# perplex
## English
### Etymology

From Old French, from Latin perplexus (“entangled, confused”), from per (“through”) + plexus, perfect passive participle of plectō (“plait, weave, braid”).

### Pronunciation

* (General American) enPR: pərplĕksʹ, IPA: /pɚˈplɛks/
* (Received Pronunciation) enPR: pəplĕksʹ, IPA: /pəˈplɛks/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɛks

### 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.
** a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC:What was thought obscure, perplexed, and too hard for our weak parts, will lie open to the understanding in a fair view.
** 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 2:The Ways of Heav’n are dark and intricate, Puzzled in Mazes, and perplext with Errors; Our Underſtanding traces ’em in vain, Loſt and bewilder’d in the fruitleſs Search; […]
* (transitive, obsolete) To plague; to vex; to torment.
** 1726, George Granville, Chloe:Chloe's the wonder of her sex, 'Tis well her heart is tender, How might such killing eyes perplex, With virtue to defend her.
** 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto IX:All night no ruder air perplex ⁠Thy sliding keel, till Phosphor, bright ⁠As our pure love, thro’ early light Shall glimmer on the dewy decks.

#### Synonyms

* See also Thesaurus:confuse

#### Related terms

* perplexable
* perplexation
* perplexed
* perplexedness
* perplexing
* perplexity
* perplexment

#### Translations
### Adjective

perplex (comparative more perplex, superlative most perplex)
* (now rare) intricate; difficult
** 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC:How the soul directs the spirits for the motion of the body, according to the several animal exigents, is as perplex in the Theory, as either of the former.
** 2007, Sean Brayton, “MTV's Jackass: Transgression, Abjection and the Economy of White Masculinity”, in Journal of Gender Studies, volume 16, page 58:Finally, I explore possible audience interpretations of the film and offer some alternative reading strategies of these highly perplex sketches.

#### Derived terms

* perplex number

### Noun

perplex (plural perplexes)
* (obsolete) A difficulty.

#### Further reading

* “perplex”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
* “perplex”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
* “perplex”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

## Dutch
### Etymology

From Middle Dutch perplex, borrowed from Middle French perplex.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /pɛrˈplɛks/, /pərˈplɛks/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: per‧plex
* Rhymes: -ɛks

### Adjective

perplex (comparative perplexer, superlative meest perplex or perplext)
* perplexed, befuddled
    Synonym: stomverbaasd

#### Declension
## German
### Etymology

Borrowed from French perplexe, from Latin perplexus.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /pɛʁˈplɛks/
* Rhymes: -ɛks
* Hyphenation: per‧plex
* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

perplex (strong nominative masculine singular perplexer, comparative perplexer, superlative am perplexesten)
* (colloquial, rarely attributive) confused, perplexed, puzzled
    Synonyms: verdutzt, verblüfft, verwirrt

#### Related terms

* Perplexität

### Further reading

* “perplex” in Duden online
* “perplex” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
* “perplex” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French perplexe, from Latin perplex.

### Adjective

perplex m or n (feminine singular perplexă, masculine plural perplecși, feminine and neuter plural perplexe)
* perplexed

#### Declension
## Swedish
### Adjective

perplex (comparative mer perplex, superlative mest perplex)
* perplexed

#### Declension
### References

* perplex in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* perplex in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
* perplex in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)