Dictionary

perplex en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /pəˈplɛks/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pɚˈplɛks/ (General-American)
• pərplĕksʹ (General-American)
• pəplĕksʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (archaic) intricate; difficult
   • 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. 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC:
   • Finally, I explore possible audience interpretations of the film and offer some alternative reading strategies of these highly perplex sketches. 2007, Sean Brayton, “MTV's Jackass: Transgression, Abjection and the Economy of White Masculinity”, in Journal of Gender Studies, volume 16, page 58:

Forms

Deriveds

perplex number

perplex en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /pəˈplɛks/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pɚˈplɛks/ (General-American)
• pərplĕksʹ (General-American)
• pəplĕksʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (obsolete) A difficulty.

Forms

perplex en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /pəˈplɛks/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pɚˈplɛks/ (General-American)
• pərplĕksʹ (General-American)
• pəplĕksʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

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. a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC:
   • The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate, Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors; Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain, Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search; […] 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2:
3. (obsolete, transitive) To plague; to vex; to torment.
   • Chloe's the wonder of her sex, 'Tis well her heart is tender, How might such killing eyes perplex, With virtue to defend her. 1726, George Granville, Chloe:
   • All night no ruder air perplex ⁠Thy sliding keel, till Phosphor, bright ⁠As our pure love, thro’ early light Shall glimmer on the dewy decks. 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto IX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

perplexion · perplexly · unperplex

Relateds

perplexity · perplexment · perplexable · perplexed · perplexedness · perplexing · perplexation

Translations (30)

cmn 使困惑 (to cause to feel baffled) · el σαστίζω (to cause to feel baffled) · it perplimere (to cause to feel baffled) · pt vexar (to cause to feel baffled) · ru запутывать (to cause to feel baffled) · fr dérouter (to cause to feel baffled) · it allibire (to cause to feel baffled) · it perplettere (to cause to feel baffled) · fi hämmentää (to cause to feel baffled) · pt desconcertar (to cause to feel baffled) · pt pasmar (to cause to feel baffled) · mi whakahēhē (to cause to feel baffled) · eo perpleksigi (to cause to feel baffled) · bg смущавам (to cause to feel baffled) · sv förvirra (to cause to feel baffled) · fr troubler (to cause to feel baffled) · it lasciare di stucco (to cause to feel baffled) · es dejar perplejo (to cause to feel baffled) · de verwirren (to cause to feel baffled) · fi askarruttaa (to cause to feel baffled) · el μπερδεύω (to cause to feel baffled) · fr déconcerter (to cause to feel baffled) · es perplejizar (to cause to feel baffled) · cs zaskočit (to cause to feel baffled) · it sconcertare (to cause to feel baffled) · fi saattaa ymmälle (to cause to feel baffled) · bg обърквам (to cause to feel baffled) · oc desconcertar (to cause to feel baffled) · ru озадачивать (to cause to feel baffled) · oc desmemoriar (to cause to feel baffled)