| 释义 |
perplexity|pəˈplɛksɪtɪ|
[ad. post-cl. L. perplexitās (Ammianus), f. perplex-us (perplex a.), or a. F. perplexité (14th c. in Godef. Compl.).]
The condition of being perplexed.
1. Inability to determine what to think, or how to act, owing to the involved, intricate, or complicated condition of circumstances, or of the matters to be dealt with, generally also involving mental perturbation and anxiety; puzzled condition, embarrassment, bewilderment, distraction.
c1300in Wyntoun Cron. vii. 3625 Succoure Scotland and remede That stad is in perplexyte. 1375Barbour Bruce xi. 619 Thai war in gret perplexite Bot with gret travale, nocht-for-thi, Thai thame defendit manfully. 1390Gower Conf. III. 348 Tho was betwen mi Prest and me Debat and gret perplexite. 1480Caxton Chron. Eng. i. (1520) 6/2 The chyldren of Israell were in greate perplexyte. 1573–80Baret Alv. P 306 To be in so great danger and perplexitie, that he cannot tell what to do. a1674Clarendon Hist. Reb. ix. §118 The King had stayed at Hereford..in great perplexity, and irresolution. 1748Anson's Voy. iii. vi. 346 As we had no observation of our latitude at noon, we were in some perplexity. 1866G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xxxii. (1878) 550, I had been in great perplexity how to let her know that I was there.
†b. Trouble, distress. Obs.
1375Barbour Bruce xx. 78 His maill eiss [malease = disease] of Ane fundyng Begouth; for, throu his cald lying..Him fell that herd perplexite. c1420Lydg. Assembly of Gods 200 Let me the mater here Why he ys brought in thys perplexyte. 1540–54Croke Ps. (Percy Soc.) 19 Turne not asyde fro me thy face, When perplexitie doeth appere. 1549Compl. Scot. vii. 71 Ther can nocht be ane mair vehement perplexite as quhen ane person beand in prosperite at his hartis desire, ande syne dechays in miserabil aduersite. 1574Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 383 The said Issobell and hir..bairnis ar in grit perplexitie and povertie. 1658Phillips, Perplexity,..also trouble, or anguish of minde.
2. With a and pl.
a. An instance of this condition; a state of doubt or mental difficulty.
c1491Chast. Goddes Chyld. 12 Some falle in perplexitees for a thyng that nought is to charge or lityl. 1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 486 But if the sygnificacyon bee knowen, then liued the chosen people of God in the old law in a strange perplexitie. 1671Milton Samson 304 Till by thir own perplexities involv'd They ravel more, still less resolv'd. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 36 ⁋8 Accidents which produce perplexities, terrors, and surprises.
b. Something that causes perplexity, trouble, or disturbing doubt; a matter or cause of trouble or difficulty.
1598Meres Palladis Tamia 284 To bewaile..the perplexities of Loue. 1609Bible (Douay) Susanna i. 22 Susanna sighed and sayd: Perplexities are to me on everie side. 1665Phil. Trans. I. 105 All is involved with perplexities. 1870J. H. Newman Gram. Assent i. iv. 63 It is to me a perplexity that grave authors seem to enunciate as an intuitive truth, that everything must have a cause. 1877Froude Short Stud. (1883) IV. i. ii. 24 The condition of the clergy was a pressing and practical perplexity.
3. An intricately involved, entangled, or confused state of anything.
a. Of material objects.
1664Evelyn Sylva (1679) 4 Dropp'd, and disseminated amongst the..perplexities of the mother-roots. 1779J. Moore View Soc. Fr. (1789) I. xxiv. 190 The difficulty and perplexity of the road. 1800Asiat. Ann. Reg., Misc. Tracts 14/1 Toilsome and intricate marches..with successive difficulties to encounter, from the perplexities of the country. 1855J. R. Leifchild Cornwall 129 Upon a comparison of various classes of miners..the intelligence of any class will be found directly proportionate to the perplexity of the minerals to be mined. 1881W. G. Palgrave in Macm. Mag. XLV. 34 The dense perplexity of dwarf palm, garlanded creepers, glossy undergrowth.
b. Of affairs, a subject of study, etc.
1743Johnson Let. 1 Dec., With respect to the interest, which a great perplexity of affairs hindered me from thinking of. 1794Sullivan View Nat. I. 127 This subject, as I before observed, with all its perplexities, was much agitated by the ancients. 1879Calderwood Mind & Br. 69 Psychology has its own share of perplexity. |