blind beetle

Blind \Blind\, a. [AS.; akin to D., G., OS., Sw., & Dan. blind,
   Icel. blindr, Goth. blinds; of uncertain origin.]
   1. Destitute of the sense of seeing, either by natural defect
      or by deprivation; without sight.
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            He that is strucken blind can not forget
            The precious treasure of his eyesight lost. --Shak.
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   2. Not having the faculty of discernment; destitute of
      intellectual light; unable or unwilling to understand or
      judge; as, authors are blind to their own defects.
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            But hard be hardened, blind be blinded more,
            That they may stumble on, and deeper fall. --Milton.
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   3. Undiscerning; undiscriminating; inconsiderate.
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            This plan is recommended neither to blind
            approbation nor to blind reprobation. --Jay.
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   4. Having such a state or condition as a thing would have to
      a person who is blind; not well marked or easily
      discernible; hidden; unseen; concealed; as, a blind path;
      a blind ditch.
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   5. Involved; intricate; not easily followed or traced.
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            The blind mazes of this tangled wood. --Milton.
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   6. Having no openings for light or passage; as, a blind wall;
      open only at one end; as, a blind alley; a blind gut.
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   7. Unintelligible, or not easily intelligible; as, a blind
      passage in a book; illegible; as, blind writing.
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   8. (Hort.) Abortive; failing to produce flowers or fruit; as,
      blind buds; blind flowers.
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   {Blind alley}, an alley closed at one end; a cul-de-sac.

   {Blind axle}, an axle which turns but does not communicate
      motion. --Knight.

   {Blind beetle}, one of the insects apt to fly against people,
      esp. at night.

   {Blind cat} (Zool.), a species of catfish ({Gronias
      nigrolabris}), nearly destitute of eyes, living in caverns
      in Pennsylvania.

   {Blind coal}, coal that burns without flame; anthracite coal.
      --Simmonds.

   {Blind door}, {Blind window}, an imitation of a door or
      window, without an opening for passage or light. See
      {Blank door} or {Blank window}, under {Blank}, a.

   {Blind level} (Mining), a level or drainage gallery which has
      a vertical shaft at each end, and acts as an inverted
      siphon. --Knight.

   {Blind nettle} (Bot.), dead nettle. See {Dead nettle}, under
      {Dead}.

   {Blind shell} (Gunnery), a shell containing no charge, or one
      that does not explode.

   {Blind side}, the side which is most easily assailed; a weak
      or unguarded side; the side on which one is least able or
      disposed to see danger. --Swift.

   {Blind snake} (Zool.), a small, harmless, burrowing snake, of
      the family {Typhlopid[ae]}, with rudimentary eyes.

   {Blind spot} (Anat.), the point in the retina of the eye
      where the optic nerve enters, and which is insensible to
      light.

   {Blind tooling}, in bookbinding and leather work, the
      indented impression of heated tools, without gilding; --
      called also {blank tooling}, and {blind blocking}.

   {Blind wall}, a wall without an opening; a blank wall.
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