different between perplex vs astound

English

Etymology

From Old French, from Latin perplexus (“entangled, confused”), from per (“through”) + plexus, perfect passive participle of plect? (“plait, weave, braid”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: p?rpl?ks?, IPA^(key): /p??pl?ks/
• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: p?pl?ks?, IPA^(key): /p??pl?ks/
• Rhymes: -?ks

Verb

perplex (third-person singular simple present perplexes, present participle perplexing, simple past and past participle perplexed)

1. (transitive) To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.
2. (transitive) To involve; to entangle; to make intricate or complicated.

   • What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the understanding in a fair view.

3. (transitive, obsolete) To plague; to vex; to torment.
   • 1726, George Granville, Chloe

     Chloe's the wonder of her sex, 'Tis well her heart is tender, How might such killing eyes perplex, With virtue to defend her.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:confuse

Related terms

• perplexable
• perplexation
• perplexed
• perplexedness
• perplexing
• perplexity
• perplexment

Translations

Adjective

perplex (comparative more perplex, superlative most perplex)

1. (obsolete) intricate; difficult
   • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica

     How the soul directs the spirits for the motion of the body, according to the several animal exigents, is as perplex in the Theory, as either of the former.

Noun

perplex (plural perplexes)

1. (obsolete) A difficulty.

Further reading

• perplex in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• perplex in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• perplex at OneLook Dictionary Search

German

Etymology

From French perplexe, from Latin perplexus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???pl?ks/
• Hyphenation: per?plex

Adjective

perplex (comparative perplexer, superlative am perplexesten)

1. (colloquial, rarely attributive) confused, perplexed, puzzled

   Synonyms: verdutzt, verblüfft, verwirrt

Declension

Related terms

• Perplexität

Further reading

• “perplex” in Duden online
• “perplex” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “perplex” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

Romanian

Etymology

From French perplexe, from Latin perplex.

Adjective

perplex m or n (feminine singular perplex?, masculine plural perplec?i, feminine and neuter plural perplexe)

1. perplexed

Declension

English

Etymology

From Middle English astouned, astoned, astuned, past participle of astounen, astonen, astunen (“to astonish”). More at astonish.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??sta?nd/
• Rhymes: -a?nd

Verb

astound (third-person singular simple present astounds, present participle astounding, simple past and past participle astounded)

1. To astonish, bewilder or dazzle.
   • 1637, John Milton, Comus, London: Humphrey Robinson, p. 8,^[1]

     These thoughts may startle well, but not astound

     The vertuous mind […]

   • 1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Chapter 22,^[2]

     The yell which Isaac raised at this unfeeling communication made the very vault to ring, and astounded the two Saracens so much that they let go their hold of the Jew.

   • 1848, Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton, Chapter 6,^[3]

     The vices of the poor sometimes astound us here; but when the secrets of all hearts shall be made known, their virtues will astound us in far greater degree. Of this I am certain.

   • 1982, Paul Auster, “On the High Wire” in The Art of Hunger, Los Angeles: Sun & Moon Press, 1992, p. 240,^[4]

     A young man had strung a wire between the towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral and walked and juggled and danced on it for three hours, astounding the crowds of people below.

Derived terms

• astoundable
• astounded
• astounder
• astounding

Translations

Adjective

astound (comparative more astound, superlative most astound)

1. (obsolete) Stunned; astounded; astonished.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, London: William Ponsonbie, Book 1, Canto 9, p. 129,^[5]

     […] his hollow eyne

     Lookt deadly dull, and stared as astound;

   • 1760, George Alexander Stevens, The History of Tom Fool, London: T. Waller, Volume 2, Chapter 2, p. 9,^[6]

     For some Moments the Esquire stood astound, he rubb’d his Eyes, look’d on his Sister, stared at the Maid:

   • 1810, Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, Edinburgh: John Ballantyne, Canto 2, Stanza 31, p. 36,^[7]

     Thus Ellen, dizzy and astound,

     As sudden ruin yawned around,

     By crossing terrors wildly tossed,

     Still for the Douglas fearing most,

     Could scarce the desperate thought withstand,

     To buy his safety with her hand.

Further reading

• astound in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• astound in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• astound at OneLook Dictionary Search