Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Not changing in response to argument or other influence; obstinate or intractable.
- adjective Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent.
- adjective Hardened against feeling; hardhearted.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Hardened, especially against moral influences; wickedly resisting.
- Hard-hearted; inexorable; unyielding; stubborn.
- Inflexible; stiff; harsh.
- Synonyms Obdurate, Callous, Hardened. These words all retain the original meaning of physical hardening, although it is obsolescent with obdurate. In the moral signification, the figure is most felt in the use of callous, which indicates sensibilities to right and wrong deadened by hard treatment, like
callous flesh. Hardened is less definite, it being not always clear whether the person is viewed as made hard by circumstances or as having hardened himself against better influences and proper claims. Obdurate is the strongest, and implies most of determination and active resistance. Seeobstinate . - Unbending, unsusceptible, insensible.
- To harden; confirm in resistance; make obdurate.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb obsolete To harden.
- adjective Hardened in feelings, esp. against moral or mollifying influences; unyielding; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked.
- adjective Hard; harsh; rugged; rough; intractable.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Stubbornly persistent , generally inwrongdoing ; refusing to reform or repent. - adjective obsolete Physically
hardened ,toughened .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
- adjective showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Geithner plainly has no patience for what he describes as the obdurate unwillingness of colleagues to subordinate their desire for superficial impact to the larger vision.
Inside Man 2010
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Geithner plainly has no patience for what he describes as the obdurate unwillingness of colleagues to subordinate their desire for superficial impact to the larger vision.
Inside Man 2010
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He also defended his seizure of white-owned farms, saying the program pitted the majority against the white minority he described as obdurate and backed by the British.
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In their valuation of the distribution of grace, theologians distinguish somewhat sharply between ordinary sinners (among whom they include habitual and relapsing sinners) and those sinners whose intellect is blinded, and whose heart is hardened, the so-called obdurate sinners (obcaecati et indurati, impaenitentes).
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 6: Fathers of the Church-Gregory XI 1840-1916 1913
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He thrilled even now at the recollection of the Hadendowas leaping and stabbing through the breach of McNeil's zareba six miles from Suakin; he recalled the obdurate defence of the Berkshires, the steadiness of the Marines, the rallying of the broken troops.
The Four Feathers 1906
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You won't hear American announcers call an "obdurate defense," a terrific pass a "rapier thrust" or a tying goal the "equalizer."
NYT > Home Page By RICHARD SANDOMIR 2011
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She said the LRC was extremely proud of its achievements with the community that included a victory in the Constitutional Court, against "obdurate" opposition by government.
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He also defended his seizure of white-owned farms, saying the program pitted the majority against an "obdurate" racial minority which he alleged was "supported and manipulated" by Blair.
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George passed from life with the kind of obdurate resistance and strength of spirit with which he had lived.
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George passed from life with the kind of obdurate resistance and strength of spirit with which he had lived.
chained_bear commented on the word obdurate
Hardened in wrongdoing or sin; stubbornly impenitent; resistant or insensible to moral influence.
Usage: The number of obdurate papists and Italianate atheists is great at this time. (1572)
February 3, 2007
frindley commented on the word obdurate
"And if you remain callous and obdurate, I
Shall perish as he did, and you will know why,
Though I probably shall not exclaim as I die,
'Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!'"
– from "On a tree by a river a little tom-tit"
(Sung by Ko-Ko in The Mikado)
April 18, 2008
reesetee commented on the word obdurate
Ah, frindley, such memories. As elementary-schoolers, we put on a production of The Mikado and thought it was the grandest thing ever. :-)
April 18, 2008
bilby commented on the word obdurate
I went to see a production of the Mikado at university ... with my Japanese girlfriend. That was an experience.
April 18, 2008
darqueau commented on the word obdurate
Milton accents the U - obdúrate
July 15, 2008