Numb - Definitions from Dictionary.com

9 results for: Numb

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

numb

Audio Help [nuhm] Pronunciation Key adjective -er, -est, verb

–adjective

1.	deprived of physical sensation or the ability to move: fingers numb with cold.

2.	manifesting or resembling numbness: a numb sensation.

3.	incapable of action or of feeling emotion; enervated; prostrate: numb with grief.

4.	lacking or deficient in emotion or feeling; indifferent: She was numb to their pleas for mercy.

–verb (used with object)

5.	to make numb.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME nome lit., taken, seized, var. of nomen, numen, OE numen, ptp. of niman to take, nim¹

]

—Related forms

numbly, adverb

numbness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Numb

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

numb Audio Help (nŭm) Pronunciation Key
adj. numb·er, numb·est

Deprived of the power to feel or move normally; benumbed: toes numb with cold; too numb with fear to cry out.
Emotionally unresponsive; indifferent: numb to yet another appeal.

tr. & intr.v. numbed, numb·ing, numbs
To make or become numb.

[Middle English nome, variant of nomin, past participle of nimen, to seize, from Old English niman; see nem- in Indo-European roots.]

numb'ly adv., numb'ness n.

Word History: Old English had a number of strong verbs (often loosely called "irregular" verbs) that did not survive into Modern English. One such was the verb niman, "to take," later replaced by take, a borrowing from Old Norse. The verb had a past tense nam and a past participle numen; if the verb had survived, it would likely have become nim, nam, num, like swim, swam, swum. Although we do not have the verb as such anymore, its past participle is alive and well, now spelled numb, literally "taken, seized," as by cold or grief. (The older spelling without the b is still seen in the compound numskull.) The verb also lives on indirectly in the word nimble, which used to mean "quick to take," and then later "light, quick on one's feet."

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
numb

1440, nome, lit. "taken, seized," from pp. of nimen "to take, seize," from O.E. niman "to take" (see nimble). The extraneous -b (to conform to comb, limb, etc.) appeared 17c. The notion is of being "taken" with palsy, shock, and especially cold. The verb is from 1602.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

numb
adjective
1.	lacking sensation; "my foot is asleep"; "numb with cold" [syn: asleep]
2.	(followed by 'to') not showing human feeling or sensitivity; unresponsive; "passersby were dead to our plea for help"; "numb to the cries for mercy" [syn: dead]
3.	so frightened as to be unable to move; stunned or paralyzed with terror; petrified; "too numb with fear to move"
verb
1.	make numb or insensitive; "The shock numbed her senses"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
numb [nam] adjective

not able to feel or move
Example: My arm has gone numb; She was numb with cold.

Arabic:	حَدِر، فاقِد الحِس
Chinese (Simplified):	麻木的
Chinese (Traditional):	麻木的
Czech:	ochromený, zkřehlý
Danish:	følelsesløs
Dutch:	verstijfd
Estonian:	tuim, kange
Finnish:	turta
French:	engourdi
German:	taub
Greek:	μουδιασμένος
Hungarian:	zsibbadt
Icelandic:	dofinn, tilfinningalaus
Indonesian:	kebas
Italian:	intorpidito, intirizzito

Japanese:	しびれた
Korean:	무감각한, 마비된
Latvian:	nejutīgs; notirpis
Lithuanian:	nutirpęs, sustiręs, nustėręs
Norwegian:	følelsesløs, stiv av kulde
Polish:	ścierpnięty, skostniały
Portuguese (Brazil):	entorpecido
Portuguese (Portugal):	dormente
Romanian:	amorţit
Russian:	онемелый; окоченевший
Slovak:	skrehnutý
Slovenian:	odrevenel
Spanish:	entumecido, insensible
Swedish:	domnad, stel
Turkish:	uyşuk, uyuşmuş, hissizleşmiş

numb [nam] verb

to make numb
Example: The cold numbed her fingers.

Arabic:	يُخَدِّر، يُفْقِدُ الحِس
Chinese (Simplified):	使麻木, 失去知觉
Chinese (Traditional):	使麻木, 失去知覺
Czech:	ochromit, znecitlivět
Danish:	gøre følelsesløs
Dutch:	verstijven
Estonian:	tuimestama
Finnish:	kohmettaa
French:	engourdir
German:	taub machen
Greek:	μουδιάζω, παραλύω
Hungarian:	elzsibbaszt
Icelandic:	dofna
Indonesian:	mengebaskan
Italian:	intorpidire, intirizzire

Japanese:	しびれさせる
Korean:	마비시키다, …을 얼리다
Latvian:	padarīt nejutīgu; stindzināt
Lithuanian:	(su)stingdyti, (pa)daryti nejuntamą, nejautrų
Norwegian:	gjøre følelsesløs, få til å stivne
Polish:	sparaliżować
Portuguese (Brazil):	entorpecer
Portuguese (Portugal):	adormecer
Romanian:	a amorţi
Russian:	вызывать онемение, *окоченение
Slovak:	znecitlivieť
Slovenian:	ohromiti
Spanish:	entumecer
Swedish:	få att domna (stelna)
Turkish:	uyuşturmak, hissizleştirmek

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Numb

Be*numb"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Benumbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Benumbing.] [OE. binomen, p. p. of binimen to take away, AS. beniman; pref. be + niman to take. See Numb, a., and cf. Benim.] To make torpid; to deprive of sensation or sensibility; to stupefy; as, a hand or foot benumbed by cold.

The creeping death benumbed her senses first. --Dryden.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Numb

Nim"ble\, a. [Compar. Nimbler; superl. Nimblest.] [OE. nimel, prob. orig., quick at seizing, fr. nimen to take, AS. niman; akin to D. nemen, G. nehmen, OHG. neman, Icel. nema, Goth. nima, and prob. to Gr. ? to distribute. [root] 7. Cf. Nomand, Numb.] Light and quick in motion; moving with ease and celerity; lively; swift.

Through the mid seas the nimble pinnace sails. --Pope.

Note: Nimble is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, nimble-footed, nimble-pinioned, nimble-winged, etc.

Nimble Will (Bot.), a slender, branching, American grass (Muhlenbergia diffusa), of some repute for grazing purposes in the Mississippi valley.

Syn: Agile; quick; active; brisk; lively; prompt.

Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

NUMB

NUMB: in Acronym Finder

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