Etymology Dictionary

BAFFLE,  to foil, disgrace.  (Scand.)   The history of the word is recorded by Hall, Chron. Henry VIII, anno 5.   Richardson quotes the passage to shew that to baffull is 'a great reproach among the Scottes, and is used when a man is openly periured, and then they make of him an image paynted reuersed, with hys heles vpwarde, with his name, wondering, cryenge, and blowing out of [i.e. at] hym with hornes, in the moost despitefull manner they can.'   The word is clearly a corruption of Lowland Scotch bauchle, to treat contemptuously; see the poem of Wallace, ed. Jamieson, viii. 724.   For change of ch to ff, cf. tough, rough, &c.   β. Bauchle is a verb, formed by suffix -le, from adj. bauch, tasteless, abashed, jaded, &c.   This was probably borrowed from Icel. bágr, uneasy, poor, or the related sb. bágr, a struggle; from which is formed, in Icelandic, the vb. bægja, to push, or metaphorically, to treat one harshly, distress one, or, in a word, to baffle.   ¶ Fick (iii. 198) gives a theoretical Teutonic form bága, strife, to account for Icel. bágr, a struggle; M. H. G. bágen, O. H. G. págan, to strive, to brawl; O. Sax. bág, boasting.

ADDENDA

May be simply described as (Scand.).   Jamieson also gives bachle, as a variant of bauchle, which is much to the purpose.