commute Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a regular journey of some distance to and from your place of work
- there is standing room only on the high-speed commute
verb exchange positions without a change in value
transpose.
- These operators commute with each other
verb travel back and forth regularly, as between one's place of work and home
verb change the order or arrangement of
transpose; permute.
- Dyslexics often transpose letters in a word
verb exchange a penalty for a less severe one
convert; exchange.
verb exchange or replace with another, usually of the same kind or category
convert; change; exchange.
- Could you convert my dollars into pounds?
- He changed his name
- convert centimeters into inches
- convert holdings into shares

L. commutare, -mutatum; com- + mutare to change. See Mutation.

imperfect & past participle Commuted; present participle & verbal noun Commuting

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.

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.
To pay, or arrange to pay, in gross instead of part by part; as, to commute for a year's travel over a route.