daunt

[dawnt, dahnt]
verb (used with object)
1.
to overcome with fear; intimidate: to daunt one's adversaries.
2.
to lessen the courage of; dishearten: Don't be daunted by the amount of work still to be done.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English da(u)nten < Anglo-French da(u)nter, Old French danter, alteration of donter (probably by influence of dangier power, authority; see danger) < Latin domitāre to tame, derivative of domitus, past participle of domāre to tame

daunt·ing·ly, adverb
daunt·ing·ness, noun
un·daunt·ing, adjective


1. overawe, subdue, dismay, frighten. 2. discourage, dispirit.


2. encourage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
daunt (dɔːnt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to intimidate
2.  to dishearten
 
[C13: from Old French danter, changed from donter to conquer, from Latin domitāre to tame]
 
'daunter
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

daunt
c.1300, from O.Fr. danter, var. of donter, from L. domitare, freq. of domare "to tame" (see tame). Originally "to vanquish;" sense of "to intimidate" is from late 15c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
This torment did not daunt his courage.
Besides, the cases daunt the most sophisticated lawyers with their complexity.
Finding a method to determine exactly how many colors is needed for any map
  continues to daunt mathematicians today.
His present schedule alone might daunt someone half his age.
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