Tuesday, 3 January 2012

Thing Not To Do Today: fuzzle someone.

I just came across this word by accident. Isn't it gorgeous?

To fuzzle someone means to confuse or muddle them, perhaps by making them drunk.

So, please, no going up to anyone and saying what a beautiful locust you have there, madam!

No trying to pay for your sandwiches with your library ticket.

And no walking backwards, especially up escalators.

Life's quite fuzzling enough as it is.
Thing Not To Do Today: fuzzle someone. This word is probably connected with the word fuzz in its old meaning of to fly out in light particles. This would naturally cause blurring and confusion.
There's a Low Dutch word voos and a Low German word fussig: they mean spongy, and they might be connected to fuzzle in some dark way.
Though I can't quite imagine how.

1 comment:

  1. Am adopting this word at once. It sounds like the name of a Dickens character and I love it.

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