Callous

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Callous \Cal"lous\, a. [L. callosus callous hard, fr. callum,
     callus, callous skin: cf. F. calleux.]
     1. Hardened; indurated. "A callous hand." --Goldsmith. "A
        callous ulcer." --Dunglison.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. Hardened in mind; insensible; unfeeling; unsusceptible.
        "The callous diplomatist." --Macaulay.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              It is an immense blessing to be perfectly callous to
              ridicule.                             --T. Arnold.
  
     Syn: Obdurate; hard; hardened; indurated; insensible;
          unfeeling; unsusceptible. See {Obdurate}. --
          {Cal"lous*ly}, adv.
          [1913 Webster]
  
                A callousness and numbness of soul. --Bentley.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  callous
       adj : emotionally hardened; "a callous indifference to suffering";
             "cold-blooded and indurate to public opinion" [syn: {thick-skinned},
              {indurate}, {pachydermatous}]
       v : make insensitive or callous; deaden feelings or morals [syn:
            {cauterize}, {cauterise}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  111 Moby Thesaurus words for "callous":
     Philistine, anneal, apathetic, asleep, backed, benumbed, brazen,
     brutalize, calcified, calcify, calloused, case harden,
     case-hardened, cold, cold of heart, coldblooded, coldhearted,
     conscienceless, cornify, crusted, crusty, crystallized, dead,
     deadened, dull, firm, flinthearted, flinty, fossilize, fossilized,
     granulated, hard, hard of heart, hard-boiled, hard-nosed, harden,
     hardened, hardhearted, heartless, hornified, impassible,
     impenitent, imperceptive, impercipient, impervious, incrusted,
     indifferent, indurate, indurated, insensate, insensible,
     insensitive, insentient, insolent, inure, inured, lapidified,
     lapidify, lithify, lost to shame, numb, numbed, obdurate, obtuse,
     ossified, ossify, pachydermatous, petrified, petrify,
     proof against, reinforced, rigidified, sclerotic, seared, set,
     shameless, solidified, steel, steeled, steeled against, steely,
     stiffened, stony, stonyhearted, strengthened, temper,
     thick-skinned, thick-witted, tough, toughen, toughened, unabject,
     unblushing, uncaring, uncompassionate, uncontrite, unemotional,
     unfeeling, unfelt, unmelted, unmerciful, unnatural, unperceptive,
     unrepentant, unrepenting, unresponsive, unsoftened, unsympathetic,
     untouched, vitrified, vitrify
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  CALLOUS, adj.  Gifted with great fortitude to bear the evils
  afflicting another.
      When Zeno was told that one of his enemies was no more he was
  observed to be deeply moved.  "What!" said one of his disciples, "you
  weep at the death of an enemy?"  "Ah, 'tis true," replied the great
  Stoic; "but you should see me smile at the death of a friend."