different between abash vs ashame

English

Alternative forms

• abasse

Etymology

First attested in 1303. From Middle English abaisen, abaishen, abashen (“to gape with surprise”) etc., from Anglo-Norman abaïss, from Middle French abair, abaisser (“to astonish, alter”), from Old French esbaïr, (French ébahir), from es- (“utterly”) + baïr (“to astonish”), from Medieval Latin *exbad?, from ex- (“out of”) + bado (“I gape, yawn”), an onomatopoeic word imitating a yawn, see also French badaud (“rubbernecker”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??bæ?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??bæ?/

• Rhymes: -æ?

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit. [First attested from around (1150 to 1350).]

   Synonyms: bewilder, confuse, confound, daunt, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, dishearten, embarrass, faze, fluster, humble, humiliate, mortify, rattle, shake, shame, snub

   Antonyms: abet, animate, buoy, cheer, countenance, embolden, encourage, incite, inspirit, rally, reassure, uphold

   • 1849, Thomas Macaulay, History of England, Chapter 14

     He was a man whom no check could abash
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To lose self-possession; to become ashamed. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 16^th century.]

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

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:abash

Derived terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

• Basha, Sabah, basha, sabha

English

Etymology

From Old English ?s?amian, ?s?eamian, from ?- + s?eamian (“feel shame”), from Proto-Germanic *skam?nan, from *skam? (“shame, humiliation”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???e?m/
• Rhymes: -e?m

Verb

ashame (third-person singular simple present ashames, present participle ashaming, simple past and past participle ashamed)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To feel shame; to be ashamed.
2. (transitive, rare) To make ashamed; to shame.
   • 1740, The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle, Sylvanus Urban (ed.), vol 10, p. 245 (Google preview):

     I am young Woman indifferently well brought up in the Country, and might rai?e my fortune con?iderably had I not got ?uch a Habit of Sweating, which quite a?hames me, when in Company, to ?ee my Face of a dewy Sweat, and the generality complain of Cold.

   • 1860, Frederic W. Farrar, Julian Home: A Tale of College Life, p. 99 (Google preview):

     The notice annoyed and ashamed him.

   • 1983, Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard) Oct 18 - Dec 1, p. 399 (Google preview):

     If it is one Minister who has done it he has ashamed us all and the title "Minister" will not be respected anymore.

   • 2009, Steve Scott, Insiders - Outsiders, ?ISBN, pp. 36-37 (Google preview):

     They would think that I had abandoned them, that I could not handle the stress and pressure and this ashamed me immensely.

   • 2013 Sept. 24, Sudarsan Raghavan, "Kenyan officials say Nairobi mall siege is over," Washington Post (retrieved 30 Sept 2013):

     “As a nation, our head is bloodied but unbowed,” Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a televised address, declaring three days of mourning. “We have ashamed and defeated our attackers.”

References

• ashame at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Seaham