English verb: bedevil | |||
1. | bedevil (emotion) treat cruelly | ||
Samples | The children tormented the stuttering teacher. | ||
Synonyms | crucify, dun, frustrate, rag, torment | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | beset, chevvy, chevy, chivvy, chivy, harass, harry, hassle, molest, plague, provoke | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | badger, beleaguer, bug, hamstring, madden, oppress, persecute, pester, tease | ||
2. | bedevil (cognition) be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly | ||
Samples | These questions confuse even the experts. This question completely threw me. This question befuddled even the teacher. | ||
Examples | The performance is likely to bedevil Sue | ||
Synonyms | befuddle, confound, confuse, discombobulate, fox, fuddle, throw | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | be | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | amaze, baffle, beat, bewilder, demoralize, disorient, disorientate, dumbfound, flummox, get, gravel, mystify, nonplus, perplex, pose, puzzle, stick, stupefy, vex | ||
Verb group | confuse, disconcert, flurry, put off | ||