— deafly , adv. — deafness , n.
/def/ , adj., deafer, deafest , n.
adj.
1. partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing; unable to hear.
2. refusing to listen, heed, or be persuaded; unreasonable or unyielding: deaf to all advice.
n.
3. ( used with a pl. v. ) deaf persons collectively (usually prec. by the ).
[ bef. 900; ME deef, OE deaf; c. MLG dof, D doof, OHG toub ]
Pronunciation . DEAF is usually pronounced /def/ , with the vowel of left. In uneducated speech the pronunciation /deef/ , to rhyme with leaf, is heard, though it is becoming less common.