puzzle
English
Etymology
Origin uncertain; originally pusle. Possibly from pose (“to perplex, puzzle, interrogate”) + -le (frequentative suffix). The verb (1590s) “to perplex” seems to predate the noun “state of being perplexed” (circa 1600), “perplexing question” (1650s), “toy” (1814).[1]
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle (plural puzzles)
- Anything that is difficult to understand or make sense of.
- Where he went after he left the house is a puzzle.
- A game for one or more people that is more or less difficult to work out or complete.
- A crossword puzzle.
- A jigsaw puzzle.
- A riddle.
- (archaic) Something made with marvellous skill; something of ingenious construction.
- The state of being puzzled; perplexity.
- to be in a puzzle
Synonyms
- (anything difficult to understand or make sense of): anybody's guess, anyone's guess, conundrum, enigma, mystery
- (game for one person): brain-teaser, poser
- (crossword puzzle): crossword, crossword puzzle
- (jigsaw puzzle):: jigsaw, jigsaw puzzle
- (riddle): guessing game, riddle
Derived terms
Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Verb
puzzle (third-person singular simple present puzzles, present participle puzzling, simple past and past participle puzzled)
- (transitive) To perplex, confuse, or mystify; to cause (someone) to be faced with a mystery, without answers or an explanation.
- 1634 September 1 (Gregorian calendar), Robert Sanderson, “[Ad Clerum.] The Fourth Sermon. At a Metropolitical Visitation at Grantham, Lincoln, 22 August 1634.”, in XXXIV Sermons. […], 5th edition, London: […] [A. Clark] for A. Seil, and are to be sold by G. Sawbridge, […], published 1671, →OCLC, paragraph 15, page 65:
- Mens daily occaſions for themſelves or friends, and the neceſities of common life, require the doing of a thouſand things vvithin the compaſs of a fevv dayes, for vvhich it vvould puzzle the beſt Textman that liveth; readily to bethink himself of a ſentence in the Bible, clear enough to ſatisfie a ſcrupulous conſcience of the lavvfulneſs and expediency of vvhat he is about to do; […]
- 1668, Franciscus Euistor the Palæopolite [pseudonym; Henry More], “(please specify the page)”, in Divine Dialogues, Containing Sundry Disquisitions & Instructions Concerning the Attributes of God and His Providence in the World. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Joseph Downing […], published 1713, →OCLC:
- A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others, if they be not thoroughpaced speculators in those great theories.
- 1712 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “SATURDAY, February 2, 1711–1712”, in The Spectator, number 291; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
- He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own blunders.
- 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:
- The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.
- 2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?[1], New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page 261:
- When it comes to God's existence, I'm not an atheist and I'm not an agnostic. I'm an acrostic. The whole thing puzzles me.
- (intransitive) To think long and carefully, in bewilderment.
- We puzzled over the curious-shaped lock, but were unable to discover how the key should be inserted.
- (transitive) To make intricate; to entangle.
- 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 1:
- The ways of Heav'n are dark and intricate, / Puzzled in mazes, and perplex'd with error.
- 1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC:
- They disentangle from the puzzled skein.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:confuse
Derived terms
- puzzled
- puzzle out
- puzzle over
- puzzler
- puzzle through
- puzzling (adjective, noun)
Translations
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Related terms
References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “puzzle”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Anagrams
Czech
Etymology
Borrowed from English puzzle.[1]
Pronunciation
Noun
Lua error in Module:cs-headword at line 144: Unrecognized gender: 'm'
Usage notes
Also used as an indeclinable noun of various genders, most often neuter.[2]
Although the standard pronunciation of this word, which has been borrowed from English, is /ˈpazl̩/, another common informal pronunciation is /ˈput͡sle/, which is a hyperforeignism, trying to apply either Italian (as in pizza) or more probably German pronunciation rules.[3] However, both Italian and German pronunciation of the word puzzle is different.
Declension
References
- ^ Template:R:Rejzek 2007
- ^ puzzle in Internetová jazyková příručka, Institute of the Czech Language of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
- ^ Template:R:Naše řeč
French
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle m (plural puzzles)
Further reading
- “puzzle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Hungarian
Etymology
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈpaːzl̩], [ˈpaːzəl] (also with a short [a])
- Hyphenation: puzzle (cannot be hyphenated)
- Rhymes: -əl
Noun
puzzle (plural puzzle-ök or puzzle-ok or puzzle-k)[1][2]
- jigsaw puzzle
- Synonyms: (képes) kirakó/kirakójáték, kirakós (játék), képkirakó/képkirakós (játék), (rare) pázli
Declension
Inflection (stem in -o-, back harmony) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | puzzle | puzzle-ok |
accusative | puzzle-t | puzzle-okat |
dative | puzzle-nak | puzzle-oknak |
instrumental | puzzle-lal | puzzle-okkal |
causal-final | puzzle-ért | puzzle-okért |
translative | puzzle-lá | puzzle-okká |
terminative | puzzle-ig | puzzle-okig |
essive-formal | puzzle-ként | puzzle-okként |
essive-modal | — | — |
inessive | puzzle-ban | puzzle-okban |
superessive | puzzle-on | puzzle-okon |
adessive | puzzle-nál | puzzle-oknál |
illative | puzzle-ba | puzzle-okba |
sublative | puzzle-ra | puzzle-okra |
allative | puzzle-hoz | puzzle-okhoz |
elative | puzzle-ból | puzzle-okból |
delative | puzzle-ról | puzzle-okról |
ablative | puzzle-tól | puzzle-októl |
non-attributive possessive - singular |
puzzle-é | puzzle-oké |
non-attributive possessive - plural |
puzzle-éi | puzzle-okéi |
Possessive forms of puzzle | ||
---|---|---|
possessor | single possession | multiple possessions |
1st person sing. | puzzle-om | puzzle-jaim |
2nd person sing. | puzzle-od | puzzle-jaid |
3rd person sing. | puzzle-ja | puzzle-jai |
1st person plural | puzzle-unk | puzzle-jaink |
2nd person plural | puzzle-otok | puzzle-jaitok |
3rd person plural | puzzle-juk | puzzle-jaik |
or
Inflection (stem in -ö-, front rounded harmony) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | puzzle | puzzle-ök |
accusative | puzzle-t | puzzle-öket |
dative | puzzle-nek | puzzle-öknek |
instrumental | puzzle-lel | puzzle-ökkel |
causal-final | puzzle-ért | puzzle-ökért |
translative | puzzle-lé | puzzle-ökké |
terminative | puzzle-ig | puzzle-ökig |
essive-formal | puzzle-ként | puzzle-ökként |
essive-modal | — | — |
inessive | puzzle-ben | puzzle-ökben |
superessive | puzzle-ön | puzzle-ökön |
adessive | puzzle-nél | puzzle-öknél |
illative | puzzle-be | puzzle-ökbe |
sublative | puzzle-re | puzzle-ökre |
allative | puzzle-höz | puzzle-ökhöz |
elative | puzzle-ből | puzzle-ökből |
delative | puzzle-ről | puzzle-ökről |
ablative | puzzle-től | puzzle-öktől |
non-attributive possessive - singular |
puzzle-é | puzzle-öké |
non-attributive possessive - plural |
puzzle-éi | puzzle-ökéi |
Possessive forms of puzzle | ||
---|---|---|
possessor | single possession | multiple possessions |
1st person sing. | puzzle-öm | puzzle-jeim |
2nd person sing. | puzzle-öd | puzzle-jeid |
3rd person sing. | puzzle-je | puzzle-jei |
1st person plural | puzzle-ünk | puzzle-jeink |
2nd person plural | puzzle-ötök | puzzle-jeitek |
3rd person plural | puzzle-jük | puzzle-jeik |
Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | puzzle | puzzle-k |
accusative | puzzle-t | puzzle-kat |
dative | puzzle-nak | puzzle-knak |
instrumental | puzzle-val | puzzle-kkal |
causal-final | puzzle-ért | puzzle-kért |
translative | puzzle-vá | puzzle-kká |
terminative | puzzle-ig | puzzle-kig |
essive-formal | puzzle-ként | puzzle-kként |
essive-modal | — | — |
inessive | puzzle-ban | puzzle-kban |
superessive | puzzle-n | puzzle-kon |
adessive | puzzle-nál | puzzle-knál |
illative | puzzle-ba | puzzle-kba |
sublative | puzzle-ra | puzzle-kra |
allative | puzzle-hoz | puzzle-khoz |
elative | puzzle-ból | puzzle-kból |
delative | puzzle-ról | puzzle-król |
ablative | puzzle-tól | puzzle-któl |
non-attributive possessive - singular |
puzzle-é | puzzle-ké |
non-attributive possessive - plural |
puzzle-éi | puzzle-kéi |
Possessive forms of puzzle | ||
---|---|---|
possessor | single possession | multiple possessions |
1st person sing. | puzzle-m | puzzle-jaim (or puzzle-im) |
2nd person sing. | puzzle-d | puzzle-jaid (or puzzle-id) |
3rd person sing. | puzzle-ja | puzzle-jai (or puzzle-i) |
1st person plural | puzzle-nk | puzzle-jaink (or puzzle-ink) |
2nd person plural | puzzle-tok | puzzle-jaitok (or puzzle-itok) |
3rd person plural | puzzle-juk | puzzle-jaik (or puzzle-ik) |
Derived terms
See also
- kirak (“to do [a jigsaw puzzle]”)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Miképpen kell kiejteni és toldalékolni a puzzle szót? (“How is the word puzzle to be pronounced and inflected?”) answered by E-nyelv.hu, based on Laczkó, Krisztina with Attila Mártonfi (2006) Helyesírás [Orthography], Budapest: Osiris Kiadó, →ISBN
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 puzzle toldalékolása (“inflection of puzzle”) answered by E-nyelv.hu
Italian
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle m (invariable)
- jigsaw puzzle
- (by extension) a difficult problem
References
- ^ puzzle in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)
Polish
Etymology
Pronunciation
Noun
Lua error in Module:zlw-lch-headword at line 329: Unrecognized Polish gender: nv
Declension
Derived terms
Further reading
- puzzle in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- puzzle in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English puzzle.
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle m (plural puzzles)
Romanian
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English puzzle.
Noun
puzzle n (plural puzzle-uri)
Declension
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) puzzle | puzzleul | (niște) puzzle-uri | puzzle-urile |
genitive/dative | (unui) puzzle | puzzleului | (unor) puzzle-uri | puzzle-urilor |
vocative | puzzleule | puzzle-urilor |
Spanish
Alternative forms
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English puzzle.
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle m (plural puzzles)
Usage notes
According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.
Turkish
Alternative forms
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English puzzle.
Pronunciation
Noun
puzzle (definite accusative puzzle'ı, plural puzzle'lar)
Further reading
- Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–) “puzzle”, in Nişanyan Sözlük
- English terms with unknown etymologies
- English terms suffixed with -le
- English 2-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ʌzəl
- Rhymes:English/ʌzəl/2 syllables
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with archaic senses
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with quotations
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- Czech terms borrowed from English
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- French terms borrowed from English
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- French 2-syllable words
- French 1-syllable words
- French terms with IPA pronunciation
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- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French masculine nouns
- fr:Toys
- Hungarian terms borrowed from English
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- Hungarian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Hungarian terms with manual IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Hungarian/əl
- Rhymes:Hungarian/əl/2 syllables
- Hungarian lemmas
- Hungarian nouns
- Hungarian nouns with multiple plural forms
- Italian terms borrowed from English
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- Italian 2-syllable words
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- Rhymes:Italian/azel
- Rhymes:Italian/azel/2 syllables
- Rhymes:Italian/azol
- Rhymes:Italian/azol/2 syllables
- Italian lemmas
- Italian nouns
- Italian indeclinable nouns
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- Polish terms borrowed from English
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- Rhymes:Polish/uzlɛ
- Rhymes:Polish/uzlɛ/2 syllables
- Polish pluralia tantum
- pl:Toys
- Portuguese terms borrowed from English
- Portuguese unadapted borrowings from English
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- Portuguese 2-syllable words
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- Portuguese lemmas
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- Portuguese countable nouns
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- Romanian lemmas
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- Spanish terms borrowed from English
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- Spanish nouns
- Spanish countable nouns
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- Turkish terms borrowed from English
- Turkish unadapted borrowings from English
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- Turkish lemmas
- Turkish nouns
- tr:Toys