Ig"no*rant (?), a. [F., fr. L.
ignorans, -antis, p. pr. of ignorare to be
ignorant. See Ignore.] 1. Destitute of
knowledge; uninstructed or uninformed; untaught;
unenlightened.
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.
Ig"no*rant, n. A person untaught
or uninformed; one unlettered or unskilled; an ignoramous.
Did I for this take pains to teach
Our zealous ignorants to preach?
Denham.
