indifferent

See also indifférent

English

Pronunciation

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Adjective

indifferent (comparative more indifferent, superlative most indifferent)

1. Not caring; apathetic.

   He was indifferent to the proposal, since it didn't affect him, either way.

2. Mediocre, usually used negatively in modern usage.

   The long distance and the indifferent roads made the journey impossible.

3. (mechanics) Being in the state of neutral equilibrium.

Quotations

• a. 1600, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, act 4, scene 1:

  Let their heads be sleekly combed their blue coats brushed and their garters of an indifferent knit

Translations

not caring

American Sign Language: 1@Nose-FingerBack 1@FromNose-FingerForward Czech: lhostejný (cs) m. Dutch: onverschillig (nl) Finnish: välinpitämätön (fi) French: indifférent (fr)

Kurdish: پشت گوێخستن Polish: obojętny m. Portuguese: indiferente (pt) Romanian: indiferent (ro) m. and n., apatic (ro) m. and n. Scottish Gaelic: coma (gd) Swedish: likgiltig (sv)

mediocre, usually used negatively

Finnish: keskinkertainen (fi)

Polish: mierny m., marny m.

mechanics: being in neutral equilibrium

Finnish: indifferentti (fi)

Romanian: indiferent (ro) m. and n.

Adverb

indifferent

1. (obsolete) To some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly.

   The face of the Moon appearing to me to be full of indifferent high mountains...

Usage notes

• Now obsolete, but very common c. 1600-1730.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989

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Middle French

Adjective

indifferent m. (feminine singular indifferente, masculine plural indifferents, feminine plural indifferentes)

1. indifferent; apathetic