Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COM-MUTE', v.t. [L. commuto; con, and muto, to change. See Mutable and Mutation.]

1. To exchange; to put one thing in the place of another; to give or receive one thing for another; as, to commute our labors; to commute pain for pleasure.
2. In law, to exchange one penalty or punishment for another of less severity; as, to commute death for transportation.