# blinder

Pronunciation: US say "BLYN-dur" /ˈblaɪndɚ/; UK/AUS say "BLYN-duh" /ˈblaɪndə/

## Noun

1. A screen fixed to a horse's bridle that stops it from seeing to the sides.
   - Simple: A flat screen on a horse's bridle that blocks its view to the side.
   - _A leather blinder on each side of the bridle narrowed the horse's field of vision._
   - _Grooms adjusted the blinders before the race so the colt would ignore the rail._
2. Anything that causes a loss of sight or makes seeing impossible.
   - Simple: Something that takes away your sight or makes it impossible to see.
   - _The midday glare off the snow was a blinder that forced every driver to squint._
   - _The chemical spray works as a blinder, robbing attackers of their sight for minutes._
3. An exceptional performance, especially a brilliant display in a sporting event. *(slang, British)*
   - Simple: A really great performance, especially a brilliant display in sports.
   - _The young winger played an absolute blinder, setting up three goals before halftime._
   - _Critics agreed the lead actor turned in a blinder on opening night._
4. A bright light directed at the audience to dazzle them briefly while the scene is changed.
   - Simple: A bright stage light pointed at the audience to hide a scene change.
   - _The lighting designer triggered a blinder to cover the quick set change between acts._
   - _As the blinder flared, the audience lost sight of the crew rolling the new backdrop into place._
5. A bout of heavy, continuous drinking; a drinking spree. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A time of drinking a lot of alcohol over many hours.
   - _He went on a three-day blinder to celebrate finishing the contract._
   - _Nursing a headache after last night's blinder, she swore off whiskey for good._
6. A bag or cloth placed over the head of a difficult horse to calm it while it is handled or mounted.
   - Simple: A bag or cloth pulled over a difficult horse's head to keep it calm.
   - _The handler eased a blinder over the colt's head so it would stand quietly to be saddled._
   - _With the blinder in place, the frightened horse calmed enough to be led into the trailer._

## Verb

7. To obstruct someone's sight, or figuratively to keep them from perceiving something clearly.
   - Simple: To keep someone from seeing or noticing something clearly.
   - _Ambition can blinder even careful people to the cost of their choices._
   - _His loyalty blindered him to the faults of his closest friends._
8. To fit a horse with side screens that limit its sideways vision.
   - Simple: To put blinders on a horse so it can only look ahead.
   - _Trainers blinder nervous racehorses to keep them focused on the track ahead._
   - _The groom blindered the colt before walking it through the fairground._

## Adjective

9. Comparative form of blind. — comparative form of blind: more blind
   - Simple: Comparative form of blind. Use it to say someone or something is more blind than another.
   - _As the disease progressed, she became blinder than she had ever feared._
   - _The older dog is blinder than the pup but navigates the house by smell._

## Origin

Formed from "blind" combined with the suffix "-er".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/blinder (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).