BLUNT


Meaning of BLUNT in English

I. ˈblənt adjective

( -er/-est )

Etymology: Middle English; perhaps akin to Old Norse blunda to doze, Old English blind — more at blind

1.

a. : dull or deficient in feeling or perception : insensitive

served his time by showing how blunt the eyes and ears of writers generally are — Norman Foerster

b. : slow or obtuse in understanding or discernment : dull

this consideration will make it evident to a blunter discernment than yours — Edmund Burke

2. : having a thick edge or point : not sharp or keen

the murderous knife was dull and blunt — Shakespeare

3. archaic : lacking refinement or polish : rude , rough

though blunt my tale — Alexander Pope

4. : abrupt in speech or manner : outspokenly frank : not suave : plain

you are entirely too blunt in your human relations — W.J.Reilly

the petition was rejected in a blunt one-sentence letter of refusal — Paul Blanshard

Synonyms: see bluff , dull

II. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Middle English blonten from blunt, blont, adjective

transitive verb

1.

a. : to make (as an edge or point) less sharp : dull

blunted the swords

b. : to make (as an acid or corrosive) less sharp : dilute

blunts the acidity of vinegar

2. : to make (as the senses or mental faculties) dull or sluggish : deaden

diminished men's sense of wonder and blunted their sensitiveness to the great mystery — Aldous Huxley

3. : to lessen or destroy the force of effectiveness of : weaken

their zeal was quickly blunted by the yawn of habit around them — Bruce Marshall

the attack was blunted

intransitive verb

: to become dull or less sharp

its edges will never blunt — John Bunyan

III. noun

( -s )

Etymology: blunt (I)

1. : something blunt ; specifically : blunt arrow

2. slang : ready cash : money

IV. noun

: a cigar in which part or all of the tobacco has been replaced by marijuana

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.