dull

dull
dull (adj.) c.1200, "stupid;" early 13c., "blunt, not sharp;" rare before mid-14c., apparently from O.E. dol "dull-witted, foolish," or an unrecorded parallel word, or from M.L.G. dul "slow-witted," both from P.Gmc. *dulaz (Cf. O.Fris., O.S. dol "foolish," O.H.G. tol, Ger. toll "mad, wild," Goth. dwals "foolish"), from PIE *dheu- (1) "dust, vapor, smoke" (and related notions of "defective perception or wits"). Of color from early 15c.; of pain or other sensations from 1725. Sense of "boring" first recorded 1580s.
dull. (8) Not exhilarating; not delightful; as to make dictionaries is dull work. [Johnson]
As a verb from c.1200, "to grow weary, tire;" of pointed or edged things from c.1400; of the senses from 1550s. Related: Dulled; dulling. Dullsville, slang for "town where nothing happens," attested from 1960.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dull — adj 1 *stupid, slow, dumb, dense, crass Analogous words: *lethargic, sluggish, comatose: phlegmatic, stolid, *impassive, apathetic: *backward: retarded (see DELAY vb) Antonyms: clever, bright …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • dull — [dul] adj. [ME dul < OE dol, stupid, akin to Ger toll < IE * dh(e)wel < base * dheu , blow, be turbid > DUMB, DWELL, OIr dall, blind, Gr thanatos, death] 1. mentally slow; stupid 2. lacking sensitivity; blunted in feeling or… …   English World dictionary

  • Dull —    DULL, a parish, in the county of Perth, 4 miles (W. by N.) from Aberfeldy; containing, with parts of the late quoad sacra parishes of Foss and Tenandry, and part of the village of Aberfeldy, 3811 inhabitants, of whom 145 are in the village of… …   A Topographical dictionary of Scotland

  • dull — [dʌl] adjective JOURNALISM if business on a financial market is dull, not many people are buying or selling: • Shares closed lower in dull trading. • Investors were busy moving in and out of two year Treasury notes yesterday, providing a bit of… …   Financial and business terms

  • Dull — may refer to: Boring Dull, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom Dull Gret, a figure of Flemish folklore People with the surname Dull: Jack Dull (1930 1995), professor at the University of Washington John Dull (21st century), American… …   Wikipedia

  • dull — [adj1] unintelligent addled, backward, besotted, boring, brainless, daffy, daft, dense, dim, dim witted, doltish, dumb, feeble minded, half baked, ignorant, imbecilic, indolent, insensate, low, moronic, not bright, numskulled, obtuse,… …   New thesaurus

  • Düll — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Heinrich Düll (1867–1956), deutscher Bildhauer und Musiker der Prinzregentenzeit Rudolf Düll (1887–1979), deutscher Jurist Ruprecht Düll (* 1931), deutscher Botaniker Siehe auch Privatbrauerei Friedrich… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Dull — Dull, v. i. To become dull or stupid. Rom. of R. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”