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obdurate - 5 dictionary results

ob⋅du⋅rate

  [ob-doo-rit, -dyoo-]
Use obdurate in a Sentence
–adjective
1. unmoved by persuasion, pity, or tender feelings; stubborn; unyielding.
2. stubbornly resistant to moral influence; persistently impenitent: an obdurate sinner.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME obdurat < L obdūrātus (ptp. of obdūrāre to harden), equiv. to ob- ob- + dūr(us) hard + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
ob⋅du⋅rate⋅ly, adverb
ob⋅du⋅rate⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. hard, obstinate, callous, unbending, inflexible. 2. unregenerate, reprobate, shameless.

Antonyms:
1. soft, tractable. 2. humble, repentant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To obdurate
ob·du·rate   (ŏb'dŏŏ-rĭt, -dyŏŏ-)   
adj.  
    1. Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent: "obdurate conscience of the old sinner" (Sir Walter Scott).
    2. Hardened against feeling; hardhearted: an obdurate miser.
  2. Not giving in to persuasion; intractable. See Synonyms at inflexible.

[Middle English obdurat, from Late Latin obdūrātus, past participle of obdūrāre, to harden, from Latin, to be hard, endure : ob-, intensive pref.; see ob- + dūrus, hard; see deru- in Indo-European roots.]
ob'du·rate·ly adv., ob'du·rate·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Obdurate

Ob"du*rate\, a. [L. obduratus, p. p. of obdurare to harden; ob (see Ob-)+ durare to harden, durus hard. See Dure.]

1. Hardened in feelings, esp. against moral or mollifying influences; unyielding; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked.

The very custom of evil makes the heart obdurate against whatsoever instructions to the contrary. --Hooker.

Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel, Nay, more than flint, for stone at rain relenteth? --Shak.

2. Hard; harsh; rugged; rough; intractable. "Obdurate consonants." --Swift.

Note: Sometimes accented on the second syllable, especially by the older poets.

There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart. --Cowper.

Syn: Hard; firm; unbending; inflexible; unyielding; stubborn; obstinate; impenitent; callous; unfeeling; insensible; unsusceptible.

Usage: Obdurate, Callous, Hardened. Callous denotes a deadening of the sensibilities; as. a callous conscience. Hardened implies a general and settled disregard for the claims of interest, duty, and sympathy; as, hardened in vice. Obdurate implies an active resistance of the heart and will aganst the pleadings of compassion and humanity. -- Ob"du*rate*ly, adv. -- Ob"du*rate*ness, n.

Obdurate

Ob"du*rate\, v. t. To harden. [Obs.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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obdurate 
c.1440, from L. obduratus "hardened," pp. of obdurare "harden," from ob "against" + durare "harden, render hard," from durus "hard" (see endure).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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