different between dismay vs abash

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

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