English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• discomboberate
• discombulate
• discombobricate
• discombooberate

Etymology[edit]

1834 US, fanciful variant of discompose, discomfit, etc., originally discombobricate.^[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˌdɪs.kəmˈbɒb.jəˌleɪt/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (AU)

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Verb[edit]

discombobulate (third-person singular simple present discombobulates, present participle discombobulating, simple past and past participle discombobulated)

1. (transitive, humorous) To throw into a state of confusion; to befuddle or perplex.
   • 1895, John Kendrick Bangs, “Story-tellers' Night”, in A House-Boat on the Styx, New York: Harper & Brothers, published 1901, page 132:

     Can't you and I pretend to quarrel? A personal assault by you on me will wake these people up and discombobulate Goldsmith. Say the word—only don't hit too hard.

   • 1999 December 13, Anthony Tommasini, “MUSIC REVIEW; Plenty Of Zigzags, But Hold The Angst”, in The New York Times, page E3:

     The notes zigzag in his pieces and discombobulate the ear, just as in 12-tone works.

   • 2009 December 25, Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg, 17:18 from the start, in Sherlock Holmes, spoken by Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.):

     First, distract target. Then block his blind jab. Counter with cross to left cheek. Discombobulate. Dazed, he'll attempt wild haymaker. Employ elbow block.

Antonyms[edit]

• combobulate
• recombobulate

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

• Appendix:Fanciful 19th century American coinages

References[edit]