[16th c. ad. L. confūtā-re (or its F. ad. confuter, 16th c. in Littré) to check, repress, restrain, silence, refute, answer conclusively, f. con- intens. + a vb. stem -fūta-, occurring also in refūtāre, and prob. from same root as fundĕre (fud-) to pour out, overthrow, fūtio pouring out, fūtātim copiously, futtilis futile, etc.]
1. trans. To prove (a person) to be wrong; to overcome or silence in argument; to convict of error by argument or proof.
1533. More, Debell. Salem, Wks. 1027/2. In al these thinges haue I so confuted thys good man alredy.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 13. Such babblers are well confuted euen with one word of the Apostle.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 3. Satan stood A while as mute confounded what to say … confuted and convinc’t.
1772. Ann. Reg., 255. ‘I am confuted, but not convinced,’ is an apology sometimes offered.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, II. xiv. If you want to win a man’s heart, allow him to confute you.
1840. Macaulay, Ranke, Ess. (1851), II. 140. Protestant doctors were confuting … sectaries who were just as good Protestants as themselves.
† b. To confound; pass. to be at a loss. Obs. rare.
1672. Pepys, Diary, VI. 116. I am … confuted in my selfe how I may ever strive to deserue the least of those many-fould gracious expressions.
c. transf. To put to silence (by physical means).
1614. T. Adams, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. lxxx. 20. Goliath … shall be confuted with a pebble.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, V. vi. Least the coldyron should chance to confute thee.
1660. R. Coke, Justice Vind., 15. He … ought … to be confuted with clubs and hissing.
1834. Browning, Ferishtah, 33. Thou didst curse, cuff, and kick—in short, Confute the announcer.
2. To prove (an argument or opinion) to be false, invalid, or defective; to disprove, refute.
1529. More, Heresyes, I. Wks. 141/1. In reprouing & confuting that thei [miracles] should be done by ye deuill. Ibid. (1532), Confut. Tindale, 678/2. His heresies be by the verye scripture confuted & reproued.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 176. The Sepulcher of Rachel, (by the Scripture affirmed to haue bene buried here about) if the entirenesse thereof do not confute the imputed antiquity.
1658. Bramhall, Consecr. Bps., Title-p., That infamous Fable of the ordination at the Nagge’s head clearly confuted.
1728. Newton, Chronol. Amended, i. 49. The Congress of Solon with Crœsus, some think they can confute by chronology.
1879. M. Arnold, Milton, Mixed Ess. 243. Macaulay himself … presently confutes his own thesis.
absol. 1663. Butler, Hud., I. i. 70. On either [side] he would dispute, Confute, change hands, and still confute.
3. To confound, render futile, bring to nought.
1589. R. Robinson, in Farr, S. P. Eliz. (1845), II. 365. Quit me from Sathan’s nets and snares, His traps, good Lord, confute.
1685. Crowne, Sir C. Nice, II. 10. He confuted their skill, and they cou’d no more light upon him than on a jest.
a. 1861. Mrs. Browning, Garibaldi. All loss confute From ampler heavens above my head.
