Free Translator Free Translator
Translators Dictionaries Courses Other
Home
English Dictionary      examples: 'day', 'get rid of', 'New York Bay'




Abash   Listen
verb
Abash  v. t.  (past & past part. abashed; pres. part. abashing)  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." "He was a man whom no check could abash."
Synonyms: 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."






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








Advanced search
     Find words:
Starting with
Ending with
Containing
Matching a pattern  

Synonyms
Antonyms
Quotes
Words linked to  

only single words



Share |





"Abash" Quotes from Famous Books



... have to behave yourself with me, young man!" I warn him, in a tone which ought to abash him, but ...
— Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 99, August 30, 1890. • Various



Words linked to "Abash" :   upset, abashment, flurry, untune, discompose, disconcert



Copyright © 2024 Free-Translator.com