Baffle

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈbæfl̩/

Definitions

1. To cause someone to feel confused or unable to understand something ; to restrict or control the movement or flow of something ; a structure designed to block or guide air, water, or sound within a device
2. To puzzle or bewilder a person by presenting something difficult to comprehend ; to limit or hold back motion or flow physically ; an object used to deflect or impede movement inside a machine or container
3. To make someone unable to think clearly or solve a problem ; to hinder or regulate the passage of fluids or gases ; a partition or barrier that interrupts or redirects a stream, sound, or current

Etymology: The most striking thing about "baffle" is how little anyone knows about where it came from. Its verb sense of confusing someone may descend from a French word, "bafouer," meaning to scorn or mock, which is thought to be imitative: a disdainful puff of air pushed through pouted lips. An alternative runs through Old French "befer" and "beffer," meaning to deceive or ridicule, though that may itself trace back to the same French source. A Scottish possibility also exists. "Bauchle," a Scots word meaning to annoy, disgrace or treat with contempt, may be the origin, and it could connect to Old Norse "bagr," meaning awkward or clumsy. Its own roots remain unclear, so none of these theories can be confirmed. The physical sense, a plate or screen that checks the flow of air or liquid, came later and is a separate use, derived from the verb's idea of frustrating or thwarting someone.

Synonyms: confuse, puzzle, bewilder

Antonyms: clarify, understand, solve