mutter
verbEtymology From Middle English muteren, moteren, of imitative origin. Compare Low German mustern, musseln (“to whisper”), German muttern (“to mutter; whisper”), Old Norse muðla (“to murmur”). Compare also Latin muttīre, mutīre.
1
To utter words, especially complaints or angry expressions, indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; to say under one's breath.
- You could hear the students mutter as they were served sodden spaghetti, yet again, in the cafeteria.
- The beggar muttered words of thanks, as passersby dropped coins in his cup.
1 more example
- This set – the set of Rosol's life – was studded with aces and menacing ground-strokes that left Nadal an impotent spectator often muttering to himself and at the umpire regarding a perceived misdemeanour by his opponent.2012 June 28, Jamie Jackson, “Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal”, in the Guardian:
2
To speak softly and incoherently, or with imperfect articulations.
- The asylum inmate muttered some doggerel about chains and pains to himself, over and over.
- Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare, / And mutter to himself.1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe: A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] N[ewcomb] for Henry Herringman, […], published 1676, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
3
To make a sound with a low, rumbling noise.
- April could hear the delivery van's engine muttering in the driveway.
- Thick lightnings flash, the muttering thunder rolls.1715–1720, Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, “Book VIII”, in The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
- Synonyms
- growl, grumble, mumble, babble, murmur, ramble, stutter, putter, rumble, fumfer, mutter, mouth
- Derived terms
- amutter, mutterance, mutteration, mutterer, mutteringly, muttersome, muttery, unmuttered
- Hypernyms
- utter, communicate