baffle

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To confuse or perplex (someone) completely; to bewilder, to confound, to puzzle.
2. (archaic, transitive) To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
3. (archaic, specifically, transitive) To defeat, frustrate, or thwart (someone or their efforts, plans, etc.); to confound, to foil.
4. (transitive) To dampen, muffle, restrain, or otherwise control (a fluid, or waves travelling through a fluid such as light or sound).
5. (obsolete, transitive) To deceive or hoodwink (someone); to gull.
6. (obsolete, transitive) 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. (intransitive) To expend effort or struggle in vain.
8. (intransitive, obsolete) To argue or complain in a petty or trivial manner; to quibble.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) 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. (US, countable, dialectal, uncountable) A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine.
3. (countable, uncountable) A barrier designed to obstruct and confuse enemies, rendering them vulnerable.
4. (countable, 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.

Opposite of

clarify, enlighten, unbaffle

Synonyms

perplex

confuse

puzzle

frustrate

foil

bewilder

confound

thwart

scotch

cross

spoil

bilk

bemuse

regulate

queer

stick

nonplus

mystify

baffle board

vex

dumbfound

get

amaze

flap

stupefy

flummox

stop

🛑

trouble

beat

throw

pose

mislead

humiliate

baffle plate

humiliation

gravel

defeat

dishonor

fox

🦊

hinder

shame

deep-six

debar

blind

damper

avert

cramp

floor

complicate

astonish

Translations

μπερδεύω

verblüffen

desconcertar

déconcerter

ματαιώνω

frustrar

écran acoustique

confundir

σαστίζω

ανατρέπω

déjouer

unterlaufen

consterner

vereiteln

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”)