Abash

From Fresh Dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Verb 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Usage notes 1.3.3 Derived terms 1.3.4 Translations 1.4 Shorthand 1.4.1 Gregg

English

Etymology

From Old English abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, from Old French esbahir, formed from es + bair "to astonish".

• Known cognates: French ébahir "to astonish".

Pronunciation

• RP:
  • IPA: /əˈbæʃ/

Verb

to abash (third-person singular simple present abashes, present participle abashing, simple past abashed, past participle abashed)

1. ((transitive{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}))

To make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit.

1. • He was a man whom no check could abash. - Macaulay.
2. ((intransitive{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}))

((obsolete{{#if:|, {{{2}}}{{#if:|, {{{3}}}{{#if:|, {{{4}}}{{#if:|, {{{5}}}{{#if:|, {{{6}}}{{#if:|, {{{7}}}{{#if:|, {{{8}}}{{#if:|, {{{9}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}})) To lose self-possession; to become ashamed.

Synonyms

• confuse
• confound
• disconcert
• shame
• humiliate
• embarrass

Usage notes

• Of abash, confuse, confound: Abash is a stronger word than confuse, but not so strong as confound.
  • We are abashed when struck either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as, Peter was abashed by the look of his Master. So a modest youth is abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his superiors.
  • We are confused when, from some unexpected or startling occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self-possession. Thus, a witness is often confused by a severe cross-examination; a timid person is apt to be confused in entering a room full of strangers.
  • We are confounded when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually confounded at the discovery of his guilt.

  • Satan stood Awhile as mute, confounded what to say. - John Milton

Derived terms

• abashed
• abashedly
• abashedness
• abashless
• abashment

Translations

to make ashamed, to embarrass

Dutch: beschamen Finnish: saattaa häpeilemään, saattaa hämille French: confondre German: beschämen Interlingua: confunder Japanese: 狼狽させる(ろうばいさせる, roubaisaseru)

Macedonian: звунува (zbunuva) Norwegian: gjøre skamfull Portuguese: envergonhar, confundir Spanish: confundir

Shorthand

Gregg

• (Version: Centennial,Series 90,DJS,Simplified,Anniversary,Pre-Anniversary): a - b - a - sh

fr:abash it:abash uk:abash zh:abash