(verb) : dē-mūto, āvi, ātum, 1, and n.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* To deviate, depart: (fama) demutans de veritate,Tert. Apol. 7.

s. TLL