baffle

Meaning

Verb

1. To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.
2. To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
3. To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
4. To dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).
5. (obsolete) To deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull.
6. (obsolete) Followed by away or out: to deprive of (something) through cheating or manipulation; also (followed by out of), to deprive of something by cheating or manipulating (someone).
7. To expend effort or struggle in vain.
8. (obsolete) To argue or complain in a petty or trivial manner; to quibble.

Noun

1. A device used to dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control the movement of a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound; specifically, a surface positioned inside an open area to inhibit direct motion from one place to another without preventing motion altogether.
2. A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine.
3. Bewilderment, confusion; bafflement; (countable) an instance of this.
4. Bewilderment, confusion; bafflement; (countable) an instance of this.
5. (obsolete) An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint; a quibble.

Noun

Intentional insult; affront; also, disgrace; (countable) an instance of this.

Synonyms

confuse

perplex

foil

puzzle

frustrate

confound

bewilder

thwart

scotch

cross

bilk

spoil

mystify

bemuse

queer

regulate

nonplus

stick

get

baffle board

vex

dumbfound

amaze

stop

🛑

hinder

humiliate

humiliation

baffle plate

stupefy

defeat

beat

flap

throw

trouble

flummox

mislead

shame

pose

fox

🦊

dishonor

gravel

help

impede

incapacitate

inhibit

jumble

kink

lap

leaflet

make impossible

mix up

obstruct

obviate

prevent

reflector

restrain

rule out

scrap

shake

shut

siding

stagger

startle

stump

stun

stymie

stymy

surprise

torment

trammel

valve

bring to nothing

forefend

rotor baffle

sieve plate

guard board

splash board

shadow mask

back plate

grid plate

bepuzzle

bumper plate

white object

white body

reflecting body

axial column

cross baffle

stop plate

repelling board

dam board

nuclear column

easel mask

annoy

apron

arrest

astonish

avert

baffler

bar

blind

block

blockade

block out

block up

boggle

buffer

check

clapper

🎬

complicate

cramp

damper

debar

deep-six

deflect

deflector

deter

disable

discombobulate

discompose

ditch

embarrass

enmesh

entangle

evade

flapper

floor

forbid

forestall

forfend

grating

grid

head off

Hyphenated as

baf‧fle

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbæfl̩/

Etymology

Cognate with Occitan: baf

Cognate with Old French: befe

Cognate with Italian: beffare

Cognate with Occitan: bafar

Cognate with Old Spanish: bafa

Cognate with Spanish: befa

Cognate with Spanish: befar

In summary

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 (“(noun) banter; mockery”)
* Old Spanish bafa (modern Spanish befa (“(noun) banter; mockery”))
* Spanish befar (“(verb) to deride, mock”)