> as lemmas

1653 B. Nicholson Blast from Lord 18 Their fair glosses and false interpretations of Iesus Christ... Thus they muddy the clear waters, and drink up the sweet waters, and trouble the rest with their feet.

1792 M. Wollstonecraft Vindic. Rights Woman ix. 333 The vices and follies which..proceed from a feculent stream of wealth that has muddied the pure rills of natural affection.

1855 A. Trollope Warden v. 82 It was so hard that the pleasant waters of his little stream should be disturbed and muddied by rough hands.

1857 Deb. Constit. Convent. Iowa 19 Jan. 686 This question of slavery..will be found, as we glide down the stream of time, raising its horrid front, and ever muddying the waters of politics until it is finally disposed of. Slavery is wrong.

1905 E. Chandler Unveiling of Lhasa xi. 206 The..product of restless Western energies, stirring and muddying the shallows of the Eastern mind.

1930 Amer. Hist. Rev. 36 206 If he has little to say here that is new, he has at least refrained from the sort of speculation which long muddied these waters.

1956 S. Selvon Lonely Londoners (1995) 51 Is fellars like that who muddy the water for a lot of us.

1975 ‘E. Lathen’ By Hook or by Crook iii. 25 Mrs. Aratounian's death is going to muddy the waters further. Somebody should inherit her stock, but with half the family claiming she was an imposter.

2000 Times 8 June ii. 11/1 Online health services are uncharted waters, muddied by the Government's enthusiasm for promoting the use of new technology in health services.