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Definition |
difficulty in understanding something |
Examples |
1) I tried reading that complicated scientific paper, but I
couldn't make heads or tails of the
equations and terminology. 2) I tried reading the complicated manual,
but I can't make heads or tails of
these technical instructions. |
Etymology |
The term likely relates to the idea of not
being able to discern a clear direction, just as one cannot distinguish
between the two sides of a coin by just looking at its edges. |
Synonyms |
can't decipher, can't decode, can't figure
out |
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