musso, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and a. (depon. collat. form: discumbimus mussati, Varr. ap. Non. 249, 10) [root mu-, shut; Sanscr. mūkas, dumb; Gr. μυάω, μυώψ; cf. μυστήριον; Lat. mutus], to say in a low tone, to mutter, murmur; to be silent respecting a thing (not in Cic. or Caes.; syn.: mutio, murmuro).
I Lit.: mussare murmurare. Ennius: in occulto mussabant. Vulgo vero pro tacere dicitur, ut idem Ennius: non decet mussare bonos, Paul. ex Fest. p. 144 Müll. (cf. Ann. v. 185; 348; 426; Trag. v. 432 Vahl.): soli Aetoli id decretum clam mussantes carpebant, Liv. 33, 31: flent maesti mussantque patres, Verg. A. 11, 454; Anthol. Lat. 1, 170, 108: aequum non est occultum id haberi, neque per metum mussari, to bear or brook in silence , Plaut. Aul. 2, 1, 12: egomet mecum mussito: Bona mea inhiant, id. Mil. 3, 1, 118: quidquid est, mussitabo potius quam inteream, keep it to myself , id. ib. 2, 3, 40: ergo si sapis, mussitabis, id. ib. 2, 5, 67.—Poet., of bees, to murmur, hum , Verg. G. 4, 188.—
II Transf., to be afraid to say or do any thing, to be in fear or uncertainty : mussat rex ipse Latinus, Quos generos vocet, i. e. deliberates in silence , Verg. A. 12, 657: dicere mussant, id. ib. 11, 345: medici, Plin. Ep. 7, 1: juvencae, are silent, expect in silence , Verg. A. 12, 718.