abash
Verb
abash (third-person singular simple present abashes, present participle abashing, simple past and past participle abashed)
1.to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed, to abash someone by sneering.
1.
(transitive; usually passive) to cause to feel ill at ease, embarrassed, or confused; make ashamed
Derived Formsabashment, noun
Word OriginC14, via Norman French from Old French esbair to be astonished, from es- out + bair to gape, yawnCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollinsPublishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cite This Source
"perplex, embarrass," early 15c., earlier "lose one's composure, be upset" (late 14c.), from Old French esbaiss-, present stem of esbaer "gape with astonishment," from es "out" (see ex-) + ba(y)er "to be open, gape," from Latin *batare "to yawn, gape," from root *bat, possibly imitative of yawning. Related, Abashed; abashing. Bashful is a 16c. derivative.
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