abashed

[ uh-basht ]
/ əˈbæʃt /

adjective

ashamed or embarrassed; disconcerted: My clumsiness left me abashed.

Origin of abashed

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at abash, -ed2

OTHER WORDS FROM abashed

a·bash·ed·ly [uh-bash-id-lee] /əˈbæʃ ɪd li/, adverb a·bash·ed·ness, noun un·a·bashed, adjective

Definition for abashed (2 of 2)

abash
[ uh-bash ]
/ əˈbæʃ /

verb (used with object)

to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed: to abash someone by sneering.

Origin of abash

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 FROM abash

a·bash·ment, noun

Example sentences from the Web for abashed

British Dictionary definitions for abashed (1 of 2)

abashed
/ (əˈbæʃt) /

adjective

ill at ease, embarrassed, or confused; ashamed

Derived forms of abashed

abashedly, noun

British Dictionary definitions for abashed (2 of 2)

abash
/ (əˈbæʃ) /

verb

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

Derived forms of abash

abashment, noun

Word Origin for abash

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