Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
PERPLEX
complicate, perplex
(verb) make more complicated; “There was a new development that complicated the matter”
perplex, vex, stick, get, puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder, flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfound
(verb) 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”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
perplex (third-person singular simple present perplexes, present participle perplexing, simple past and past participle perplexed)
(transitive) To cause to feel baffled; to puzzle.
(transitive) To involve; to entangle; to make intricate or complicated.
(transitive, obsolete) To plague; to vex; to torment.
Synonyms
• See also confuse
Adjective
perplex (comparative more perplex, superlative most perplex)
(obsolete) intricate; difficult
Noun
perplex (plural perplexes)
(obsolete) A difficulty.
Source: Wiktionary
Per*plex", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perplexed; p. pr. & vb. n. Perplexing.] Etym: [L. perplexari. See Perplex, a.]
1. To involve; to entangle; to make intricate or complicated, and difficult to be unraveled or understood; as, to perplex one with doubts. No artful wildness to perplex the scene. Pope. What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the understanding in a fair view. Locke.
2. To embarrass; to puzzle; to distract; to bewilder; to confuse; to trouble with ambiguity, suspense, or anxiety. "Perplexd beyond self- explication." Shak. We are perplexed, but not in despair. 2 Cor. iv. 8. We can distinguish no general truths, or at least shall be apt to perplex the mind. Locke.
3. To plague; to vex; to tormen. Glanvill.
Syn.
– To entangle; involve; complicate; embarrass; puzzle; bewilder; confuse; distract. See Embarrass.
Per*plex", a. Etym: [L. perplexus entangled, intricate; per + plectere, plexum, to plait, braid: cf. F. perplexe. See Per-, and Plait.]
Definition: Intricate; difficult. [Obs.] Glanvill.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
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11 June 2025
LIGHT
(adjective) having relatively few calories; “diet cola”; “light (or lite) beer”; “lite (or light) mayonnaise”; “a low-cal diet”
Coffee Trivia
