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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

dull as dishwater en · ADJ

Pronunciation

Etymology

Modified from dull as ditchwater (1700s) in the first half of the 1900s, perhaps through mispronunciation.

Meanings

  1. (not-comparable, qualifier:simile) Boring; ordinary; exceedingly dull.
    • ‘My blessed Public must have a pretty girl’s face. Romance isn’t romance, adventure is as dull as dishwater...to my Public...unless, every so often, a face to sink a thousand ships, or is it saps? shows up.’ 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 6:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
dull as ditchwater alternative lexicographic

Relateds

bored to tears · watch paint dry

Synonyms

boring as beans

Translations (5)

fi tylsä kuin mikä (extremely boring) · nl doodsaai (extremely boring) · pl nudny jak flaki z olejem (extremely boring) · fr chiant comme la pluie (extremely boring) · fi umpitylsä (extremely boring)