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abash

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abash


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Abash  \A*bash"\  ([.a]*b[a^]sh"),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Abashed} 
  ([.a]*b[a^]sht");  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Abashing}.]  [OE.  abaissen 
  abaisshen  abashen  OF  esbahir  F.  ['e]bahir,  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. 
 
  Usage:  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  abash 
  v  :  cause  to  be  embarrassed;  cause  to  feel  self-conscious  [syn: 
  {embarrass}] 




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