Obdurates

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

  1. To demonstrate an unwavering resistance to alteration or influence
  2. To persistently resist any change of opinion or attitude despite reason or persuasion
  3. To remain firmly fixed in one's views or decisions, showing no willingness to adapt

Etymology: The verb form in question traces back to the Latin root "obdurare," which means "to harden." This Latin verb itself combines the prefix "ob-" meaning "against" or "in the way of," with "durare," meaning "to harden" or "to last." The sense here is quite literal at first: to make something physically hard or to toughen it. Over time, this concrete meaning evolved metaphorically to describe a stubbornness or resistance, especially in a moral or emotional sense. By the time the term entered English, likely in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period, it had already developed this figurative sense. The word was used in religious and literary contexts to describe someone who was emotionally or morally unyielding—someone who refused to soften their heart or change their mind. The verb form, then, means "to make stubborn" or "to become stubborn," often carrying a slightly negative connotation of obstinacy or callousness. The shift from physical hardness to emotional or moral rigidity is a common pattern in language, reflecting how tangible qualities are often used metaphorically to describe human behavior. "Obdurate" as an adjective has been more common in English, but the verb form "obdurate" or "obdurates" as a present tense form is simply a less frequent verbal use derived from that adjective. This verbal use captures the ongoing action of becoming or remaining stubborn or unyielding. In summary, this verb's lineage from Latin to English reveals both a physical and psychological dimension—starting in the material world with hardening and expanding into the social and emotional realms as a symbol for resistance to change or influence. The linguistic journey underscores how physical experiences shape abstract concepts in language.

Synonyms: stubborn, unyielding

Antonyms: yielding, soft-hearted