ser fraco/apagado; estar fraco; ser opaco
1. To emit or reflect little light; to be lacking in brightness or luminosity
The streetlight is dim because the bulb is old.
O poste está fraco porque a lâmpada é antiga.
2. To be difficult to see clearly; to appear unclear or hazy
The distant mountains are dim in the fog.
As montanhas distantes estão apagadas na neblina.
3. To be not bright or vivid in color
The dim lighting in the restaurant creates a romantic atmosphere.
A iluminação fraca no restaurante cria uma atmosfera romântica.
4. To be weak in intelligence or understanding; to be slow-witted
He seems a bit dim if he doesn't understand basic math.
Ele parece um pouco fraco se não entende matemática básica.
In both American and Brazilian English, 'be dim' can refer to literal brightness or metaphorically to someone's intelligence. The intelligence usage is considered somewhat old-fashioned or informal in modern English but remains understood in both cultures.
NYC Slang
be dim in the head = ser burro (when referring to intelligence)
Related Idioms & Phrases
take a dim view of something = ter uma visão negativa de algo
dim and distant = muito longe; muito afastado
a dim prospect = uma perspectiva desfavorável
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