Webster
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Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Puzzle

Puz′zle (pŭz′z'l), n. [For opposal, in the sense of problem. See Oppose, Pose, v.] 1. Something which perplexes or embarrasses; especially, a toy or a problem contrived for testing ingenuity; also, something exhibiting marvelous skill in making.

2. The state of being puzzled; perplexity; as, to be in a puzzle.

Puz′zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Puzzled; p. pr. & vb. n. Puzzling.] 1. To perplex; to confuse; to embarrass; to put to a stand; to nonplus.

A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others. Dr. H. More.

He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders. Addison.

2. To make intricate; to entangle.

They disentangle from the puzzled skein. Cowper.

The ways of Heaven are dark and intricate, Puzzled in mazes, and perplexed with error. Addison.

3. To solve by ingenuity, as a puzzle; — followed by out; as, to puzzle out a mystery.

Syn. — To embarrass; perplex; confuse; bewilder; confound. See Embarrass.

Puz′zle, v. i. 1. To be bewildered, or perplexed.

A puzzling fool, that heeds nothing. L'Estrange.

2. To work, as at a puzzle; as, to puzzle over a problem.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Noah Porter, editor (Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913). Public domain. Text as transcribed by MICRA, Inc., from Project Gutenberg. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: Greek, which our source spelled in Latin letters, set in Greek letters; entries of one spelling merged into one article; Greek words our source left out (shown as “?”), read from the 1898 printing, from the same plates (the Library of Congress’s copy), where the place could be found with certainty. Of the others, 1,362 (a word or a single letter each) were inferred by AI from the context by the dictionary’s own rules and are marked with a wavy underline (tap or point at one to see the note); the rest, which could not be inferred with confidence, are left as “?”.