in·tim·i·date

[in-tim-i-deyt]
verb (used with object), in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing.
1.
to make timid; fill with fear.
2.
to overawe or cow, as through the force of personality or by superior display of wealth, talent, etc.
3.
to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear: to intimidate a voter into staying away from the polls.

Origin:
1640–50; < Medieval Latin intimidātus, past participle of intimidāre to make afraid, equivalent to Latin in- in-2 + timid(us) timid, afraid + -ātus -ate1

in·tim·i·da·tion, noun
in·tim·i·da·tor, noun
in·tim·i·da·to·ry [in-tim-i-duh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective
un·in·tim·i·dat·ed, adjective
un·in·tim·i·dat·ing, adjective

intimate, intimidate.


1. frighten, subdue, daunt, terrify. See discourage.


1. calm. 3. encourage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To intimidation
00:10
Intimidation is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
Collins
World English Dictionary
intimidate (ɪnˈtɪmɪˌdeɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make timid or frightened; scare
2.  to discourage, restrain, or silence illegally or unscrupulously, as by threats or blackmail
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin intimidāre, from Latin in-² + timidus fearful, from timor fear]
 
in'timidating
 
adj
 
intimi'dation
 
n
 
in'timidator
 
n

intimidate (ɪnˈtɪmɪˌdeɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make timid or frightened; scare
2.  to discourage, restrain, or silence illegally or unscrupulously, as by threats or blackmail
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin intimidāre, from Latin in-² + timidus fearful, from timor fear]
 
in'timidating
 
adj
 
intimi'dation
 
n
 
in'timidator
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

intimidate
1640s, from M.L. intimidatus, pp. of intimidare "to frighten, intimidate," from L. in- "in" + timidus "fearful" (see timid).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
At which, commerce can go on, people go about their daily lives without
  enormous intimidation.
Comic books seem to take some of the intimidation factor out of reading.
It is unclear how bad the intimidation and ballot-stuffing actually were.
Employing fear and intimidation to stifle speech and debate.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT