benumb

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: be=numb

CIDE DICTIONARY

benumb, v. t. [OE. binomen, p. p. of binimen to take away, AS. beniman; pref. be + niman to take. See Numb, a., and cf. Benim.].

 To make torpid; to deprive of sensation or sensibility; to stupefy; as, a hand or foot benumbed by cold.  [1913 Webster]
"The creeping death benumbed her senses first."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

benumb, v.tr.
1 make numb; deaden.
2 paralyse (the mind or feelings).

Etymology

orig. = deprived, as past part. of ME benimen f. OE beniman (as BE-, niman take)

THESAURUS

benumb

KO, abate, allay, alleviate, anesthetize, appease, assuage, bedaze, bemuse, besot, bite, blunt, chill, chloroform, coldcock, cushion, cut, deaden, deaden the pain, desensitize, diminish, dope, drug, dull, ease, ease matters, etherize, foment, freeze, frost, frostbite, give relief, go through, kayo, knock out, knock senseless, knock stiff, knock unconscious, lay, lay out, lessen, lull, mitigate, mollify, mull, narcotize, nip, numb, obtund, pad, palliate, palsy, paralyze, penetrate, petrify, pierce, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, put to sleep, reduce, refrigerate, relieve, salve, slacken, slake, soften, soothe, stun, stupe, stupefy, subdue

ROGET THESAURUS

benumb

Insensibility

VB be insensible, have a rhinoceros hide, show insensibility, not mind, not care, not be affected by, have no desire for, have no interest in, feel no interest in, take no interest in, nil admirari, not care a straw for, disregard, set at naught, turn a deaf ear to, vegetate, render insensible, render callous, blunt, obtund, numb, benumb, paralyze, deaden, hebetate, stun, stupefy, brutify, brutalize, chloroform, anaesthetize, put under, assify, inure, harden the heart, steel, caseharden, sear.

Physical Insensibility

VB be insensible, have a thick skin, have a rhinoceros hide, render insensible, anaesthetize, blunt, pall, obtund, benumb, paralyze, put under the influence of chloroform, stupefy, stun.

Numbness

VB benumb.

Refrigeration

VB cool, fan, refrigerate, refresh, ice, congeal, freeze, glaciate, benumb, starve, pinch, chill, petrify, chill to the marrow, regelate, nip, cut, pierce, bite, make one's teeth chatter, damp, slack quench, put out, stamp out, extinguish, go out, burn out (incombustibility).