What's the difference between obscure and unknown?

Obscure


Definition:

  • (superl.) Covered over, shaded, or darkened; destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim.
  • (superl.) Of or pertaining to darkness or night; inconspicuous to the sight; indistinctly seen; hidden; retired; remote from observation; unnoticed.
  • (superl.) Not noticeable; humble; mean.
  • (superl.) Not easily understood; not clear or legible; abstruse or blind; as, an obscure passage or inscription.
  • (superl.) Not clear, full, or distinct; clouded; imperfect; as, an obscure view of remote objects.
  • (a.) To render obscure; to darken; to make dim; to keep in the dark; to hide; to make less visible, intelligible, legible, glorious, beautiful, or illustrious.
  • (v. i.) To conceal one's self; to hide; to keep dark.
  • (n.) Obscurity.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) This diagnosis was obscured by the absence of cutaneous, oropharyngeal, and respiratory involvement.
  • (2) The mechanism of ACTH action on brain catecholamine metabolism is still obscure, however, an increased release of the NA to ACTH peptides is very likely in the light of the present observations.
  • (3) However, peptide bonds between 193 and 194, and 194 and 195 were cleaved in the presence of mAb 1C3 as easily as in the presence of mAb 31A4, suggesting that the region of residues 200 to 202 was obscured by, or within the antibody binding site, but that the region of residues 193 to 195 was not.
  • (4) The physician's approach to the differential diagnosis of obscure, atypical pneumonias has changed.
  • (5) The thigh and hip manifestations can obscure the primary intra-abdominal process either due to the obvious emphysema or to the obtunded abdominal signs secondary to associated neuropathy.
  • (6) While tonic pupil and reduced sweating can be attributed to the affection of postganglionic cholinergic parasympathetic and sympathetic fibres projecting to the iris and sweat glands, respectively, the pathogenesis of diminished or lost tendon jerks remains obscure.
  • (7) It is found that generic averages obscure some rather substantial differences at the species level for both Cercopithecus and Cercocebus.
  • (8) Although the pathophysiology of the pancreatic injury is obscure, the lack of other etiological factors and temporal association of the pancreatitis with acetaminophen-induced hepatic and renal toxicity suggest a causal relationship.
  • (9) Because reticulocytes contain a pool of uncombined alpha chains which might have obscured the demonstration of an alpha chain-dependent mechanism for beta-chain synthesis, subsequent studies were done with bone marrow cells.
  • (10) However, the mechanism by which Ag II is able to modulate anterior pituitary secretion still remains obscure.
  • (11) Other causes were 20 (13%) with cerebrovascular diseases, 30 (20%) hepatic failure and 11 (8%) were of miscellaneous and obscure causes.
  • (12) In such a case with a large hematoma, the presence of a tumor may be obscured on CT scan and angiography.
  • (13) However, the difficulty still remains that the latter may be obscured by differences not related to thermostability etc.
  • (14) The activating mechanism of the condition still remains obscure.
  • (15) Its language is “archaic and obscure”, the commission says.
  • (16) Clofibrate, an antilipidemic drug that acts by a still obscure mechanism, is known to specifically increase up to 30-fold the activity of the hepatic cytochrome P-450 isozyme that omega-hydroxlates lauric acid.
  • (17) On the electron microscopy, the sarcomere was shortened and Z-line was partly obscure.
  • (18) Photographs of 82 boys from the Harpenden Growth Study were measured at ages 5 to 18 years, in an order that obscured which photographs were of the same boy at different ages.
  • (19) Although the K+ concentration of the contents of the GI tract as well as the K+ transport by the portal vein were increased, the source of the excess K+ remains obscure.
  • (20) The effects of long-term exposure of humans to formaldehyde, however, are more obscure.

Unknown


Definition:

  • (a.) Not known; not apprehended.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The reference library used in the operation of a computerized search program indicates the closest matches in the reference library data with the IR spectrum of an unknown sample.
  • (2) The macrophage-derived product, interleukin 1 (IL 1) is thought to play an important regulatory role in the proliferation of T lymphocytes; however, its mechanism of action is unknown.
  • (3) Second, the unknown is searched against the database to find all materials with the same or similar element types; the results are kept in set 2.
  • (4) The mechanism by which gp55 causes increased erythroblastosis and ultimately leukaemia is unknown, but a reasonable suggestion is that gp55 can mimic the action of erythropoietin by binding to its receptor (Epo-R), thereby triggering prolonged proliferation of erythroid cells.
  • (5) It is an intriguing moment: the new culture secretary, Sajid Javid, who was brought in to replace Maria Miller last month, is something of an unknown quantity.
  • (6) The functions of O-GlcNAc remain largely unknown, but it may be important in blocking phosphorylation sites, it may be required for the assembly of specific multiprotein complexes, it might serve as a nuclear transport signal, or it may be directly involved in the active transport of macromolecules across nuclear pores.
  • (7) We therefore conclude that widely spaced (and unknown) parts of the protein chain are required for the intersubunit interactions that eventually lead to functional assembly of the receptor.
  • (8) An atheroma is often associated with saccular aneurysms, but its effect on this pathological process is still unknown.
  • (9) The ophthalmic headache's crisis is caused, in fact, by a spasm of convergence on an unknown exophory of which the amplitude of fusion is satisfying, and the presence of which can only be seen with test under screen.
  • (10) The mechanisms responsible for changes in absorption in vitro are unknown.
  • (11) The pathoanatomy and factors associated with transient mitral regurgitation (MR) induced by myocardial ischemic stress are unknown.
  • (12) The evaluation of the data of unknown test persons of a pilot study in 96% resulted in a correct classification in patients with heart and circulatory diseases or persons with healthy heart and circulation, the classification in the above mentioned groups of diagnosis was performed on an average to 57%.
  • (13) Silicon, a relatively unknown trace element in nutritional research, has been uniquely localized in active calcification sites in young bone.
  • (14) Several pedigrees have been reported in which defects of the insulin gene result in glucose intolerance or diabetes in affected members, but the role of insulin gene mutations in NIDDM is unknown.
  • (15) Federal endorsement of the HMO concept has resulted in broad understanding of a number of concepts unknown in fee-for-service medicine.
  • (16) Paul Doyle Kick-off Sunday midday Venue St Mary’s Stadium Last season Southampton 2 Leicester City 2 Live Sky Sports 1 Referee Michael Oliver This season G 18, Y 60, R 1, 3.44 cards per game Odds H 5-6 A 4-1 D 5-2 Southampton Subs from Taylor, Martina, Stephens, Davis, Rodriguez, Sims, Ward-Prowse Doubtful Bertrand, Davis, Van Dijk (all match fitness) Injured Boufal (knee, Jan), Hesketh (ankle, Feb), Targett (hamstring, Feb), Austin (shoulder, Mar), Pied (knee, Jun), Gardos (knee, unknown) Suspended None Form DWLLLL Discipline Y37 R2 Leading scorer Austin 6 Leicester City Subs from Zieler, Hamer, Wasilewski, Gray, Fuchs, James, Okazaki, Hernández, Kapustka, King Doubtful None Injured None Suspended None Unavailable Amartey, Mahrez, Slimani (Africa Cup of Nations) Form LDLWDL Discipline Y44 R1 Leading scorers Slimani, Vardy 5
  • (17) Sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown etiology with protean manifestations.
  • (18) Their incidence cannot be estimated--only the possibility of recoverable renal function in an unknown number of involved patients.
  • (19) The results indicate that the effect of EGF on the growth of cancer cells is very complicated and may involve an unknown regulatory mechanism of cancer cell growth.
  • (20) In 1968, nearly 60% of the malignant ovarian tumors were treated by doctors in internal medicine, surgery and radiology etc., rather than gynecology, which was partly because the primary site of the cancer was unknown during the clinical course and partly because the gynecologist gave up treatment of patients in advanced cases.