Her stern was painted of a dumb white or dun color.
De Foe.
Deaf and dumb. See Deaf-mute. -- Dumb ague, or Dumb chill, a form of intermittent fever which has no well-defined "chill." [U.S.] -- Dumb animal, any animal except man; - - usually restricted to a domestic quadruped; -- so called in contradistinction to man, who is a "speaking animal." -- Dumb cake, a cake made in silence by girls on St. Mark's eve, with certain mystic ceremonies, to discover their future husbands. Halliwell. -- Dumb cane (Bot.), a west Indian plant of the Arum family (Dieffenbachia seguina), which, when chewed, causes the tongue to swell, and destroys temporarily the power of speech. - - Dumb crambo. See under crambo. -- Dumb show. (a) Formerly, a part of a dramatic representation, shown in pantomime. "Inexplicable dumb shows and noise." Shak. (b) Signs and gestures without words; as, to tell a story in dumb show. -- To strike dumb, to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or, it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.
Syn. -- Silent; speechless; noiseless. See Mute.
Dumb, v. t. To put to silence. [Obs.] Shak.
Dumb"-bell` (?), n. A weight, consisting of two spheres or spheroids, connected by a short bar for a handle; used (often in pairs) for gymnastic exercise.
Dum"ble*dor` (?), n. [The first part is prob. of imitative origin. See Dor a beetle.] (Zoöl.) A bumblebee; also, a cockchafer. [Prov. Eng.]
Dumb"ly (?), adv. In silence; mutely.
Dumb"ness, n. The quality or state of being dumb; muteness; silence; inability to speak.
Dumb"-wait`er (?), n. A framework on which dishes, food, etc., are passed from one room or story of a house to another; a lift for dishes, etc.; also, a piece of furniture with movable or revolving shelves.
Du"me*tose` (?), a. [From L. dumetum a thicket.] (Bot.) Dumose.
Dum"found` (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dumfounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Dumfounding.] To strike dumb; to confuse with astonishment. [Written also dumbfound.] Spectator.