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# mutter

«mutter» in Mova's school dictionary: **To speak quietly and unclearly, often to yourself, so…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (mutter, mutters, muttered, muttering); noun (a mutter)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To speak quietly and unclearly, often to yourself, so others cannot hear well. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#m1)

2) To complain quietly, often in an angry or grumpy way: muttering about the rain. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#m2)

3) (noun) Quiet, unclear speech: a mutter of complaint. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In stories, «muttered» is a speech verb that shows a character is grumpy, shy or secretive, instead of plain «said». In everyday life adults tell children «don't mutter, speak up». Phrases: mutter to yourself, mutter under your breath, mutter about.

### examples

- «This isn't fair,» he muttered. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x1)
- She muttered something I couldn't hear. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x2)
- Grandpa muttered about the price of bread. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x3)
- Speak up, don't mutter! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x4)
- The wizard muttered a spell under his breath. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x5)
- The crowd began to mutter angrily. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x6)
- I heard a mutter from the back of the class. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x7)
- He muttered to himself as he searched for his keys. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x8)
- “'He is coming!' said the people,” muttered old Iktomi. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/#x9)

### note

Regular verb: muttered, muttering (double t already). Similar: mumble (unclear), grumble (complain), whisper (soft but clear). Good word for writing instead of «said».

### In the corpora

- [The Rabbit mutters "The Duchess!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/7-alice-ch4-part1-the-rabbits-house/5/)
- [Alice mutters "It's really dreadful, the way all the creatures argue.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/11-alice-ch6-part1-pig-and-pepper/16/)
- [He dug up his tunnel: «he scraped and scratched and scrabbled and scrooged», muttering to himself «Up we go!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/25-willows-ch1-part1-the-mole-meets-the-river/14/)
- [Then he mutters: «What a pig I have been!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/42-willows-ch5-part2-mole-end/4/)
- [Inside, Toad is still muttering «But it was fun, though!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/65-willows-ch11-part1-why-steal-them/8/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «mutter» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mutter/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.