demuto

dē-mūto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. and n.

I.

Act., to change, alter, and sometimes to alter for the worse, to make worse (repeatedly in Plaut. and in post-Aug. prose; otherwise rare; not in the Ciceronian period): voces demutat, Cato ap. Macr. S. 2, 10 med.; cf.:

orationem meam,

Plaut. Mil. 4, 7, 8:

imperium tuum,

id. Men. 5, 2, 118:

sententiam nostram in iis,

Gell. 17, 1, 6:

caro demutata, Tert. Res. carn. 55 al.: placitum instituto flaminum nihil demutari,

Tac. A. 4, 16:

si demutant mores ingenium tuum,

to make worse, Plaut. Trin. 1, 2, 36.—

II.

Neutr., to change one's mind or purpose:

non demutabo,

Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 142; id. ib. 153; cf.: prorsus nihilum de aliqua re, Jul. Val. rer. gest. Alex. 1, 13.—

2.

To change, alter, become different (with atque or ab —

very rare): numquid videtur demutare atque ut quidem dixi esse, etc.,

Plaut. Mil. 4, 3, 37; cf. id. Stich. 5, 4, 43; Ap. Mag. p. 284, 17.—

3.

To deviate, depart:

(fama) demutans de veritate,

Tert. Apol. 7.