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Antonyms for deaf

Grammar : Adj
Spell : def
Phonetic Transcription : dɛf

Definition of deaf

Origin :
  • Old English deaf "deaf," also "empty, barren," specialized from Proto-Germanic *daubaz (cf. Old Saxon dof, Old Norse daufr, Old Frisian daf, Dutch doof "deaf," German taub, Gothic daufs "deaf, insensate"), from PIE dheubh-, which was used to form words meaning "confusion, stupefaction, dizziness" (cf. Greek typhlos "blind).
  • The word was pronounced to rhyme with reef until 18c. Deaf-mute is from 1837, after French sourd-muet. Deaf-mutes were sought after in 18c.-19c. Britain as fortune-tellers. Deaf as an adder (Old English) is from Psalms lviii:5.
  • adj without hearing
  • adj unwilling
Example sentences :
  • First the blind, then the deaf and the dumb, then the halt and the lame—and so on.
  • Extract from : « The Secret Agent » by Joseph Conrad
  • There were dozens, perhaps hundreds, of them; I am not deaf.
  • Extract from : « A Woman Tenderfoot » by Grace Gallatin Seton-Thompson
  • A blind man can form no notion of colours; a deaf man of sounds.
  • Extract from : « An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding » by David Hume
  • Vargrave was talking to the deaf; what cared Maltravers for the world?
  • Extract from : « Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
  • Man-like, hot with the ardor of the chase, he was deaf and blind to all else.
  • Extract from : « The Black Bag » by Louis Joseph Vance
  • Amazement possessed her that the world could be so full of joy to which she had long been deaf.
  • Extract from : « Meadow Grass » by Alice Brown
  • But they, deaf alike to the song and the sorcery, rowed harder than ever.
  • Extract from : « Old Greek Folk Stories Told Anew » by Josephine Preston Peabody
  • But it was too late; Lady Anne was deaf and blind with passion.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • A deaf person had heard, a mute had spoken, a consumptive had revived!
  • Extract from : « The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete » by Emile Zola
  • But you, my dear Olivia, will not be deaf to the warning voice of common sense.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth

Synonyms for deaf

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019