to confuse, bewilder, or perplex: He was baffled by the technical language of the instructions.
to frustrate or confound; thwart by creating confusion or bewilderment.
to check or deflect the movement of (sound, light, fluids, etc.).
to equip with a baffle or baffles.
Obsolete. to cheat; trick.
verb (used without object),baf·fled,baf·fling.
to struggle ineffectually, as a ship in a gale.
noun
something that balks, checks, or deflects.
an artificial obstruction for checking or deflecting the flow of gases (as in a boiler), sounds (as in the loudspeaker system of a radio or hi-fi set), light (as in a darkroom), etc.
any boxlike enclosure or flat panel for mounting a loudspeaker.
Origin of baffle
First recorded in1540–50; 1910–15 for def. 8; perhaps from Scots bauchle “to disgrace, treat with contempt,” equivalent to bauch (see baff) + -le
These baffles “hug” the microphone and block out external noise while focusing on the source and enhancing the quality of final audio, making them an exceptional tool for recording vocals, kick drums, guitar amps and more.
The best recording isolation shields for tracking audio in any space|PopSci Commerce Team|September 25, 2020|Popular Science
The glass is lined with custom baffles contoured to block daytime glare.
Apple’s ‘most ambitious’ new store is a departure from its signature design|claychandler|September 8, 2020|Fortune
This hidden Eden continues to baffle geologists with its oculus of volcanic stone.
What Made Mexico’s Most Mysterious Beach?|Brandon Presser|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That decision continues to baffle some law enforcement officials nearly two decades later.
New Revelations in JonBenet’s Unsolved Death|Carol McKinley|October 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
With only two young witnesses, no clear motive, and no identified suspect, the case continues to baffle authorities.
Every moment new changes and new showers of deceptions to baffle and distract him.
Emerson and Other Essays|John Jay Chapman
May I pray you to remember that yonder party did, two nights since, baffle six armed men?
The Fair Maid of Perth|Sir Walter Scott
Suddenly it disappeared behind a veil of smoke which it had thrown out to baffle its pursuers.
The Mastery of the Air|William J. Claxton
His career is one of those irritating mysteries which baffle the most patient inquiry.
The Story of Newfoundland|Frederick Edwin Smith, Earl of Birkenhead
These tubes fill an annular area, the central un-tubed portion below the baffle cap B forming the vapor chamber.
Steam Turbines|Hubert E. Collins
British Dictionary definitions for baffle
baffle
/ (ˈbæfəl) /
verb(tr)
to perplex; bewilder; puzzle
to frustrate (plans, efforts, etc)
to check, restrain, or regulate (the flow of a fluid or the emission of sound or light)
to provide with a baffle
obsoleteto cheat or trick
noun
Also called: baffle board, baffle platea plate or mechanical device designed to restrain or regulate the flow of a fluid, the emission of light or sound, or the distribution of sound, esp in a loudspeaker or microphone
Derived forms of baffle
bafflement, nounbaffler, noun
Word Origin for baffle
C16: perhaps from Scottish dialect bachlen to condemn publicly; perhaps related to French bafouer to disgrace