ignorant, a. (n.)
(ˈɪgnərənt)
Also 6 yngnorant.
[a. F. ignorant (14th c. in Littré) = It., Sp. ignorante, ad. L. ignōrans, ignōrānt-em, pres. pple. of ignōrāre not to know: see ignore.]
A. adj.
1. a. Destitute of knowledge, either in general or with respect to a particular fact or subject; unknowing, uninformed, unlearned. † Ignorant Friars: see Ignorantine.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. v. met. iii. 124 (Camb. MS.) What wyht þat is al vnkunnynge and ignoraunt. 1483 Caxton Cato 2 b, To therudicion and lernynge of them that ben ygnoraunt. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxx. 17 We ar so beistlie, dull, and ignorant, Our rudnes may nocht lichtlie be correctit. 1661 Grand Debate 59 The same words are to be read by the ablest and ignorantest man. 1693 tr. Emilianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. xiv. 144 The Order of the Brothers of Charity, called otherwise..Ignorant Fryars. 1709 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Miss A. Wortley 21 Aug., I shall return to London the same ignorant soul I went from it. 1797 T. Bewick Brit. Birds (1847) I. 73 To mislead the ignorant and credulous. 1855 Motley Dutch Rep. v. iii. (1866) 704 There were..none so ignorant as not to know his deeds. |
b. fig. or transf. of things.
| 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iii. i. 27 His Shipping (Poore ignorant Baubles!) on our terrible Seas..crack'd..'gainst our Rockes. 1718 J. Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. (1730) I. viii. §1 That the Origin thereof can be ascribed to nothing less than an Accidental and Ignorant Cause. 1875 ‘Mark Twain’ in Atlantic Monthly Jan. 71/1 This fellow had..an ignorant silver watch and a showy brass watch chain. 1892 ― Amer. Claimant Pref., It ought to be the ablest weather that can be had, not ignorant, poor-quality, amateur weather. |
2. Const. a. With in: Uninformed or unskilled in, not acquainted with (a subject). rare.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) G b, For that we sholde not be ignoraunt feble & weyke in these thynges. 1563 W. Fulke Meteors (1640) 56 The ignorant in Philosophy must be admonished, that all things are full, nothing is empty. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 180 Finding the Muscovian Pilot..absolutely ignorant in the business of Navigation. 1833 I. Taylor Fanat. i. 2 Ignorant in the chief article of the case. |
b. with of: Having no knowledge of; hence † unconscious of, innocent of, having no share in (also ignorant to). (In quot. 1755, taking no notice of, ignoring.)
| 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour Ij b, Ignoraunt of this faytte. 1530 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 85 He is yngnorant to the acte. 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 195 b, Of thys the erle of Warwycke was nothyng ignorant. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 64 Of cards and dice they are happily ignorant. a 1716 South Serm. III. 278 In some things, it is much more difficult for a Man..to be Ignorant of his Duty than to Learn it. 1755 Man No. 38 ¶5 To be ignorant of calumny more effectually stops its progress than vindication. 1862 Brodie Psychol. Inq. II. v. 144 They are ignorant of many things with which we are well acquainted. |
c. with dependent clause.
| c 1532 Remedie of Love xxxiv, As a wanton lambe full ignorante How he is pulled and drawen to be bounde. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. Ep. P. Giles (Arb.) 24, I am..ignoraunt in what sea that ylande standeth. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary To Rdr. (1625) A iv, Being..nothing ignorant what great perfection is to be required in such a one. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 114 They being ignorant how the Veins lye. 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest ix, I am ignorant that till now I ever made you this offer. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt i. (1868) 22 She was ignorant what sort of man Harold had become now. |
3. transf. a. Showing absence of knowledge; resulting from ignorance.
| 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xiv. (Percy Soc.) 56 Besyde my draughtes rude and ignoraunt. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 70 Alas, what ignorant sin haue I committed. Mod. This is a mere ignorant statement. |
† b. That keeps one in ignorance. nonce-use.
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. i. ii. 397 If you know ought which do's behoue my knowledge..imprison't not In ignorant concealement. |
† 4. Of things: Unknown. Obs.
(Cf. L. ignārus in sense of ignōtus.)
| 1547 Hooper Answ. Bp. Winchester Ded. A ij b, It is not ignoraunt unto youe what may be done by the vertue of a fere and well orderyd oracion. 1548 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke xviii. 139 b, It was not ignoraunt to him what thyng the blynde man wished to haue. 1612 Chapman Widowes T. v. i, Whence he is, tis ignorant to vs. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 219 It seemes ignorant that, long before, our Countri⁓men had embraced Christ by the preaching of Joseph of Arimathea. |
5. dial. and colloq. Ill-mannered, uncouth.
¶ Sometimes written as iggerant in imitation of vulgar speech.
| 1886 R. E. G. Cole Gloss. Words S.W. Lincs. 71 Ignorant, ill-mannered. 1886 F. T. Elworth West Somerset Word-Bk. 363 Ignorant, wanting in manners. The usual description of a rough, uncouth lout. 1946 K. Tennant Lost Haven (1947) xvii. 273 He used the word ‘ignorant’ in the country sense of knowing nothing of good manners. 1965 Listener 22 July 137/3 He writes what he thinks ‘a Puerto Rican’ is thinking (very elemental, Latin, iggerant, dumb, baffled, passionate). 1966 ‘L. Lane’ ABZ of Scouse 49, I jes' can't stan' that feller, 'e's plain bloody 'iggerant. 1968 New Society 22 Aug. 266/1 Ignorant, meaning ‘bad-mannered’, is non-U. |
B. n. a. An ignorant person. Now rare.
| c 1480 Henryson Mor. Fab. 7 Who is enemie to science and cunning, But ignorants who vnderstandeth not? 1563 Foxe A. & M. 716 We must nedes judge you an ignoraunt herin. 1627 H. Burton Baiting Pope's Bull 2 Ignorants write their marke, in stead of their names. 1700 Congreve Way of World iii. xiii, Ah! to marry an ignorant that can hardly read or write! 1863 Mrs. C. Clarke Shaks. Char. xvi. 394 The pretty ignorants had lost their fascination for him. 1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Par. Churches 239 Church authorities..too often entrust their buildings to ignorants. |
† b. pl. An order of friars: see Ignorantine.
| 1693 tr. Emilianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. xix. 220 Besides these Orders, there is mention made..of the Ignorants. |