handicap and the disabled

deaf

[de̱f]
 deafer, deafest
 1) ADJ-GRADED Someone who is deaf is unable to hear anything or is unable to hear very well.
  She is now profoundly deaf.
  Derived words:
  deafness N-UNCOUNT Because of her deafness she was hard to make conversation with.
 N-PLURAL: the N
 The deaf are people who are deaf. Many regular TV programs are captioned for the deaf.
 2) ADJ: v-link ADJ to n (disapproval) If you say that someone is deaf to people's requests, arguments, or criticisms, you are criticizing them because they refuse to pay attention to them.
  The provincial assembly were deaf to all pleas for financial help.
  Syn:
  impervious
 3) to fall on deaf ears → see ear
 to turn a deaf ear → see ear

blind

[bla͟ɪnd]
 
 blinds, blinding, blinded
 1) ADJ Someone who is blind is unable to see because their eyes are damaged.
  I started helping him run the business when he went blind...
  How would you explain colour to a blind person?
  Derived words:
  blindness N-UNCOUNT Early diagnosis and treatment can usually prevent blindness.
 N-PLURAL: the N
 The blind are people who are blind. He was a teacher of the blind.
 2) VERB If something blinds you, it makes you unable to see, either for a short time or permanently.
  [V n] The sun hit the windscreen, momentarily blinding him.
 3) ADJ: v-link ADJ, usu ADJ with n If you are blind with something such as tears or a bright light, you are unable to see for a short time because of the tears or light.
  Her mother groped for the back of the chair, her eyes blind with tears.
  Derived words:
  blindly ADV Lettie groped blindly for the glass.
 4) ADJ-GRADED: v-link ADJ to n (disapproval) If you say that someone is blind to a fact or a situation, you mean that they ignore it or are unaware of it, although you think that they should take notice of it or be aware of it.
  David's good looks and impeccable manners had always made her blind to his faults...
  All the time I was blind to your suffering.
  Derived words:
  blindness N-UNCOUNT ...blindness in government policy to the very existence of the unemployed.
 5) VERB If something blinds you to the real situation, it prevents you from realizing that it exists or from understanding it properly.
  [V n to n] He never allowed his love of Australia to blind him to his countrymen's faults.
 6) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n (disapproval) You can describe someone's beliefs or actions as blind when you think that they seem to take no notice of important facts or behave in an unreasonable way.
  ...her blind faith in the wisdom of the Church...
  Lesley yelled at him with blind, hating rage.
 7) ADJ: ADJ n A blind corner is one that you cannot see round because something is blocking your view.
  He tried to overtake three cars on a blind corner and crashed head-on into a lorry.
 8) ADJ: ADJ n A blind wall or building is one which has no windows or doors.
  I remembered a huddle of stone buildings with blind walls.
 9) N-COUNT A blind is a roll of cloth or paper which you can pull down over a window as a covering.
 → See also Venetian blind
 10) → See also blinding, blindly, colour blind
 11) PHRASE: V inflects (disapproval) If you say that someone is turning a blind eye to something bad or illegal that is happening, you mean that you think they are pretending not to notice that it is happening so that they will not have to do anything about it.
  Teachers are turning a blind eye to pupils smoking at school, a report reveals today...
  I can't turn a blind eye when someone is being robbed.a