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/bˈæfəl/ Listen

noun

Baffle n.

1.

A defeat by artifice, shifts, and turns; discomfiture. (R.) "A baffle to philosophy."

2.

(Engin.)

(a)

A deflector, as a plate or wall, so arranged across a furnace or boiler flue as to mingle the hot gases and deflect them against the substance to be heated.

(b)

A grating or plate across a channel or pipe conveying water, gas, or the like, by which the flow is rendered more uniform in different parts of the cross section of the stream; used in measuring the rate of flow, as by means of a weir.

3.

(Coal Mining) A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine. (Local, U. S.)

verb

Baffle v. t. (past & past part. baffled; pres. part. baffling)

1.

To cause to undergo a disgraceful punishment, as a recreant knight. (Obs.) "He by the heels him hung upon a tree, And baffled so, that all which passed by The picture of his punishment might see."

2.

To check by shifts and turns; to elude; to foil. "The art that baffles time's tyrannic claim."

3.

To check by perplexing; to disconcert, frustrate, or defeat; to thwart. "A baffled purpose." "A suitable scripture ready to repel and baffle them all." "Calculations so difficult as to have baffled, until within a... recent period, the most enlightened nations." "The mere intricacy of a question should not baffle us."

Baffling wind (Naut.), one that frequently shifts from one point to another.

Synonyms: To balk; thwart; foil; frustrate; defeat.

Baffle v. i.

1.

To practice deceit. (Obs.)

2.

To struggle against in vain; as, a ship baffles with the winds. (R.)

See images of 'Baffle'

Etymology of 'Baffle'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Baffle" Quotes from Famous Books

... party. The fate of Tyler and Fillmore had no terrors and no lessons for one who eagerly and blindly sought a position which would at once gratify his ambition and minister to his revenge. He was using all the powers of the Executive in a vain fight to obstruct and baffle the steadily advancing Republican policy. The Democrats, instead of following a settled chart of principles, were making the cardinal mistake of supporting him in all his tortuous course of assumptions and usurpations, and it was not strange that ...

— Twenty Years of Congress, Volume 2 (of 2) • James Gillespie Blaine

... unbaffled wave that breaks and falls. Who shall thwart the madness and the gladness of it, laden Full with heavy fate, and joyous as the birds that whirl? Nought in heaven or earth, if not one mortal-moulded maiden, Nought if not the soul that glorifies a northland girl. Not the rocks that break may baffle, not the reefs that thwart Stay the ravenous rapture of the waves that crowd and leap; Scarce their flashing laughter shows the hunger of their heart, Scarce their lion-throated roar the wrath at heart they keep. Child and man and woman in the ...

— Astrophel and Other Poems - Taken from The Collected Poetical Works of Algernon Charles - Swinburne, Vol. VI • Algernon Charles Swinburne

... of the people and the most authentic representations, it is yet impossible in most cases to obtain legal proofs of it; and unless the discretionary power which I have recommended be somewhere lodged, the assurance of impunity from any formal inquiry will baffle every order of the board, as, on the other hand, the fear of the consequence will restrain every man within the bounds of his duty, if he knows himself liable to suffer by the effects of a single control." You see Mr. Hastings himself is of opinion that the cries of oppression, ...

— The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. X. (of 12) • Edmund Burke

... three men plan a robbery that was to mulet the Adams Express Company of $100,000, baffle the renowned Pinkertons for weeks and excite universal admiration for ...

— Jim Cummings • Frank Pinkerton

... champian discovers not more: this is open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors, I will baffle Sir Toby, I will wash off gross acquaintance, I will be point-device, the very man. I do not now fool myself to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites to this, that my lady loves me. She did commend my yellow stockings of late, she did praise ...

— Twelfth Night; or, What You Will • William Shakespeare [Collins edition]

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