He that doth not know those things which are of use
for him to know, is but an ignorant man, whatever he
may know besides. --Tillotson.
2. Unacquainted with; unconscious or unaware; -- used with
of.
Ignorant of guilt, I fear not shame. --Dryden.
3. Unknown; undiscovered. [Obs.]
Ignorant concealment. --Shak.
Alas, what ignorant sin have I committed? --Shak.
4. Resulting from ignorance; foolish; silly.
His shipping, Poor ignorant baubles! -- on our
terrible seas, Like eggshells moved. --Shak.
Syn: Uninstructed; untaught; unenlightened; uninformed;
unlearned; unlettered; illiterate. -- {Ignorant},
{Illiterate}. Ignorant denotes want of knowledge, either
as to single subject or information in general;
illiterate refers to an ignorance of letters, or of
knowledge acquired by reading and study. In the Middle
Ages, a great proportion of the higher classes were
illiterate, and yet were far from being ignorant,
especially in regard to war and other active pursuits.
In such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes
of the ignorant More learned than the ears.
--Shak.
In the first ages of Christianity, not only the
learned and the wise, but the ignorant and
illiterate, embraced torments and death.
--Tillotson.
Did I for this take pains to teach Our zealous
ignorants to preach? --Denham.