puzzle

CEFRB1

/ˈpʌzəl/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A problem or game that tests your ability to think.

  2. 02

    verb

    To confuse someone or make them unable to understand.

Examples

  • I can't finish this part of the puzzle.

  • You could have solved this puzzle with a little more patience.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • [ˈpʌzɫ̩]

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. A thing such as a complicated matter or a problem which is difficult to make sense of or understand; also, a person who is difficult to make sense of or understand; an enigma.

  2. Often preceded by a descriptive word: a game or toy, or a problem, requiring some effort to complete or work out, which is intended as a pastime and/or to test one's mental ability.

  3. The state of feeling confused or mystified because one cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; bewilderment, confusion; (countable) often in in a puzzle: an instance of this.

More examples

In context

  • We puzzled over the curious-shaped lock, but were unable to discover how the key should be inserted.

  • Where he went after he left the house is a puzzle.

  • crossword puzzle jigsaw puzzle

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She spent the whole afternoon solving a difficult blank on the table.

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

Nearby

Origin

noun

The verb, of uncertain origin, is attested first. Apparently cognate with Scots pousle, pouzle, poozle (“to trifle; poke or potter around aimlessly; search about with uncertainty”), Saterland Frisian puzelje (“to work hard and continuously”), West Frisian peuzelje (“to trifle, work slowly; eat slowly and daintifully, snack”), Dutch peuzelen (“to perform insignificant work, dawdle; pick at, eat with relish in small pieces, snack”), German Low German pusseln (“to tinker, fiddle; trifle”) and pöseln (“to work hard, toil; to slave away; suffer at work; work slowly and ineffectively”), German posseln, bosseln (“to perform trivial work, tinker”), Danish pusle (“to busy oneself with light work or...