English Dictionary - With Multi-Lingual Search

was wotd|2007|January|7
English

Alternative spellings
gaumless, gawmless

Etymology
From English dialectal gorm + suffix -less. Originally from Old Germanic Appendix:Proto-Old Germanic *gaum-|*gaum-, �understand�.
The �r� found in this spelling is a vowel-lengthening device common in non-rhotic dialects of English

Pronunciation
italbrac|RP IPA|/�g��ml�s/
audio|en-us-gormless.ogg|Audio (US)

Adjective
en-adj

1. context|chiefly|UK|of a person Lacking intelligence, sense or discernment, often implying lack of capacity of will to remedy the condition.
2. UK inexperienced|Inexperienced, naïve, innocent to the point of foolishness.

Quotations
1845, w:Emily Brontë|Emily Brontë, s:Wuthering Heights|Wuthering Heights, ch xxi

1988, w:Roald Dahl|Roald Dahl, s:Matilda|Matilda, p4

1990, w:Terry Pratchett|Terry Pratchett, w:Moving Pictures (novel)|Moving Pictures, p171

RQ:Potter Deathly Hallows, p125

Synonyms
italbrac|lacking intelligence: dull, slow, stupid
italbrac|inexperienced: inexperienced, naive

Translations
trans-top|lacking intelligence
Dutch: t|nl|onnozel, t|nl|onhandig
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|naive
Dutch: t-|nl|naïef, t|nl|onnozel
trans-mid
trans-bottom

de:gormless
fi:gormless
vi:gormless
zh:gormless

• 2007-10-26 17:32 - Connel MacKenzie - [[User:Connel MacKenzie/Format|mfmt]]

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