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Webster 1913 Edition


Abash

A-bash′

(ȧ-băsh′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Abashed
(ȧ-băsht′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Abashing
.]
[OE.
abaissen
,
abaisshen
,
abashen
, OF.
esbahir
, F.
ébahir
, to astonish, fr. L.
ex
+ the interjection
bah
, expressing astonishment. In OE. somewhat confused with
abase
. Cf.
Finish
.]
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.
Abashed
, the devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is.
Milton.
He was a man whom no check could
abash
.
Macaulay.
Syn. – To confuse; confound; disconcert; shame.
– To
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.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Abash

ABASH'

,
Verb.
T.
[Heb. and Ch. bosh, to be confounded, or ashamed.]
To make the spirits to fall; to cast down the countenance; to make ashamed; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, error, inferiority, &e.
They heard and were abashed.

Definition 2024


abash

abash

English

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).][1]
    "He was a man whom no check could abash." – Thomas Babington Macaulay.
  2. (intransitive, obsolete) To lose self-possession; to become ashamed. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the late 16th century.][1]

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

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 2
  2. Philip Babcock Gove (editor), Webster's Third International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged (G. & C. Merriam Co., 1976 [1909], ISBN 0-87779-101-5), page 2
  3. Christine A. Lindberg (editor), The Oxford College Dictionary, 2nd edition (Spark Publishing, 2007 [2002], ISBN 978-1-4114-0500-4), page 2