different between confuse vs confuzzle

English

Etymology

Back formation from Middle English confused ("frustrated, ruined"), from Anglo-Norman confus, from Latin confusus, past participle of confund?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?fju?z/
• Rhymes: -u?z

Verb

confuse (third-person singular simple present confuses, present participle confusing, simple past and past participle confused)

1. (transitive) to puzzle, perplex, baffle, bewilder (somebody); to afflict by being complicated, contradictory, or otherwise difficult to understand

2. (transitive) To mix up, muddle up (one thing with another); to mistake (one thing for another).

3. (transitive) To mix thoroughly; to confound; to disorder.
4. (transitive, dated) To make uneasy and ashamed; to embarrass.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To rout; discomfit.
6. (intransitive) To be confused.

Synonyms

• flummox
• mistake
• See also Thesaurus:confuse

Related terms

• confused
• confusing
• confusion

Translations

See also

• discombobulate

References

• confuse at OneLook Dictionary Search
• confuse in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??.fyz/

Adjective

confuse

1. feminine singular of confus

Italian

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -uze

Verb

confuse f pl

1. feminine plural of confuso

Adjective

confuse f pl

1. feminine plural of confuso

Verb

confuse

1. third-person singular past historic of confondere

Latin

Participle

c?nf?se

1. vocative masculine singular of c?nf?sus

References

• confuse in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• confuse in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• confuse in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• confuse in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

English

Etymology

Blend of confuse +? puzzle.

Pronunciation

Noun

confuzzle (plural confuzzles)

1. (slang, childish) A state of confusion or puzzlement.
   • 1997 May 1, Glenn Hushyn, “Almost done with the semester”, alt.shoe.lesbians, Usenet

     I was all in a confuzzle last night after the Ellen show, and my mind was going too fast for my typing skills.

   • 2000 July 6, “Lula” a.k.a “Josie” a.k.a. “Archer-bull”, “Re: FMily [sic.] Take Note was Re: Numbness & pain”, alt.med.fibromyalgia, Usenet

     Always glad to clear up confuzzles since too often I only add to them. ;)

   • 2001 November 20, Remus Shepherd, “Re: um... hello? <nervous-wriggle>”, alt.devilbunnies, Usenet

     The confuzzle is strong with this one.

   • 2001 December 17, Vince M. “VinceH” Hudd, from softrock.co.uk, “Re: Blueyonder newserver”, comp.sys.acorn.misc, Usenet

     Now, I find if there are any posts to send, it seems to get in a confuzzle and never reaches the point of fetching.

Verb

confuzzle (third-person singular simple present confuzzles, present participle confuzzling, simple past and past participle confuzzled)

1. (transitive, slang, childish) To confuse or puzzle.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:confuzzle.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:confuse.

Derived terms

• confuzzled
• confuzzlement
• confuzzling