abash

[ uh-bash ]
See synonyms for: abashabashedabashment on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed: to abash someone by sneering.

Origin of abash

1
1275–1325; Middle English abaishen<dialectal Old French abacher,Old French abaissier to put down, bring low (see abase), perhaps conflated with Anglo-French abaiss-, long stem of abair,Old French esba(h)ir to gape, marvel, amaze (es-ex-1 + -ba(h)ir, alteration of baer to open wide, gape <Vulgar Latin *batāre;cf. bay2, bay3)

Other words for abash

Other words from abash

  • a·bash·ment, noun

Words Nearby abash

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How to use abash in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for abash

abash

/ (əˈbæʃ) /


verb
  1. (tr; usually passive) to cause to feel ill at ease, embarrassed, or confused; make ashamed

Origin of abash

1
C14: via Norman French from Old French esbair to be astonished, from es- out + bair to gape, yawn

Derived forms of abash

  • abashment, noun

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