Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - obscure

(obscurer, obscurest, obscures, obscuring, obscured) 1. If something or someone is obscure, they are unknown, or are known by only a few people. The origin of the custom is obscure... The hymn was written by an obscure Greek composer for the 1896 Athens Olympics. ADJ 2. Something that is obscure is difficult to understand or deal with, usually because it involves so many parts or details. The contracts are written in obscure language... ? straightforward ADJ 3. If one thing obscures another, it prevents it from being seen or heard properly. One wall of the parliament building is now almost completely obscured by a huge banner. VERB: V n 4. To obscure something means to make it difficult to understand. ...the jargon that frequently obscures educational writing... This issue has been obscured by recent events. VERB: V n, V n