dullness

Noun

dullness (usually uncountable, plural dullnesses)

1. (usually) The quality of being slow of understanding things.

   Synonyms:

   dullwittedness, dimness, dimwittedness

   Antonyms:

   sharpness, acuity, brightness, brain, brains, cleverness, head, esprit, intellect, intelligence

2. (usually) The quality of being uninteresting; boring; humorless or irksome.
   • If to raise malicious smiles at the infirmities or misfortunes of those who have never injured us be the province of wit or Humour, Heaven grant me a double Portion of Dullness—1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.ii
3. (usually) Lack of interest or excitement.
4. (usually) The lack of visual brilliance; want of sheen.
   • dullness of autumn
5. (usually) bluntness.
6. (usually) The quality of not perceiving or kenning things distinctly.
   • dullness of sight, or of hearing
7. (archaic, usually) Drowsiness.
   • Prospero: […]Thou art inclin'd to sleep. 'Tis a good dulness, / And give it way— I know thou canst not choose.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...