Speechless; dumb; that cannot or will not speak. In English crlminal law, a prisoner is sald to stand, mute when, heing arraigned for treason or felony, he either makes no answer at all, or answers foreign to the purpose or with such matter as is not allowable, and will not auswer otherwise, or, upon having pleaded not guilty, refuses to put himself upon the country. 4 Bl. Comm. 324
Source: Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
