offuscare

offuscare [LL] 1 to make dark or obscure, darken, obfuscate; b (fig., usu. w. ref. to blurring, confusing, staining, or compromising). ne penitus crassa atrae noctis caligine Britannia obfuscaretur Gildas EB 10; ~o, ~avi Aldh. PR 140 p. 196; ut ‥ panniculi de serico violentia fluminis abstraherentur, qui litteras aureas, ne foliorum contactu obfuscarentur, contexerant Turgot Marg. 11; 1403 si ‥ epitaphium ‥ insculptum lapide suo aboleri aut nimis obfuscari contigerit Cl 251 m. 17d..  b doctrina ‥ quae pravis operibus obfuscatur Gildas EB 96; tantos bellorum eventus obfuscavit luctus domesticus W. Malm. GR I 17; omnes ejus dulcedines amarissimis offensionibus ~ans Ib. IV 389 p. 461; decor quem nulla ~at deformitas Ad. Scot QEC 29. 858D; fame vestre candorem macule quedam obfuscant Gir. TH III 48 p. 192; libertas ‥ per jus gentium fuerit obfuscata Bracton 4 (v. detectio 3a). 2 to block or diminish (light, also fig.). haec [lux] tenebris ‥ obfuscatur Alcuin Gram. 851B; obfuscare nititur splendidissima lumina Galliarum ‥ Ansellum et Radulfum J. Sal. Met. 832D; quod nobilis ocii lumen tantis tenebris obnubilat et obfuscat Gir. Ep. 4 p. 186; 1231 ne ‥ exhalans nebula decorum cenosa libidine obfuscet lucem bonorum operum que de vestra radiat devotione Gros. Ep. 5 p. 38; sicut lumen lune propter maculam suam obfuscatur Siccav. PN 112. 3 to deprive (eye or sight) of light or brightness. nigredo ultimata que sua perturbatione visum obfuscat Quaest. Salern. B 278; oculi hominum caligine obfuscati et corda eorum velamento ignorantie oppilata M. Scot Alch. 151; cum ‥ intra distenditur oculus ‥ et obfuscatur visus Gilb. III 133v. 1. 4 to render (facial expression) sad, gloomy, or angry. regis irrisi facies obfuscatur J. Howd. Cant. 272. 5 (fig.): a to outshine, surpass. b to make weaker, diminish. a Sanctus Remigius ‥ in tanto honore ‥ in Francia quod festum illius obfuscat festum beati Michaelis Beleth RDO 155. 155.  b Normannica vis ~atur ac pene ab omnibus quasi generalis lues passim impugnatur Ord. Vit. IV 12 p. 254.