dumb

[[t]dʌm[/t]]

adj. -er, -est, v. usage: dumb in the sense “lacking the power of speech” is offensive when applied to humans (but not animals), probably because the word also means “stupid; dull-witted.” The noun dummy in the sense “a person who lacks the power of speech,” though rarely used today, is also perceived as offensive, as are the terms deaf-and-dumb and deaf-mute . Use of the term mute is generally acceptable. However, the preferred term is deaf which makes no reference to an inability to speak. —

1) lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted

2) off lacking the power of speech (offensive when applied to humans):

dumb beasts of the field[/ex]

3) temporarily unable to speak:

She was struck dumb with amazement[/ex]

4) refraining from speech; silent

5) made, done, etc., without speech

6) lacking some usual property, characteristic, etc

7) cmp lacking electronic processing power of its own: a dumb computer terminal

Compare intelligent 4)

8) phv dumb down, to reduce the intellectual or developmental level of:

to dumb down a textbook[/ex]

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Etymology: bef. 1000; OE; c. OHG tump, ON dumbr dumb′ly,adv. dumb′ness,n.