baffle

CEFRC2

/ˈbæfl̩/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To confuse someone completely.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.

Examples

  • You can baffle them with a simple question.

  • The thick walls baffle outside noises.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈbæf(ə)l/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.

  2. To dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).

  3. Of weather or wind: to hinder or prevent (a ship or its crew) from advancing.

More examples

In context

  • I am baffled by the contradictions and omissions in the instructions.

  • The ship, baffling with the winds, moved not an inch.

  • They were baffled as to how the confusion could have arisen.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The complex instructions continued to blank the students, leaving them completely confused and frustrated.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

The origin of the verb is uncertain; it is possibly: * from French bafouer, baffoüer (“to abuse, revile; to confuse, baffle; to deceive; to flout; to scorn”), imitative of someone making a disdainful sound by expelling air quickly through pouted lips (compare Occitan baf (interjection expressing disdain)); or * from French befer, beffer, beffler (“(obsolete) to deceive; to mock, ridicule”) (compare Old French befe, beffe, buffe (“deception; mockery”); beferie (“deceit; quibbling”)), possibly from bafouer: see above. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian beffare (“(verb) to deride, mock”), beffa (“(noun) banter; mockery”) * Occitan bafar (“(verb) to deride, mock”), bafa (“(no...