Obscure Definition & Meaning | Bay Area Crosswords

About The Word Obscure

Learn about the word Obscure to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Obscure definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Obscure

Obscure Definition And Meaning
What's The Definition Of Obscure? [adj] not clearly understood or expressed; "an indeterminate turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P.A.Sorokin; "vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke [adj] marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure" [adj] remote and separate physically or socially; "existed over the centuries as a world apart"; "preserved because they inhabited a place apart"- W.H.Hudson; "tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization"; "an obscure village" [adj] not drawing attention; "an unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet"; "an obscure flaw" [adj] not famous or acclaimed; "an obscure family"; "unsung heroes of the war" [adj] difficult to find; "hidden valleys"; "a hidden cave"; "an obscure retreat" [v] make unclear, indistinct, or blurred; "Her remarks confused the debate" [v] make obscure or unclear; "The distinction was obscured" [v] make difficult to perceive by sight; "The foliage of the huge tree obscures the view of the lake" [v] make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing [v] make less visible or unclear; "The stars are obscured by the clouds" Synonyms \| Synonyms for Obscure: apart(p) \| becloud \| bedim \| befog \| benight \| blot out \| blur \| cloud \| concealed \| confuse \| dark \| dishonorable \| fog \| haze over \| hidden \| hide \| incomprehensible \| inconspicuous \| indeterminate \| inglorious \| invisible \| isolated \| mist \| obliterate \| overcloud \| unclear \| uncomprehensible \| unconnected \| unknown \| unnoticeable \| unsung \| vague Related Terms \| Find terms related to Obscure: abstruse \| adiaphanous \| adumbrate \| aleatoric \| aleatory \| ambiguous \| amorphic \| amorphous \| amphibological \| anarchic \| anonymous \| apply to \| arcane \| around the bush \| back of beyond \| baffling \| baggy \| bandage \| beamless \| beat about \| becloud \| beclouded \| bedarken \| bedazzle \| bedim \| befog \| befogged \| beg the question \| begloom \| belie \| bemist \| benight \| beyond one \| bicker \| black \| black as night \| black out \| blacken \| blanket \| blear \| bleared \| bleary \| blind \| blind the eyes \| blindfold \| blobby \| block \| block the light \| blot out \| blur \| blurred \| blurry \| boggle \| broad \| brown \| buried \| caliginous \| camouflage \| canopy \| cast a shadow \| cavil \| chance \| chancy \| chaotic \| characterless \| choplogic \| Cimmerian \| clabber up \| clear as mud \| cloak \| close \| clothe \| cloud \| cloud over \| cloud up \| clouded \| cloudy \| complex \| complicate \| complicated \| conceal \| concealed \| confuse \| confused \| confusing \| cope \| corrupt \| cover \| cover up \| covered \| covert \| cowl \| crabbed \| cramp \| cryptic \| curtain \| dark \| dark as night \| dark as pitch \| darken \| darken over \| darkling \| darksome \| daze \| dazzle \| deform \| deprive of sight \| devious \| difficult \| dim \| dim out \| disguise \| dismal \| disorder \| disordered \| disorderly \| dissemble \| distant \| distort \| distract attention from \| dodge \| double-edged \| double-faced \| doubtful \| dubious \| dull \| dusk \| dusky \| ebon \| ebony \| eclipse \| eclipsed \| encloud \| encompass with shadow \| enigmatic \| enmist \| ensconce \| enshroud \| envelop \| equivocal \| equivocate \| esoteric \| evade \| evade the issue \| excecate \| faint \| falsify \| far \| far-off \| featureless \| feeble \| fence \| film \| filmy \| fog \| fog up \| foggy \| foreign \| formless \| fuliginous \| fuzz \| fuzzy \| garble \| garbled \| general \| glare \| gloom \| gloomy \| gloss over \| gouge \| grumly \| half-seen \| half-visible \| hard \| hard to understand \| haze \| hazy \| hedge \| hid \| hidden \| hide \| hit-or-miss \| hood \| hoodwink \| humble \| ignotus \| ill-defined \| illegible \| impervious to light \| imprecise \| in a cloud \| in a fog \| in eclipse \| in purdah \| in the wings \| inaccessible \| inaccurate \| inchoate \| incoherent \| incommunicado \| incomprehensible \| inconclusive \| inconsequential \| inconspicuous \| indecisive \| indefinable \| indefinite \| indeterminable \| indeterminate \| indistinct \| indistinguishable \| inexact \| inexplicable \| inform \| inglorious \| inscrutable \| insignificant \| intransparent \| intricate \| jumble \| jumbled \| kaleidoscopic \| keep from \| keep under cover \| knotty \| latent \| lax \| lay on \| lay over \| little known \| lonesome \| loose \| lowly \| low-profile \| lumpen \| make blind \| make uncertain \| make unintelligible \| mantle \| mask \| mean \| merely glimpsed \| mess up \| minor \| misadvise \| misdirect \| miseducate \| misguide \| misinform \| misinstruct \| mislead \| misrepresent \| mist \| misteach \| misty \| muddle \| muddy \| muffle \| murk \| murky \| mysterious \| mystic \| mystical \| mystify \| mystifying \| nameless \| nebulous \| night-black \| night-clad \| night-cloaked \| night-dark \| night-enshrouded \| night-filled \| night-mantled \| night-veiled \| nitpick \| no credit to \| nondescript \| nonspecific \| nubilate \| nubilous \| obduce \| obfuscate \| obfuscated \| obnubilate \| obscured \| obumbrate \| occult \| occultate \| occulted \| odd \| opaque \| orderless \| out of focus \| out-of-the-way \| overcast \| overcloud \| overlay \| overshadow \| oversmoke \| overspread \| overtechnical \| pale \| palter \| parry \| perplexed \| perplexing \| pervert \| pick nits \| pitch-black \| pitch-dark \| pitchy \| prevaricate \| pussyfoot \| put on \| puzzling \| quibble \| random \| rayless \| recondite \| remote \| removed \| renownless \| retired \| roiled \| roily \| scramble \| scrambled \| screen \| scum \| secluded \| secluse \| secret \| semivisible \| sequestered \| shade \| shadow \| shadowed forth \| shadowy \| shady \| shapeless \| shield \| shift \| shroud \| shuffle \| shy \| sidestep \| slur over \| smog \| smoke \| snow-blind \| solitary \| somber \| split hairs \| spread over \| starless \| stochastic \| strange \| strike blind \| subfusc \| sunless \| superimpose \| superpose \| sweeping \| tenebrious \| tenebrose \| tenebrous \| tergiversate \| tough \| transcendent \| turbid \| umbral \| uncelebrated \| uncertain \| unclear \| undefined \| under an eclipse \| under cover \| under house arrest \| under wraps \| underground \| undestined \| undetermined \| undistinguished \| unemphatic \| unfamed \| unfamiliar \| unfathomable \| unform \| unglorified \| unheard-of \| unhonored \| unilluminated \| unimportant \| unintelligible \| unknown \| unlighted \| unlit \| unnamed \| unnotable \| unnoted \| unnoticeable \| unnoticed \| unordered \| unorganized \| unplain \| unpopular \| unrecognizable \| unremarked \| unrenowned \| unshape \| unspecified \| unsung \| vague \| varnish \| veil \| veiled \| weak \| whitewash \| wrapped in clouds See Also \| alter \| alter \| change \| change \| conceal \| darken \| eclipse \| hide \| muddy \| mystify \| overshadow \| shade \| shade off \| shadow Obscure In Webster's Dictionary \Obscure"\, a. [Compar. {Obscurer}; superl. {Obscurest}.] [L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see {Ob-}) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. Cf.{Sky}.] 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} (Opt.), 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. \Obscure"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Obscured}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Obscuring}.] [L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF. obscurer. See {Obscure}, a.] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious. They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights. --Shak. Why, 't is an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscured. --Shak. There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of learned men as this. --Wake. And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame? --Dryden. \Obscure"\, v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [Obs.] How! There's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it. --Beau. & Fl. \Obscure"\, n. Obscurity. [Obs.] --Milton.

Obscure Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Obscure?

[adj] not clearly understood or expressed; "an indeterminate turn of phrase"; "an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard; "their descriptions of human behavior become vague, dull, and unclear"- P.A.Sorokin; "vague...forms of speech...have so long passed for mysteries of science"- John Locke
[adj] marked by difficulty of style or expression; "much that was dark is now quite clear to me"; "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure"
[adj] remote and separate physically or socially; "existed over the centuries as a world apart"; "preserved because they inhabited a place apart"- W.H.Hudson; "tiny isolated villages remote from centers of civilization"; "an obscure village"
[adj] not drawing attention; "an unnoticeable cigarette burn on the carpet"; "an obscure flaw"
[adj] not famous or acclaimed; "an obscure family"; "unsung heroes of the war"
[adj] difficult to find; "hidden valleys"; "a hidden cave"; "an obscure retreat"
[v] make unclear, indistinct, or blurred; "Her remarks confused the debate"
[v] make obscure or unclear; "The distinction was obscured"
[v] make difficult to perceive by sight; "The foliage of the huge tree obscures the view of the lake"
[v] make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing
[v] make less visible or unclear; "The stars are obscured by the clouds"

Obscure In Webster's Dictionary

\Ob*scure"\, a. [Compar. {Obscurer}; superl.
{Obscurest}.] [L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see {Ob-}) +
a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr.
sku to cover: cf.F. obscur. Cf.{Sky}.]
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} (Opt.), 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.


\Ob*scure"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Obscured}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Obscuring}.] [L. obscurare, fr. obscurus: cf. OF.
obscurer. See {Obscure}, a.]
To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the
dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible,
glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

      They are all couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with
      obscured lights.                         --Shak.

      Why, 't is an office of discovery, love, And I should
      be obscured.                             --Shak.

      There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by
      the writings of learned men as this.     --Wake.

      And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame? --Dryden.


\Ob*scure"\, v. i.
To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [Obs.]

      How! There's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it.
                                               --Beau. & Fl.


\Ob*scure"\, n.
Obscurity. [Obs.] --Milton.

More Crossword Puzzle Words

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

Cross Word Of The Day

In-fighting ‐ boxing at close quarters [n] conflict between members of the…
Protestant deacon ‐ a Protestant layman who assists…
Awake ‐ stop sleeping; "She woke up to the sound of the…
Mensa ‐ a faint constellation in the polar region of the southern hemisphere…
Calculus ‐ the branch of mathematics that is concerned with limits and with…
Sonny ‐ a male child (a familiar term of address…
Houyhnhnm ‐ one of a race of intelligent horses who ruled the Yahoos in Swift's…
Spontaneity ‐ the quality of being spontaneous and coming from natural feelings…
Harikari ‐ (Japan) ritual suicide by self-disembowelment on a sword; practiced…
Copland ‐ United States composer who developed a distinctly American music…