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.