fuddle

/ˈfʌdl/

Other forms: fuddled; fuddling; fuddles

Use the noun fuddle for a confused or jumbled state. It would be easier to find your favorite shoes if your closet weren't such a fuddle of clothes, boots, and bags.

The more common befuddle comes from fuddle, which has a root meaning “worthless cloth,” and was originally defined as "work in a slovenly manner." As a verb, fuddle is used to mean "confuse or stupify." If you stay up all night studying for the math test, your lack of sleep may fuddle you so much that you can't remember all the formulas you tried to memorize!

Definitions of fuddle

1. noun

   a confused multitude of things
   synonyms: clutter, jumble, mare's nest, muddle, smother, welter

   types:

   rummage

   a jumble of things to be given away

   type of:

   disorder, disorderliness

   a condition in which things are not in their expected places
2. verb

   be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
   synonyms: bedevil, befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, throw

   confuse, disconcert, flurry, put off

   cause to feel embarrassment

   types:

   demoralise, demoralize

   confuse or put into disorder

   amaze, baffle, beat, bewilder, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex

   be puzzling or bewildering to

   disorient, disorientate

   cause to be lost or disoriented

   mix up, stump

   cause to be perplexed or confounded

   riddle

   set a difficult problem or riddle

   elude, escape

   be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by

   type of:

   be

   have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)
3. verb

   consume alcohol
   synonyms: booze, drink

   drink, tope

   drink excessive amounts of alcohol; be an alcoholic

   types:

   tank

   consume excessive amounts of alcohol

   port

   drink port

   claret

   drink claret

   bar hop, pub-crawl

   go from one pub to the next and get progressively more drunk

   bib, tipple

   drink moderately but regularly

   hit it up, inebriate, soak, souse

   become drunk or drink excessively

   wine

   drink wine

   carry, hold

   drink alcohol without showing ill effects

   type of:

   consume, have, ingest, take, take in

   serve oneself to, or consume regularly
4. verb

   make stupid with alcohol
   synonyms: befuddle

   type of:

   inebriate, intoxicate, soak

   make drunk (with alcoholic drinks)