different between discomfort vs dismay

English

Etymology

From Middle English discomforten, from Anglo-Norman descomforter.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /d?s?k?mf?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d?s?k?mf?t/

Noun

discomfort (countable and uncountable, plural discomforts)

1. Mental or bodily distress.
2. Something that disturbs one’s comfort; an annoyance.

Translations

Verb

discomfort (third-person singular simple present discomforts, present participle discomforting, simple past and past participle discomforted)

1. To cause annoyance or distress to.
2. (obsolete) To discourage; to deject.

Usage notes

As a verb, the unrelated term discomfit is often used instead, largely interchangeably, though this is proscribed by some as an error, discomfit originally meaning “destroy”, not “distress”.

Derived terms

• discomforter

See also

• discomfit

English

Etymology

From Middle English dismayen, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier, alteration of Old French esmaier (“to frighten”), probably from Vulgar Latin *exmagare (“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”), from ex- + *magare (“to enable, empower”), from Proto-Germanic *magin?, *magan? (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *meg?- (“to be able”). Akin to Old High German magan, megin (“power, might, main”), Old English mæ?en (“might, main”), Old High German magan, mugan (“to be powerful, able”), Old English magan (“to be able”). Cognate with Portuguese desmaiar (“to faint”). See also Portuguese esmagar, Spanish amagar. More at main, may.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?s?me?/
• Rhymes: -e?

Verb

dismay (third-person singular simple present dismays, present participle dismaying, simple past and past participle dismayed)

1. To cause to feel apprehension; great sadness, or fear; to deprive of energy

   Synonyms: daunt, appall, terrify

   • 1611, King James Version, Josh. i. 9

     Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.

   • What words be these? What fears do you dismay?

2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
3. To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1, III. iii. 1:

     Dismay not, princes, at this accident,

Translations

Noun

dismay (uncountable)

1. A sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits

   Synonym: consternation

   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 3

     Come on: in this there can be no dismay;

     My ships come home a month before the day.

2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

Translations

Anagrams

• yidams