dim (dɪm
)
Definitions
adjective
Word forms: dimmer, dimmest
- badly illuminated ⇒
a dim room
- not clearly seen; indistinct; faint ⇒
a dim shape
- having weak or indistinct vision ⇒
eyes dim with tears
- lacking in understanding; mentally dull
- not clear in the mind; obscure ⇒
a dim memory
- lacking in brilliance, brightness, or lustre ⇒
a dim colour
- tending to be unfavourable; gloomy or disapproving (esp in the phrase take a dim view)
verb
Word forms: dims, dimming, dimmed
- to become or cause to become dim
- (tr) to cause to seem less bright, as by comparison
- US Canadian (tr) to switch (car headlights) from the main to the lower beam Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)
dip
Alternative Forms
ˈdimly adverb ˈdimness nounWord Origin
Old English dimm; related to Old Norse dimmr gloomy, darkSynonyms
View thesaurus entry= poorly lit
dark,
gloomy,
murky,
shady,
shadowy,
dusky,
crepuscular,
darkish,
tenebrous,
unilluminated
caliginous,
=
unclear,
obscured,
faint,
blurred,
fuzzy,
shadowy,
hazy,
indistinguishable,
bleary,
undefined,
out of focus,
ill-defined,
indistinct,
indiscernible,
=
unfavourable,
bad,
black,
depressing,
discouraging,
gloomy,
dismal,
sombre,
unpromising,
dispiriting,
disheartening,
=
stupid,
slow,
thick,
dull,
dense,
dumb,
daft,
dozy,
obtuse,
unintelligent,
asinine,
slow on the uptake,
braindead,
doltish,
=
diminish,
decline,
dwindle,
wane,
recede,
subside,
ebb,
die out,
fade away,
shrivel,
peter out,
slacken,
=
cloud,
Translations
- British English:
dim
Dim light is not bright. You can also say that something is dim when the light is not bright enough to see very well.Below decks, the lights were dim.dɪm ADJECTIVE Below decks, the lights were dim.
- Spanish:
tenue
adj
- French:
terne
adj
- German:
dämmerig
adj
- Chinese: 暗淡的 adj
- Arabic: باهِت adj
- Portuguese: escuro adj escura
- Russian: тусклый adj тусклая
- Croatian: priglup adj priglupa
- Czech: tlumený adj
- Danish: dæmpet adj
- Dutch: schemerig adj
- Finnish: hämärä adj
- Greek: μουντός adj μουντή
- Italian: fioco adj fioca
- Japanese: 薄暗い adj
- Korean: 희미한 adj
- Norwegian: uklar adj
- Polish: przyćmiony adj przyćmiona
- Brazilian Portuguese: escuro adj escura
- European Spanish:
tenue
adj
- Swedish: dunkel adj dunkelt
- Thai: โง่ adj
- Turkish: loş adj
- Vietnamese: mờ adj
Usage examples
A single lamp cast a dim yellow light that left the corners of the room in darkness.
, LOST SUMMER (2002)For example, distant bright objects can look the same as nearby dim ones.
New Scientist (2004)The game was stopped with 5: 35 left in the second period when an electrical problem caused the lights to dim.
Globe and Mail (2003)Everyone has stories to tell about intrusive, offhand, insulting, boorish or dim waiters who drive us to Restaurant Fury.
Belfast Telegraph (2005)Though the light Was very dim , I think I saw The whole of him.
, THE ESSENTIAL SPIKE MILLIGAN (2002)