blind

adjective

• 1unable to see; sightless:she suffered from glaucoma, which has left her completely blind he was blind in one eye
• [attributive] (of an action, especially a test or experiment) done without being able to see or without being in possession of certain information:a blind tasting of eight wines
• Aeronautics (of flying) using instruments only:blind landings during foggy conditions

• 2 [predic.] lacking perception, awareness, or discernment:he’s absolutely blind where you’re concerned, isn’t he? she was blind to the realities of her position
• [attributive] (of an action or state of mind) not controlled by reason or judgment:they left in blind panic
• [attributive] not governed by purpose:moving purposelessly in a world of blind chance

• 3 [attributive] concealed or closed, in particular.
• (of a corner or bend in a road) impossible to see around:two trucks collided on a blind curve in the road
• (of a door or window) walled up.
• closed at one end:a blind pipe
• (of a plant) without buds, eyes, or terminal flowers:planting too shallowly is the most common cause of bulbs coming up blind

• 4 [attributive with negative] British informal (used in emphatic expressions) not the slightest:you don’t know a blind thing!

• 5 informal drunk.

verb

• 1cause (someone) to be unable to see, permanently or temporarily:the injury temporarily blinded him eyes blinded with tears

• 2 (be blinded) deprive (someone) of understanding, judgment, or perception:a clever tactician blinded by passion somehow Clare and I were blinded to the truth
• (blind someone with) confuse or overawe someone with something difficult to understand:they try to blind you with science

noun

• 1 (as plural noun the blind) people who are unable to see:guide dogs for the blind

• 2an obstruction to sight or light, in particular.
• a screen for a window, especially one on a roller or made of slats:she pulled down the blinds
• British an awning over a shop window.

• 3 [in singular] something designed to conceal one’s real intentions:he phoned again from his own home: that was just a blind for his wife
• a hiding place:you can sometimes use your car as a blind
• North American a camouflaged shelter used by hunters to get close to wildlife:a duck blind

• 4British informal dated a heavy drinking bout:he’s off on a blind again

• 5British a legitimate business concealing a criminal enterprise.

adverb

• without being able to see clearly:he was the first pilot in history to fly blind
• without having all the relevant information; unprepared:he was going into the interview blind
• (of a stake in poker and other games) put up by a player before the cards dealt are seen.