Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
dunce

more about dunce

dunce


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Dunce  \Dunce\,  n.  [From  Joannes  Duns  Scotus,  a  schoolman  called 
  the  Subtle  Doctor,  who  died  in  1308.  Originally  in  the  phrase 
  ``a  Duns  man''.  See  Note  below.] 
  One  backward  in  book  learning;  a  child  or  other  person  dull 
  or  weak  in  intellect;  a  dullard;  a  dolt. 
 
  I  never  knew  this  town  without  dunces  of  figure. 
  --Swift. 
 
  Note:  The  schoolmen  were  often  called  after  their  great 
  leader  Duns  Scotus,  Dunsmen  or  Duncemen  In  the  revival 
  of  learning  they  were  violently  opposed  to  classical 
  studies;  hence  the  name  of  Dunce  was  applied  with 
  scorn  and  contempt  to  an  opposer  of  learning,  or  to  one 
  slow  at  learning,  a  dullard. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  dunce 
  n  :  these  words  are  used  to  express  a  low  opinion  of  someone's 
  intelligence  [syn:  {dunderhead},  {numskull},  {blockhead}, 
  {bonehead},  {lunkhead},  {hammerhead},  {knucklehead},  {loggerhead}, 
  {muttonhead},  {shithead},  {fuckhead}] 




more about dunce