purblind

The adjective is derived from Middle English purblind (“(adjective) completely blind; blind in one eye; near-sighted; (noun) near-sighted animal, specifically a hare”) ,^[1] possibly from pur, pure (“completely, entirely”)^[2] (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pewH- (“to be clean; pure”); influenced by pur- (prefix meaning ‘completely; forward; in advance’))^[3][4] + blind (“sightless, blind”)^[5][6][7] (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰlendʰ- (“to blend, mix up; to make cloudy or opaque”)).

Sense 4.1 (“completely blind”) was the original sense. The senses denoting partial blindness are possibly the result of confusion of the first element pur- with poor, perhaps through folk etymology.^[6] (Compare parboil regarding per versus pars.)

The noun and verb^[8] are derived from the adjective.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɜːblaɪnd/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɝblaɪnd/
• Hyphenation: pur‧blind

purblind (comparative more purblind, superlative most purblind) (literary)

1. Of a person: having impaired vision; partially blind; dim-sighted.

   Synonyms: (archaic) bisson, half-sighted, (obsolete) moonblind, (archaic, literary) purblinded, sandblind

   • 1531, Thomas Elyot, “The Thre Noble Counsayles of Reason, Societe, and Knowlege”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour  (Everyman’s Library), London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent & Co; New York, N.Y.: E[dward] P[ayson] Dutton & Co, published , →OCLC, 3rd book, page 203:

     Thy dignitie or autorite, wherin thou onely differest from other, is (as it were) but a weighty or heuy cloke, fresshely gliteringe in the eyen of them that be poreblynde, where unto the it is paynefull, if thou weare hym in his right facion, and as it shal best become the.

   • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: Richard Field, , →OCLC, [verse 114], lines ; republished as Shakespeare’s Venus & Adonis: , London: J M Dent and Co. , 1896, →OCLC, verse 114, page 41, lines 679–682:

     And when thou hast on foot the purblind hare, / Mark the poor wretch, to overshoot his troubles, / How he outruns the wind, and with what care, / He cranks and crosses with a thousand doubles: […]

     The spelling has been modernized.

   • 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “The Young Gentleman Having Settled His Domestick Affairs, Arrives in London, and Sets Up a Gay Equipage. He Meets with Emilia, and is Introduced to Her Uncle.”, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle , volume III, London: Harrison and Co., , →OCLC, page 12:

     [H]e vvent into one of the boxes at the play-houſe, as uſual, to ſhevv himſelf to the ladies; and in reconnoitring the company through a glaſs, (for no other reaſon, but becauſe it vvas faſhionable to be purblind) perceived his miſtreſs very plainly dreſſed, in one of the ſeats above the ſtage, talking to another young vvoman of a very homely appearance.

   • 1868, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “Lenoble of Beaubocage”, in Charlotte’s Inheritance , volume I, London: Ward, Lock, and Tyler , →OCLC, book I (De Profundis), page 2:

     They […] ate the messes compounded for them in a darksome cupboard, known as the kitchen, by old Nanon the cook, purblind, stone-deaf, and all but imbecile, and popularly supposed to be the venerable mother of Madame Magnotte.

   • 1891 February–December, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Hatiheu”, in In the South Seas , New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1896, →OCLC, part I (The Marquesas), page 63:

     [T]here were shown in to us an old, worn, purblind, ascetic-looking priest, […]

2. Of the eyes: unable to see well, especially due to old age; weak.
3. (figuratively)
   1. Of a person: lacking in discernment or understanding; dim-witted, unintelligent.

      Synonyms: obtuse, (archaic, literary) purblinded; see also Thesaurus:stupid

      Antonyms: see Thesaurus:intelligent

      • 1607, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Great Cromwell”, in Poems: , London: Willi Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, published 1630, →OCLC, page 437:

        Yet did my Breſt that glorious fire incloſe, / VVhich their dull purblind Ignorance not ſavv, […]

      • 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., , →OCLC, pages 45–46:

        O purblind race of miserable men, / How many among us at this very hour / Do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves. / By taking true for false, or false for true.

      • 1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXV, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented , volume II, London: James R Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., , →OCLC, phase the fifth (The Woman Pays), page 200:

        When she ceased the auricular impressions from their previous endearments seemed to hustle away into the corners of their brains, repeating themselves as echoes from a time of supremely purblind foolishness.

      • 1951, Isaac Asimov, chapter 16, in Foundation, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, published March 1967, →OCLC, part V (The Merchant Princes), page 191:

        A herd of palsied purblind idiots hugging their sterile profits close to their sunken chests in the face of my father’s displeasure.

      • 1959 April 21, Walt Kelly, Pogo: The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips, Seattle, Wash.: Fantagraphics Books, published 2011, →ISBN, page 34:

        The public is the pupae of the purposely purblind […]

      • 2002, John Waller, “Introduction: Revolutionary, by Any Standards”, in John Turney, editor, The Discovery of the Germ: Twenty Years that Transformed the Way We Think about Disease (Revolutions in Science), New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 4:

        Finally, between 1880 and 1900, an explosive burst of experimental activity at last drove home the truth of germ theory to all but the most purblind of critics.

   2. Of a place: poorly illuminated; dark, dim.
4. (obsolete)
   2. Completely blind.
      • c. 1591–1595 (date written), [William Shakespeare], Romeo and Iuliet.  (Second Quarto), London: Thomas Creede, for Cuthbert Burby, , published 1599, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:

        Speake to my goſhip Venus one faire vvord, / One nickname for her purblind ſonne and her, / Young Abraham: Cupid he that ſhot ſo true, / VVhen King Cophetua lou'd the beger mayd.

        In this and the following quotations, Cupid is described as purblind, perhaps in reference to the proverb “love is blind”.

      • c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost.  (First Quarto), London: W W for Cutbert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W Griggs, , , →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

        This vvimpled vvhy[n]ing purblind vvayvvard Boy, / This ſignior Iunios gyant dvvarffe, dan Cupid, […]

      • c. 1619–1621, John Fletcher, “The Island Princesse”, in Comedies and Tragedies , London: Humphrey Robinson, , and for Humphrey Moseley , published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene i, page 105, column 1:

        This is a nevv ſalute: / Sure h'as forgot me: this is pur-blinde Cupid.

   3. Having one eye blind.
      • 1617, Fynes Moryson, “Of Precepts for Trauellers, which may Instruct the Vnexperienced”, in An Itinerary Written by Fynes Moryson Gent. : Containing His Ten Yeeres Travell through the Twelve Domjnions of Germany, Bohmerland, Sweitzerland, Netherland, Denmarke, Poland, Jtaly, Turky, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. , London: John Beale, , →OCLC, book I, part III, pages 15–16:

        The French haue a good Prouerbe. Entre les auengles, les borgnes ſont les Roys: Among the blinde, the pore blind are the Kings. And thus they vvhich haue no skill in tongues, vvill boldly ſay, that this or that man doth perfectly, and vvithout ſtamering, ſpeake many tongs.

   4. Near-sighted, short-sighted; myopic.

      Synonym: (archaic) mope-eyed

      • c. 1522 (date written), Thomas More, “A Treatyce (Vnfynyshed) vppon These Wordes of Holye Scrypture, Memorare Nouissima, & Ineternum non Peccabis, Remember the Last Thynges, and Thou shalt Neuer Synne. . Of Couertise.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, , London: Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, column 94:

        The man that is pore blinde, cannot ſee far from hym. And as to ioke on deth we be for the moſt part pore blinde all yͭ mayny: for we cannot ſee hym til he cõe [come] very nere vs. But theſe folk be not pore blynde but ſtarke blynde: for they cãnot ſee him when he commeth ſo nere, yͭ hee putteth almoſte his finger in theyr eye.

      • 1631, Francis [Bacon], “IX. Century. [Experiments in Consort Touching the Eyes, and Sight.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. , 3rd edition, London: William Rawley ; rinted by J H for William Lee , →OCLC, paragraph 870, page 223:

        Pore-blinde Men, ſee beſt in the Dimmer Lights; And likevviſe haue their Sight Stronger neere hand, than thoſe that are not Pore-blinde, And can Reade and VVrite ſmaller Letters.

      • 1736 February 21 (Gregorian calendar), Elizabeth “Betty” Germain, “From Lady Betty Germain”, in Jonathan Swift, edited by Thomas Sheridan and John Nichols, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, , new edition, volume XIII, London: J Johnson, , published 1801, →OCLC, page 248:

        I am sorry to hear your complaints still of giddiness. I was in hopes you would have mended, like my purblind eyes, with old age.

   5. (rare) Far-sighted, long-sighted; hypermetropic.

• poreblind (obsolete)

• purblinded (adjective)
• purblindly
• purblindness

• moonblind (obsolete)
• sandblind

purblind (plural purblinds)

1. A person who has impaired vision or is partially blind.
   • 1759, Andrew Brice, “NAPLES”, in A Universal Geographical Dictionary; or, Grand Gazetteer; of General, Special, Antient and Modern Geography: , volume II, London: J. Robinson and W. Johnston, ; P. Davey and B. Law ; and H. Woodgate and S. Brooks, , →OCLC, page 918, column 1:

     If the miraculous Blood fails of diſſolving at its Approach to the miraculous Head, the vviſe Neapolitans look on it as an Omen of ſome more grievous Judgmt. than our Foreſighted Purblinds do of a Salt's Overthrovv on Table; but vvhen it benignly liquifies 'tis then a ſure Token of heavenly Favour, and the Able Pious ſurely make rich Offerings accordingly.

   • 1781, John Rutty, Meditations and Soliloquies, with Religious Experiences, , Dublin: Robert Jackson , →OCLC, page 59:

     To love and adore is our proper province, not to knovv much; for as to knovvledge, vve are mere purblinds both in naturals and ſpirituals.

   • 1886, “The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad. ”, in Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl., edited by Isabel Burton and Justin Huntly McCarthy, Lady Burton’s Edition of Her Husband’s Arabian Nights , volume I, London: Waterlow & Sons , →OCLC, page 142:

     By the freak of Fortune we were like to like, three Kalendars and three purblinds, all blind of the left eye.

purblind (third-person singular simple present purblinds, present participle purblinding, simple past and past participle purblinded)

1. (transitive, literary, often passive voice) To cause (someone) to have impaired vision or become partially blind.
   • 1661, Alex[ander] Brome, “A New-years-gift”, in Songs and Other Poems , 3rd edition, London: Henry Brome, , published 1668, →OCLC, page 219:

     And may the Sun, that novv begins t'appear / I'th Horizon to uſher in the year, / Melt all thoſe fatuous Vapours, vvhoſe falſe light / Purblinds the VVorld, and leads them from the right; […]

   • a. 1664 (date written), Hugh Binning, “Sermon XX. I John i. 10.”, in The Works of the Pious, Reverend and Learn’d Mr. Hugh Binning, , Edinburgh: R. Fleming and Company, and sold by Mr. James Davidson, and John Paton, , published 1735, →OCLC, page 450, column 1:

     It is ſtrange to think, hovv ſound and clear, and diſtinct a Man's Judgment, vvill be againſt thoſe Evils in others, vvhich he ſeeth not in himſelf; […] Self-love ſo purblinds them in this Reflection, that they cannot diſcern that in themſelves, vvhich others cannot but diſcern.

   • 1831, Thomas Carlyle, “Symbols”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. , London: Chapman and Hall, , →OCLC, 3rd book, pages 152–153:

     Were he not, as has been said, purblinded by enchantment, you had but to bid him open his eyes and look.

   • c. 1877, E Farr, E H Nolan, chapter XIII, in David Hume, Tobias Smollett, E. Farr, E. H. Nolan, The History of England, , volume IV, London, New York, N.Y.: Virtue and Co., , →OCLC, page 407, column 2:

     [H]is [Albert, Prince Consort's] self-isolation from politics, whether of court or country, commanded a national admiration, intense no doubt, but tempered with a suspicion of "part-playing" unjust to the man as it would have been unpardonable in the people, had it not originated in that traditional jealousy of the democracy not only of England, but of every other country, which purblinds it to the integrity of beneficial influences flowing spontaneously through an atmosphere of regal regions.

   • 1972, David Rhodes, chapter V, in The Last Fair Deal Going Down (An Atlantic Monthly Press Book), Boston, Mass., Toronto, Ont.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 164:

     My only light was provided by a one-hundred-watt G.E. bulb hanging from a mouse-chewed wire above my bed. The glare from this light was purblinding and I wrapped toilet paper around it to act as a shade.

• visual impairment on Wikipedia.Wikipedia