obfuscate
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ob·fus·cate
(ŏb′fə-skāt′, ŏb-fŭs′kāt′)tr.v. ob·fus·cat·ed, ob·fus·cat·ing, ob·fus·cates
1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made ... to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest).
2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.
[Latin obfuscāre, obfuscāt-, to darken : ob-, over; see ob- + fuscāre, to darken (from fuscus, dark).]
ob′fus·ca′tion n.
ob·fus′ca·to′ry (ŏb-fŭs′kə-tôr′ē, əb-) adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
obfuscate
(ˈɒbfʌsˌkeɪt)vb (tr)
1. to obscure or darken
2. to perplex or bewilder
[C16: from Latin ob- (intensive) + fuscāre to blacken, from fuscus dark]
ˌobfusˈcatory adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ob•fus•cate
(ˈɒb fəˌskeɪt, ɒbˈfʌs keɪt)v.t. -cat•ed, -cat•ing.
1. to confuse.
2. to make unclear.
3. to darken.
[1525–35; < Late Latin obfuscāre to darken =ob- ob- + fuscāre, derivative of fuscus dark]
ob`fus•ca′tion, n.
ob•fus′ca•to`ry (-kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i) adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
obfuscate
Past participle: obfuscated
Gerund: obfuscating
Imperative |
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obfuscate |
obfuscate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
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Verb | 1. | obfuscate - make obscure or unclear |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
obfuscate
verb (Formal) obscure, confuse, cloud, blur, cover, screen, hide, disguise, conceal, veil, darken, muddy the waters of, befog, throw a veil over They are deliberately obfuscating the issue.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
obfuscate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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