— confoundable , adj. — confounder , n. — confoundingly , adv.
/kon fownd", keuhn-/ ; for 6 usually /kon"fownd"/ , v.t.
1. to perplex or amaze, esp. by a sudden disturbance or surprise; bewilder; confuse: The complicated directions confounded him.
2. to throw into confusion or disorder: The revolution confounded the people.
3. to throw into increased confusion or disorder.
4. to treat or regard erroneously as identical; mix or associate by mistake: truth confounded with error.
5. to mingle so that the elements cannot be distinguished or separated.
6. to damn (used in mild imprecations): Confound it!
7. to contradict or refute: to confound their arguments.
8. to put to shame; abash.
9. Archaic.
a. to defeat or overthrow.
b. to bring to ruin or naught.
10. Obs. to spend uselessly; waste.
[ 1250-1300; ME conf ( o ) unden confoundre confundere to mix, equiv. to con- CON- + fundere to pour ]
Syn. 1. dumbfound, daze, nonplus, astound.