DULL Copy link • DULL 1. adj., hebetatus, retusus, obtusus (all PROP. and figuratively): obstupefactus (figuratively of the mind): hebes (of the eyes and understanding; also of pain): tardus (slow, of the intellect; also, tardus ad discendum): caligans (not clear, of the eyes): nubilus, nebulosus, or caliginosus (cloudy, dies, Plin.): subnubilus (Caes.): languidus, languens (without power or life; hence also of color, life, look, voice, etc.): iners (sluggish, of the eyes, looks, voice, pain, etc.): frigidus (cold; e.g., thoughts): stupidus: stupore oppressus (not in the full possession of one’s senses): dull gold, aurum non politum: a dull color, color languidus, lentus (not bright or lively), hebes (Ov., Plin.): color dilutus (washy): color nubilus, or surdus (clouded, dull; Plin.): to become dull, languescere, evanescere: to be dull, hebere or obtusa esse acie (PROP.; to be blunt): languere, frigere (e.g., of conversation): caligare (of the eyes): a dull yellow, languescens in lutum color (Plin.): a dull noise, murmur caecum (Verg.). To be dull of hearing, aures hebetes habere (Cic.): to make or render d. the eyes, the senses, hebetare sensum oculorum, sensus: a dull understanding, obtusior animi acies or vigor. Not exhilarating, taedium, or satietatem, afferens; odiosus; molestus; gravis (Cic.); insuavis (Cic.). Drowsy, sopitus; semisomnus; somniculosus (Cic.). Sad, tristis; moestus; moerens (Cic.). 2. v. TRANS. To stupefy, stupefacere (Liv.); stolidum, or insulsum, facere; hebetem reddere. To blunt, hebetare, retundere, obtundere (to deprive of sharpness by beating, pushing, etc., PROP. and figuratively): to dull the ears (Spens.), aures obtundere, aures hebetare: to dull the mind with (Ascham), mentem, ingenium obtundere: to dull the intellect, mentis mucronem retundere, by daily use, quotidiana pugna, (Quint., 10, 5, 16): to dull one’s self for anything, hebetare atque indurare aliquem ad aliquid. To sadden, contristare; tristitia afficere; moerore conficere; moestitiam afferre (Cic.). To weaken, debilitare; frangere; imminuere; lenire; mitigare; infirmare (Cic.). To damp, tardare; remittere; relaxare (Cic.). To make weary, lassare; fatigare; defatigare (Cic.). To sully brightness, rei nitorem obscurare, infuscare, exstinguere (Cic.): maculare (Nep.).