---
title: confounded — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «confounded» in the school dictionary: Confounded means very puzzled or confused. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confounded/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [C](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/) / confounded

# confounded

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** plan, one, puzzle, That, old man, result · **What happens:** confound, mean, use, show, be, confuse · **To what, where:** annoyance, annoying, someone, them, two things, everyone · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«confounded» in the school dictionary: its 4 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: [confounded in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/confounded.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Confounded means very puzzled or confused.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:m1:1
# text = Confounded means very puzzled or confused.
1	Confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	very	very	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	puzzled	puzzled	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	confused	confused	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  | puzzled *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: 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}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old-fashioned, mild swearing — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Confounded is used to show annoyance, meaning «annoying» or «wretched»: «this confounded rain».

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:m2:1
# text = Confounded is used to show annoyance, meaning «annoying» or «wretched»: «this confounded rain».
1	Confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	mark	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	used	use	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	show	show	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	advcl	_	_
6	annoyance	annoyance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	meaning	mean	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	5	advcl	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	annoying	annoying	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	wretched	wretched	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	3	punct	_	_
17	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	20	det	_	_
19	confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	20	amod	_	_
20	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	parataxis	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	20	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **use** | present · passive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **show** | to-infinitive |  | annoyance |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent annoyance=Recipient |
| 4 | **mean** | gerund |  | annoying |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent annoying=Topic |
| 5 | **confound** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To confound someone is to surprise and confuse them; to confound a plan or prediction is to prove it wrong.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:m3:1
# text = To confound someone is to surprise and confuse them; to confound a plan or prediction is to prove it wrong.
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	surprise	surprise	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	confuse	confuse	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	confound	confound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
13	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	plan	plan	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	nsubj	_	_
15	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	16	cc	_	_
16	prediction	prediction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	conj	_	_
17	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	19	cop	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	prove	prove	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	ccomp	_	_
20	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	wrong	wrong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	19	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	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 |  |  |  |  |  | surprise *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **confuse** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn amalgamate-22.2-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Patient |
| 4 | **confound** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 5 | **is** | present | a plan or prediction |  |  |  |  | prove, wrong *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To confound two things is to mix them up and think one is the other.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:m4:1
# text = To confound two things is to mix them up and think one is the other.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	confound	confound	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	4	nummod	_	_
4	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	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	mix	mix	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	think	think	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
12	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	15	nsubj	_	_
13	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	cop	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | to-infinitive |  | two things |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus thing=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | mix *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **think** *speech: other* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn focus-87.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **is** | present | one |  |  |  |  | other *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puzzle left everyone confounded.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x1:1
# text = The puzzle left everyone confounded.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puzzle	puzzle	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	left	leave	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	everyone	everyone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Tot	3	obj	_	_
5	confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **leave** | past | the puzzle | everyone |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent everyone=Theme |
| 2 | **confound** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«That confounded motor car!» shouted the old man.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x2:1
# text = «That confounded motor car!» shouted the old man.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	5	nsubj	_	_
3	confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
4	motor	motor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	car	car	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	5	punct	_	_
8	shouted	shout	VERB	VBD	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
10	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** *in a quote* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **car** *in a quote* |  | That |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **shout** *speech: express* | past | the old man |  |  |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The result confounded the experts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x3:1
# text = The result confounded the experts.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	result	result	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	confounded	confound	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	experts	expert	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

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

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Confound it, I've lost my keys!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x4:1
# text = Confound it, I've lost my keys!
1	Confound	confound	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
4	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	've	have	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	1	parataxis	_	_
7	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	8	nmod:poss	_	_
8	keys	key	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | imperative | you *not said here* | it |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus it=Experiencer |
| 2 | **lose** | present · perfect | I | my keys |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent key=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Toad cursed the confounded washerwoman's dress.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x5:1
# text = Toad cursed the confounded washerwoman's dress.
1	Toad	Toad	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	cursed	curse	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	amod	_	_
5	washerwoman	washerwoman	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	's	's	PART	POS	_	5	case	_	_
7	dress	dress	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **curse** | past | Toad | the confounded washerwoman's dress |  |  |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent dress=Theme |
| 2 | **confound** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The magician's trick confounded the audience.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x6:1
# text = The magician's trick confounded the audience.
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	trick	trick	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	confounded	confound	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	audience	audience	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **confound** | past | the magician's trick | the audience |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus audience=Experiencer |
| 2 | **trick** |  | the magician |  |  |  |  |  | nom trick «act transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Kow" must not be confounded with the more prosaic animal with a "C."

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:confounded:x7:1
# text = "Kow" must not be confounded with the more prosaic animal with a "C."
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Kow	Kow	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	must	must	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
5	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
6	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	confounded	confound	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
10	more	more	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	11	advmod	_	_
11	prosaic	prosaic	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
12	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
13	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
15	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	16	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	C.	c.	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	16	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **confound** | must · passive |  | Kow |  |  |  | with the prosaic animal with a C. | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: subject=Experiencer |

<!-- div src -->

**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 -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [confound](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confound/)
- next →: [confront](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/confront/)
- ↑ back to [C in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/)