Nearby Words
Synonyms
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.
EXPANDinconspicuous 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.
COLLAPSE(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).
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Obscure
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
| to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle. |
noun
15.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Old French oscur, obscur < Latin obscūrus dark
1350–1400; Middle English < Old French oscur, obscur < Latin obscūrus dark
Related forms
ob·scure·ness, noun
sub·ob·scure, adjective
sub·ob·scure·ly, adverb
sub·ob·scure·ness, noun
EXPANDun·ob·scure, adjective
un·ob·scure·ly, adverb
un·ob·scure·ness, noun
un·ob·scured, adjective
COLLAPSESynonyms
1. doubtful, dubious. See mysterious. 4. blurred, veiled. 6. undistinguished, unnoted, unknown. 7. secluded, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unnoticed. 8. cloudy, dusky, somber. See dark.
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.
1. certain. 4. clear. 6. noted. 7. conspicuous. 8. bright.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To obscure
Collins
World English Dictionary
| obscure (əbˈskjʊə) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | unclear or abstruse |
| 2. | indistinct, vague, or indefinite |
| 3. | inconspicuous or unimportant |
| 4. | hidden, secret, or remote |
| 5. | (of a vowel) reduced to or transformed into a neutral vowel () |
| 6. | gloomy, dark, clouded, or dim |
| —vb | |
| 7. | to make unclear, vague, or hidden |
| 8. | to cover or cloud over |
| 9. | phonetics to pronounce (a vowel) with articulation that causes it to become a neutral sound represented by () |
| —n | |
| 10. | a rare word for obscurity |
| [C14: via Old French from Latin obscūrus dark] | |
| obscuration | |
| —n | |
| ob'scurely | |
| —adv | |
| ob'scureness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
obscure
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
EXPAND sky). The verb is first recorded early 15c.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
OBSCURE definition
"A Formal Description of the Specification Language OBSCURE", J. Loeckx, TR A85/15, U Saarlandes, Saarbrucken, 1985.
[Jargon File]
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