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bemused ; bemusing ; bemuses

Definition of bemuse transitive verb 1 : to make confused : puzzle , bewilder to make confused 2 : to occupy the attention of : distract , absorb has bemused audiences around the world to occupy the attention of 3 : to cause to have feelings of seems truly bemused that people beyond his circle in Seattle would be interested in his ruminations — Ruth B. Smith to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement

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Other Words from bemuse bemusement \ bi-​ˈmyüz-​mənt , bē-​ \ noun

Are amused and bemused synonyms? Many people link bemused with amused, believing that the former word carries the meaning “amused, with a touch of something else.” While this was not its original sense, bemused has been used in such a fashion for long enough, and by enough people, that the meaning “having feelings of wry amusement especially from something that is surprising or perplexing" has become established. You may use bemuse in this fashion if you wish, but bear in mind that some people find it objectionable, insisting that bemused and amused are entirely distinct and that bemused properly means “marked by confusion or bewilderment.” It is worth noting that before bemused indicated confusion it had the meaning (especially among poets) “devoted to the Muses.”

Did You Know? In 1735, British poet Alexander Pope lamented, in rhyme, being besieged by "a parson much bemus'd in beer." The cleric in question was apparently one of a horde of would-be poets who plagued Pope with requests that he read their verses. Pope meant that the parson had found his muse - his inspiration - in beer. That use of bemus'd harks back to a 1705 letter in which Pope wrote of "Poets … irrecoverably Be-mus'd." In both letter and poem, Pope used bemused to allude to being inspired by or devoted to one of the Muses, the Greek sister goddesses of art, music, and literature. The lexicographers who followed him, however, interpreted "bemus'd in beer" as meaning "left confused by beer," and their confusion gave rise to the first modern sense of bemused above.

First Known Use of bemuse 1734, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for bemuse bemuse verb English Language Learners Definition of bemuse : to cause (someone) to be confused and often also somewhat amused See the full definition for bemuse in the English Language Learners Dictionary bemuse verb be·​muse | \ bi-ˈmyüz \ bemused ; bemusing Kids Definition of bemuse : to cause to be confused and often also somewhat amused He was bemused by all the attention he was receiving.