stockish
Definition
- Adjective (archaic/rare):
- Stupid, dull, or lacking in intelligence: "stockish" describes a person who is slow-witted, obtuse, or unresponsive, akin to a block of wood or a stock (a lifeless stump). This meaning is derived from the noun "stock" (a log or block) and is now considered obsolete or literary.
Usage Examples
- (He was a dull and unintelligent person.)
- (The character was shown as stupid and unresponsive.)
Advanced Usage
- "stockish behaviour": conduct that is sluggish or unthinking.
- Her stockish behaviour during the meeting frustrated her colleagues. (Her dull and unresponsive actions annoyed others.)
Variants and Related Words
- Stock (n): a supply of goods; also, a log or stump (archaic).
- The shop has a large stock of books. (A supply of items.)
- Stocky (adj): short and sturdy in build (not related to "stockish" in meaning).
- He was a stocky wrestler. (Short and strongly built.)
Synonyms
- Dull: slow to understand or perceive.
- Obtuse: annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
- Stolid: calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
Related Idioms
- "As thick as a post": very stupid or dull.
- Don't expect him to get the joke; he's as thick as a post. (He is extremely unintelligent.)