leaden

leaden
leaden (adj.) "made of lead," O.E. leaden, from LEAD (Cf. lead) (n.1) + -EN (Cf. -en) (2). The figurative sense of "heavy, oppressive, dull" is attested by 1570s. Related: Leadenly; leadenness.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Leaden — Lead en, a. 1. Made of lead; of the nature of lead; as, a leaden ball. [1913 Webster] 2. Like lead in color, etc.; as, a leaden sky. [1913 Webster] 3. Heavy; dull; sluggish. Leaden slumber. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • leaden — index indolent, languid, lifeless (dull), otiose, ponderous, torpid Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …   Law dictionary

  • leaden — ► ADJECTIVE 1) dull, heavy, or slow. 2) of the dull grey colour of lead. 3) archaic made of lead. DERIVATIVES leadenly adverb …   English terms dictionary

  • leaden — [led′ n] adj. 1. made of lead 2. having the inert heaviness of lead; hard to move or lift 3. sluggish; dull; heavy in action, feeling, etc. 4. depressed; dispirited; gloomy 5. of a dull gray leadenly adv. leadenness n …   English World dictionary

  • leaden — leadenly, adv. leadenness, n. /led n/, adj. 1. inertly heavy like lead; hard to lift or move: a leaden weight; leaden feet. 2. dull, spiritless, or gloomy, as in mood or thought: leaden prose; a leaden atmosphere. 3. of a dull gray color: leaden… …   Universalium

  • leaden — [[t]le̱d(ə)n[/t]] 1) ADJ A leaden sky or sea is dark grey and has no movement of clouds or waves. [LITERARY] The weather was at its worst; bitterly cold, with leaden skies that gave minimum visibility. 2) ADJ A leaden conversation or piece of… …   English dictionary

  • Leaden — Guillermo Leaden SDB (* 20. Juli 1913 in Buenos Aires, Argentinien) ist römisch katholischer emeritierter Weihbischof in Buenos Aires. Leben Guillermo Leaden, Enkel irischer Einwanderer, besuchte das Irish College in San Antonio de Areco und trat …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • leaden — lead|en [ˈledn] adj 1.) literary a leaden sky or sea is dark grey in colour 2.) literary if your body feels leaden, you move slowly, because you are tired, unhappy etc = ↑heavy ▪ She stumbled forward, her legs leaden. 3.) dull ▪ a leaden joke 4.) …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • leaden — lead•en [[t]ˈlɛd n[/t]] adj. 1) hard to lift or move: leaden feet[/ex] 2) dull, spiritless, or gloomy: leaden prose[/ex] 3) of a dull gray color: leaden skies[/ex] 4) oppressive: a leaden silence[/ex] 5) sluggish; listless: a leaden pace[/ex] 6)… …   From formal English to slang

  • leaden — adj. 1 of or like lead. 2 heavy, slow, burdensome (leaden limbs). 3 inert, depressing (leaden rule). 4 lead coloured (leaden skies). Phrases and idioms: leaden seal a stamped piece of lead holding the ends of a wire used as a fastening.… …   Useful english dictionary

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