obscure

obscure [əb skyoor′, äbskyoor′]

adj.

[OFr obscur < L obscurus, lit., covered over < ob- (see OB-) + IE * skuro- < base * (s)keu-, to cover, conceal > HIDE¹, SKY]

1. lacking light; dim; dark; murky [the obscure night]

2. not easily perceived; specif.,

a) not clear or distinct; faint or undefined [an obscure figure or sound]

b) not easily understood; vague; cryptic; ambiguous [an obscure explanation]

c) in an inconspicuous position; hidden [an obscure village]

3. not well-known; not famous [an obscure scientist]

4. Phonet. pronounced as (ə) or (i) because it is not stressed; reduced; neutral: said of a vowel

vt.

obscured, obscuring [L obscurare < the adj.]

1. to make obscure; specif.,

a) to darken; make dim

b) to conceal from view; hide

c) to make less conspicuous; overshadow [a success that obscured earlier failures]

d) to make less intelligible; confuse [testimony that obscures the issue]

2. Phonet. to make (a vowel) obscure

n.

Rare OBSCURITY

obscurely

adv.

obscureness

n.

SYN.- OBSCURE applies to that which is perceived with difficulty either because it is concealed or veiled or because of obtuseness in the perceiver [their reasons remain obscure]; VAGUE implies such a lack of precision or exactness as to be indistinct or unclear [a vague idea ]; ENIGMATIC and CRYPTIC are used of that which baffles or perplexes, the latter word implying deliberate intention to puzzle [enigmatic behavior, a cryptic warning ]; AMBIGUOUS applies to that which puzzles because it allows of more than one interpretation [an ambiguous title ]; EQUIVOCAL is used of something ambiguous that is deliberately used to mislead or confuse [an equivocal answer ] -ANT. CLEAR, DISTINCT, OBVIOUS