Puzzle

Puzzle, puz′l, n. a difficulty to be solved: perplexity: something to try the ingenuity, as a toy or riddle.—v.t. to set a difficult question to: to pose: to perplex.—v.i. to be bewildered: to think long and carefully (with out, over).—ns. Puzz′ledom (coll.), bewilderment; Puzz′le-head, one who is puzzle-headed.—adj. Puzz′le-head′ed, having the head full of confused notions.—ns. Puzz′le-head′edness; Puzz′lement, the state of being puzzled; Puzz′le-monk′ey (same as Monkey-puzzle, q.v.); Puzz′le-peg, a piece of wood so secured under a dog's jaw as to keep his nose from the ground; Puzz′ler; Puzz′le-ring, a ring made of several small rings intricately linked together, capable of being taken apart and put together again.—adj. Puzz′ling, posing: perplexing.—adv. Puzz′lingly. [From M. E. opposaile (Eng. opposal), an objection—opposen, posen. Cf. Pose and Oppose.]