1. (n.) A state or condition which defies reason or confounds judgment; insuperable difficulty; inability to proceed or decide; puzzle; quandary.

2. (v. t.) To puzzle; to confound; to perplex; to cause to stop by embarrassment.

Gordian knot abecedarian addle amaze answer answer conclusively argue down astonish astound baffle bafflement balk bamboozle beat bewilderment blast boggle bother brave bring up short buffalo challenge check checkmate circumvent confound confoundment confront confuse confusion confute contradict contravene controvert counter counteract countermand counterwork cross crush crux dabbler dash daze defeat defy demolish deny destroy dilemma dilettante discomfit discomposure disconcert disconcertedness disconcertion disconcertment discountenance dish dismay dismiss dispose of disrupt disturbance dumbfound elude embarrassment enigma faze finish fix floor flummox flurry fluster foil frustrate fuddle get jam keep in suspense knock the chocks knot knotty point lick maze muddle mystery mystify node nodus nonprofessional overcome overthrow overturn overwhelm oxymoron paradox paralyze parry perplex perplexity perturbation pickle plight pons asinorum poser pother predicament problem put to silence puzzle puzzlement quandary rattle rebut reduce to silence refute riddle ruin sabotage scotch scrape settle shock shut up silence smash all opposition smatterer spike spoil squash squelch stew stick stonewall stop stump stun stymie subvert take aback teaser throw thwart tyro unassuredness undermine upset vexed question