| English Dictionary |
DUMB
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does dumb mean?
• DUMB (adjective)
The adjective DUMB has 4 senses:
1. slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
2. temporarily incapable of speaking
3. lacking the power of human speech
4. unable to speak because of hereditary deafness
Familiarity information: DUMB used as an adjective is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
| Declension: comparative and superlative |
Superlative: dumbest
Sense 1
Meaning:
Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity
Synonyms:
dense; dim; dull; dumb; obtuse; slow
Context example:
worked with the slow students
Similar:
stupid (lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity)
Derivation:
dumbness (the quality of being mentally slow and limited)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Temporarily incapable of speaking
Synonyms:
dumb; speechless
Context example:
speechless with shock
Similar:
inarticulate; unarticulate (without or deprived of the use of speech or words)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Lacking the power of human speech
Context example:
dumb animals
Similar:
inarticulate; unarticulate (without or deprived of the use of speech or words)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Unable to speak because of hereditary deafness
Synonyms:
Similar:
inarticulate; unarticulate (without or deprived of the use of speech or words)
Context examples
My love and joy were dumb.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Mr. Dashwood had of course found it out very soon, but promised to be dumb, and for a wonder kept his word.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
The blood flushed into his high forehead, but his conscience held him dumb.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I stood dumb with astonishment, watching him from the darkness.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
“May the foul fiend strike me dumb!” cried the bowman in hot repentance; but both the palmer and Alleyne threw up their hands to stop him.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Put a name on what you're at; you ain't dumb, I reckon.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
There was a younger brother, too—a complete dumb idiot.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
His love partook of the nature of worship, dumb, inarticulate, a silent adoration.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
Now, though it is said that fishes are dumb, he heard them lamenting that they must perish so miserably, and, as he had a kind heart, he got off his horse and put the three prisoners back into the water.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
The ill-fitting clothes, battered hands, and sunburned face remained; but these seemed the prison-bars through which she saw a great soul looking forth, inarticulate and dumb because of those feeble lips that would not give it speech.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
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