Ignoramus

5 definitions found

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

  Ignoramus \Ig`no*ra"mus\, n. [L., we are ignorant. See
     {Ignore}.]
     1. (Law) We are ignorant; we ignore; -- being the word
        formerly written on a bill of indictment by a grand jury
        when there was not sufficient evidence to warrant them in
        finding it a true bill. The phrase now used is, "No bill,"


        "No true bill," or "Not found," though in some
        jurisdictions "Ignored" is still used. --Wharton (Law
        Dict. ). Burn.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (pl. {Ignoramuses}.) A stupid, ignorant person; a vain
        pretender to knowledge; a dunce.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              An ignoramus in place and power.      --South.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ignoramus
       n : an ignorant person [syn: {know nothing}, {uneducated person}]

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

  67 Moby Thesaurus words for "ignoramus":
     abecedarian, alphabetarian, apprentice, articled clerk, ass,
     beginner, boot, born fool, buffoon, catechumen, clown, dabbler,
     debutant, dilettante, doodle, dullard, dullhead, dumbbell,
     dummkopf, dummy, dunce, egregious ass, entrant, figure of fun,
     fledgling, fool, freshman, greenhorn, greeny, idiot, illiterate,
     illiterati, inductee, initiate, jackass, know-nothing, lowbrow,
     lunatic, middlebrow, milksop, mooncalf, moron, neophyte, new boy,
     newcomer, no scholar, novice, novitiate, perfect fool, postulant,
     probationer, probationist, puddinghead, raw recruit, recruit,
     rookie, schmuck, simpleton, softhead, sop, stupid, stupid ass,
     tenderfoot, tomfool, tyro, unintelligentsia, zany
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  IGNORAMUS, practice. We are ignorant. This word, which in law means we are 
  uninformed, is written on a bill by a grand jury, when they find that there 
  is not sufficient evidence to authorize their finding it a true bill. 
  Sometimes, instead of using this word, the grand jury endorse on the bill, 
  "Not found." 4 Bl. Com. 305. Vide Grand Jury. 
  
  

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

  IGNORAMUS, n.  A person unacquainted with certain kinds of knowledge
  familiar to yourself, and having certain other kinds that you know
  nothing about.
  
      Dumble was an ignoramus,
      Mumble was for learning famous.
      Mumble said one day to Dumble:
      "Ignorance should be more humble.
      Not a spark have you of knowledge
      That was got in any college."
      Dumble said to Mumble:  "Truly
      You're self-satisfied unduly.
      Of things in college I'm denied
      A knowledge -- you of all beside."
                                                                 Borelli