[ob.scure] adj [ME, fr. MF obscur, fr. L obscurus] (15c) 1 a: dark, dim b: shrouded in or hidden by darkness c: not clearly seen or easily distinguished: faint
2: not readily understood or clearly expressed; also: mysterious
3: relatively unknown: as a: remote, secluded b: not prominent or famous "an ~ poet"
4: constituting an unstressed vowel having the value of/uh/ -- ob.scure.ly adv -- ob.scure.ness n syn obscure, dark, vague, enigmatic, cryptic, ambiguous, equivocal mean not clearly understandable. obscure implies a hiding or veiling of meaning through some inadequacy of expression or withholding of full knowledge "obscure poems". dark implies an imperfect or clouded revelation often with ominous or sinister suggestion "muttered dark hints of revenge". vague implies a lack of clear formulation due to inadequate conception or consideration "a vague sense of obligation". enigmatic stresses a puzzling, mystifying quality "enigmatic occult writings". cryptic implies a purposely concealed meaning "cryptic hints of hidden treasure". ambiguous applies to language capable of more than one interpretation "an ambiguous directive". equivocal applies to language left open to differing interpretations with the intention of deceiving or evading "moral precepts with equivocal phrasing".
[2]obscure vt ob.scured ; ob.scur.ing (15c) 1: to make dark, dim, or indistinct
2: to conceal or hide by or as if by covering
3: to reduce (a vowel) to the value of /uh/ -- ob.scu.ra.tion n [3]obscure n (1667): obscurity