dismay

English

Etymology

From Middle English dismayen, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier, alteration of Old French esmaier (“to frighten”), from Vulgar Latin *exmagare (“to deprive (someone) of strength, to disable”), from ex- + *magare (“to enable, empower”), from Proto-Germanic *maginą, *maganą (“might, power”), from Proto-Indo-European *mēgh- (“to be able”). Akin to Old High German magan, megin (“power, might, main”), Old English mæġen (“might, main”), Old High German magan, mugan (“to be powerful, able”), Old English magan (“to be able”). More at main, may.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɪsˈmeɪ/, X-SAMPA: /dIs"meI/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -eɪ

Noun

dismay (uncountable)

1. A sudden or complete loss of courage and firmness in the face of trouble or danger; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation.
2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

Translations

a sudden loss of courage

• Bulgarian: страх (bg) (strah) m, смут (bg) (smut) m
• Czech: zděšení (cs) n
• Dutch: teleurstelling (nl)
• Finnish: tyrmistys (fi)
• French: désarroi (fr) m
• German: Furcht (de) f, Ohnmacht (de) f

• Japanese: 狼狽 (ja) (ろうばい, rōbai)
• Romanian: desperare (ro) f, spaimă (ro) f
• Russian: страх (ru) (strax) m, уныние (ru) (unýnije) n, испуг (ru) (ispúg) m
• Spanish: espanto (es) m, estupefacción (es) f, consternación (es) f
• Vietnamese: sự mất hết tinh thần (vi), sự mất hết can đảm (vi)

Verb

dismay (third-person singular simple present dismays, present participle dismaying, simple past and past participle dismayed)

1. To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive of firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify.
2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
3. To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Translations

to disable with alarm or apprehensions

• Bulgarian: уплашвам (bg) (uplašvam), ужасявам (bg) (užasjavam)
• Dutch: met wanhoop vervullen (nl)
• French: affliger (fr)

• Russian: ужасать (ru) (užasátʹ) impf., ужаснуть (ru) (užasnútʹ) pf., тревожить (ru) (trevóžitʹ) impf., встревожить (ru) (vstrevóžitʹ) pf.
• Vietnamese: làm mất tinh thần (vi), làm mất hết can đảm (vi)

to render lifeless

• Dutch: laten besterven (nl)

• French: mortifier (fr)

to take dismay or fright

• Dutch: angstig zijn (nl)

• French: avoir peur (fr)