blind

A person who is blind has lost his or her sight. When this word is used literally, a person really can’t see:

• Tony has been blind since he was a little boy.
• He was blinded in a tragic accident. (The sentence uses the word "blind" as a verb.)
• Blind people can read by using braille.
• People who are blind often use guide dogs.

He uses a guide dog.

The word "blind" can also be used figuratively. In this case, a person has the physical ability to see but fails to understand a situation or doesn’t realize that something is true:

• Blinded by ambition, she neglected the responsibilities of raising her two children.
• Bob was blinded by Griselda’s beauty and could not see the dark side of her personality.
• Maria is blind to the possibilities offered by a good college education.

Sometimes we say we are blind because a condition creates difficulty for clear sight:

• She was temporarily blinded by the snow and the sunlight.
• This car has a blind spot. It’s hard to see things on the left side.
• The driver was blinded by an oncoming car that had its brights on. (brights = bright lights)

The word "blindness" is a noun:

• Many people have some form of blindness past the age of 80.
• Blindness is difficult to cure.
• Ray Charles never allowed his blindness to get in the way of his interest in music.

When this word is used as a noun in the plural form, it refers to window coverings:

• Blinds on the window provide privacy and control the amount of light entering a room.
• Could you please close the blinds? There’s too much sun getting into the room.
• At night they close the blinds. In the morning, they open them.

blinds

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September 2, 2013