oblivion
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English oblivion, from Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō (“forgetfulness”), from oblivisci (“to forget”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
oblivion (usually uncountable, plural oblivions)
- The state of forgetting completely, of being oblivious, unconscious, unaware, as when sleeping, drunk, or dead.
- He regularly drank himself into oblivion.
- Only the oblivion of sleep can heal the greatest traumas.
- The state of being completely forgotten, of being reduced to a state of non-existence, extinction, or nothingness, including through war and destruction. (Figuratively) for an area like hell, a wasteland.
- Due to modern technology, many more people and much more information will not slip into oblivion, contrary to what happened throughout history until now.
- They tried to bomb them into oblivion.
- I will cast them into oblivion!
- A form of purgatory.
- (obsolete) Amnesty.
Synonyms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
state of forgetfulness or distraction
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state of being completely forgotten
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state of permanent unconsciousness after death
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a state of nothingness
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figuratively: wasteland; a supernatural realm of waste, like hell
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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See also edit
Verb edit
oblivion (third-person singular simple present oblivions, present participle oblivioning, simple past and past participle oblivioned)
- (transitive) To consign to oblivion; to efface utterly.
Further reading edit
- “oblivion”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- “oblivion”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
- “oblivion”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
oblivion (uncountable) (Late Middle English)
Related terms edit
Descendants edit
- English: oblivion
References edit
- “oblī̆viǒun, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Old French edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
oblivion oblique singular, f (oblique plural oblivions, nominative singular oblivion, nominative plural oblivions)
Descendants edit
References edit
- oblivion on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub