embarrass

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French embarrasser (“‘to block, to obstruct’”) < Spanish embarazar, either

• < Portuguese embaraçar < em- (“‘in’”) (from Latin im-) + baraça (“‘noose, rope’”), related to Celtic barr (“‘tuft’”), or
• < Italian imbarazzare < imbarazzo (“‘obstacle, obstruction’”) < imbarrare (“‘to block, to bar’”) < im- (“‘in’”) + barra (“‘bar’”) < Vulgar Latin barra, of unknown origin.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪmˈbæɹəs/, SAMPA: /Im"b{r@s/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -ærəs

[edit] Verb

to embarrass (third-person singular simple present embarrasses, present participle embarrassing, simple past and past participle embarrassed)

1. (transitive) to humiliate; to disrupt somebody's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely; to disconcert; to abash

   The crowd's laughter and jeers embarrassed him.

[edit] Synonyms

• (humiliate): abash, discomfit, disconcert, humiliate, shame
• See also Wikisaurus:abash

[edit] Derived terms

• embarrassment

[edit] Translations

[edit] External links

• embarrass in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• embarrass in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911