confound it

Do all of our efforts at expression—the selfies, ads, GIFs, emojis, avatars, and icons that comprise our shared “language of images”—illuminate the truth of our time, or confound it?

As Israel’s citizens become increasingly interested in the ideals that first guided it and the roots of problems that still confound it, a controversial historian offers a timely look at the education and career of the country’s first prime minister, who embodied his nation’s complicated beginnings.

The timing makes sense: As Israel has transformed itself from a small, struggling society into a high-tech player on the global stage, its people have become increasingly interested in the ideals that first guided it and the roots of problems that still confound it.

“Oh, confound it!” he said, looking up, “there’s that dratted white bird again. What’s it keep coming here for?”

It enhances every dish with which we've tried to confound it.