ob·scure
(
b-sky
r
,
b-)
KEY
ADJECTIVE:
ob·scur·er
,
ob·scur·est
- Deficient in light; dark.
-
- So faintly perceptible as to lack clear delineation; indistinct. See Synonyms at dark.
- Indistinctly heard; faint.
-
Linguistics
Having the reduced, neutral sound represented by schwa ().
-
- Far from centers of human population:
an obscure village.
- Out of sight; hidden:
an obscure retreat.
- Not readily noticed or seen; inconspicuous:
an obscure flaw.
- Of undistinguished or humble station or reputation:
an obscure poet; an obscure family.
- Not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague:
"an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"
(Anatole Broyard).
See Synonyms at ambiguous.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
ob·scured
,
ob·scur·ing
,
ob·scures
- To make dim or indistinct:
Smog obscured our view.
See Synonyms at block.
- To conceal in obscurity; hide:
"Unlike the origins of most nations, America's origins are not obscured in the mists of time"
(National Review).
-
Linguistics
To reduce (a vowel) to the neutral sound represented by schwa ().
NOUN:
- Something obscure or unknown.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French
obscur, from Latin
obsc
rus; see
(s)keu- in Indo-European roots
OTHER FORMS:
ob·scurely
(Adverb),
ob·scureness
(Noun)
