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# perplexity

noun (plural perplexities)

«perplexity» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Perplexity is a state of being puzzled and not knowing what to think or do. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/#m1)
2. (formal) A puzzling thing or problem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/#m2)

### In the lessons

in stories a hero feels great perplexity when something strange happens; in lessons it names the feeling of being stuck on a hard question

### Examples

- He stood in great perplexity, unable to work out the answer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/#x1)
- To her perplexity, the door would not open. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/#x2)
- The puzzle caused him much perplexity. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/#x3)

### Note

nothing for maths; perplexity is a feeling and changes no count.

## In Jewish tradition

A time of confusion and distress that comes as a sign of God's judgment.

**Interpretation.** The prophets read such confusion as the result of leaders and people turning away from God.

### Examples

- For it is a day of trouble, and of trampling, and of perplexity, from the Lord, the GOD of hosts, in the Valley of Vision; Kir shouting, and Shoa at the mount. (Prophets ISA.22.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/perplexity/#x1)
- The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity. (Prophets MIC.7.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/perplexity/#x2)

### Note

nothing for maths; perplexity is a feeling and changes no count.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «perplexity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/perplexity/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«perplexity» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/perplexity.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «perplexity» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/P/perplexity/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«perplexity» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/perplexity.html) on Mova free.