muddifyv.
/ˈmʌdᵻfʌɪ/, U.S. /ˈmədəˌfaɪ/ 1. transitive. To make unclear; to muddle, confuse.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > mental wandering > confuse, bewilder [verb (transitive)]
bewhapec1320
mara1350
blunder?a1400
mada1425
to turn a person's brainc1440
astonish1530
maskc1540
dare1547
bemud1599
bedazea1605
dizzy1604
bemist1609
muddify1647
lose1649
bafflea1657
bewildera1680
bother?1718
bemuse1734
muddlea1748
flurrya1757
muzz1786
muzzle1796
flusker1841
haze1858
bemuddle1862
jitter1932
giggle-
1647 [see muddified adj. at Derivatives].
1789 H. Walpole Let. 4 Nov. (1859) V. 232 Don't muddify your charming simplicity with controversial distinctions.
1889 F. E. Gretton Memory's Harkback 132 I always used to think that if I were on the jury, I should go to consider my verdict muddified rather than enlightened.
1991 Maclean's 22 July 44/3 Gee, Dr. Foth, I'm grateful for your ministrations, especially the way you have muddified the fuzzifications.
2. transitive. To make muddy, to befoul.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirty [verb (transitive)]
uncleanseOE
horyc1200
befoulc1320
behorewe1340
file1340
flobber1377
smatterc1386
foulc1400
slurryc1440
filtha1450
sowla1450
sollc1480
bawdy1495
squagea1500
arrayc1525
ray1526
bawdc1529
beray1530
filthify1545
belime1555
soss1557
embroyn1566
dirt1570
filthy1581
turpifya1586
dirty1591
muck1618
bedirt1622
bedirty1623
smooch1631
dight1632
fewma1637
snuddle1661
bepaw1684
puddle1698
nasty1707
muddify1739
scavenger1806
mucky1828
squalidize1837
mullock1861
muddy1893
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > dirtiness or soiling with specific kinds of dirt > dirty or soil with specific kinds of dirt [verb (transitive)] > dirty with mud
mire?c1475
glar?a1500
bemirec1532
bemud1580
bemoila1610
immire1611
muddya1616
mud1632
muddify1739
slutch1745
belute1760
slush1807
slub1886
1739 H. Baker & J. Miller Squire Lubberly I. ix. 283 A Vapour black and gross, which obscures, empoisons, and muddifies the animal spirits.
1839 G. Daniel Sworn Highgate II. i. 28 The hypocondriacal and feculent humours obscure poison and muddify the animal spirits.
1879 Harper's Mag. July 175/1 We scarify our knuckles and ‘muddify’ our best light trousers boating out with the boys for lilies in the pond.
1996 Chattanooga (Tennessee) Free Press (Nexis) 24 June A rain storm that could ‘muddify’ the clay and sod base of the parking lots.
Derivatives
muddified adj. rendered muddy or (in extended use) confused.
ΚΠ
1647 Mercurius Bellicus No. 1. 2 Ananias the Presbyter and Honestiferus the Independent, have set their muddifyed noddles on the Tainter-hookes of their stupifyed inventions.
1865 Proc. Geologists' Assoc. 1861–5 1 103 While you pore over the little sandy drifts I have already mentioned, or..scratch into the muddified silt.
2004 J.J. M. van der Meer Spitzbergen Push Morraines ii. 28 The thawed out and muddified debris ran in many places out over the old snow.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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