discombobulation
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From discombobulate + -ion.
Noun[edit]
discombobulation (countable and uncountable, plural discombobulations)
- (humorous) An embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused.
- 1890 September 20, “The Ravenstein”, in Punch; or, The London Charivari, page 138:
- Prophet of o'er-population, your ingenious calculation,
Causeth discombobulation only in the anxious mind
- 2012 June 8, Ron Lieber, “Planning a Financial Tuneup”, in The New York Times:
- This quality or state of not having your act quite together lacks its own word in the dictionary. It is something short of discombobulation, but the mild, mental chafing is irritating enough to demand a remedy.
- A confused or disorderly state.
- 2005 July 8, Ned Martel, “Manically Happy Campers and Rich but Vicious Cats”, in The New York Times:
- What has changed since the time of Looney Tunes is the discombobulation of characters' faces. Eyeballs constantly bulge beyond normal proportion to show shock or jubilation; cheeks shrink, sag or even bend in shame, fatigue or anger. Each emotion is heightened, overemphasized with cubist contortions.
Translations[edit]
an embarrassing feeling that leaves a person confused
|