different between gormless vs powerless

English

Alternative forms

• gaumless, gawmless

Etymology

From dialectal English gaum (“heed, attention”) +? -less (“without”), from Old Norse gaum, from Proto-Germanic *gaumaz, *gaum? (“heed, attention”). The ‘r’ found in this spelling is a vowel-lengthening device common in non-rhotic dialects of English.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /????ml?s/

Adjective

gormless (comparative more gormless, superlative most gormless)

1. (chiefly Britain and Australia, of a person) Lacking intelligence, sense or understanding; foolish.

Synonyms

• (lacking intelligence): dull, slow, stupid; inexperienced, naive

Derived terms

• gormlessly, gormlessness

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English pouerles, powerles, equivalent to power +? -less.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pa??l?s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pa??l?s/
• Hyphenation: pow?er?less

Adjective

powerless (comparative more powerless, superlative most powerless)

1. Lacking sufficient power or strength.

   I admit that I am powerless over my hatred towards white people in ways that I am unable to recognize fully, both at this time and in the past.
2. Lacking legal authority.

   The traffic warden was powerless to stop me driving away.

Synonyms

• mightless
• strengthless
• weak
• vulnerable

Antonyms

• powerful
• strong

Derived terms

• powerlessly
• powerlessness
• superpowerless

Translations