English Dictionary

BEFUDDLE

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does befuddle mean? 

BEFUDDLE (verb)
  The verb BEFUDDLE has 2 senses:

1. be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearlyplay

2. make stupid with alcoholplay

  Familiarity information: BEFUDDLE used as a verb is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


BEFUDDLE (verb)

 Conjugation: 
Present simple: I / you / we / they befuddle  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation ... he / she / it befuddles  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past simple: befuddled  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
Past participle: befuddled  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation
-ing form: befuddling  Listen to US pronunciation  Listen to GB pronunciation


Sense 1

Meaning:

Be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

bedevil; befuddle; confound; confuse; discombobulate; fox; fuddle; throw

Context example:

This question befuddled even the teacher

Hypernyms (to "befuddle" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

confuse; disconcert; flurry; put off (cause to feel embarrassment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "befuddle"):

demoralize (confuse or put into disorder)

amaze; baffle; beat; bewilder; dumbfound; flummox; get; gravel; mystify; nonplus; perplex; pose; puzzle; stick; stupefy; vex (be a mystery or bewildering to)

disorient; disorientate (cause to be lost or disoriented)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

befuddlement (confusion resulting from failure to understand)


Sense 2

Meaning:

Make stupid with alcohol

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

befuddle; fuddle

Hypernyms (to "befuddle" is one way to...):

inebriate; intoxicate; soak (make drunk (with alcoholic drinks))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody


 Context examples 


But it was the multiplicity of laws that befuddled White Fang and often brought him into disgrace.

(White Fang, by Jack London)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"It was probably a waste of time anyway." (English proverb)

"All dreams spin out from the same web." (Native American proverb, Hopi)

"Dog won't eat dog's meat." (Armenian proverb)

"Be patient with a bad neighbor. Maybe he’ll leave or a disaster will take him out." (Egyptian proverb)



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