Search for: stupid
781 Etymology dictionary, p. loon (n.2).2
mid-15c., lowen, louen "rascal, worthless person, boor," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German; compare Dutch loen "stupid person" (16c.). The modern sense "crazy person" is by influence of loony .
782 Etymology dictionary, p. lounge (v.).3
… idle, stupid dreamer," a special application, for some obscure reason, in Old French of the proper name Longis, which is from Latin Longius, Longinus. In old mystery …
783 Etymology dictionary, p. lubber (n.).2
… , clumsy, stupid fellow who lives in idleness," from lobre, earlier lobi "lazy lout," probably of Scandinavian origin (compare Swedish dialectal lubber "a plump …
784 Etymology dictionary, p. lug (n.).3
Applied 19c. to mechanical objects that can be grabbed or gripped. Meaning "stupid fellow" is from 1924; that of "lout, sponger" is 1931, American English. Compare lug-nut (1869), nut closed at one end as a cap.
785 Etymology dictionary, p. lummox (n.).2
"clumsy, stupid man," 1825, East Anglian slang, of unknown origin. Perhaps from dumb ox, influenced by lumbering; or from or related to dialectal verb lummock "move heavily or clumsily," itself a word of uncertain origin.
786 Etymology dictionary, p. lump (n.).3
… "dull, stupid person." Phrase lump in (one's) throat "swelling in the throat," especially "feeling of tightness brought on by emotion," is from 1803. Lumps "hard knocks …
787 Etymology dictionary, p. lumpenproletariat (n.).3
… "boorish, stupid people" led to lumpen- being taken as a word-forming element meaning "unenlightened."
788 Etymology dictionary, p. lunch (n.).4
Lunch money is attested from 1868. Lunch-time is from 1821; lunch hour is from 1840; lunch-break is from 1960. Slang phrase out to lunch "insane, stupid, clueless" first recorded 1955, on notion of being "not there."
789 Etymology dictionary, p. mad (adj.).2
… , extremely stupid," earlier gemæded "rendered insane," past participle of a lost verb *gemædan "to make insane or foolish," from Proto-Germanic *gamaidjan, demonstrative …
790 Etymology dictionary, p. masturbation (n.).3
… " (see stupid ). Hence the earliest form of the word in English. But perhaps the first element represents an unattested *mazdo- "penis" [OED]. An earlier technical word …
791 Etymology dictionary, p. meathead (n.).2
"stupid person," 1945, from meat + head (n.).
792 Etymology dictionary, p. meshuga (adj.).2
"mad, crazy, stupid," 1892, from Hebrew meshugga, participle of shagag "to go astray, wander." The adjective has forms meshugener, meshugenah before a noun.
793 Etymology dictionary, p. mome (n.).2
"buffoon, fool, stupid person," 1550s, from Old French mome "a mask. Related" Momish. The adjective introduced by "Lewis Carroll" is an unrelated nonsense word.
794 Etymology dictionary, p. moonraker (n.).2
… -raker, "stupid or silly person," in England, a name traditionally given to Wiltshire people, 1787, from the stock joke about fools who mistook the reflection …
795 Etymology dictionary, p. moron (n.).2
… , sluggish, stupid," a word of uncertain origin. The former connection with Sanskrit murah "idiotic" (see moratorium ) is in doubt. Latin morus "foolish" is a loan-word …
796 Etymology dictionary, p. mosey (v.).2
… dull, stupid way." Or perhaps from some abbreviation of Spanish vamos (see vamoose ). Related: Moseyed; moseying .
797 Etymology dictionary, p. mud (n.).4
… "a stupid twaddling fellow" (1708). Mud in your eye as a toast is recorded from 1912, American English.
798 Etymology dictionary, p. muddle-headed (adj.).2
"confused; stupid," 1759; see muddle (v) + head (n.).
799 Etymology dictionary, p. mug (n.2).4
The meaning "stupid or incompetent person, dupe, fool, sucker" is by 1851 in thieves' slang; hence "a person" generally (especially "a criminal"), by 1890. Mug's game "foolish, thankless, or unprofitable activity" is by 1890.
800 Etymology dictionary, p. mule (n.1).3
… "obstinate, stupid, or stubborn person" is from 1470s; the sense of "stupid" seems to have been older, that of "stubborn" is by 18c.