deaf
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /dɛf/
ipa: /diːf/
ipa: /dɛːf/
rhymes: -ɛf
homophone: Deaf
homophone: def
homophone: death (th-fronting)
Forms: form: deafer
form: deafest
Etymology: From Middle English def, deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-West Germanic *daub, from Proto-Germanic *daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). Cognate with Ancient Greek τυφλός (tuphlós, “blind”). See also dumb. Doublet of daff, dof, and dowf.
Senses: examples: text: My brother has been deaf since sustaining injuries in the war.
text: It's important for TV shows to provide closed captioning for the deaf.
text: Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf.
ref: 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
text: Deaf vvith the noyſe I took my haſty flight.
ref: 1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 6:
glosses: Unable (or partially able) to hear.
examples: text: Those people are deaf to reason.
text: O, that men's ears should be / To counsel deaf, but not to flattery!
ref: c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
text: The curioſity of the lady was highly inflamed, to know the hiſtory of the parrot's tranſmigration, which ſhe intreated the bird with all her eloquence to relate; but he preſented a deaf ear to her importunity, and, like a painted nightingale, remained ſilent.
ref: 1769, Firishta, translated by Alexander Dow, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi, volume I, Dublin: P. and W. Wilson et al., page 12:
glosses: Unwilling to listen or be persuaded; determinedly inattentive.
examples: text: The best place to fight Hollywood deafism is in our deaf schools. If we give our children understanding and appreciation of our rich culture and sign language, the students will gain a deaf heritage and become more creative, more aware, and more assertive global deaf citizens.
ref: 1994, Bruce N. Snider, Carol Erting, Robert C. Johnson, The Deaf Way, page 734:
glosses: Of or relating to the community of deaf people.
examples: text: A deaf murmur through the squadron went.
ref: 1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
glosses: Obscurely heard; stifled; deadened.
examples: text: a deaf nut; deaf corn
text: If the season be unkindly and intemperate, they [peppers] will catch a blast; and then the seeds will be deafe, void, light, and naught.
ref: 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
glosses: Decayed; tasteless; useless.
Synonyms: hard of hearing
hearing-impaired
Coordinate terms: ageusic
anosmic
blind
Derived terms: are you deaf
beat-deaf
cock a deaf 'un
Deaf
deaf adder
deaf aid
deaf and dumb
deaf as a doorknob
deaf as a doornail
deaf as a doorpost
deaf as a post
deafblind
deaf-blind
deaf-blindness
deafen
deafie
deafish
deafism
deafly
Deaflympian
Deaflympic
Deaflympics
deaf-mute
deaf-muteness
deafness
deafo
Deaf Smith County
deaf waddler
dip hop
fall on deaf ears
I'm deaf
inattentionally deaf
nondeaf
nose deaf
preach to deaf ears
semideaf
stone-deaf
stone deaf
tone-deaf
turn a deaf ear
undeaf
Related terms: english: unable to be heard
translation: unable to be heard
word: inaudible