fuddle

  • 1fuddle — 1580s, originally to get drunk, later to confuse as though with drink (c.1600), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Low Ger. fuddeln work in a slovenly manner (as if drunk), from fuddle worthless cloth. The more common derivative BEFUDDLE (Cf.… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 2Fuddle — Fud dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Fuddled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Fuddling}.] [Perh. formed as a kind of dim. of full. Cf. {Fuzzle}.] To make foolish by drink; to cause to become intoxicated. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] I am too fuddled to take care to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3Fuddle — Fud dle, v. i. To drink to excess. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4fuddle — index confusion (ambiguity), muddle Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 5fuddle — muddle, addle, *confuse Analogous words: & Antonyms: see those at BEFUDDLE …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6fuddle — [fud′ l] vt. fuddled, fuddling [akin ? to Ger dial. fuddeln, to swindle] to confuse or stupefy as with alcoholic liquor; befuddle vi. Rare to drink heavily; tipple n. a fuddled condition …

    English World dictionary

  • 7fuddle — 1 verb (T) BrE informal if something, especially alcohol or drugs, fuddles you or your mind, it makes you unable to think clearly: Too much drink fuddles your brain. 2 noun (singular) informal in a fuddle feeling very confused and unable to think …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 8fuddle — verb (fuddled; fuddling) Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1588 intransitive verb booze, tipple transitive verb 1. to make drunk ; intoxicate 2. to make confused ; muddle …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 9fuddle — /fud l/, v., fuddled, fuddling, n. v.t. 1. to muddle or confuse: a jumble of sounds to fuddle the senses. 2. to make drunk; intoxicate. v.i. 3. to tipple. n. 4. a confused state; muddle; jumble. [1580 90; orig. uncert.] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 10fuddle — Noun. 1. A confused state, a muddle. 2. An intoxicated state. E.g. He was in a fuddle so we stopped him driving home and made him sleep at ours. 3. An informal event or party, often based around a food, such as a buffet or picnic. East… …

    English slang and colloquialisms