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Webster 1913 Edition

Dismay

Dis-may′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Dismayed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Dismaying
.]
[OE.
desmaien
,
dismaien
, OF.
esmaier
; pref.
es-
(L.
ex
) + OHG.
magan
to be strong or able; akin to E.
may
. In English the pref.
es-
was changed to
dis-
(L.
dis-
). See
May
,
Verb.
I.
]
1.
To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive or firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify.
Be not afraid, neither be thou
dismayed
.
Josh. i. 9.
What words be these? What fears do you
dismay
?
Fairfax.
2.
To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To terrify; fright; affright; frighten; appall; daunt; dishearthen; dispirit; discourage; deject; depress. – To
Dismay
,
Daunt
,
Appall
. Dismay denotes a state of deep and gloomy apprehension. To daunt supposes something more sudden and startling. To appall is the strongest term, implying a sense of terror which overwhelms the faculties.
So flies a herd of beeves, that hear,
dismayed
,
The lions roaring through the midnight shade.
Pope.
Jove got such heroes as my sire, whose soul
No fear could
daunt
, nor earth nor hell control.
Pope.
Now the last ruin the whole host
appalls
;
Now Greece has trembled in her wooden walls.
Pope.

Dis-may′

,
Verb.
I.
To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Dis-may′

,
Noun.
[Cf. OF.
esmai
, F.
émoi
. See
Dismay
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
Loss of courage and firmness through fear; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation.
I . . . can not think of such a battle without
dismay
.
Macaulay.
Thou with a tiger spring dost leap upon thy prey,
And tear his helpless breast, o’erwhelmed with wild
dismay
.
Mrs. Barbauld.
Syn. – Dejection; discouragement; depression; fear; fright; terror; apprehension; alarm; affright.

Webster 1828 Edition

Dismay

DISMAY

,
Verb.
T.
To deprive of that strength or firmness of mind which constitutes courage; to discourage; to dishearten; to sink or depress the spirits or resolution; hence, to affright or terrify.
Be strong, and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed. Joshua 1.

DISMAY

,
Noun.
Fall or loss of courage; a sinking of the spirits; depression; dejection; a yielding to fear; that loss of firmness which is effected by fear or terror; fear impressed; terror felt.
And each in others countenance read his own dismay.

Definition 2024

dismay

dismay

English

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; consternation.
  2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

Translations

Verb

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

  1. To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify.
    • Bible, Josh. i. 9
      Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.
    • Fairfax
      What words be these? What fears do you dismay?
  2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
    • Spenser
      Do not dismay yourself for this.
  3. To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
Translations

Etymology

From Middle English dismayen, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier, alteration of Old French esmaier ‎(“to frighten”), from Vulgar Latin *exmagare ‎(“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”), from ex- + *magare ‎(“to enable, empower”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą, *maganą ‎(“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mēgh- ‎(“to be able”). Akin to Old High German magan, megin ‎(“power, might, main”), Old English mæġen ‎(“might, main”), Old High German magan, mugan ‎(“to be powerful, able”), Old English magan ‎(“to be able”). More at main, may.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /dɪsˈmeɪ/
  • Rhymes: -eɪ

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