verb
abash
Abash (verb) means to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed, so that they lose their composure.
verb
1
To make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed, so that they lose their composure.
"The stare seemed to abash Poirot."
— Agatha Christie (1934)
2
To become flustered or ashamed.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like abash.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
Attested from 1303, as Middle English abaisen, abaishen, abashen (“lose one's composure, be upset”), from the later 14th-century also transitive "to make ashamed, to perplex or embarrass"; from Anglo-Norman abaïss, from Middle French abair, abaisser (“lose one's composure, be startled, be stunned”), from Old French esbaïr, (French ébahir), from es- (“utterly”) + baïr (“to astonish”), from Medieval Latin *exbadō, from ex- (“out of”) + bado (“to gape, yawn”), an onomatopoeic word imitating a yawn, see also French badaud (“rubbernecker”).
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for abash
See all rhymes for abash →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of abash?
"abash" (verb) means to make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed, so that they lose their composure.
What is another word for abash?
Other words for "abash" include embarrass.
What is the opposite of abash?
Opposites of "abash" include reassure, embolden, encourage.
What are the different meanings of abash?
"abash" has 2 main meanings: 1. To make someone feel embarrassed or ashamed, so that they lose their composure; 2. To become flustered or ashamed.
