baffle
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baf·fle
(băf′əl)tr.v. baf·fled, baf·fling, baf·fles
1. To confuse or perplex, especially so as to frustrate or prevent from taking action: a patient whose condition baffled the physicians.
2. To impede the force or movement of (a fluid).
n.
1. A usually static device that regulates the flow of a fluid or light.
2. A partition that prevents interference between sound waves in a loudspeaker.
[Perhaps blend of Scottish Gaelic bauchle, to denounce, revile publicly, and French bafouer, to ridicule.]
baf′fle·ment n.
baf′fler n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
baffle
(ˈbæfəl)vb (tr)
1. to perplex; bewilder; puzzle
2. to frustrate (plans, efforts, etc)
3. (Mechanical Engineering) to check, restrain, or regulate (the flow of a fluid or the emission of sound or light)
4. (Mechanical Engineering) to provide with a baffle
5. obsolete to cheat or trick
n
a plate or mechanical device designed to restrain or regulate the flow of a fluid, the emission of light or sound, or the distribution of sound, esp in a loudspeaker or microphone
[C16: perhaps from Scottish dialect bachlen to condemn publicly; perhaps related to French bafouer to disgrace]
ˈbafflement n
ˈbaffler n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
baf•fle
(ˈbæf əl)v. -fled, -fling,
n. v.t.
1. to confuse, bewilder, or perplex.
2. to frustrate or confound; thwart by creating confusion or bewilderment.
3. to check or deflect the movement of (sound, light, gases, etc.).
4. Obs. to cheat; trick.
n. 5. something that balks, checks, or deflects.
6. an artificial obstruction for checking or deflecting the flow of sounds, light, gases, etc.
7. any boxlike enclosure or flat panel for mounting a loudspeaker.
[1540–50; of uncertain orig.]
baf′fle•ment, n.
baf′fler, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
baffle
Past participle: baffled
Gerund: baffling
| Imperative |
|---|
| baffle |
| baffle |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | baffle - a flat plate that controls or directs the flow of fluid or energy plate - a sheet of metal or wood or glass or plastic |
| Verb | 1. |  baffle - be a mystery or bewildering to; "This beats me!"; "Got me--I don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This question really stuck me"bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, mystify, nonplus, perplex, puzzle, amaze, stupefy, gravel, vex, pose, stick, beat, get befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, bedevil, fuddle, throw - be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly; "These questions confuse even the experts"; "This question completely threw me"; "This question befuddled even the teacher" riddle - set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle" |
| 2. |  baffle - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" dash - destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes" short-circuit - hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings" ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" | |
| 3. | baffle - check the emission of (sound) |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
baffle
verb puzzle, beat (slang), amaze, confuse, stump, bewilder, astound, elude, confound, perplex, disconcert, mystify, flummox, boggle the mind of, dumbfound An apple tree producing square fruit is baffling experts.
puzzle explain, interpret, clarify, spell out, clear up, make plain, elucidate, explicate, shed or throw light upon
puzzle explain, interpret, clarify, spell out, clear up, make plain, elucidate, explicate, shed or throw light upon
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
baffle
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُحيّـر ، يُربك
vyvést z míryzmást
forvirre
déconcerterécran acoustique
zavarba ejt
vera/gera ráîòrota/hlessa
suglumintisunkiai išaiškinamassutrikdyti
mulsinātsamulsināt
zbegati
afallatmakşaşırtmak
baffle
[ˈbæfl]A. VT
1. (= perplex) → desconcertar
at times you baffle me → a veces me desconciertas
the problem baffles me → el problema me tiene perplejo, no le veo solución alguna al problema
the police are baffled → la policía está desconcertada or perpleja
at times you baffle me → a veces me desconciertas
the problem baffles me → el problema me tiene perplejo, no le veo solución alguna al problema
the police are baffled → la policía está desconcertada or perpleja
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
baffle
vt
(= confound, amaze) → verblüffen; (= cause incomprehension) → vor ein Rätsel stellen; a baffled look → ein verdutzter Blick; the police are baffled → die Polizei steht vor einem Rätsel; it really baffles me how … → es ist mir wirklich ein Rätsel, wie …; a case that baffled all the experts → ein Fall, der den Experten Rätsel aufgab; this one’s got me baffled → ich stehe vor einem Rätsel
(Tech) sound → dämpfen
n (also baffle plate: Aut) → Umlenkblech nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
baffle
[ˈbæfl] vt (puzzle) → lasciare perplesso/a, confondereit baffles me how she does it → non riesco a capire come faccia
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
baffle
(ˈbӕfl) verb to puzzle (a person). I was baffled by her attitude towards her husband.
baffling adjectivea baffling crime.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.