---
title: baffled — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «baffled» in the school dictionary: Completely confused, not able to understand or explain something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# baffled

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** last maths question, strange light, magic trick, I, answer, Her · **What happens:** understand, explain, make, baffle, leave, answer · **To what, where:** something, someone, I, detective, Scientists, everyone

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«baffled» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [baffled in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/baffled.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Completely confused, not able to understand or explain something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:m1:1
# text = Completely confused, not able to understand or explain something.
1	Completely	completely	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	_
2	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	5	punct	_	_
4	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	5	advmod	_	_
5	able	able	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	understand	understand	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	explain	explain	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **understand** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | infinitive |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Topic |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: past form of baffle — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Made someone confused.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:m2:1
# text = Made someone confused.
1	Made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	1	obj	_	_
3	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past |  | someone |  |  |  | confused *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset someone=Product |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I was baffled by the last maths question.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x1:1
# text = I was baffled by the last maths question.
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
6	last	last	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
7	maths	math	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	compound	_	_
8	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past · passive | the last maths question | I |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The detective was baffled by the missing key.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x2:1
# text = The detective was baffled by the missing key.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	detective	detective	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	missing	missing	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	key	key	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past · passive |  | the detective |  |  |  | by the missing key | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Scientists were baffled by the strange light in the sky.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x3:1
# text = Scientists were baffled by the strange light in the sky.
1	Scientists	scientist	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	by	by	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	amod	_	_
7	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sky	sky	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past · passive | the strange light in the sky | Scientists |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus subject=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magic trick left everyone baffled.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x4:1
# text = The magic trick left everyone baffled.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	magic	magic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	left	leave	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	4	obj	_	_
6	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | participle | the magic trick *not said here* | everyone |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent everyone=Theme |
| 2 | **baffle** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Grandad looked baffled when I explained the video game.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x5:1
# text = Grandad looked baffled when I explained the video game.
1	Grandad	Grandad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	6	advmod	_	_
5	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	explained	explain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	video	video	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	compound	_	_
9	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past · passive |  | Grandad |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |
| 2 | **explain** *speech: assert* | past | I | the video game |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Topic |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her answer baffled the whole class.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x6:1
# text = Her answer baffled the whole class.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	answer	answer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past | Her answer | the whole class |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus class=Experiencer |
| 2 | **answer** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom answer «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puzzle baffled us for an hour.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:baffled:x7:1
# text = The puzzle baffled us for an hour.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	baffled	baffle	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	hour	hour	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **baffle** | past | the puzzle | us |  |  | hour |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus we=Experiencer |

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**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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