The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mute \Mute\ (m[=u]t), v. t. [L. mutare to change. See Molt.]
   To cast off; to molt.
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         Have I muted all my feathers?            --Beau. & Fl.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mute \Mute\, v. t. & i. [F. mutir, ['e]meutir, OF. esmeltir, fr.
   OD. smelten, prop., to melt. See Smelt.]
   To eject the contents of the bowels; -- said of birds. --B.
   Jonson.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mute \Mute\, n.
   The dung of birds. --Hudibras.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mute \Mute\, a. [L. mutus; cf. Gr. my`ein to shut, Skr. m[=u]ta
   bound, m[=u]ka dumb: cf. OE. muet, fr. F. muet, a dim. of OF.
   mu, L. mutus.]
   1. Not speaking; uttering no sound; silent.
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            All the heavenly choir stood mute,
            And silence was in heaven.            --Milton.
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   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.
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   2. Incapable of speaking; dumb. --Dryden.
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   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.
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   4. Not giving a ringing sound when struck; -- said of a
      metal.
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   Mute swan (Zool.), a European wild white swan (Cygnus
      olor syn. Cygnus gibbus), which produces no loud notes,
      in distinction from the Trumpeter swan.
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   Syn: Silent; dumb; speechless.

   Usage: 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.
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                They spake not a word;
                But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,
                Gazed each on other.              --Shak.
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                All sat mute,
                Pondering the danger with deep thoughts.
                                                  --Milton.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mute \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.
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   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.
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   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.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

mute
    adj 1: expressed without speech; "a mute appeal"; "a silent
           curse"; "best grief is tongueless"- Emily Dickinson; "the
           words stopped at her lips unsounded"; "unspoken grief";
           "choking exasperation and wordless shame"- Thomas Wolfe
           [syn: mute, tongueless, unspoken, wordless]
    2: unable to speak because of hereditary deafness [syn: dumb,
       mute, silent]
    n 1: a deaf person who is unable to speak [syn: mute, deaf-
         mute, deaf-and-dumb person]
    2: a device used to soften the tone of a musical instrument
    v 1: deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping [syn:
         muffle, mute, dull, damp, dampen, tone down]