dumb cane

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noun

a West Indian foliage plant, Dieffenbachia seguine, of the arum family, having yellow-blotched leaves that cause temporary speechlessness when chewed.

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Also called dumb plant, mother-in-law plant.

Origin of dumb cane

First recorded in 1690–1700

Words nearby dumb cane

dumb barter, dumbbell, Dumbbell nebula, dumb bid, dumb bunny, dumb cane, dumb cluck, dumb Dora, dumb down, dumbfound, dumbfounded

How to use dumb cane in a sentence

However, not all awful, astoundingly dumb political memes are created equal.
Political Memes That Absolutely Must Die in 2015|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Which proves he is as dumb as a bag of hammers,” the official says.
Protesters Slimed This Good Samaritan Cop|Michael Daly|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the police nevertheless declared Stone to be “armed and dangerous,” despite getting around with a cane.
Hunt for Iraq Vet After Killing Spree|M.L. Nestel|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hitch picks up his cane, pushes her aside, and laboriously tries to get to his feet, saying, “I'll do it myself.”
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He's grinning now and actually stretching his legs--his cane has fallen away as he speaks of the !
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sound of my step shall make your heart jump; a look from me shall make you dumb for an hour.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Her female friend immediately said, "Well, I have been talking away to this dumb man."
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Sometimes dumb-bells, compact sheaves of fine needles, and irregular rhizome forms are seen (Fig. 40).
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
In some parts of Korea the houses were built of stout timbers, the chinks covered with woven cane and plastered with mud.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
Aunty Rosa had hidden a light cane behind her, and Punch was beaten then and there over the shoulders.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling

British Dictionary definitions for dumb cane

dumb-cane

noun

a West Indian aroid plant, Dieffenbachia seguine, chewing the stem of which induces speechlessness by paralysing the throat muscles

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012