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Other forms: bored; boring; bores
If your friends fall asleep every time you open your mouth, you might be a bore — someone who makes the people around them bored.
In 1738, Voltaire wisely wrote, “The secret of being a bore is to tell everything.” But the word bore is less boring than you think, since it can function as both noun and verb. You can bore a hole into something by drilling through it with a tool, and you can also bore people by being excessively dull, repetitive, or tedious to be around. And don't forget the bore of a needle or gun barrel, which is the same as its diameter.
Vocabulary from "Beowulf" (translated by by Gummere).
Mr. Popper, who dreams of exploring the polar regions, receives a penguin as a gift — and soon he training an entire penguin family to be part of Popper's Performing Penguins.
Edge: Level B, Volume 2, Unit 5, Cluster 3. Here are links to the other clusters within Unit 5: "The Interlopers" and "An Interview with the King of Terror" , "The Baby-Sitter" and "Beware: Do Not Read This Poem" , "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Raven"
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Lacking interest, excitement, or stimulation. "The movie turned out to be a boring and predictable cliché."
When something is described as " boring ," it suggests a lack of engaging or captivating qualities that would typically evoke curiosity or hold one's attention. It refers to a dullness or monotony that fails to capture or sustain interest. Boring can describe activities, situations, objects, or individuals that do not provide a sense of entertainment, novelty, or intellectual stimulation. It often implies a lack of variety, creativity, or meaningful interaction. Boring can also refer to something that causes a feeling of weariness or tedium, leading to disinterest or apathy. The term " boring " is subjective, as what may be uninteresting to one person could be fascinating to another. Overall, the adjective " boring " denotes a lack of excitement, interest, or engaging qualities that fail to captivate or entertain.
1. The lecture was so boring that many students struggled to stay awake. 2. He found the novel to be boring and couldn't finish reading it. 3. The party was a complete bore, with no interesting conversations or activities. 4. The museum exhibit was boring , lacking interactive displays or engaging content. 5. The long car ride felt boring without any music or conversation. 6. The presentation was filled with boring statistics and failed to capture the audience's attention.
The adjective ' boring ' finds its etymological origins in the 18th century. It evolved from the verb 'bore,' which initially meant 'to pierce' or 'to make a hole.' This verb came from the Old English word 'borian,' which had the same meaning. Over time, 'bore' developed a metaphorical usage, indicating the act of mentally 'drilling' or 'piercing' through someone's attention or interest with something uninteresting or dull. This figurative sense gradually gave rise to the adjective ' boring ,' describing something that lacks interest, excitement, or stimulation. The etymology of ' boring ' thus illustrates how language can expand its meanings through metaphorical shifts, as it shifted from physical hole-making to a word used to characterize things that fail to engage or captivate our minds.
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1. The rainy weekend made for a boring staycation with nothing to do indoors. 2. The repetitive nature of the job made it feel boring and unfulfilling. 3. The museum guide's monotonous voice made the tour seem boring and uninspiring. 4. The team's playing style was criticized for being slow and boring to watch. 5. The documentary turned out to be surprisingly boring , failing to hold the viewer's interest. 6. The lecture was so boring that I struggled to stay awake. 7. His monotonous voice made the topic even more boring . 8. The movie was a total flop; it was painfully boring . 9. I find repetitive tasks at work quite boring . 10. The museum exhibit turned out to be rather boring . 11. The party was a bust; it was boring from start to finish. 12. The book's plot was so predictable it became boring . 13. Her speech was dull and boring , lacking any enthusiasm. 14. The conference dragged on, becoming increasingly boring . 15. The restaurant had a boring menu with no exciting options. 16. His conversation skills were so lacking, it was boring . 17. The meeting was unproductive and incredibly boring . 18. The long train ride was boring without any entertainment. 19. The hike turned out to be a boring walk in the woods. 20. The music playlist at the party was quite boring . 21. The play's first act was slow and boring , but it improved later. 22. The seminar was boring ; I couldn't wait for it to end. 23. The video game's repetitive levels made it boring quickly. 24. The documentary was well-made but ultimately boring . 25. The class was so unengaging that it felt incredibly boring .
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_7deb1bd10b274eeca38fe2f821b50c0d~mv2.jpg, https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_5cefdb6ad4434b9b99a58676c1b40199~mv2.jpg, https://static.wixstatic.com/media/eb68db_8ad0597ef51d4026b57cf018d7bf709f~mv2.jpg
TOEFL 14, Middle School 11, Dull and Uninteresting
dull,humdrum,lackluster,monotonous,mundane,tedious,uninspiring
drab,lifeless,tiresome,uneventful,uninteresting
Quiz categories containing boring.
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dull, exciting, thrilling, engaging
eb68db_1145f3af047b420885f480a330aaadcd.mp3
(Entry 1 of 6)
transitive verb
intransitive verb
Definition of bore (Entry 2 of 6)
Definition of bore (Entry 3 of 6)
past tense of bear
Definition of bore (Entry 4 of 6)
Definition of bore (Entry 5 of 6)
Definition of bore (Entry 6 of 6)
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Middle English boren , going back to Old English borian , going back to Germanic *bur-ō- (whence Old High German borōn "to pierce," Old Norse bora ), probably verbal derivative of a noun base bur- "tool for piercing" (whence Old English bor "chiseling instrument," Old High German bora ); akin to Latin forāre "to bore," ferīre "to strike"
Middle English, "hole, perforation," in part noun derivative of boren "to bore entry 1 ," in part borrowed from Old Norse bora "borehole," derivative of bora "to bore"
Middle English *bore wave, from Old Norse bāra
of uncertain origin
Note: Plausibly a derivative of the verb bore entry 6 , if this was a sense development of bore entry 1 ("to drill, wear at" & "to induce ennui"); however, the noun, a vogue word among London political and cultural figures in the 1760's, appears to predate the verb.
perhaps verbal derivative of bore entry 5 if the noun is earlier
Note: See note at bore entry 5 .
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
1601, in the meaning defined above
1766, in the meaning defined above
1768, in the meaning defined above
Cite this entry.
“Bore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bore. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.
Kids definition of bore.
Kids Definition of bore (Entry 2 of 6)
Kids Definition of bore (Entry 3 of 6)
past of bear
Kids Definition of bore (Entry 4 of 6)
Kids Definition of bore (Entry 5 of 6)
Kids Definition of bore (Entry 6 of 6)
Old English borian "to bore"
probably of Norse origin
origin unknown
Medical definition of bore.
(Entry 1 of 2)
Medical Definition of bore (Entry 2 of 2)
Legal definition of bore, more from merriam-webster on bore.
Nglish: Translation of bore for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of bore for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bore
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(Definition of boring from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
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to delay until you are ready
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BORING SPEECH definition | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples
The meaning of BORING is causing weariness and restlessness through lack of interest : causing boredom : tiresome. How to use boring in a sentence. ... Share the Definition of boring on Twitter Twitter. Kids Definition. boring. adjective. bor· ing ˈbō(ə)r-iŋ . ˈbȯ(ə)r-: causing boredom : uninteresting, tedious. boringly-iŋ-lē .
Adding nonexistent facts or experiences to build credibility or interest. Overdramatizing parts of your presentation forcibly. Trying to come up with Jokes on the fly, without having the talent to do so. Making simple concepts harder to understand. Proper preparation, speech outline, rehearsing, and getting someone to keep time for your ...
Boring definition: causing or marked by boredom; dull and uninteresting; tiresome. See examples of BORING used in a sentence.
BORING definition: 1. not interesting or exciting: 2. not interesting or exciting: 3. not interesting or exciting: . Learn more.
As an adjective boring describes something (or someone) that is tedious, dull, and lacking in interest. As a noun, boring refers to the act of drilling a hole, or the hole itself.
a. the act or process of making or enlarging a hole. b. the hole so made. 2. Geology. a cylindrical sample of earth strata obtained by boring a vertical hole. 3. See borings.
boring. From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English bor‧ing /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/ S2 adjective not interesting in any way Her husband is about the most boring person I've ever met. The job was dull and boring. dead/incredibly/terribly etc boring (=very boring) THESAURUS boring not interesting in any way a boring speech He found school ...
Synonyms boring boring dull tedious These words all describe a subject, activity, person or place that is not interesting or exciting. boring not interesting; making you feel tired and impatient:. He's such a boring man! She found her job very boring. dull not interesting or exciting:. Life in a small town could be deadly dull. tedious lasting or taking too long and not interesting, so that ...
She found her job very boring. dull not interesting or exciting: Life in a small town can be extremely dull. tedious lasting or taking too long and not interesting, so that you feel bored and impatient: The journey soon became tedious. Patterns. to be boring/dull/tedious for somebody; boring/dull/tedious subjects/books; boring/dull/tedious jobs ...
boring - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.
If your friends fall asleep every time you open your mouth, you might be a bore — someone who makes the people around them bored.
11. The party was a bust; it was boring from start to finish. 12. The book's plot was so predictable it became boring. 13. Her speech was dull and boring, lacking any enthusiasm. 14. The conference dragged on, becoming increasingly boring. 15. The restaurant had a boring menu with no exciting options. 16. His conversation skills were so lacking ...
BORE definition: 1. to talk or act in a way that makes someone lose interest: 2. to make someone feel very bored…. Learn more.
Synonyms for BORING: tiring, stupid, dull, slow, old, wearying, weary, dusty; Antonyms of BORING: interesting, intriguing, involving, engaging, exciting, riveting ...
Definition of boring. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels. ... part of speech: adjective: definition: causing one to be bored; tedious; monotonous; dull. ... The pay was good at the factory, but the repetitive job was awfully boring.She found ...
BORING SPEECH meaning | Definition, pronunciation, translations and examples in American English
to pierce with a turning or twisting movement of a tool; to make by boring or digging away material; to make a hole by or as if by boring… See the full definition Menu Toggle
BORING definition: not interesting or exciting: . Learn more.
The meaning of boring. Definition of boring. English dictionary and integrated thesaurus for learners, writers, teachers, and students with advanced, intermediate, and beginner levels. ... part of speech: noun: definition 1: the act or process of making a hole or other opening with a drill or similar tool. synonyms: drilling, holing, ...
The meaning of boring. Definition of boring. Best online English dictionaries for children, with kid-friendly definitions, integrated thesaurus for kids, images, and animations. ... part of speech: adjective: definition: dull; not interesting or exciting. My brother loves fishing, but I think it's boring. synonyms: dry, dull, monotonous, tiring ...
3 meanings: 1. a. the act or process of making or enlarging a hole b. the hole made in this way 2. a fragment, particle, chip,.... Click for more definitions.
parts of speech: transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun features: Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer. part of speech: transitive verb: inflections: bores, boring, bored: definition 1: to make a hole in with an instrument such as a drill. He bored the metal so it could be nailed to the wall. synonyms: drill similar words: