perplex
To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.
Adjective
- intricate; difficult
- How the soul directs the spirits for the motion of the body, according to the several animal exigents, is as perplex in the Theory, as either of the former. - 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest...
- Finally, I explore possible audience interpretations of the film and offer some alternative reading strategies of these highly perplex sketches. - 2007, Sean Brayton, “MTV's Jackass: Transgression, Abjection and the...
Origin
From Old French, from Latin perplexus (“entangled, confused”), from per (“through”) + plexus, perfect passive participle of plectō (“plait, weave, braid”).
Forms
Derived
Noun
- A difficulty.
Forms
Verb
- To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.
- To involve; to entangle; to make intricate or complicated.
- What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the understanding in a fair view. - a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John...
- The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate, Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors; Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain, Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search; […] - 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison,...
- To plague; to vex; to torment.
- Chloe's the wonder of her sex, 'Tis well her heart is tender, How might such killing eyes perplex, With virtue to defend her. - 1726, George Granville, Chloe:
- All night no ruder air perplex Thy sliding keel, till Phosphor, bright As our pure love, thro’ early light Shall glimmer on the dewy decks. - 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward...
Forms
Related
perplexable perplexation perplexed perplexedness perplexing perplexity perplexment