Middle English Dictionary Entry
confǒunden v.
Entry Info
Forms | confǒunden v. Also confunden, -fonden. |
Etymology | AF confoundre & L confundere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To harass, rout, defeat, or annihilate (an adversary); harass (a person or people); (b) to frustrate (sb.); refl. defeat (oneself); (c) to harm or destroy (sth.); refute (a doctrine).
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)43.9 : Þou sauedest vs..and þou confounded hem þat hateden vs.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)494 : And þenkes on..what wol bi-falle þer-of and we ben confoundet.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.774 : Therfore was souereyntee ordeyned to kepe..and deffenden hire vnderlynges..and nat to destroyen hem ne confounde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)7982 : Gladli wald he þam confund [Frf: confounde].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.5.24 : Tormentz of felonyes pressen and confounden goode folk, and schrewes ravysschen medes of vertu.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)173/3 : A cursed Emperour of Persie..rood with grete host..for to confounde the cristene men.
- c1440-a1500 Eglam.(Schleich)1263 : Hir fadir dide þam to þe see, With þe wawes to confounde.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)42.492 : Ȝif the Sarrazines benethe weren Ido, they scholde ben Confownded for Evere Mo.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)1068 : He crakkede full many a carefull croun..Fele folke þay there confounde.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2333 : My goddis me grauntid..The Grekes for to grefe..Confound of hor cuntres, kylle of hor pepull.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)10890 : Yf thou myght..Hym confownde or to dethe brynge..Y schall the to honowre avawnte.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Judith 16.7 : The Lord..toc to the hondis of a womman and confoundede [WB(2): schente; L confodit] hym.
- a1425(?c1384) Wycl.Church (Bod 788)341 : To confounde Anticrist.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)187/3 : Þan thowt sche þat owr Lord spak to þe Deuyl..confowndyng hym & alle hys oste.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)11766 : Hit bytydes many stoundes, Þat who so bygynneþ, hym self confoundes.
c
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)110/318 : Wanne loue hys here preye, Al for to confundy [etc.].
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.362 : O feyned womman, al that may confounde Vertu and innocence thurgh thy malice Is bred in thee.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.529 : The louynge of oure enemy hath confounded the venym of the deuel.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.300 : Slowthe is mihti to confounde The spied of every mannes werk.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.2.46 : To confownden hem [flowers]..with coldes.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)1980 : To breke paciens and charite to confunde.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)136/31 : Myracles, be whech þe wikkidnesse of heresies is confundid and þe trew cristen feith confermed.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)73.64 (v.2:p.48) : Petir of Melan .. dayes .. spent to the profite of mennys soulis .. with myghty resons the heretikis pestilencial doctrine confoundyng [L haereticorum dogma pestiferum validis rationibus confutando].
2.
Theol. (a) To condemn or curse (sb.); also, put a curse on (sb. or sth.); (b) to lead (sb.) into sin or to perdition.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Nich.(LdMisc 108)307 : In þe, louerd, ich habbe ihoped, þat ich i-confundet ne beo..deliuere me!
- a1350(a1325) SLeg.Cec.(Ashm 43)12 : Of þe sauter heo song þis vers..'Let, lord, myn herte vn-wemmed be, þat Ine be confounded noȝt'.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)118.31 : Ne wil þou nouȝt confounde me.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.2.6 : He that shal bileue in to him shal not be confoundid.
- c1390 Þe man þt luste (Vrn)47 : Lac of leche wol vs confounde.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.265 : Þe fende þe confound!
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)2 John 11 : Lo, y haue warned ȝow byfore, þat in þe day of oure Lord ȝe be noȝt confounded.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)4.14 : I write not þise thynges þat I confunde ȝou; but as my derest chyldre I amoneste ȝou.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4277 : God yeve him evel chaunce..Eke Jelousie God confound!
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)2613 : The soule..By the swerd of curs confoundyd And so mortally ywoundyd.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)24.3 : Counfoundid be all wirkand wicked thynges.
- c1450(a1400) Chev.Assigne (Clg A.2)75 : Thenne she wente her forth, þat God shall confounde, To þat febull [etc.].
b
- c1300 SLeg.Marg.(Hrl 2277)173 : Anon so he [þis deuel] to þis maide com hire to confonde, þis maide aros wel baldeliche [etc.].
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)730 : To confund man wit trecherie.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)11/35 : Thay are slaers gastely..þat confoundes Innocentys.
3.
(a) To perplex or embarrass (sb.); bewilder or confuse (the mind, thought); (b) to encumber or beset (sb., the mind); also, overcome, prostrate; (c) to put (sb.) to shame; disgrace.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Deeds 9.22 : Saul..confoundide the Jewis that dwelliden at Damask.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)11.93 : He bi-com so confoundet [vr. confus]..And as doumbe as a dore.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.3093 : This king began to studie..What strange matiere he myhte use, The knyhtes wittes to confounde.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.146 : Errour and folie confoundeth yow.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.m.3.13 : The thought of man, confownded and overthrowen by the derke membres of the body, ne mai nat..knowen the thynne subtile knyttynges of thinges.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.158 : [Divine prescience] ne confowndeth nat the jugementz of thingis; but by o sight of his thought he knoweth the thinges to comen.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)38b/a : Opium dulleþ & confoundeþ þe siȝt.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.291 : A gretter doute now Confoundeth me þan dide beforn i-wys.
- c1450 Marion ABC (Arun 168)129 : Now passe I fro high science, lesse þat I confounde My wittes.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)73.20 (v.2:p.47) : He, havyng indignacion and in maner confoundid in hymself to ben ovircommen of a childe, went to .. the childis fadir .. counseilyng that .. he shuld remeven hym from scole.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.100 : O hateful harm condicion of pouerte, With thurst with cold with hunger so confoundid, To asken help thee shameth in thyn herte.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.740 : Whan the herte of a man is confounded in it self and troubled..thanne seketh he an ydel solas of worldly thynges.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2522 : For pynyng, for wepyng..Fursyne almoste confunded was.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.6.81 : Thow art confunded with foryetynge of thiself.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.6.109 : The derknesse of perturbacion..that confowndeth the verray insyghte.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.21 : Til that sche [Fortune] confounde with unsuffrable sorwe hem that sche hath left in despeer.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.1 : Now am I confowndid by a more hard doute than I was.
- a1500(c1380) Chaucer Rosem.(Benson-Robinson)10 : Thogh I wepe of teres ful a tyne, Yet may that wo myn herte nat confounde.
c
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)34.4 : Ben hij confunded, and drede hij þat sechen my soule.
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)2 Thes.3.14 : Hwo þat ne boweþ noȝt to oure word..medleþ noȝt wiþ hym, þat he be confounded.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)2 Kings 10.5 : Forsothe thei weren men ful foul confoundid.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.731 : A begger..if he not aske, nede causeth hym to dye; And if he aske, by shame he is confunded.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)7 : Helpe þi lord aȝenst the devill, by doyng of meritory workis, and so he shall be confoundid.
4.
Misc. uses: (a) to mix (things); (b) to confuse (a situation); (c) to spoil (sth.); (d) to end.
Associated quotations
a
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)1.1131 : Flour of lyme in oil if thou confounde [etc.].
b
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)174b/a : Babilon þat is to menyng confusioun, for þe lynage was confounded.
c
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)3.815 : Somer wol hit [wyne] soure & so confounde, And wynter wol endure & kepe hit longe.
d
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)1042 : Hyt was but a shoure shuld soone confound.