| 释义 |
flummox, v. colloq. or vulgar.|ˈflʌməks|
Also flummix, -ux.
[prob. of Eng. dialectal origin; cf. flummocks to maul, mangle (Heref. Gloss. 1839), flummock slovenly person, also hurry, bewilderment, flummock to make untidy, disorder, to confuse, bewilder (see various E.D.S. glossaries, Heref., Glouc., S. Cheshire, Sheffield). The formation seems to be onomatopœic, expressive of the notion of throwing down roughly and untidily; cf. flump, hummock, dial. slommock sloven.]
1. trans. To bring to confusion; to ‘do for’, cause to fail; to confound, bewilder, nonplus.
1837Dickens Pickw. xxxiii, ‘He'll be what the Italians call reg'larly flummoxed’. 1840Cambr. Univ. Mag. I. in Whibley In Cap & Gown (1890) 169 So many of the men I know Were ‘flummox'd’ at the last great-go. c1850C. Kean in Barrère & Leland Slang s.v. ‘Fool! fool! you distressed..you—you flummuxed me!’ 1892Pall Mall G. 16 Feb. 2/1 The Unionists appear to be completely flummoxed by the failure of Mr. Balfour's Land Act.
2. U.S. colloq. To ‘do up’.
1870Talmage Crumbs Swept up 270 Brushes..with which heiresses..flumixed their hair.
3. intr. U.S. To give in, give up, collapse.
1839D. P. Thompson Green Mountain Boys xxiv. 256 Well, if he should flummux at such a chance, I know of a chap..who'll agree to take his place. 1847Field Drama in Pokerville 73 Pokerville didn't..finally ‘flummix’ right beneath him. 1849Oyster War of Accomac iii. in N.Y. Tribune 25 Apr. 1/3 Men of mighty stomachs, Men that can't be made to flummux.
Hence ˈflummox n. (see quot.).
1851B. H. Hall College Words s.v., Any failure is called a flummux. In some colleges the word is particularly applied to a poor recitation. At Williams College, a failure on the play-ground is called a flummux. 1857in Ducange Anglicus Vulg. Tongue 8. |