dumbnessn.
/ˈdʌmnɪs/ 1. The quality or condition of being dumb; inability to speak; speechlessness; silence, muteness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > vocal disorders > [noun] > dumbness
dumbnessc1380
speechlessness1580
dumb1640
deaf-dumbness1822
mutism1824
deaf-mutism1865
deaf-muteness1874
surdomutism1880
ineffableness1883
c1380 J. Wyclif Wks. (1880) 126 To displese god bi suffrynge of opyn synne & domnpnesse.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 135/1 Dumnesse, mutitas, taciturnitas.
c1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 125 The plage of dompnesse his lippis lappyd.
1565 J. Jewel Def. Apol. Churche Eng. 553 (R.) This therefore is no spiritual dumbenesse.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) v. ii. 13 There was speech in their dumbnesse, Language in their very gesture. View more context for this quotation
1861 E. O'Curry Lect. Manuscript Materials Anc. Irish Hist. 253 The spell of his dumbness was broken, and the young man spoke.
2. Stupidity; ignorance (cf. dumb adj. 7b). U.S. colloquial.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [noun]
hardnessOE
stuntnessc1000
sotshipc1050
witlessnessa1100
sotheada1200
dullness1398
bluntness1483
slowness1495
grossnessa1530
stupidity?1541
assishness?1548
dastardness1552
lourderie1555
dastardliness1556
blockishness1561
doltishness1569
sottage1569
sheepishness1574
doltry1581
sottishness1589
doltage1593
dorbellism1593
grout-headry1600
opacity1611
duncery1615
dunstery1615
stupidness1619
hebetude1621
insulsity1623
unintelligence1634
obtuseness1648
jobbernowlism1652
dullery1653
non-intelligence1653
blockheadishness1656
crassness1664
blockheadedness1716
stolidness1727
blockheadism1753
numbskullity1779
nincompoophood1791
duncishness1805
numbskullism1806
foziness1821
noodledum1821
obtusity1823
soft-headedness1823
noodledom1827
duncehood1829
dunderheadedness1830
sumphishness1830
asininity1831
dunderheadism1836
stockishness1837
dullardness1840
fat-headedness1840
stupor1845
duncedom1847
misintelligence1848
nincompoopery1850
wooden-headedness1850
dumminess1852
jolterheadedness1852
ninnyship1852
donkeyism1855
dumbness1860
beef-wittedness1863
crassitude1865
donkeyhood1869
slow-wittedness1869
chuckle-headedness1880
leatherheadedness1880
pinheadedness1884
numbskulledness1885
donkeydom1889
thickheadedness1889
density1894
moronism1922
nitwittedness1931
nitwittery1931
noodleness1931
dopiness1942
squirrel-headedness1955
nincompoopism1957
dim-wittedness1960
clottishness1961
1860 H. D. Thoreau Jrnl. 10 Oct. in Writings (1906) XIV. iii. 111 I see dumb-bells in the minister's study, and some of their dumbness gets into his sermons.
1924 Chicago Tribune 26 Oct. (Comics) 6 You can tell me how to take some of the dumbness outta the kid.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
<
n.c1380- to look in
- to look in the eye
- to look in the eyes
- to look in the face
- to look inside
- to look into
- to look into a millstone
- to look kindly on
- to look kindly upon
- to look like
- to look like one has seen a ghost
- to look like something that fell off a flitting
- to look like something the cat has brought in
- to look lively
- to look look out for number one
- to look mind one's hits
- to look nice
- to look nine ways
- to look nine ways at at thrice
- to look nine ways at once
- to look nine ways for sunday
- to look of
- to look off
- to look old-fashioned at
- to look oldfashioned at