Blind has 15 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
"he spent hours reading to the blind"
a hiding place sometimes used by hunters (especially duck hunters)
"he waited impatiently in the blind"
something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
"he wasn't sick--it was just a subterfuge"
"the holding company was just a blind"
A covering for a window to keep out light. The covering may be made of cloth or of narrow slats that can block light or allow it to pass.
"She pulled down the white blinds before arriving home to ensure no one could see inside."
In plain English: A blind is a covering made of fabric or mesh that hangs over a window to block out light while still letting air in.
"The blind is located on the north side of the house."
Usage: Use "blind" as a noun when referring specifically to a window covering designed to block or filter light, such as fabric shades or adjustable slats. Do not confuse this with the adjective describing someone who cannot see.
render unable to see
"The sudden flash of bright light blinded everyone standing on the street corner."
To make temporarily or permanently blind.
"The bright flash from the camera blinded him for a split second, forcing him to squint until his eyes adjusted."
In plain English: To blind means to stop someone from seeing by hurting their eyes or covering them up.
"The heavy fog made us blind for several minutes while driving down the mountain."
Usage: Use "blind" as a verb when you intend to describe an action that causes someone to lose their sight, such as dust blinding a driver or surgery blinding a patient. Avoid using it to mean "ignoring" or "unaware," which are incorrect usages in standard English.
unable or unwilling to perceive or understand
"blind to a lover's faults"
"blind to the consequences of their actions"
Unable to see, due to physiological or neurological factors.
"After his car accident, John was left blind in his right eye because of a severed nerve."
In plain English: Blind means unable to see anything at all.
Usage: Use "blind" as an adjective to describe someone who cannot see at all because of physical or neurological conditions. Do not use it metaphorically for general lack of awareness in casual conversation unless specifically referring to willful ignorance.
Without seeing; unseeingly.
"He walked blindly through the dark tunnel, trusting only in his guide's hand on his shoulder."
In plain English: Blind means doing something without looking at what is happening around you.
"She walked blindly into the dark room without turning on the light."
Usage: Use "blindly" to describe doing something without looking or relying on sight alone, such as walking blindly into a dark room. Avoid using "blind" as an adverb in informal speech, even though it is sometimes heard, because the correct form requires the suffix "-ly".
A surname.
"The local Blind family has owned that bakery for three generations."
The word blind comes directly from Old English and has retained its original meaning of lacking sight since ancient times. It traveled into modern English through Middle English without any significant shift in definition or form.