DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
puz·zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. puzzled p. pr. & vb. n. puzzling ]
1. To perplex; to confuse; to embarrass; to put to a stand; to nonplus.
A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others. --Dr. H. More.
He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders. --Addison.
2. To make intricate; to entangle.
They disentangle from the puzzled skein. --Cowper.
The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate,
Puzzled in mazes, and perplexed with error. --Addison.
3. To solve by ingenuity, as a puzzle; -- followed by out; as, to puzzle out a mystery.
Syn: -- To embarrass; perplex; confuse; bewilder; confound. See Embarrass.
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puzzling
adj 1: not clear to the understanding; "I didn't grasp the meaning
of that enigmatic comment until much later";
"prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has
been disputed for centuries" [syn: enigmatic, enigmatical]
2: lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity;
"sent confusing signals to Iraq"; "perplexing to someone
who knew nothing about it"; "a puzzling statement" [syn: confusing,
perplexing]