Purblindly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Acting as if seeing with poor or dim vision ; behaving in a way that shows poor judgment or limited understanding
2. Moving or responding as though vision is weak or unclear ; proceeding without clear comprehension or insight
3. Perceiving or reacting as if partially blind or visually impaired ; making decisions without full awareness or clarity

Etymology: "Purblindly" is simply "purblind" with the adverbial ending "-ly" added, so its history is that of its base word. "Purblind" is a compound whose first element, "pur-", is the obscure part, and the second, "blind", is the familiar one. The "-ly" suffix, which turns an adjective into an adverb describing how something is done, is the same ending found in countless English words such as "quickly" or "gently." The adverb therefore describes acting in a manner that shows poor understanding, as if one were only half able to see what is going on. Because it is built directly from the adjective, it carries the same sense of partial, clumsy perception, and it is used mainly in literary or formal writing where that image of dimness is wanted.

Synonyms: blindly, obscurely

Antonyms: clearly, perceptively