▪ I. ˈbaffling, vbl. n.
[f. baffle v. + -ing1.]
† 1. Treatment with insult or contumely. Obs.
| 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xiii. lxxvii. (1612) 320 The baffling of those Gods themselues, in those ribaldious plaies. 1620 Dekker Dreame (1860) 14 That face..put vp spettings, baffulings, buffetings. |
† 2. Quibbling; trifling. Obs.
| 1653 S. Fisher Baby Bapt. To Rdr. 2 Absolute Absurdities, Babish Baflings. |
3. Discomfiture of endeavour, aim, purpose, etc.
| 1689 Advant. Pres. Settlement 13 The absolute baffling of that Dispensing Power. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 489 A like baffling of hope. |
▪ II. ˈbaffling, ppl. a.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
1. Bewildering; that defeats skill or endeavour.
| 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell), Baffling, Decipiens, deludens. 1817 Moore Lalla R. (1824) 220 Baffling spells. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. ix. 166 His task..is..difficult and baffling. |
2. Naut. Of winds: That blow about and make straight sailing impracticable; shifting, variable.
| 1772–84 Cook Voy. (1790) V. 1860 We had baffling light airs, but the wind soon settled at S. 1823 Byron Island ii. xxi, I saw her in the doldrums; for the wind Was light and baffling. 1854 G. Richardson Univ. Code v, 798 = Have you had baffling winds? |