Middle English Dictionary Entry
confūs(e(d ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | confūs(e(d ppl. Also confusid, confusede, confuse, confuce. |
| Etymology | L confūs-um, ppl. of confundere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Frustrated, thwarted, foiled; ruined; routed; (b) damned.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)73.22 : Þe made mylde ne ben nouȝt turned confus.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.304 : Confused þei went away, þat fals companie; Þei failed of þer pray.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)181 : Than were the princes of the Jewes and the pharisees all confused.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)62.202 (v.1:p.380) : He [viz., St. Benedict] neither to his [the devil's] cursyng ner to his blissyng toke hede, wherfore confuse, for that tyme he went his wey.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)165/40 : Alas, I ham confused!
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)250 : Yf thow do swiche a vilany to me, I am confusid for euermor.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)73/22 : Ihesu shal be wiþ me as a miȝty fiȝter, & þou shalt stonde confused.
b
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)110/14 : Þei schule schewe hym to be a liere & disseyuable & confused.
2.
(a) Perplexed, disconcerted, upset; befuddled; (b) embarrassed, humiliated, disgraced.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.463 : O iuge, confus in thy nycetee! Wiltow that I reneye innocence To maken me a wikked wight?
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.2.3 : Y, confusid or astonyed in mynde, wote not what I sawȝ.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2230 : I ne haue no langage to telle..the tormentz of myn helle..I am so confus that I kan noght seye.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.Barlaam (Vrn)222/567 : Confus a wei þen gon he wende.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.136 : He bicome so confus, he couth nouȝte loke.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.356 : So confus that he nyste what to seye; For verray wo his wit was neigh aweye.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)197/4 : Be the whiche answere Alisandre was gretly astoneyed & abayst, & all confuse departed from hem.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)8652 : In hys conscyence ful confuse ys he And..at hys wyttys ende.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)859 : Þe childre wer confused..Þai prayed to god to schew þe sothe.
b
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.453 : The man, confusede as thro schame.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)110/14 : Þai scorned him..and he went fra þam schamed and confused.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)15/29 : Sche went a-way al schamyd & confusyd in hir-self, seyng hys stabylnes & hir owyn vnstabylnes.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2879 : She, a-shamyd & confus off this deede, Heeng hirsilff up.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.202 : Of my foly foule I am confused.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)129/25 : He was so confusid & esshamyd þat with-in a little while after he dyed for sorow.
- a1500(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Stw 952(1))16289 : That thow be trowblyd in thy Conscience with..many horryble synnes, Confus and ashamyd.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)3/28 : The grette pryce and noblesse of Fraunce .. somtyme .. was noble, free and blessid, and nought it is boonde, confusid and in maner dispeyred.
3.
(a) Disorganized, chaotic, disorderly; motley (crowd); confusing (matter); (b) mixed (color); (c) diffuse, obscured (moon); (d) vague (knowledge).
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2505 : So confus was þe lamentacioun On Grekis side.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.5.47 : Men wenen that ther be somwhat foolissh and confus, whan the resoun of the ordre is unknowe.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.6.183 : Alle thingis semen to ben confus and trouble to us men, for we ne mowen nat considere thilke ordenaunce.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.1970 : Of cherlis gadred a confus multitude.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1517 : But hit a ful confus matere Were, alle the gestes for to here That they of write.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)11.771 (v.1:p.126) : This holy oost [i.e. Thomas à Becket] was .. sacrifised .. biforne an autier amonge prestis .. whom the horrible noise and confuse rumour and dene of the cruel tormentours had drawen .. thider to seen that doleful .. spectacle.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)69/10 : We fynde that all that is of God kepith an ordynaunce, and all that growith of synne owt of arraye into a confuce wandryng and to volucion turneth, all disordinat.
b
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)143/30 : A coloure the qwych ys nowdyr pale, ner qwyte, ner very red, but conffuse.
c
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.5.14 : How the mone derk and confus discovereth the sterres that sche hadde covered by his clere vysage.
d
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)1/9 : Þe general confuse knowing going afore þe specialist and clerist of þe same maters siȝt and feling.