different between dismay vs misgiving

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

Etymology

From misgive , from mis- +? give, from Middle English give (“suggest, given”). Compare given and what gives.

Noun

misgiving (plural misgivings)

1. doubt, apprehension, a feeling of dread

Usage notes

Almost always used in the plural.

Synonyms

• doubt
• See Thesaurus:apprehension

Translations

References

Further reading

• misgiving in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• misgiving in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.