The spelling of the word "wert puzzled" can be explained through phonetics. The word "wert" is pronounced as /wɜːt/, which means "were not". Likewise, "puzzled" is pronounced as /ˈpʌzld/, which means "confused". When combined, "wert puzzled" means "were not confused". The spelling "wert" dates back to the Middle English period, and is an archaic form of "were". Despite its rarity, it is still occasionally used in poetic writing to create a certain effect or metre.
"Wert puzzled" is a phrase derived from Old English and it represents the past tense of the verb "to puzzle" conjugated with the pronoun "thou." In modern English, the phrase can be translated as "you were puzzled."
The verb "to puzzle" refers to the act of causing confusion, perplexity, or uncertainty in someone's mind. When a person is puzzled, they are unsure about something or find it difficult to comprehend or solve a problem. They may feel confused, bewildered, or at a loss as to how to proceed.
The phrase "wert puzzled" denotes that at a specific point in the past, the individual being referred to was experiencing the state of puzzlement. It implies that they were in a state of uncertainty, grappling with an issue, or struggling to understand something. "Wert" is an archaic form of the verb "to be" used in the second person singular when addressing someone informally.
Overall, "wert puzzled" indicates that the person described was previously in a perplexed or confused state, suggesting a temporary state of mind that demands additional information, explanation, or further contemplation to resolve the uncertainties or doubts.
The phrase "wert puzzled" does not have a specific etymology as it seems to be a combination of two different words.
"Wert" is the second person singular form of the archaic verb "to be" in the past tense. It was commonly used in Early Modern English and is associated with the works of William Shakespeare and other writers of that time.
"Puzzled" comes from the verb "to puzzle", which means to confuse or perplex. Its etymology can be traced back to the late 16th century as a variant of the word "posse" in the sense of "to be able".
Therefore, "wert puzzled" can be understood as a combination of the past tense of the archaic verb "to be" and the past participle of the verb "to puzzle", implying someone was previously or continuously confused or perplexed.