ob-mūtesco, tŭi, 3, v. inch. n., to become dumb, to lose one’s speech (syn.: taceo, sileo).
- I. Lit.: qui ebrius obmutuit, Cels. 2, 6: cum obmutuerint, Plin. 27, 12, 104, § 127: umbrae ejus (hyaenae) contactu canes obmutescere, lose their voice, their bark, id. 8, 30, 44, § 106; 20, 5, 20, § 40.
- B. Transf., in gen., to be speechless, mute, silent: ipse obmutescam, Cic. de Or. 2, 7, 27: de me … nulla umquam obmutescat vetustas, id. Mil. 35, 98: Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens, Verg. A. 4, 279: dixit pressoque obmutuit ore, id. ib. 6, 155: obmutuit illa dolore, Ov. M. 13, 538.
- II. Trop., to become silent, to cease: studium nostrum conticuit subito et obmutuit, Cic. Brut. 94, 324: animi dolor, id. Tusc. 2, 21, 50: Lydium sil nunc obmutuit, is no longer asked for, Plin. 33, 12, 56, § 160: dixit mari, obmutesce, Vulg. Marc. 4, 39.