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dumb
dumb / dəm/ • adj. 1. chiefly offens. (of a person) unable to speak, most typically because of congenital deafness: he was born deaf, dumb, and blind. ∎ (of animals) unable to speak as a natural state and thus regarded as helpless or deserving pity. ∎ temporarily unable or unwilling to speak: she stood dumb while he poured out a stream of abuse. ∎ resulting in or expressed by speechlessness: they stared in dumb amazement. 2. inf. stupid: a dumb question. ∎ (of a computer terminal) able only to transmit data to or receive data from a computer; having no independent processing capability. Often contrasted with intelligent. • v. [tr.] 1. (dumb something down) inf. simplify or reduce the intellectual content of something so as to make it accessible to a larger number of people: critics have accused publishers of dumbing down books. ∎ [intr.] (dumb down) become less intellectually challenging: the need to dumb down for mass audiences. 2. poetic/lit. make dumb or unheard; silence: a splendor that dazed the mind and dumbed the tongue. DERIVATIVES: dumb·ly adv. dumb·ness n. |
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"dumb." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "dumb." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dumb.html "dumb." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-dumb.html |
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dumb
dumb dumb blonde a blonde-haired woman perceived in a stereotypical way as being attractive but unintelligent (compare blonde moment).
the dumb ox a nickname for St Thomas Aquinas; according to Butler's Lives of the Saints (1756) given to him by his schoolfellows because they thought his habitual silence indicated stupidity. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "dumb." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "dumb." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-dumb.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "dumb." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-dumb.html |
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dumb
dumb destitute of speech, mute. OE. dumb = OS. dumb (Du. dom) stupid OHG. tump stupid, deaf (G. dumm stupid), ON. dumbr, Goth. dumbs mute; of unkn. orig.
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T. F. HOAD. "dumb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "dumb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-dumb.html T. F. HOAD. "dumb." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-dumb.html |
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dumb
dumb
•become, benumb, Brum, bum, chum, come, crumb, cum, drum, dumb, glum, gum, ho-hum, hum, Kara Kum, lum, mum, numb, plum, plumb, Rhum, rhumb, rum, scrum, scum, slum, some, strum, stum, succumb, sum, swum, thrum, thumb, tum, yum-yum
•natatorium
•stumblebum • dumdum • bubblegum
•outcome • sugarplum • lanthanum
•kettledrum • breadcrumb • humdrum
•eardrum
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"dumb." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "dumb." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-dumb.html "dumb." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-dumb.html |
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