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Glite Dictionary
to blind with science

to blind with science

1 9.0
To confuse someone by using many technical words they do not understand
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : abrumar con ciencia
  • The professor often blinded his students with science during complex lectures.

Examples

  • During the meeting, he blinded us with science, making it hard to follow his explanations.

  • ♪ She blinded me with science ♪♪

    Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)

  • They tried not to blind the audience with science, focusing instead on clear and simple concepts.

Synonyms

to confuse
vsto blind with science
266 1.9

Make someone unable to think clearly or make something hard to understand

focuses on complex scientific detail to overwhelm rather than cause general confusion
to bewilder
vsto blind with science
29 5.3

Make someone very confused and unable to think clearly

causes confusion specifically by using complex scientific or technical information
to go over someone's head
vsto blind with science
  • Informal
1 8.1

To be too hard for someone to understand

uses technical scientific detail to overwhelm rather than only being difficult
to talk over someone's head
vsto blind with science
8.2

Say things that are too hard for someone to understand

overwhelms listeners with technical scientific details to confuse them

Antonyms

to clarify
248 3.3

To make something clear so others can understand it

to simplify
99 2.5

Make something easier to understand or use

How Confusing

to blind with science
  • Informal
1 9.0
to baffle
65 5.3
to obscure
86 7.0
to explain
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

blind with science infinitive

Morphology

blind + with + science

The sense is partly derivable: 'blind' (obscure perception) + 'with' (instrument) + 'science' suggests using scientific information as a means to obscure or overwhelm someone, so a learner can get the general idea. However, the shift from literal visual blindness to 'confuse/overwhelm' is metaphorical and the specific phrasing 'blind someone with X' may not be fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Blind with science comes from the image of being hit by so much complicated science talk that you become blind to the simple point. That's why it means 'to confuse or overwhelm someone with technical or scientific talk'.