What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Ease vs Dull - What's the difference?

ease | dull | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between ease and dull

is that ease is to move (something) slowly and carefully while dull is to soften, moderate or blunt; to make dull, stupid, or sluggish; to stupefy.

In intransitive terms the difference between ease and dull

is that ease is to proceed with little effort while dull is to lose a sharp edge; to become dull.

As a noun ease

is the state of being comfortable or free from stress.

As an adjective dull is

lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.

ease

English

Noun

(-)
  • The state of being comfortable or free from stress.
    • She enjoyed the ease of living in a house where the servants did all the work.
  • Freedom from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
    • ''His mind was at ease when he received his pension.
  • Freedom from effort, difficulty or hardship.
    • He passed all the exams with ease .
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=November 11 , author=Rory Houston , title=Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland , work=RTE Sport citation , page= , passage=Walters tried a long range shot in the third minute as he opened the game sharply, linking well with Robbie Keane, but goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko gathered the ball with ease .}}
  • Dexterity or facility.
    • He played the organ with ease .
  • Affluence and freedom from financial problems.
    • After winning the jackpot, she lived a life of luxurious ease .
  • Relaxation, rest and leisure.
    • We took our ease on the patio.
  • (clothing) Additional space to allow movement within a garment.
    • to add ease to a waist measurement

    Quotations

    * (English Citations of "ease")

    Synonyms

    * (state of being comfortable or free from stress) comfort, peace * peace of mind * (dexterity or facility) dexterity, facility, skill * free time, leisure, relaxation, rest

    Derived terms

    * chapel of ease * at ease * ease of use

    Related terms

    * easy

    References

    Verb

    (eas)
  • To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
    • He eased his conscience by confessing.
  • * '>citation
    • Elyse Saugstad, a professional skier, wore a backpack equipped with an air bag, a relatively new and expensive part of the arsenal that backcountry users increasingly carry to ease their minds and increase survival odds in case of an avalanche.
  • To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
    • ''He loosened his shoe to ease the pain.
  • To give respite to (someone).
    • The provision of extra staff eased their workload.
  • To loosen or slacken the tension on (something).
    • We eased the rope, then lowered the sail.
  • To reduce the difficulty of (something).
    • We had to ease the entry requirements.
  • To move (something) slowly and carefully.
    • He eased the cork from the bottle.
  • To lessen in severity.
    • The pain eased overnight.
  • To proceed with little effort.
    • The car eased onto the motorway.

    Synonyms

    * assuage, salve * alleviate, assuage, lessen, reduce * give someone a break (informal), lay off (informal) * loosen, relax, slacken * simplify * (lessen in severity) lessen, reduce * (proceed with little effort) cruise

    dull

    English

    Alternative forms

    * dul, dulle

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.
  • :
  • Boring; not exciting or interesting.
  • :
  • :
  • Not shiny; having a matte finish or no particular luster or brightness.
  • :
  • :a dull''' fire or lamp;  a '''dull''' red or yellow;  mirror
  • *(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) (1807-1882)
  • *:As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so changes of study a dull brain.
  • *
  • *:A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull , small fire. In fact, that arm-chair had been an extravagance of Mrs. Bunting. She had wanted her husband to be comfortable after the day's work was done, and she had paid thirty-seven shillings for the chair.
  • Not bright or intelligent; stupid; slow of understanding.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:She is not bred so dull but she can learn.
  • *(William Makepeace Thackeray) (1811-1863)
  • *:dull at classical learning
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=15 citation , passage=She paused and took a defiant breath. ‘If you don't believe me, I can't help it. But I'm not a liar.’ ¶ ‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’}}
  • Sluggish, listless.
  • *(Bible), (w) xiii. 15
  • *:This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing.
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:O, help my weak wit and sharpen my dull tongue.
  • *, chapter=7
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=[…] St.?Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.}}
  • Cloudy, overcast.
  • :
  • Insensible; unfeeling.
  • *(Beaumont and Fletcher) (1603-1625)
  • *:Think me not / So dull a devil to forget the loss / Of such a matchless wife.
  • Heavy; lifeless; inert.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:the dull earth
  • *(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) (1807-1882)
  • *:As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so changes of study a dull brain.
  • (of pain etc) Not intense; felt indistinctly or only slightly.
    • Pressing on the bruise produces a dull pain.

    Synonyms

    * See also * See also * (not shiny) lackluster, matte

    Antonyms

    * bright * intelligent * sharp

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To render dull; to remove or blunt an edge or something that was sharp.
    • Years of misuse have dulled the tools.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • This dulled their swords.
  • To soften, moderate or blunt; to make dull, stupid, or sluggish; to stupefy.
    • He drinks to dull the pain.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Those [drugs] she has / Will stupefy and dull the sense a while.
  • * Trench
    • Use and custom have so dulled our eyes.
  • To lose a sharp edge; to become dull.
    • A razor will dull with use.
  • To render dim or obscure; to sully; to tarnish.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • dulls the mirror

    External links

    * *