\Com*mute"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Commuted}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Commuting}.] [L. commutare, -mutatum; com- + mutare
to change. See {Mutation}.]
To exchange; to put or substitute something else in place of,
as a smaller penalty, obligation, or payment, for a greater,
or a single thing for an aggregate; hence, to lessen; to
diminish; as, to commute a sentence of death to one of
imprisonment for life; to commute tithes; to commute charges
for fares.
      The sounds water and fire, being once annexed to those
      two elements, it was certainly more natural to call
      beings participating of the first ``watery'', and the
      last ``fiery'', than to commute the terms, and call
      them by the reverse.                     --J. Harris
      The utmost that could be obtained was that her sentence
      should be commuted from burning to beheading.
                                               --Macaulay.

\Com*mute"\, v. i.
1. To obtain or bargain for exemption or substitution; to
   effect a commutation.
         He . . . thinks it unlawful to commute, and that he
         is bound to pay his vow in kind.      --Jer. Taylor.
2. To pay, or arrange to pay, in gross instead of part by
   part; as, to commute for a year's travel over a route.