deaf
English
Etymology
From Middle English deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”). See also dumb.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /dɛf/
Audio (US): (file) - Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "dated" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /diːf/
- Rhymes: -ɛf
- Homophones: Deaf, def
Adjective
deaf (comparative deafer, superlative deafest)
- Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear.
- Unwilling to listen or be persuaded; determinedly inattentive; regardless.
- Those people are deaf to reason.
- (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- O, that men's ears should be / To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!
- Obscurely heard; stifled; deadened.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- A deaf murmur through the squadron went.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- (obsolete, UK, dialect) Decayed; tasteless; dead.
- a deaf nut; deaf corn
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)
- (Can we date this quote by Holland and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- If the season be unkindly and intemperate, they [peppers] will catch a blast; and then the seeds will be deaf, void, light, and naught.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- Deaf
- Deaf Smith County
- fall on deaf ears
- stone deaf
- turn a deaf ear
- deaf aid
- deaf and dumb
- deaf-mute
- deafen
- deafness
Translations
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See also
Noun
- (with "the") Those who are deaf, taken as a group.
Translations
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Noun
deaf (plural deafs)
- (nonstandard, rare) A deaf person.
- 1897, József Jekelfalussy, The Millennium of Hungary and Its People[1], page 347:
- Among the second group of philanthropic educational institutions the institutes for the deafs and dumbs must be mentioned.
- 1980, Cao Van Vien, Van Khuyen Dong, Reflections on the Vietnam War[2]:
- Negotiations for South Vietnam's political future and the enforcement of cease-fire between two sides progressed like a conversation between two deafs.
Usage notes
Used primarily within the deaf community.
Translations
Verb
deaf (third-person singular simple present deafs, present participle deafing, simple past and past participle deafed)
- (obsolete, transitive) To deafen.
- 1634, John Fletcher & William Shakespeare, Two Noble Kinsmen:
- It is enough, my hearing shall be punish'd With what shall happen, -- 'gainst the which there is No deafing -- but to hear, not taint mine eye With dread sights that it may shun.
- 1871, Charlse Hindlley, A Kicksey Winsey: Or a Lerry Come-Twang:
- Shall we, I say, that have been so long civil and wealthy in peace, famous and invincible in war, fortunate in both, we that have been ever able to aid any of our neighbours (but never deafed any of their ears with any of our supplications for assistance) shall we, I say, without blushing, abase ourselves so far, as to imitate these beastly Indians, slaves to the Spaniards, refuse to the world, and as yet aliens from the holy covenant of God?
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)
See also
Deafness on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Deaf culture on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Anagrams
Old English
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“smoky, foggy, dim”). Germanic cognates include Old Frisian dāf, Old Saxon dōf (Low German dow), Old High German toub (German taub), Old Norse daufr (Swedish döv). The Indo-European root is also the source of Greek τυφλός (tyflós, “blind”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
dēaf
Declension
Singular | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
---|---|---|---|
Nominative | dēaf | dēaf | dēaf |
Accusative | dēafne | dēafe | dēaf |
Genitive | dēafes | dēafre | dēafes |
Dative | dēafum | dēafre | dēafum |
Instrumental | dēafe | dēafre | dēafe |
Plural | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter |
Nominative | dēafe | dēafa, dēafe | dēaf |
Accusative | dēafe | dēafa, dēafe | dēaf |
Genitive | dēafra | dēafra | dēafra |
Dative | dēafum | dēafum | dēafum |
Instrumental | dēafum | dēafum | dēafum |
Descendants
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms inherited from Old English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɛf
- English terms with homophones
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- Requests for date/Shakespeare
- Requests for date/Dryden
- English terms with obsolete senses
- British English
- English dialectal terms
- Requests for quotations/Halliwell
- Requests for date/Holland
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English nonstandard terms
- English terms with rare senses
- English terms with quotations
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- Requests for quotations/Dryden
- English terms derived from the PIE root *dʰewh₂-
- en:Hearing
- Old English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Old English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Old English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Old English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Old English lemmas
- Old English adjectives
- ang:Hearing