puzzling

Verb

puzzle (third-person singular simple present puzzles, present participle puzzling, simple past and past participle puzzled)

1. (also, reflexive, transitive, often passive voice) To cause (oneself or someone, or their mind, etc.) to feel confused or mystified because they cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; to confuse, to mystify, to perplex.
   • Mens daily occaſions for themſelves or friends, and the neceſities of common life, require the doing of a thouſand things vvithin the compaſs of a fevv dayes, for vvhich it vvould puzzle the beſt Textman that liveth; readily to bethink himself of a ſentence in the Bible, clear enough to ſatisfie a...1634 August 31 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Robert Sanderson, “[Ad Clerum.] The Fourth Sermon. At a Metropolitical Visitation at Grantham, Lincoln, 22 August 1634.”, in XXXIV Sermons. […]...

   Synonyms:

   empuzzle, addle, baffle, vex, lose, embroil, stick, stump, baffound, bamboozle

2. (transitive) To use (one's brain or mind) to try to work out a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; also, to try to work out (a complicated matter, a problem, etc.).
   • VVhich puſles the braine, and doth confound the ſence, / VVhich makes vs rather beare thoſe euilles vve haue, / Than flie to others that vve knovv knot of.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell...
3. (obsolete, transitive) To (intentionally) make (something) complicated or confused, and so difficult to resolve or understand; to confuse, to complicate.
   • [T]hey are theſe Talkative Fools, vvhoſe Religion is only in vvord, and are debauched and vain in their Converſation, that (being ſo much admitted into the fellovv-ſhip of the godly) do puzzle the VVorld, blemiſh Chriſtianity, and grieve the ſincere.1680, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], 5th edition, Edinburgh: […] Iohn Cairns, […], →OCLC, page 83

   Synonyms:

   confound, entangle, muddle, obfuscate

4. (obsolete, transitive, chiefly passive voice) To cause (someone) to not know what to do due to some problem, situation, etc.; to bewilder, to confound, to perplex.
   • I ſay there is no darkneſſe but ignorance, in vvhich thou art more puzel'd then the Ægyptians in their fogge.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
5. (intransitive) Often followed by about, over, or upon: to feel confused or mystified because one cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.
6. (intransitive) Often followed by about, over, or or upon: to think deeply in bewilderment to try to work out a complicated matter, a problem, etc.
   • We puzzled over the curious-shaped lock, but were unable to discover how the key should be inserted.

See all 11 meanings of puzzle