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obfuscate - 5 dictionary results

ob⋅fus⋅cate

[ob-fuh-skeyt, ob-fuhs-keyt]
–verb (used with object), -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
1. to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
2. to make obscure or unclear: to obfuscate a problem with extraneous information.
3. to darken.

Origin:
1525–35; < LL obfuscātus (ptp. of obfuscāre to darken), equiv. to L ob- ob- + fusc(us) dark + -ātus -ate 1


ob⋅fus⋅ca⋅tion, noun
ob⋅fus⋅ca⋅to⋅ry [ob-fuhs-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective


1. muddle, perplex. 2. cloud.


1. clarify.
ob·fus·cate   (ŏb'fə-skāt', ŏb-fŭs'kāt')   
tr.v.   ob·fus·cat·ed, ob·fus·cat·ing, ob·fus·cates
  1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made . . . to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest).
  2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.

[Latin obfuscāre, obfuscāt-, to darken : ob-, over; see ob- + fuscāre, to darken (from fuscus, dark).]
ob'fus·ca'tion n., ob·fus'ca·to'ry (ŏb-fŭs'kə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē, əb-) adj.

Obfuscate

Ob*fus"cate\, a. [L. obfuscatus, p. p. of obfuscare to darken; ob (see Ob-) + fuscare, fuscatum, to darken, from fuscus dark.] Obfuscated; darkened; obscured. [Obs.] [Written also offuscate.] --Sir. T. Elyot.

Obfuscate

Ob*fus"cate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Obfuscated; p. pr. & vb. n. Obfuscating.] To darken; to obscure; to becloud; hence, to confuse; to bewilder.

His head, like a smokejack, the funnel unswept, and the ideas whirling round and round about in it, all obfuscated and darkened over with fuliginous matter. --Sterne.

Clouds of passion which might obfuscate the intellects of meaner females. --Sir. W. Scott.

obfuscate 
1536, from L. obfuscatus, pp. of obfuscare "to darken," from ob "over" + fuscare "to make dark," from fuscus "dark."
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