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