I. (ˈ)nän|pləs noun
( plural nonpluses or nonplusses )
Etymology: Latin non plus no more
: a state of bafflement or perplexity : inability to proceed or decide : quandary , dilemma
reducing the young man to a nonplus — Leigh Hunt
appear to be at a nonplus — George Borrow
II. adjective
obsolete : nonplussed, perplexed
III. (ˈ)nän|pləs transitive verb
( nonplussed also nonplused ; nonplussed also nonplused ; nonplussing also nonplusing ; nonplusses also nonpluses )
: to cause to be at a loss as to what to say, think, or do : reduce to a state of total incapacity to act or decide : perplex , baffle , stump
this turn of events nonplusses me — J.R.Perkins
nonplussed by the disclosure — Newsweek
for a moment the girl was nonplussed — A.R.Williams
Synonyms: see puzzle