[con.fuse] vt con.fused ; con.fus.ing [back-formation fr. ME confused perplexed, fr. MF confus, fr. L confusus, pp. of confundere] (14c) 1 archaic: to bring to ruin
2. a: to make embarrassed: abash b: to disturb in mind or purpose: throw off 3 a: to make indistinct: blur "stop confusing the issue" b: to mix indiscriminately: jumble c: to fail to differentiate from an often similar or related other "~ money with comfort" -- con.fus.ing.ly adv