For him at least, Newark's edge had dulled a bit.
Cartier is still the most valued jewelry brand in the world, though its luster dulled a bit in 2009.
But that's before the luster dulls a bit.
As this is baby #3, the novelty of pregnancy has dulled a bit (the kicks! the growing belly!) and the typical pregnancy discomforts seem magnified amongst the background of two active boy toddlers (the heartburn! the fatigue!).
McIlroy once described the state of golfwear as "a little bit dull, a little bit boring".
Which sounds inane, dull and a bit dangerous (it's also illegal in the UK if you're thinking of trying to better that effort).
Indeed, some would argue he has been a little bit dull, that a bit of off-field strife or outspokenness would have made him a more engaging figure.
But in real life when someone gets punched, you hear that dull thud, a bit sickening?" he asked.
But even the brightest among them seems to have been dulled down a bit.
Not monumentally boring, just a bit dull and worthy.
