poreblind

Adjective

purblind (comparative more purblind, superlative most purblind)

1. (literary) Of a person: having impaired vision; partially blind; dim-sighted.
   • 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.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...

   Synonyms:

   bisson, half-sighted, moonblind, purblinded, sandblind

2. (literary) Of the eyes: unable to see well, especially due to old age; weak.
3. (figuratively, literary) Of a person: lacking in discernment or understanding; dim-witted, unintelligent.
   • Yet did my Breſt that glorious fire incloſe, / VVhich their dull purblind Ignorance not ſavv, […]1607, Michael Drayton, “The Legend of Great Cromwell”, in Poems: […], London: […] Willi[am] Stansby for Iohn Smethwicke, published 1630, →OCLC, page 437

   Synonyms:

   obtuse, purblinded, addlebrained, addlepated, airheaded, bee-brained, beef-witted, soft, beefheaded, beetle-headed

   Antonyms:

   astute, brainy, bright, brilliant, clever, educated, genius, gifted, hivey, ingenious

4. (figuratively, literary) Of a place: poorly illuminated; dark, dim.
5. (literary, obsolete) Completely blind.
   • 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.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]
6. (literary, obsolete) Having one eye blind.
   • 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.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...

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