obscure

n. Obscurity. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

How! There's bad news.
I must obscure, and hear it. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Obscurer superl. Obscurest. ] [ L. obscurus, orig., covered; ob- (see Ob-) + a root probably meaning, to cover; cf. L. scutum shield, Skr. sku to cover: cf. F. obscur. Cf. Sky. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. [ 1913 Webster ]

His lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Prov. xx. 20. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The obscure bird
Clamored the livelong night. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The obscure corners of the earth. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not noticeable; humble; mean. “O base and obscure vulgar.” Shak. “An obscure person.” Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or incomprehensible; as, an obscure passage or inscription. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects. [ 1913 Webster ]

Obscure rays (Opt.), those rays which are not luminous or visible, and which in the spectrum are beyond the limits of the visible portion. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Dark; dim; darksome; dusky; shadowy; misty; abstruse; intricate; difficult; mysterious; retired; unnoticed; unknown; humble; mean; indistinct. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an obscure manner. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of obscuring, or the state of being obscured; obscuration. Pomfret. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Obscurity. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]