Did you
know?

bemused
adjective

slightly confused; not knowing what to do or how to understand something

Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

From the verb to bemuse, meaning “to make utterly confused, put into a muse or reverie, muddle, stupefy”; from be- + muse, attested from 1735. Muse (from mid-14th century) means “to reflect, ponder, meditate; to be absorbed in thought”,  from Old French muser (12th century).

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THE ASTONISHING AUTOGRAPH

One day while traveling by train through the American Midwest, Albert Schweitzer was approached by some fellow female passengers.

“Have we the honor of speaking to Professor Einstein?” they asked.

“No, unfortunately not, though I can quite understand your mistake,” Schweitzer replied, “for he has the same kind of hair as I have. Inside my head is altogether different, but he is a very old friend of mine—would you like me to give you his autograph?”

The BEMUSED women then watched as Schweitzer procured a piece of paper and scribbled a signature:

“Albert Einstein, by way of his friend, Albert Schweitzer.”

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SYNONYMS

astonished, at a loss for words, baffled, bedazzled, befuddled, BEMUSED, bewildered, caught off-balance, caught off-guard, confounded, discombobulated, disoriented, knocked sideways, perplexed, mystified

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PRACTICE OWAD in an English conversation, say something like:

“I was rather BEMUSED by the word BEMUSED.”

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Paul Smith