Dazzle Camouflage Did Not Hide Ships, It Confused Them
To dazzle is to blind with light or impress greatly. In the First World War it named a startling naval paint scheme.
To dazzle is to overwhelm with light, or to impress powerfully. The naval use is the most surprising: *dazzle camouflage* covered First World War ships in bold geometric stripes not to hide them, which is impossible at sea, but to confuse a submarine commander's estimate of their speed and heading. Concealment was abandoned in favour of deception.
- To blind with light. *Dazzled by headlights.*
- To impress greatly. *Dazzled the audience.*
- Brilliance. *The dazzle of the display.*
- Dazzle camouflage — a disruptive paint scheme. *Dazzle camouflage on the hull.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | dazzle | Dazzle the crowd. |
| Past | dazzled | Utterly dazzled. |
| Noun | dazzle | The dazzle of light. |
| Adjective | dazzling | A dazzling display. |
| Related | daze | In a daze. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Oncoming lights dazzled the driver.Literal.
- Dazzle camouflage confused rangefinders.Naval history.
- A dazzling performance.Figurative.
Camouflage strategies
- Concealment — blending with the background
- Disruptive patterning — breaking up an outline
- Dazzle — confusing speed and direction rather than hiding
- Countershading — dark above, light below, to flatten shape
- Mimicry — resembling something harmless or inedible
A frequentative of *daze*, from Old Norse *dasa*, to become weary. Dazzle camouflage was proposed by the artist Norman Wilkinson in 1917.
Did dazzle camouflage work?
The evidence was mixed and never conclusive. It was adopted widely because concealment at sea was impossible and confusion seemed the better option.
Are daze and dazzle related?
Yes. Dazzle is a frequentative form, meaning to daze repeatedly or intensely.