Make Your Point > Archived Issues > FLUMMOX

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explore the archives: When we hear abstruse arguments or recondite references, that makes us feel flummoxed. (I hope you're not flummoxed by the close synonyms abstruse and recondite--can you recall what they mean?) So, flummox: I love this word. Although the Oxford English Dictionary has tried to trace its origins, pointing out how it's probably from an English dialect and seems to be imitative of the sound something makes when you toss it down in a harsh and messy way, in truth nobody knows where the word flummox really came from, which is hilarious because it means "to confuse, to confound, to befuddle, to bewilder, to mystify, to nonplus." make your point with... "FLUMMOX" When something or someone flummoxes you, it totally confuses you. Pronunciation: FLUH mucks Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, someone or something flummoxes you.) Other forms: flummoxed, flummoxing How to use it: Some dictionaries label this word as "informal." It can have a lighthearted tone ("I'm so flummoxed by all these remotes"), but it can be serious, too, like when Scott Malone for Reuters wrote that our news stories in 2016 "ranged from weird to wonderful, funny to flummoxing." Talk about the events and situations that flummox us, the issues and problems that flummox us, the questions and comments that flummox us, etc. Often we'll use the passive voice: "He's flummoxed by these instructions." In fact, "flummoxed" works great as an adjective to describe people: "Flummoxed, she said nothing." "The conversation left him flummoxed." And "flummoxing" works great as an adjective to describe things: "A flummoxing question silenced her." "The conversation took a flummoxing turn." examples: Tax forms flummox me. It doesn't take me long to go from "Huh? Okay, let me Google this" to "Oh god, what does it all meeean?" Structured Word Inquiry is a way of exploring the "why" of spelling: it attempts to find logical explanations for all those oddly-spelled words that have always flummoxed students and linguists, like "could" (why the L?) and "was" (why an A and not a U?). study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "flummox" means when you can explain it without saying "mystify" or "throw you for a loop." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "I understand _____, but I have to admit how flummoxed I am by _____." Example: "I understand that Thomas and Friends is a children's cartoon, but I have to admit how flummoxed I am by the density of the railroad coverage on the small island of Sodor." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. License Plate Words! You’ve spotted a cluster of three letters on a license plate. Keep all three letters together—don’t insert any letters between them—but add any letters you like to the left and/or right of the cluster to form words. For example, when you spot the cluster CKG, you can form BACKGROUND and BACKGAMMON (and all their related words, like BACKGROUNDER and BACKGAMMONING, for a total of 8 possible words). We’ll move from easy to hard clusters as the month goes on. (For the curious, you can generate a complete list of answers using a tool like this one.) Let's play! Our previous question: If you spot the cluster ARF, you can use it to form 73 words. Give yourself a minute or so. How many can you think of? Possible answers: You may have thought of BARF, BARFLY, DWARF, EARFUL, FAR-FETCHED, FEARFUL, PARFAIT, SCARF, and/or STARFISH. Try this today: If you spot the cluster AEO, you can use it to form 69 words, although many of them are technical. Give yourself a minute or so. Can you think of a few? review today's word: 1. One opposite of FLUMMOX is A. ENLIGHTEN B. INSPIRE C. IMPACT 2. In an email that flummoxed the staff, the CEO mandated that they all _____. A. attend another dull but important yearly meeting to review safety procedures B. change their passwords to include at least one number C. spend every Friday afternoon doing yoga together Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. C