Blunt a.
1. Having a thick edge or point, as an instrument; dull; not sharp.
The murderous knife was dull and blunt. --Shak.
2. Dull in understanding; slow of discernment; stupid; -- opposed to acute.
His wits are not so blunt. --Shak.
3. Abrupt in address; plain; unceremonious; wanting the forms of civility; rough in manners or speech. “Hiding his bitter jests in blunt behavior.” “A plain, blunt man.”
4. Hard to impress or penetrate. [R.]
I find my heart hardened and blunt to new impressions. --Pope.
Note: ☞ Blunt is much used in composition, as blunt-edged, blunt-sighted, blunt-spoken.
Syn: -- Obtuse; dull; pointless; curt; short; coarse; rude; brusque; impolite; uncivil.
Blunt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Blunting.]
1. To dull the edge or point of, by making it thicker; to make blunt.
2. To repress or weaken, as any appetite, desire, or power of the mind; to impair the force, keenness, or susceptibility, of; as, to blunt the feelings.
Blunt, n.
1. A fencer's foil. [Obs.]
2. A short needle with a strong point. See Needle.
3. Money. [Cant]
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blunt
adj 1: having a broad or rounded end; "thick marks made by a blunt
pencil"
2: used of a knife or other blade; not sharp; "a blunt
instrument"
3: characterized by directness in manner or speech; without
subtlety or evasion; "blunt talking and straight
shooting"; "a blunt New England farmer"; "I gave them my
candid opinion"; "forthright criticism"; "a forthright
approach to the problem"; "tell me what you think--and you
may just as well be frank"; "it is possible to be
outspoken without being rude"; "plainspoken and to the
point"; "a point-blank accusation" [syn: candid, forthright,
frank, free-spoken, outspoken, plainspoken, point-blank,
straight-from-the-shoulder]
4: devoid of any qualifications or disguise or adornment; "the
blunt truth"; "the crude facts"; "facing the stark reality
of the deadline" [syn: crude(a), stark(a)]
v 1: make less intense; "blunted emotions"
2: make numb or insensitive; "The shock numbed her senses"
[syn: numb, benumb, dull]
3: make dull or blunt; "Too much cutting dulls the knife's
edge" [syn: dull] [ant: sharpen]
4: make less sharp; "blunt the knives"
5: make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor,
force, activity, or sensation; "Terror blunted her
feelings"; "deaden a sound" [syn: deaden] [ant: enliven]