Word Meanings - OBSCURE - Book Publishers vocabulary database

obscurus, orig., covered; ob- + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. 1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. His lamp shall be put out

Additional info about word: OBSCURE

obscurus, orig., covered; ob- + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. 1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Prov. xx. 20. 2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed. The obscure bird Clamored the livelong night. Shak. The obscure corners of the earth. Sir J. Davies. 3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. "O base and obscure vulgar." Shak. "An obscure person." Atterbury. 4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription. 5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. Obscure rays , those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion. Syn. -- Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct.

Possible synonyms: (Same meaning words of OBSCURE)

• Abstruse
• Hidden
• recondite
• difficult
• profound
• deep
• curious
• obscure
• mystical
• occult
• hard
• dark
• Ambiguous
• Equivocal
• vague
• doubtful
• enigmatical
• uncertain
• unintelligible
• perplexing
• indistinct
• dubious
• Apocryphal
• Obscure
• unauthorized
• unauthentic
• spurious
• legendary
• unauthenticated
• unverified
• Blot Obscure
• tarnish
• spoil
• sully
• spot
• discolor
• pollute
• obliterate
• erase
• blur
• stain
• blotch
• smear
• smutch
• Complex
• Intricate
• multifarious
• compound
• complicated
• multifold
• involved
• many-sided
• abstruse
• close
• tangled

Possible antonyms: (opposite words of OBSCURE)

• Open
• initiate
• conduct
• protract
• Resolve
• analyze
• Reveal
• make known
• discover
• Purify
• wash
• cleanse
• absolve
• ornament
• decorate
• emblazon
• signalize
• honor

Related words: (words related to OBSCURE)

• OCCULTISM
  A certain Oriental system of theosophy. A. P. Sinnett.
• MULTIFARIOUS
  Having parts, as leaves, arranged in many vertical rows. (more info) 1. Having multiplicity; having great diversity or variety; of various kinds; diversified; made up of many differing parts; manifold. There is a multifarious artifice
• BLOTCH
  A large pustule, or a coarse eruption. Foul scurf and blotches him defile. Thomson. (more info) black, as bleach is akin to bleak. See Black, a., or cf. Blot a 1. A blot or spot, as of color or of ink; especially a large or irregular spot. Also
• DUBIOUSNESS
  State of being dubious.
• OCCULT
  Hidden from the eye or the understanding; inviable; secret; concealed; unknown. It is of an occult kind, and is so insensible in its advances as to escape observation. I. Taylor. Occult line , a line drawn as a part of the construction of a figure
• DECORATE
  To deck with that which is becoming, ornamental, or honorary; to adorn; to beautify; to embellish; as, to decorate the person; to decorate an edifice; to decorate a lawn with flowers; to decorate the mind with moral beauties; to decorate a hero
• HONORABLE
  1. Worthy of honor; fit to be esteemed or regarded; estimable; illustrious. Thy name and honorable family. Shak. 2. High-minded; actuated by principles of honor, or a scrupulous regard to probity, rectitude, or reputation. 3. Proceeding from an
• OBSCURENESS
  Obscurity. Bp. Hall.
• PURIFY
  1. To make pure or clear from material defilement, admixture, or imperfection; to free from extraneous or noxious matter; as, to purify liquors or metals; to purify the blood; to purify the air. 2. Hence, in figurative uses: To free from guilt
• SIGNALIZE
  1. To make signal or eminent; to render distinguished from what is common; to distinguish. It is this passion which drives men to all the ways we see in use of signalizing themselves. Burke. 2. To communicate with by means of a signal; as, a ship
• SMEAR DAB
  The sand fluke .
• OBSCURER
  One who, or that which, obscures.
• INVOLVEDNESS
  The state of being involved.
• INDISTINCTION
  Want of distinction or distinguishableness; confusion; uncertainty; indiscrimination. The indistinction of many of the same name . . . hath made some doubt. Sir T. Browne. An indistinction of all persons, or equality of all orders, is far from being
• CLOSEHANDED
  Covetous; penurious; stingy; closefisted. -- Close"hand`ed*ness, n.
• MULTIFOLD
  Many times doubled; manifold; numerous.
• ORNAMENTAL
  Serving to ornament; characterized by ornament; beautifying; embellishing. Some think it most ornamental to wear their bracelets on their wrists; others, about their ankles. Sir T. Browne.
• HONORABLENESS
  1. The state of being honorable; eminence; distinction. 2. Conformity to the principles of honor, probity, or moral rectitude; fairness; uprightness; reputableness.
• SMEARED
  Having the color mark ings ill defined, as if rubbed; as, the smeared dagger moth .
• ABSTRUSELY
  In an abstruse manner.
• SUSTAIN
  F. soutenir (the French prefix is properly fr. L. subtus below, fr. sub under), L. sustinere; pref. sus- + tenere to hold. See 1. To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; a beast sustains
• SAFE-CONDUCT
  That which gives a safe, passage; either a convoy or guard to protect a person in an enemy's country or a foreign country, or a writing, pass, or warrant of security, given to a person to enable him to travel with safety. Shak.
• UNPERPLEX
  To free from perplexity. Donne.
• BESMEAR
  To smear with any viscous, glutinous matter; to bedaub; to soil. Besmeared with precious balm. Spenser.
• ENIGMATIC; ENIGMATICAL
  Relating to or resembling an enigma; not easily explained or accounted for; darkly expressed; obscure; puzzling; as, an enigmatical answer.
• UNCLOSE
  1. To open; to separate the parts of; as, to unclose a letter; to unclose one's eyes. 2. To disclose; to lay open; to reveal.
• ENCLOSE
  To inclose. See Inclose.
• PARCLOSE
  A screen separating a chapel from the body of the church. Hook.
• UNTANGLE
  To loose from tangles or intricacy; to disentangle; to resolve; as, to untangle thread. Untangle but this cruel chain. Prior.