dumb : Idioms & Phrases

Index

Deaf and dumb

  • . See Deaf-mute.
  • without the sense of hearing or the faculty of speech. See Deaf-mute.
Webster 1913

Deaf and dumb alphabet

  • . See Dactylology.
Webster 1913

deaf-and-dumb

  • adjective satellite lacking the sense of hearing and the ability to speak
    deaf-mute.
WordNet

deaf-and-dumb person

  • noun a deaf person who is unable to speak
    deaf-mute; mute.
WordNet

Dumb ague, ∨ Dumb chill

  • a form of intermittent fever which has no well-defined "chill." U.S.
Webster 1913

Dumb animal

  • any animal except man; usually restricted to a domestic quadruped; so called in contradistinction to man, who is a "speaking animal."
Webster 1913

dumb bomb

  • noun a bomb that falls because of gravity and is not guided to a target
    gravity bomb.
WordNet

Dumb cake

  • a cake made in silence by girls on St. Mark's eve, with certain mystic ceremonies, to discover their future husbands. Halliwell.
Webster 1913

Dumb cane

  • noun an evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name
    Dieffenbachia sequine; mother-in-law plant; mother-in-law's tongue.
WordNet
  • (Bot.), a west Indian plant of the Arum family (Dieffenbachia seguina), which, when chewed, causes the tongue to swell, and destroys temporarily the power of speech.
Webster 1913

Dumb crambo

  • . See under crambo.
Webster 1913

Dumb show

  • noun a performance using gestures and body movements without words
    mime; pantomime.
WordNet
  • . (a) Formerly, a part of a dramatic representation, shown in pantomime. "Inexplicable dumb shows and noise." Shak. (b) Signs and gestures without words; as, to tell a story in dumb show.
Webster 1913

dumb-bell

Dumb"-bell` noun
Definitions
  1. A weight, consisting of two spheres or spheroids, connected by a short bar for a handle; used (often in pairs) for gymnastic exercise.
Webster 1913

dumb-waiter

Dumb"-wait`er noun
Definitions
  1. A framework on which dishes, food, etc., are passed from one room or story of a house to another; a lift for dishes, etc.; also, a piece of furniture with movable or revolving shelves.
Webster 1913

strike dumb

  • verb render speechless, as by surprising or shocking
    • we were struck dumb by the candidate's announcement
WordNet

To strike dumb

  • to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or, it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.
Webster 1913