Lexic.us

Definition of Obscure

1. Adjective. Not clearly understood or expressed. "Vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"

2. Verb. Make less visible or unclear. "The big elm tree obscures our view of the valley"

3. Adjective. Marked by difficulty of style or expression. "Those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure"

4. Verb. Make unclear, indistinct, or blurred. "Their words obnubilate their intentions"

5. Adjective. Difficult to find. "An obscure retreat"

6. Verb. Make obscure or unclear. "The distinction was obscured"

7. Adjective. Not famous or acclaimed. "Unsung heroes of the war"

8. Verb. Reduce a vowel to a neutral one, such as a schwa.

9. Adjective. Not drawing attention. "An obscure flaw"

10. Verb. Make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing. "A veiled threat"

11. Adjective. Remote and separate physically or socially. "An obscure village"

Definition of Obscure

1. a. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim.

2. v. t. To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

3. v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark.

4. n. Obscurity.

Definition of Obscure

1. Adjective. Dark, faint or indistinct. ¹

2. Adjective. Hidden, out of sight or inconspicuous. ¹

3. Adjective. Difficult to understand. ¹

4. Verb. (transitive) To darken, make faint etc. ¹

5. Verb. (transitive) To hide, put out of sight etc. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Obscure

1. dark or indistinct [adj -SCURER, -SCUREST] / to make obscure [v -SCURED, -SCURING, -SCURES] - See also: obscure

Medical Definition of Obscure

1. 1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. "His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness." (Prov. Xx. 20) 2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed. "The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night." (Shak) "The obscure corners of the earth." (Sir J. Davies) 3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." . "An obscure person." 4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription. 5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. Obscure rays, those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion. Synonym: Dark, dim, darksome, dusky, shadowy, misty, abstruse, intricate, difficult, mysterious, retired, unnoticed, unknown, humble, mean, indistinct. Origin: L. Obscurus, orig, covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. Scutum shield, Skr. Sku to cover: cf.F. Obscur. Cf.Sky. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Obscure

obscene obscenely obscener obscenest obscenities obscenity obscurant obscurantic obscurantism obscurantisms

obscurantist obscurantists obscurants obscuration obscurations obscure (current term) obscured obscurely obscurement obscurements

obscureness obscurenesses obscurer obscurers obscures obscurest obscurification obscuring obscurist obscurists

Literary usage of Obscure

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke (1894)
"Ideas, some clear and distinct, others obscure and confused. ... The first is, that some are clear and others obscure; some distinct and others ..."

2. The Poetical Works of John Dryden by John Dryden (1909)
"But, says Scaliger, he is so obscure, that he has got himself the name of ... Now, says Casaubon, Ч is a wonder to me that anything could be obscure to the ..."

3. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon (1887)
"68 Without approving the malice, it is natural enough to »hare the surprise of the sophist, the spectator of a revolution which raised those obscure victims ..."

4. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1866)
"obscure Diseases of the Brain and Mind. By FORBES WINS- LOW, MD. DCL, Oxon. etc. etc. etc. Second American, from the Third and Revised English Edition. ..."

5. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1861)
"As far аз we can follow the argument, which becomes obscure at this point, ... The argument is very obscure, though it is sustained by abundant citations ..."

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