puzzle
5 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
puzzles
plural
puzzles
Britannica Dictionary definition of PUZZLE
[count]
1
a
:
a question or problem that requires thought, skill, or cleverness to be answered or solved
—
see also crossword puzzle
-
a book of puns, riddles, and puzzles
b
:
jigsaw puzzle
— often used figuratively
-
The restaurant is trying to attract more customers, and the new menu is an important piece of the puzzle. [=an important part of what is being done]
-
Researchers are close to finding a solution, but they haven't found the final pieces of the puzzle.
2
:
something or someone that is difficult to understand
— usually singular
-
The cause of the explosion was a puzzle. [=no one knew what caused the explosion]
-
His strange behavior is a puzzle to his friends. [=his friends don't understand the reason for his strange behavior]
2
puzzle
/ˈpʌzəl/
verb
puzzles;
puzzled;
puzzling
2
puzzle
/ˈpʌzəl/
verb
puzzles;
puzzled;
puzzling
Britannica Dictionary definition of PUZZLE
[+ object]
:
to confuse (someone)
:
to be difficult for (someone) to understand
-
The question puzzled me. [=I did not know the answer to the question]
-
The cause of the accident has puzzled investigators.
-
I was puzzled by his behavior. [=I did not understand the reason for his behavior]
puzzle out
[phrasal verb]
puzzle (something) out
or
puzzle out (something)
:
to understand or find (something, such as the answer to a difficult problem) by careful thinking
-
She puzzled out the meaning of the strange phrase.
puzzle over
[phrasal verb]
puzzle over (something)
:
to think or worry for a long time about (something)
-
He's been puzzling over whether to buy a new car.
-
We puzzled over the best arrangement for the furniture.
