Part 573

Keble.

Syn. -- Lifeless; inanimate; dead; stupid; doltish; heavy; sluggish; sleepy; drowsy; gross; cheerless; tedious; irksome; dismal; dreary; clouded; tarnished; obtuse. See Lifeless.

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.

Borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

Shak.

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

Those [drugs] she has Will stupefy and dull the sense a while.

Shak.

Use and custom have so dulled our eyes.

Trench.

3. To render dim or obscure; to sully; to tarnish. "Dulls the mirror." Bacon.

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

Attention of mind . . . wasted or dulled through continuance.

Hooker.

Dull, v. i. To become dull or stupid. Rom. of R.

Dull"ard (?), n. [Dull + - ard.] A stupid person; a dunce. Shak. -- a. Stupid. Bp. Hall.

Dull"-brained` (?), a. Stupid; doltish. Shak.

Dull"-browed` (?), a. Having a gloomy look.

Dull"er (?), n. One who, or that which, dulls.

Dull"-eyed` (?), a. Having eyes wanting brightness, liveliness, or vivacity. Shak.

Dull"head` (?), n. A blockhead; a dolt. Ascham.

Dull"ish, a. Somewhat dull; uninteresting; tiresome. "A series of dullish verses." Prof. Wilson.

Dull"ness, n. The state of being dull; slowness; stupidity; heaviness; drowsiness; bluntness; obtuseness; dimness; want of luster; want of vividness, or of brightness. [Written also dulness.]

And gentle dullness ever loves a joke.

Pope.

Dull"-sight`ed (?), a. Having poor eyesight.

Dull"some (?), a. Dull. [R.] Gataker.

Dull"-wit`ted (?), a. Stupid.