duller

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Dull \Dull\, a. [Compar. Duller; superl. Dullest.] [AS. dol foolish; akin to gedwelan to err, D. dol mad, dwalen to wander, err, G. toll mad, Goth. dwals foolish, stupid, cf. Gr. ? turbid, troubled, Skr. dhvr to cause to fall. Cf. Dolt, Dwale, Dwell, Fraud.]

1.Slow of understanding; wanting readiness of apprehension; stupid; doltish; blockish. "Dull at classical learning." --Thackeray. [1913 Webster]

She is not bred so dull but she can learn.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.Slow in action; sluggish; unready; awkward. [1913 Webster]

This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing.— Matt. xiii. 15.[1913 Webster]

O, help my weak wit and sharpen my dull tongue.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

3.Insensible; unfeeling. [1913 Webster]

Think me not So dull a devil to forget the loss Of such a matchless wife.— Beau. & Fl.[1913 Webster]

4.Not keen in edge or point; lacking sharpness; blunt. "Thy scythe is dull." --Herbert. [1913 Webster]

5.Not bright or clear to the eye; wanting in liveliness of color or luster; not vivid; obscure; dim; as, a dull fire or lamp; a dull red or yellow; a dull mirror. [1913 Webster]

6.Heavy; gross; cloggy; insensible; spiritless; lifeless; inert. "The dull earth." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so changes of study a dull brain.— Longfellow.[1913 Webster]

7.Furnishing little delight, spirit, or variety; uninteresting; tedious; cheerless; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; as, a dull story or sermon; a dull occupation or period; hence, cloudy; overcast; as, a dull day. [1913 Webster]

Along life's dullest, dreariest walk.— Keble.

Syn: Lifeless; inanimate; dead; stupid; doltish; heavy; sluggish; sleepy; drowsy; gross; cheerless; tedious; irksome; dismal; dreary; clouded; tarnished; obtuse. See Lifeless. [1913 Webster]

Duller \Dull"er\, n. One who, or that which, dulls. [1913 Webster]

Dull \Dull\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Duller; p. pr. & vb. n. Dulling.]

1.To deprive of sharpness of edge or point. "This . . . dulled their swords." --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

Borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.To make dull, stupid, or sluggish; to stupefy, as the senses, the feelings, the perceptions, and the like. [1913 Webster]

Those [drugs] she has Will stupefy and dull the sense a while.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Use and custom have so dulled our eyes.— Trench.[1913 Webster]

3.To render dim or obscure; to sully; to tarnish. "Dulls the mirror." --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

4.To deprive of liveliness or activity; to render heavy; to make inert; to depress; to weary; to sadden. [1913 Webster]

Attention of mind . . . wasted or dulled through continuance.— Hooker.[1913 Webster]