əˈsliːp dɛd dʌl nʌm nʌm so frightened as to be unable to move; stunned or paralyzed with terror; petrified too numb with fear to move lacking sensation my foot is asleep numb with cold (followed by ‘to’) not showing human feeling or sensitivity; unresponsive passersby were dead to our plea for help numb to the cries for mercy make numb or insensitive The shock numbed her senses