---
title: confound — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «confound» in the school dictionary: To confound someone is to confuse them so badly that they cannot think clearly. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# confound

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** they, old way, something, puzzle, magician, you · **What happens:** confound, be, not think, spoil, say, blast · **To what, where:** someone, plan, it, old way, way, me · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«confound» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 4 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: [confound in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/confound.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To confound someone is to confuse them so badly that they cannot think clearly.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:m1:1
# text = To confound someone is to confuse them so badly that they cannot think clearly.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	confound	confound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	confuse	confuse	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	badly	badly	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	_
10	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
11	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
12	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	14	advmod	_	_
14	think	think	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
15	clearly	clearly	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | badly, confuse *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **not** **think** *speech: other* | can | they |  |  |  |  | clearly *property* | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .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}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To confound a plan is to defeat it or spoil it.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:m2:1
# text = To confound a plan is to defeat it or spoil it.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	confound	confound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	defeat	defeat	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	spoil	spoil	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
11	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | to-infinitive |  | a plan |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus plan=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | defeat *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **spoil** | infinitive |  | plan |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: exclamation — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Confound it!» is an old way of saying «Blast it!» when something goes wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:m3:1
# text = «Confound it!» is an old way of saying «Blast it!» when something goes wrong.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Confound	confound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	9	nsubj	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
10	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	saying	say	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	9	acl	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	Blast	blast	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	ccomp	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	13	punct	_	_
17	when	when	SCONJ	WRB	_	19	mark	_	_
18	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	19	nsubj	_	_
19	goes	go	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	advcl	_	_
20	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus it=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a old way |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **say** *speech: express* | gerund | a old way *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 4 | **blast** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | way |  |  |  |  | vn sound\_emission-43.2 «PP.location V NP»: agent=Location it=Theme |
| 5 | **go** | present | something |  |  |  |  | wrong *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puzzle began to confound me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:x1:1
# text = The puzzle began to confound me.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	confound	confound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | the puzzle |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **confound** | to-infinitive | the puzzle *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus i=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's fog was meant to confound the soldiers.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:x2:1
# text = The magician's fog was meant to confound the soldiers.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	magician	magician	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	fog	fog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj:pass	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux:pass	_	_
6	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
7	to	to	PART	TO	_	8	mark	_	_
8	confound	confound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	xcomp	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	soldiers	soldier	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | past · passive |  | the magician's fog |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **confound** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | the soldiers |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus soldier=Experiencer |
| 3 | **fog** |  | the magician |  |  |  |  |  | nom fog «phenomenon transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Do not confound the innocent with the guilty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:x3:1
# text = Do not confound the innocent with the guilty.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
2	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	confound	confound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	innocent	innocent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obj	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	guilty	guilty	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **confound** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the innocent |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus innocent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Confound it!» cried the farmer when his cart stuck in the mud.

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confound:x4:1
# text = «Confound it!» cried the farmer when his cart stuck in the mud.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Confound	confound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
3	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
6	cried	cry	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	farmer	farmer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	12	advmod	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	cart	cart	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nsubj	_	_
12	stuck	stuck	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	advcl	_	_
13	in	in	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	mud	mud	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** *in a quote* | infinitive |  | it |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus it=Experiencer |
| 2 | **cry** *speech: express* | past | the farmer |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |

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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.

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