blunt1 adjectiveblunt2 verb
bluntblunt1 /blʌnt/ ●○○ adjective 
Word OriginWORD ORIGINblunt1
ExamplesOrigin:
1200-1300 Perhaps from Old Norse blundr ‘sleeping’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- blunt criticism
- His response was a blunt "no."
- I'll be blunt. It's just not going to work.
- I cut myself shaving with a blunt razor.
- It's difficult to achieve a good result if you use blunt tools.
- Maria can be very blunt and sometimes shocks people who don't know her well.
- Police say the victim was hit with a blunt instrument, possibly a hammer.
- The victim was hit on the head with a blunt object.
- After a while they kidnap and murder a young boy for kicks, bashing him over the head with a blunt instrument.
- Call her candid, a straight shooter, rather than blunt.
- His poems can be awkward and blunt but you feel any revision has been towards truth rather than beauty.
- These lads were the blunt end of a much nastier problem.
- Yet he was cagey and knew when to be blunt.
- You don't have to be madly blunt in a political sense.
THESAURUSnot sharp► blunt
Collocations not sharp – used about tools, weapons, or pencils: · All the kitchen knives were blunt.· a blunt pencil· The woman had been attacked with a blunt instrument.
not hiding the truth or the facts► honest saying what you really think and not hiding the truth or the facts: · I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest with me.· an honest answer· To be honest, I didn’t think his speech was very good.
► straight informal honest and saying what you really think: · I can’t help you if you’re not straight with me.· I need a straight answer.
► open willing to talk about what you think, feel etc in an honest way, rather than trying to hide it: · People have become more open about their feelings.· She’s very easy to talk to because she’s so open.
► frank speaking honestly and directly about something, especially something that people find difficult to discuss: · In his book, he’s brutally frank about his experience with his illness.· a frank discussion about sex
► direct saying exactly what you think in an honest clear way, even when this might annoy or upset people: · Not everyone liked his direct manner.· She can be very direct.
► blunt speaking in a completely honest way, even if it upsets people, when it would be better to be more careful or polite: · Sorry if I was a bit blunt with you.· His hard tone and blunt words were hurtful.· She didn’t reply and I knew I had been too blunt.
► upfront [not before noun] informal talking and behaving in an honest way, even when it is difficult to do this, in a way that people respect: · It’s best to be upfront about your financial problems.· You have to be upfront with kids.
► outspoken expressing your opinions publicly in a very direct way, which may offend or annoy some people: · an outspoken critic of the government· He was known for his outspoken views on various controversies.
► forthright formal saying exactly what what you think, without being afraid of what other people will think: · The opposition have not come up with a clear forthright statement of their policies.· At times, Helena was a little too forthright.
► candid formal honest about the facts, or about your opinions and feelings, even if other people disapprove of them: · He’d always been completely candid about his past.· It was an unusually candid admission for a politician.
Longman Language Activatornot sharp► blunt · I cut myself shaving with a blunt razor.· It's difficult to achieve a good result if you use blunt tools.· a blunt pencila blunt instrument (=something not sharp used as a weapon) · Police say the victim was hit with a blunt instrument, possibly a hammer.
so honest that some people think you are rude► forthright saying honestly what you think in a way that often seems rude: · She was by nature forthright and impatient.· Bruck's forthright comments angered several people in the audience.
► blunt saying what is true or what you really think, especially in a situation in which other people would be more polite: · His response was a blunt "no."· Maria can be very blunt and sometimes shocks people who don't know her well.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► blunt knife
Phrases (=not sharp)· The knife was so blunt it wouldn't cut anything.
► a blunt refusal (=honest and direct but likely to upset someone)· A blunt refusal to help will simply damage relations further.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► end· I had to catch up the axe and hit him with the blunt end, knock him out.· These lads were the blunt end of a much nastier problem.· Run the blunt end of the bone folder along the groove that forms the hinge.
► instrument· I sometimes think a blunt instrument would do some good for her.· While the men exchanged blows the girl struck Farini from behind with a blunt instrument.· After a while they kidnap and murder a young boy for kicks, bashing him over the head with a blunt instrument.· The blunt instrument obstinately refused to reveal itself and he doubted if there were any more revelations to be got out of anybody.· This is a very blunt instrument.· The cause of death had been the terrible bludgeoning he had received from a blunt instrument.· She looked around for a blunt instrument.· All the injuries were consistent with an enraged and merciless attack with a blunt instrument.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► blunt instrument
1not sharp or pointed OPP sharp: - After a while they kidnap and murder a young boy for kicks, bashing him over the head with a blunt instrument.
- All the injuries were consistent with an enraged and merciless attack with a blunt instrument.
- I sometimes think a blunt instrument would do some good for her.
- She looked around for a blunt instrument.
- The blunt instrument obstinately refused to reveal itself and he doubted if there were any more revelations to be got out of anybody.
- The cause of death had been the terrible bludgeoning he had received from a blunt instrument.
- This is a very blunt instrument.
- While the men exchanged blows the girl struck Farini from behind with a blunt instrument.
Sharpen all your blunt knives. a blunt pencil2speaking in an honest way even if this upsets people → bluntly: To be blunt, many of the candidates cannot read or write. Julian’s blunt words hurt her.► see thesaurus at honest3blunt instrument a)a heavy object that is used to hit someone: The victim suffered a blow to the head from a blunt instrument. b)a method of doing something that does not work very well because it has a lot of other effects that you do not want: The exams are a blunt instrument that will reveal little about children’s abilities.—bluntness noun [uncountable]blunt1 adjectiveblunt2 verb
bluntblunt2 verb [transitive] Verb TableVERB TABLE
blunt
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | blunt |
| he, she, it | blunts | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | blunted |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have blunted |
| he, she, it | has blunted | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had blunted |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will blunt |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have blunted |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am blunting |
| he, she, it | is blunting | |
| you, we, they | are blunting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was blunting |
| you, we, they | were blunting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been blunting |
| he, she, it | has been blunting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been blunting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be blunting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been blunting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Collocations- His senses were blunted by the whiskey.
- The latest bombing has blunted residents' hopes for peace.
- I slotted in well, but all that vending blunted my edges and did my head in.
- Methodological difficulties have, however, blunted the phenomenological critique.
- Perhaps his arid years in suburbia had blunted his ability to love and be loved.
- That blunts performance and hits fuel economy.
- The alcohol had blunted the need for violence, but hadn't removed it.
- The sickening feel of woollen gloves being pulled on to your hands and hitting and blunting your fingertips so touch was lost.
- While the scene is meant to scare us, it also contains a built-in warning device that blunts the shock.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► blunt knife
1to make a feeling less strong OPP sharpen: (=not sharp)· The knife was so blunt it wouldn't cut anything.
► a blunt refusal (=honest and direct but likely to upset someone)· A blunt refusal to help will simply damage relations further.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN► edge· I slotted in well, but all that vending blunted my edges and did my head in.· They would dilute the quality of his product, blunting a competitive edge.· The bare infinitive would blunt the sharp edge of this expressive effect.
The bad weather blunted their enthusiasm for camping.2to make the point of a pencil or the edge of a knife less sharp OPP sharpen