confound: Meaning and Definition of

con•found

Pronunciation: (kon-found', kun- for 6 usually kon'found'), [key]
— 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.
    1. to defeat or overthrow.
    2. to bring to ruin or naught.
  9. to spend uselessly; waste.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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