Obfuscate

[imp. & p. p. OBFUSCATED; p. pr. & vb. n. OBFUSCATING.] [Lat. obfuscare, obfuscatum, or offuscare, offuscatum, from prefix ob and fuscare, to make dark, from fuscus, dark; It. offuscare, Sp. ofuscar, Pg. & Pr. offuscar, Fr. offusquer.] [Written also offuscate.]

1Sense 1. To darken; to obscure.

His head, like a smoke-jack, the funnel unswept, and the ideas whirling round and round about in it, all obfuscated and darkened over with fuliginous matter. Sterne.

2Sense 2. Hence, to bewilder or confuse. “Clouds of passion which might obfuscate the intellects of meaner females.” W. Scott.