Hypertext Webster Gateway: "dunce"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Dunce \Dunce\, n. [From Joannes Duns Scotus, a schoolman called
the Subtle Doctor, who died in 1308. Originally in the phrase
``a Duns man''. See Note below.]
One backward in book learning; a child or other person dull
or weak in intellect; a dullard; a dolt.
I never knew this town without dunces of figure.
--Swift.
Note: The schoolmen were often called, after their great
leader Duns Scotus, Dunsmen or Duncemen. In the revival
of learning they were violently opposed to classical
studies; hence, the name of Dunce was applied with
scorn and contempt to an opposer of learning, or to one
slow at learning, a dullard.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
dunce
n : these words are used to express a low opinion of someone's
intelligence [syn: {dunderhead}, {numskull}, {blockhead},
{bonehead}, {lunkhead}, {hammerhead}, {knucklehead}, {loggerhead},
{muttonhead}, {shithead}, {fuckhead}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.