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Imbecile vs Deaf - What's the difference?

imbecile | deaf |

As adjectives the difference between imbecile and deaf

is that imbecile is (dated) destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; especially, mentally weak while deaf is of or relating to the culture surrounding deaf users of sign languages.

As a noun imbecile

is (obsolete) a person with limited (l) (l) who can perform (l) and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five to seven-year-old child.

imbecile

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A person with limited (l) (l) who can perform (l) and think only like a young child, in medical circles meaning a person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal five to seven-year-old child.
  • (pejorative) A .

    • Usage notes

    * In modern times, “imbecile” is often used in (l) (l).

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * imbecilic (adjective) * imbecility (noun)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (dated) Destitute of strength, whether of body or mind; feeble; impotent; especially, mentally weak.
    • hospitals for the imbecile and insane

    deaf

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf .
  • * Dryden
    • Deaf with the noise, I took my hasty flight.
  • Unwilling to listen or be persuaded; determinedly inattentive; regardless.
    • Those people are deaf to reason.
  • * Shakespeare
    • O, that men's ears should be / To counsel deaf , but not to flattery!
  • Obscurely heard; stifled; deadened.
  • * Dryden
    • A deaf murmur through the squadron went.
  • (obsolete, UK, dialect) Decayed; tasteless; dead.
    • a deaf''' nut; '''deaf corn
    (Halliwell)
  • * Holland
    • If the season be unkindly and intemperate, they [peppers] will catch a blast; and then the seeds will be deaf , void, light, and naught.

    Synonyms

    * hard of hearing * hearing-impaired

    Derived terms

    * turn a deaf ear * stone deaf * fall on deaf ears

    See also

    * inaudible (unable to be heard ) * anosmic * blind

    Noun

  • Deaf people considered as a group.

    • Derived terms

    * deaf aid * deaf and dumb * deaf-mute * deafen * deafness

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To deafen.
    • (Dryden)

    See also

    * (pedia) * (Deaf culture)

    Anagrams

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