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Phlegmatic vs Numb - What's the difference?

phlegmatic | numb | Related terms |

As adjectives the difference between phlegmatic and numb

is that phlegmatic is not easily excited to action or passion; calm; sluggish while numb is without the power of sensation and motion or feeling; insensible.

As a noun phlegmatic

is one who has a phlegmatic disposition.

As a verb numb is

to cause to become numb.

phlegmatic

English

Alternative forms

* phlegmatick * phlegmaticke * phlegmatique

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Not easily excited to action or passion; calm; sluggish.
  • * {{quote-book
  • , year=1873 , author=Jules Verne , title=Around the World in 80 Days , chapter=2 citation , passage=Calm and phlegmatic , with a clear eye, Mr. Fogg seemed a perfect type of that English composure which Angelica Kauffmann has so skilfully represented on canvas.}}
  • * 2013 , A.O. Scott, “How It Looks to Think: Watch Her,” Rev. of , dir. by Margarethe von Trotta, New York Times 29 May 2013: C1. Print.
  • Their friendship (immortalized in a splendid volume of letters that has clearly served as one of Ms. von Trotta's sources) is a fascinating study in cultural and temperamental contrast, an impulsive and witty American paired with a steady, phlegmatic German.
  • (archaic) Abounding in phlegm; as, phlegmatic humors; a phlegmatic constitution.
  • Generating, causing, or full of phlegm.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • cold and phlegmatic habitations
  • Watery (en).
  • Synonyms

    * apathetic, sluggish, cold-blooded, unflappable, stoic

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who has a phlegmatic disposition.
  • numb

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Without the power of sensation and motion or feeling; insensible.
  • Not able to react, surprised, shocked.
  • Causing numbness.
  • * Shakespeare
  • All thin and naked to the numb cold night.

    Antonyms

    * sensible, sensitive

    Derived terms

    * benumb * numbly * numbness * numbnuts

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause to become numb.
  • The dentist gave me novocaine to numb my tooth before drilling, thank goodness.

    Synonyms

    * benumb