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dulnesses

 - 4 dictionary results

dull

  [duhl] adjective, -er, -est, verb
Use dulnesses in a Sentence
–adjective
1. not sharp; blunt: a dull knife.
2. causing boredom; tedious; uninteresting: a dull sermon.
3. not lively or spirited; listless.
4. not bright, intense, or clear; dim: a dull day; a dull sound.
5. having very little depth of color; lacking in richness or intensity of color.
6. slow in motion or action; not brisk; sluggish: a dull day in the stock market.
7. mentally slow; lacking brightness of mind; somewhat stupid; obtuse.
8. lacking keenness of perception in the senses or feelings; insensible; unfeeling.
9. not intense or acute: a dull pain.
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
10. to make or become dull.
Origin:
1200–50; ME; akin to OE dol foolish, stupid; c. G toll

Related forms:
dullness, dulness, noun
dully, adverb

Synonyms:
1. Dull, blunt refer to the edge or point of an instrument, tool, or the like. Dull implies a lack or a loss of keenness or sharpness: a dull razor or saw. Blunt may mean the same or may refer to an edge or point not intended to be keen or sharp: a blunt or stub pen; a blunt foil. 2. boring, tiresome, dreary, vapid. 3. apathetic, torpid, inactive, inert. 7. unimaginative, unintelligent, stolid. Dull, blunted, slow, stupid are applied to mental qualities. Dull implies obtuseness, lack of imagination: a dull child. Blunted implies loss of original keenness of intelligence through disease, sad experience, or the like: blunted faculties. Slow applies to a sluggish intellect: a slow mind. Stupid implies slowness of mental processes, but also lack of intelligence, wisdom, prudence, etc.: a stupid person. 10. blunt, deaden, benumb; depress, dishearten, discourage.

Antonyms:
1. sharp, keen. 2. interesting. 7. bright.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

dull 
M.E., but rare before 1350, apparently from O.E. dol "dull-witted, foolish," or from M.L.G. dul "slow-witted," both from P.Gmc. *dulaz. Of color from c.1430; of pain or other sensations from 1725. Sense of "boring" first recorded 1590. Dullard first appears 1225 as a surname. Dullsville, slang for "town where nothing happens." attested from 1960.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: dull
Pronunciation: 'd&l
Function: adjective
1 : mentally slow or stupid
2 : slow in perception or sensibility
3 : lacking sharpness of edge or point dull scalpel>
4 : lacking in force, intensity, or acuteness dull pain> —dull verb —dull·ness or dul·ness /'d&l-n&s/ noun —dul·ly /'d&l-E/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

dull (dŭl)
adj. dull·er, dull·est

  1. Lacking responsiveness or alertness; insensitive.

  2. Not intensely or keenly felt, as in pain.

dull'ness n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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