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# dumb

«dumb» in Mova's school dictionary: **In everyday talk, especially in the USA, dumb means…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (dumb, dumber, dumbest)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In everyday talk, especially in the USA, dumb means stupid or silly, and it is a rude word for a person. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#m1)

2) In older English, dumb meant not able to speak; this use is now hurtful and people say «non-speaking» or «unable to speak» instead. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#m2)

3) To be struck dumb means to be so surprised that you cannot say anything for a moment. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In stories it may show a character calling an idea or thing silly («a dumb mistake») or being too shocked to speak. In school pupils learn it is unkind to call a person dumb. Phrases: «a dumb idea», «struck dumb», «dumb luck» (pure luck), «play dumb» (pretend not to know).

### examples

- That was a dumb mistake; I forgot to carry the one. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x1)
- It's unkind to call anyone dumb. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x2)
- She was struck dumb when she saw the surprise party. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x3)
- He played dumb when Mum asked who ate the cake. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x4)
- We won by dumb luck, not by skill. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x5)
- I felt dumb when I put my shoes on the wrong feet. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x6)
- Animals are sometimes called «dumb animals» because they cannot talk, but they are not stupid. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x7)
- The lad was dumb with fright. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/#x8)

### note

The «b» is silent; it rhymes with «thumb». Calling a person dumb is rude, and using it for people who cannot speak is hurtful and old-fashioned. Saying a mistake was dumb is milder than calling a person dumb.

### In the corpora

- [A story told by a dog is not dumb: it shows the world from a new viewpoint.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/english/21-authors-choices-why-this-word-why-this-way/11/)
- [Woe unto him that saith to the wood: 'Awake', to the dumb stone: 'Arise!' Can this teach?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/HAB.39/)
- [Let the lying lips be dumb, which speak arrogantly against the righteous, with pride and contempt.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.465/)
- [But I am as a deaf man, I hear not; and I am as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.627/)
- [I was dumb with silence; I held my peace, had no comfort; and my pain was held in check.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.640/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «dumb» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dumb/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.