí)拒不答辯的
Linguistics
【語(yǔ)言學(xué)】
Not pronounced; silent, as thee in the word house.
啞音的：?jiǎn)∫舻?；不發(fā)音的，比如e 在單詞 house
Pronounced with a temporary stoppage of breath, as the sounds (p) and (b); plosive; stopped.
停頓的：發(fā)音時(shí)氣流自短暫閉塞的，如輔音(p)和(b)；爆裂的；停頓的
n.（名詞）
Offensive One who is incapable of speech.
【無(wú)禮用語(yǔ)】 啞巴
Law A defendant who refuses to plead when under arraignment.
【法律】 當(dāng)被指控時(shí)拒不答辯的被告
Music Any of various devices used to muffle or soften the tone of an instrument.
【音樂(lè)】 弱音器：任何一種用來(lái)消除或者減弱樂(lè)器的音的儀器
Linguistics
【語(yǔ)言學(xué)】
A silent letter.
啞音
A plosive; a stop.
爆裂音；塞音
v.tr.（及物動(dòng)詞）
mut.ed,mut.ing,mutes
To soften or muffle the sound of.
減弱…的聲音
To soften the tone, color, shade, or hue of.
使…柔和：使聲音、顏色、暗影或色度變得柔和

來(lái)源：
Middle English muet
中古英語(yǔ) muet
from Old French [from diminutive of] mu
源自 古法語(yǔ) [] 源自mu的小后綴
from Latin môtus
源自 拉丁語(yǔ) môtus

【引伸】
mute.ly
adv.（副詞）
mute.ness
n.（名詞）