different between dullness vs doldrums

English

Alternative forms

• dulness

Etymology

From dull +? -ness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?l.n?s/

Noun

dullness (usually uncountable, plural dullnesses)

1. The quality of being slow of understanding things; stupidity.
2. The quality of being uninteresting; boring or irksome.
3. Lack of interest or excitement.
4. The lack of visual brilliance; want of sheen.

5. (of an edge) bluntness.
6. The quality of not perceiving or kenning things distinctly.

7. (archaic) Drowsiness.
   • c. 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act I scene ii^[1]:

     Prospero: […] Thou art inclin'd to sleep. 'Tis a good dulness, / And give it way— I know thou canst not choose.

Translations

English

Etymology

From obsolete doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”) plus the plural suffix -s. Doldrum is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d?ld??mz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d?ld??mz/
• Hyphenation: dol?drums

Noun

doldrums pl (plural only)

1. Usually preceded by the: a state of apathy or lack of interest; a situation where one feels boredom, ennui, or tedium; a state of listlessness or malaise.

   Synonym: dumps
2. (nautical) Usually preceded by the: the state of a sailing ship when it is impeded by calms or light, baffling winds, and is unable to make progress.
3. (nautical, oceanography, by extension) Usually preceded by the: a part of the ocean near the equator where calms, squalls, and light, baffling winds are common.

   Synonyms: calms, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

Related terms

• doldrum

Translations

See also

• intertropical front (ITF)

Noun

doldrums

1. (obsolete) plural of doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”)

References

Further reading

• Intertropical Convergence Zone on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• doldrums (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia