Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DULL, a. [W. dol, dwl; Sax. dol, a wandering; also dull, foolish, stupid; D. dol, mad; G. toll, and tölpel, a dolt; Sax. dwolian, to wander, to rave. Qu. Dan. dvæler, to loiter; Sw. dvälias, id., or dvala, a trance.]

1. Stupid; doltish; blockish; slow of understanding; as, a lad of dull genius.
2. Heavy; sluggish; without life or spirit; as, a surfeit leaves a man very dull.
3. Slow of motion; sluggish; as, a dull stream.
4. Slow of hearing or seeing; as, dull of hearing; dull of seeing.
5. Slow to learn or comprehend; unready; awkward; as, a dull scholar.
6. Sleepy; drowsy.
7. Sad; melancholy.
8. Gross; cloggy; insensible; as, the dull earth.
9. Not pleasing or delightful; not exhilarating; cheerless; as, to make dictionaries is dull work. – Johnson.
10. Not bright or clear; clouded; tarnished; as, the mirror is dull.
11. Not bright; not briskly burning; as, a dull fire.
12. Dim; obscure; not vivid; as, a dull light.
13. Blunt; obtuse; having a thick edge; as, a dull knife or ax.
14. Cloudy; overcast; not clear; not enlivening; as, dull weather.
15. With seamen, being without wind; as, a ship has a dull time.
16. Not lively or animated; as, a dull eye.