BabelizeBabelisev.
/ˈbeɪbəlʌɪz/, /ˈbeɪbl̩ʌɪz/, U.S. /ˈbeɪbəˌlaɪz/ transitive. To make characteristic of Babel (see Babel n.); to bring into a state of confusion; esp. to render (language or a language) incoherent or unintelligible. Also intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > confusion or disorder > confuse or disorder [verb (transitive)]
disparplea1400
rufflea1400
mingle-mangle1549
confound1553
jumblea1575
barbulye1588
Babelize1600
embroil1603
puddlea1616
confuse1630
jargogle1692
mishmash1694
to make a mull of1821
inturbidatea1834
bedevil1844
to ball up1884
jazz1914
scramble1927
balls1947
1600 C. Tourneur Transformed Metamorph. sig. B3v Her high esteeme, is of high heau'n despisde; O see ere long her Babel Babelliz'd.
1825 Monthly Mag. Dec. 421/2 Our language is barbarized, or Babelized, and the sense confounded, by the perpetual use of words of French derivation in an unanglicized sense.
1845 W. H. Ainsworth ‘Effects’ & Adventures Raby Rattler, Gent lxxiv. 632 Bustle, strange faces, busy workmen, and confusion are slightly Babelising the once quiet glades.
1880 B. Solymos Desert Life ii. 221 To putrefy the language into several thieves' lingoes, to babelize literally.
1901 D. L. Sharp Wild Life near Home 272 They must have snarled the wires and Babelized their talk terribly.
1926 Davenport (Iowa) Democrat & Leader 19 Nov. 5/2 The doubler and the doubler's partner must speak and understand the same Bridge language, or they will Babelize their game.
1978 Times 26 June 14/2 This new dictionary is an important new tool for ensuring..that English is not Babelized into dozens of mutually incomprehensible national dialects.
2001 N. C. Andreasen Brave New Brain iii. viii. 187 I start to have a thought, and then things just don't connect right. It is like my brain is babelized.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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