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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

dis·may

Audio Help [dis-mey] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object)

1.	to break down the courage of completely, as by sudden danger or trouble; dishearten thoroughly; daunt: The surprise attack dismayed the enemy.

2.	to surprise in such a manner as to disillusion: She was dismayed to learn of their disloyalty.

3.	to alarm; perturb: The new law dismayed some of the more conservative politicians.

–noun

4.	sudden or complete loss of courage; utter disheartenment.

5.	sudden disillusionment.

6.	agitation of mind; perturbation; alarm.

[Origin: 1275–1325; ME desmay (n.), de(s)mayen, dismayen (v.) < presumed AF alter., by prefix change, of OF esmaier to trouble, frighten < VL *exmagāre to disable, deprive of strength, equiv. to ex- ex- + *magāre < Gmc *magan to be able to; see may¹

]

—Related forms

dis·mayed·ness

Audio Help [dis-meyd-nis, -mey-id-] Pronunciation Key, noun

dis·may·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms 1. appall, terrify, frighten, scare, intimidate, disconcert. See discourage. 4. consternation, terror, panic, horror, fear.

—Antonyms 1. hearten. 4. confidence.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Dismay

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

dis·may Audio Help (dĭs-mā') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. dis·mayed, dis·may·ing, dis·mays

To destroy the courage or resolution of by exciting dread or apprehension.
To cause to lose enthusiasm; disillusion: was dismayed to learn that her favorite dancer used drugs.
To upset or alarm.

n. A sudden or complete loss of courage in the face of trouble or danger.

[Middle English dismaien, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier : probably de-, intensive pref.; see de- + Old French esmaier, to frighten (from Vulgar Latin *exmagāre, to deprive of power : Latin ex-, ex- + Germanic *magan, to be able to; see magh- in Indo-European roots).]

dis·may'ing·ly adv.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to deprive a person of courage or the power to act as a result of fear or anxiety. Dismay is the least specific: Plummeting stock prices dismayed speculators.
Appall implies a sense of helplessness caused by an awareness of the enormity of something: "for as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land" (Herman Melville).
Daunt suggests an abatement of courage: "captains courageous, whom death could not daunt" (Anonymous ballad).
Horrify implies dread, shock, or revulsion: The citizens were horrified by the possibility of nuclear war.
To shake is to dismay profoundly: "A little swift brutality shook him to the very soul" (John Galsworthy). See Also Synonyms at fear.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
dismay

1297, from O.Fr. *desmaier, from L. de- intensive prefix + O.Fr. esmaier "to trouble, disturb," from V.L. *exmagare "divest of power or ability," from P.Gmc. stem *mag- "power, ability" (cf. O.H.G. magen "to be powerful or able;" see may (v.)).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

dismay
noun
1.	the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles [syn: discouragement]
2.	fear resulting from the awareness of danger [syn: alarm]
verb
1.	lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her" [syn: depress] [ant: elate]
2.	fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised; "I was horrified at the thought of being late for my interview"; "The news of the executions horrified us"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
dismay [disˈmei] verb

to shock or upset
Example: We were dismayed by the bad news.

Arabic:	يُفْزِع، يُرْعِب
Chinese (Simplified):	使沮丧；使惊慌
Chinese (Traditional):	使沮喪；使驚慌
Czech:	vyděsit, polekat, zdrtit
Danish:	forfærde
Dutch:	ontzetten
Estonian:	kohutama
Finnish:	tyrmistyttää
French:	consterner
German:	bestürzen
Greek:	αναστατώνω, σοκάρω
Hungarian:	megrémít
Icelandic:	skelfa, koma í uppnám
Indonesian:	terkejut
Italian:	sgomentare

Japanese:	ろうばいさせる
Korean:	놀라게 하다
Latvian:	izbiedēt; satraukt
Lithuanian:	nugąsdinti
Norwegian:	forferde, ryste dypt, slå med skrekk
Polish:	przerazić
Portuguese (Brazil):	consternar
Portuguese (Portugal):	chocar
Romanian:	a consterna
Russian:	приводить в смятение
Slovak:	vydesiť, naľakať (sa)
Slovenian:	osupiti
Spanish:	consternar
Swedish:	göra bestört (förfärad)
Turkish:	dehşete düşürmek, hayret içinde bırakmak

dismay [disˈmei] noun

the state of being shocked and upset
Example: a shout of dismay

Arabic:	فَزَع، رُعْب
Chinese (Simplified):	沮丧；惊慌
Chinese (Traditional):	沮喪；驚慌
Czech:	hrůza, úlek
Danish:	forfærdelse
Dutch:	ontzetting
Estonian:	kohkumus
Finnish:	tyrmistys
French:	consternation
German:	die Bestürzung
Greek:	κατάπληξη, αναστάτωση
Hungarian:	rémület
Icelandic:	skelfing
Indonesian:	kekalutan
Italian:	sgomento

Japanese:	ろうばい
Korean:	놀람, 두려움
Latvian:	izbailes; satraukums
Lithuanian:	išgąstis
Norwegian:	forferdelse, skrekk, stor skuffelse
Polish:	przerażenie
Portuguese (Brazil):	consternação
Portuguese (Portugal):	consternação
Romanian:	consternare
Russian:	смятение
Slovak:	hrôza
Slovenian:	osuplost
Spanish:	consternación
Swedish:	bestörtning, förfäran
Turkish:	dehşet, panik

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dismay

Ap*pall"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Appalled; p. pr. & vb. n. Appalling.] [OF. appalir to grow pale, make pale; a (L. ad) + p[^a]lir to grow pale, to make pale, p[^a]le pale. See Pale, a., and cf. Pall.]

1. To make pale; to blanch. [Obs.]

The answer that ye made to me, my dear, . . . Hath so appalled my countenance. --Wyatt.

2. To weaken; to enfeeble; to reduce; as, an old appalled wight. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Wine, of its own nature, will not congeal and freeze, only it will lose the strength, and become appalled in extremity of cold. --Holland.

3. To depress or discourage with fear; to impress with fear in such a manner that the mind shrinks, or loses its firmness; to overcome with sudden terror or horror; to dismay; as, the sight appalled the stoutest heart.

The house of peers was somewhat appalled at this alarum. --Clarendon.

Syn: To dismay; terrify; daunt; frighten; affright; scare; depress. See Dismay.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dismay

Daunt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Daunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Daunting.] [OF. danter, F. dompter to tame, subdue, fr. L. domitare, v. intens. of domare to tame. See Tame.]

1. To overcome; to conquer. [Obs.]

2. To repress or subdue the courage of; to check by fear of danger; to cow; to intimidate; to dishearten.

Some presences daunt and discourage us. --Glanvill.

Syn: To dismay; appall. See Dismay.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dismay

Dis*may"\, v. 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, v. 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.]

Do not dismay yourself for this. --Spenser.

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.

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