dumb

dumb  (dm)

adj. dumb·er, dumb·est

1.

a. Lacking the power of speech. Used of animals and inanimate objects.

b. Often Offensive Incapable of using speech; mute. Used of humans. See Usage Note at mute.

2. Temporarily speechless, as with shock or fear: I was dumb with disbelief.

3. Unwilling to speak; taciturn.

4. Not expressed or articulated in sounds or words: dumb resentment.

5. Nautical Not self-propelling.

6. Conspicuously unintelligent; stupid: dumb officials; a dumb decision.

7. Unintentional; haphazard: dumb luck.

tr.v. dumbed, dumb·ing, dumbs

To make silent or dumb.

Phrasal Verb:

dumb down Slang /up

To rewrite for a less educated or less sophisticated audience.

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[Middle English, from Old English.]

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dumbly adv.

dumbness n.

Our Living Language In ordinary spoken English, a sentence such as He is dumb will be interpreted to mean "He is stupid" rather than "He lacks the power of speech." "Lacking the power of speech" is, however, the original sense of the word, but it has been eclipsed by the meaning "stupid." For this change in meaning, it appears that the Germans are responsible. German has a similar and related word dumm that means "stupid," and over time, as a result of the waves of German immigrants to the United States, it has come to influence the meaning of English dumb. This is one of dozens of marks left by German on American English. Some words, like kindergarten, dachshund, and schnapps still have a German feel or are associated to some extent with Germany, but others, like bum, cookbook, fresh (in the meaning "impertinent"), rifle, and noodle have become so thoroughly Americanized their German origins may surprise some.

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dumb

Adjective

1. lacking the power to speak

2. lacking the power of human speech: the event was denounced as cruelty to dumb animals

3. temporarily unable to speak: I was struck dumb when I heard the news

4. done or performed without speech: I looked at her in dumb puzzlement

5. Informal stupid or slow to understand

See also dumb down [Old English]

dumbly adv

Thesaurus

Adj.	1.	dumb - slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity; "so dense he never understands anything I say to him"; "never met anyone quite so dim"; "although dull at classical learning, at mathematics he was uncommonly quick"- Thackeray; "dumb officials make some really dumb decisions"; "he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse"; "worked with the slow students" slow, obtuse, dense, dim, dull stupid - lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity
	2.	dumb - temporarily incapable of speaking; "struck dumb"; "speechless with shock" speechless inarticulate, unarticulate - without or deprived of the use of speech or words; "inarticulate beasts"; "remained stupidly inarticulate and saying something noncommittal"; "inarticulate with rage"; "an inarticulate cry"
	3.	dumb - lacking the power of human speech; "dumb animals" inarticulate, unarticulate - without or deprived of the use of speech or words; "inarticulate beasts"; "remained stupidly inarticulate and saying something noncommittal"; "inarticulate with rage"; "an inarticulate cry"
	4.	dumb - unable to speak because of hereditary deafness mute, silent inarticulate, unarticulate - without or deprived of the use of speech or words; "inarticulate beasts"; "remained stupidly inarticulate and saying something noncommittal"; "inarticulate with rage"; "an inarticulate cry"

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dumb

adjective 1. unable to speak, mute << OPPOSITE articulate

adjective 2. silent, mute, speechless, inarticulate, tongue-tied, wordless, voiceless, soundless, at a loss for words, mum

adjective 3. (Informal) stupid, thick, dull, foolish, dense, dozy Brit. (informal) dim, obtuse, unintelligent, asinine, braindead (informal) dim-witted (informal) << OPPOSITE clever

Translations

dumb [dʌm] adj → mudo (= stupid); estúpido;

to be struck dumb (fig) → quedar boquiabierto

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dumb [dʌm] adj → muet(te) (= stupid); bête;

to be struck dumb (fig) → rester abasourdi(e) → être sidéré(e)

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dumb [dʌm] adj → stumm;

(pej) (stupid) → dumm, doof (inf);

he was struck dumb → es verschlug ihm die Sprache

dumb down dumb vi → an Niveau or Qualität verlieren, verflachen

vt fus → verdummen, dumm machen

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dumb [dʌm] adj → muto/a (= stupid); stupido/a;

to be struck dumb (fig) → ammutolire, restare senza parole