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obscure

11 dictionary results for: Obscure

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

ob·scure

[uh

b-skyoor] Pronunciation Key adjective, -scur·er, -scur·est, verb, -scured, -scur·ing, noun

–adjective

1.	(of meaning) not clear or plain; ambiguous, vague, or uncertain: an obscure sentence in the contract.

2.	not clear to the understanding; hard to perceive: obscure motivations.

3.	(of language, style, a speaker, etc.) not expressing the meaning clearly or plainly.

4.	indistinct to the sight or any other sense; not readily seen, heard, etc.; faint.

5.	inconspicuous or unnoticeable: the obscure beginnings of a great movement.

6.	of little or no prominence, note, fame, or distinction: an obscure French artist.

7.	far from public notice, worldly affairs, or important activities; remote; retired: an obscure little town.

8.	lacking in light or illumination; dark; dim; murky: an obscure back room.

9.	enveloped in, concealed by, or frequenting darkness.

10.	not bright or lustrous; dull or darkish, as color or appearance.

11.	(of a vowel) having the reduced or neutral sound usually represented by the schwa (ə).

–verb (used with object)

12.	to conceal or conceal by confusing (the meaning of a statement, poem, etc.).

13.	to make dark, dim, indistinct, etc.

14.	to reduce or neutralize (a vowel) to the sound usually represented by a schwa (ə).

–noun

15.	obscurity.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < OF oscur, obscur < L obscūrus dark

]

—Related forms

ob·scur·ed·ly

[uh

b-skyoor-id-lee] Pronunciation Key, ob·scure·ly, adverb

ob·scure·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. doubtful, dubious. See mysterious. 4. blurred, veiled. 6. undistinguished, unnoted, unknown. 7. secluded, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unnoticed. 8. cloudy, dusky, somber. See dark.

—Antonyms 1. certain. 4. clear. 6. noted. 7. conspicuous. 8. bright.

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

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ob·scure (ŏb-skyŏŏr', əb-) Pronunciation Key
adj. ob·scur·er, ob·scur·est

Deficient in light; dark.
1. So faintly perceptible as to lack clear delineation; indistinct. See Synonyms at dark.
2. Indistinctly heard; faint.
3. Linguistics Having the reduced, neutral sound represented by schwa (ə).
4. Far from centers of human population: an obscure village.
5. Out of sight; hidden: an obscure retreat.
1. Far from centers of human population: an obscure village.
2. Out of sight; hidden: an obscure retreat.
Not readily noticed or seen; inconspicuous: an obscure flaw.
Of undistinguished or humble station or reputation: an obscure poet; an obscure family.
Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague: "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit" (Anatole Broyard). See Synonyms at ambiguous.

tr.v. ob·scured, ob·scur·ing, ob·scures

To make dim or indistinct: Smog obscured our view. See Synonyms at block.
To conceal in obscurity; hide: "Unlike the origins of most nations, America's origins are not obscured in the mists of time" (National Review).
Linguistics To reduce (a vowel) to the neutral sound represented by schwa (ə).

n. Something obscure or unknown.

[Middle English, from Old French obscur, from Latin obscūrus; see (s)keu- in Indo-European roots.]

ob·scure'ly adv., ob·scure'ness n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
obscure (adj.)

c.1400, from O.Fr. obscur "dark, dim, not clear," from L. obscurus "covered over, dark, obscure, indistinct," from ob "over" + -scurus "covered," from PIE *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal;" source of O.N. sky, O.E. sceo "cloud," and L. scutum "shield" and Gk. skeue "dress" (see sky). The verb is first recorded 1432. Obscurity is attested from 1481 in sense of "absence of light;" 1619 with meaning "condition of being unknown." Obscurantism (1834) is from Ger. obscurantismus (18c.).

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

obscure
adjective
1.	not clearly understood or expressed; "an obscure turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P.A.Sorokin; "vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke
2.	marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure" [syn: dark]
3.	difficult to find; "hidden valleys"; "a hidden cave"; "an obscure retreat" [syn: hidden]
4.	not famous or acclaimed; "an obscure family"; "unsung heroes of the war"
5.	not drawing attention; "an unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet"; "an obscure flaw"
6.	remote and separate physically or socially; "existed over the centuries as a world apart"; "preserved because they inhabited a place apart"- W.H.Hudson; "tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization"; "an obscure village" [syn: apart]
verb
1.	make less visible or unclear; "The stars are obscured by the clouds"; "the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley"
2.	make unclear, indistinct, or blurred; "Her remarks confused the debate"; "Their words obnubilate their intentions" [syn: confuse]
3.	make obscure or unclear; "The distinction was obscured"
4.	reduce a vowel to a neutral one, such as a schwa
5.	make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing; "a hidden message"; "a veiled threat"

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Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

OBSCURE
"A Formal Description of the Specification Language OBSCURE", J. Loeckx, TR A85/15, U Saarlandes, Saarbrucken, 1985.
[The Jargon File]

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Jargon File - Cite This Source - Share This

obscure

adj. Used in an exaggeration of its normal meaning, to imply total incomprehensibility. "The reason for that last crash is obscure." "The `find(1)' command's syntax is obscure!" The phrase `moderately obscure' implies that something could be figured out but probably isn't worth the trouble. The construction `obscure in the extreme' is the preferred emphatic form.

Jargon File 4.2.0

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Jargon File - Cite This Source - Share This

runic

adj. Syn. {obscure}. VMS fans sometimes refer to Unix as `Runix'; Unix fans return the compliment by expanding VMS to `Very Messy Syntax' or `Vachement Mauvais Syste`me' (French idiom, "Hugely Bad System").

Jargon File 4.2.0

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

Obscure

Ob*scure"\, a. [Compar. Obscurer; superl. Obscurest.] [L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. Cf.Sky.]

1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim.

His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. --Prov. xx. 20.

2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed.

The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night. --Shak.

The obscure corners of the earth. --Sir J. Davies.

3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." --Shak. "An obscure person." --Atterbury.

4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription.

5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects.

Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion.

Syn: Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct.

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

Obscure

Ob*scure"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obscured; p. pr. & vb. n. Obscuring.] [L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF. obscurer. See Obscure, a.] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights. --Shak.

Why, 't is an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscured. --Shak.

There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this. --Wake.

And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame? --Dryden.

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

Obscure

Ob*scure"\, v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [Obs.]

How! There's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it. --Beau. & Fl.

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

Obscure