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confound

 - 2 dictionary results

con⋅found

  [kon-found, kuhn-; for 6 usually kon-found]
Use confound in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to perplex or amaze, esp. by a sudden disturbance or surprise; bewilder; confuse: The complicated directions confounded him.
2. to throw into confusion or disorder: The revolution confounded the people.
3. to throw into increased confusion or disorder.
4. to treat or regard erroneously as identical; mix or associate by mistake: truth confounded with error.
5. to mingle so that the elements cannot be distinguished or separated.
6. to damn (used in mild imprecations): Confound it!
7. to contradict or refute: to confound their arguments.
8. to put to shame; abash.
9. Archaic.
a. to defeat or overthrow.
b. to bring to ruin or naught.
10. Obsolete. to spend uselessly; waste.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME conf(o)unden < AF confoundre < L confundere to mix, equiv. to con- con- + fundere to pour

Related forms:
con⋅found⋅a⋅ble, adjective
con⋅found⋅er, noun
con⋅found⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. dumbfound, daze, nonplus, astound.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To confound
con·found   (kən-found', kŏn-)   
tr.v.   con·found·ed, con·found·ing, con·founds

  1. To cause to become confused or perplexed. See Synonyms at puzzle.

  2. To fail to distinguish; mix up: confound fiction and fact.

  3. To make (something bad) worse: Do not confound the problem by losing your temper.

  4. To cause to be ashamed; abash: an invention that confounded the skeptics.

  5. To damn.

    1. To frustrate: trivial demands that confounded the peace talks.

    2. Archaic To bring to ruination.


[Middle English confounden, from Anglo-Norman confundre, from Latin cōnfundere, to mix together, confuse : com-, com- + fundere, to pour; see gheu- in Indo-European roots.]
con·found'er n., con·found'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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