Obscure | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Ob-scūre', a.

adjective

a. [compar. OBSCURER; superl. OBSCUREST.] [Lat. obscurus, Fr. obscur, Sp. obscuro, oscuro, It. oscuro.]

Sense 1. Covered over, shaded, darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated.

Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Prov. xx. 20.

Sense 2. Living in darkness; hidden.

The obscure bird clamored the livelong night. Shak.

Sense 3. Not much known or observed; retired; remote from observation; as, an obscure retreat.

Sense 4. Not noted; unknown; unnoticed; humble; mean. “O base and obscure vulgar.” Shak.

He says that he is an obscure person. Atterbury.

Sense 5. Not easily understood or made out; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription.

Sense 6. Not clear, full, or distinct; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects.

Synonyms—Dark; dim; darksome; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct; imperfect; defective.

Ob-scūre', v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. OBSCURED; p. pr. & vb. n. OBSCURING.] [O. Fr. obscurer, N. Fr. obscuvoir, Sp. obscurar, oscurar, obscurecer, It. oscurare, Lat. obscurare, from obscurus. See supra.] To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to conceal; to hide from view; to make less intelligible, legible, visible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.

They are couched in a pit hard by Herne's oak, with obscured lights. Shak.

Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love, And I should be obscured. Shak.

There is scarce any duty which has been so obscured by the writings of the learned as this. Wake.

And seest not sin obscures thy godlike frame? Dryden.

Ob-scūre′, v. i.

verbintransitive

To conceal one's self; to hide. [Obs.] How! there's bad news. I must obscure, and hear it. Beau. & Fl.

Ob-scūre', n.

noun

n. Obscurity. [Obs.] “The dark and palpable obscure.” Milton.