boggle

[ bog-uhl ]

/ ˈbɒg əl /

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See synonyms for: boggle / boggled on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), bog·gled, bog·gling.

to overwhelm or bewilder, as with magnitude, complexity, or strangeness: The speed of light boggles the mind.

to bungle; botch.

verb (used without object), bog·gled, bog·gling.

to hesitate or waver because of scruples, fear, etc.

to start or jump with fear, alarm, or surprise; shrink; shy.

to bungle awkwardly.

to be overwhelmed or bewildered.

noun

an act of shying or taking alarm.

a mess; a bungle or botch.

Archaic. a scruple; demur; hesitation.

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Origin of boggle

First recorded in 1590–1600; perhaps from bogle

OTHER WORDS FROM boggle

bog·gling·ly, adverb

How to use boggle in a sentence

A Surveillance State that would have boggled the mind of Orwell was born.
Snowden Deserves the Medal of Freedom, Not Prosecution|Jay Parini|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Jessica Colaluca, creator and creative of Design Seeds: “It boggled my mind.”
Lena Dunham’s 'I'm thin for, like, Detroit’ Comment Gets Motowners Fired Up|Abby Haglage|January 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I am above concealing my sentiments, though I have boggled at uttering them.
Mary Wollstonecraft|Elizabeth Robins Pennell
The inspector boggled at the word, and stood confounded by the other's density.
Peccavi|E. W. Hornung

He boggled over some of the words, but on the whole he read well, and his harsh voice dropped into a pleasant sing-song.
The Path of the King|John Buchan
He tried the cloak next, but boggled sadly at the fastening of that, and at last was fain to call in help.
The Wide, Wide World|Susan Warner
This seemed to him an odd way to look at things, and he boggled over a phrase about an "epicene lily."
Huntingtower|John Buchan

British Dictionary definitions for boggle

boggle

/ (ˈbɒɡəl) /

verb (intr often foll by at)

to be surprised, confused, or alarmed (esp in the phrase the mind boggles)

to hesitate or be evasive when confronted with a problem

(tr) to baffle; bewilder; puzzle

Word Origin for boggle

C16: probably variant of bogle 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

boggle

Origin of boggle

OTHER WORDS FROM boggle

Words related to boggle

How to use boggle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for boggle

Word Origin for boggle