dismay

English

Etymology

From Middle English dismayen, from Anglo-Norman *desmaiier, alteration of Old French esmaier (“to frighten”), probably 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”). Cognate with Portuguese desmaiar (“to faint”). See also Portuguese esmagar, Spanish amagar. More at main, may.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈmeɪ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• 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

   Synonym: consternation

   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 3

     Come on: in this there can be no dismay;

     My ships come home a month before the day.

   He looked in dismay at the destruction of the town caused by the hurricane.

2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

Translations

a sudden loss of courage

• Bulgarian: страх (bg) m (strah), смут (bg) m (smut)
• Czech: zděšení n, úděs m, hrůza (cs) f, poděšení n, vyděšení n, strach (cs) m, ochromení n, úlek (cs) m
• Dutch: teleurstelling (nl)
• Finnish: tyrmistys (fi)
• French: désarroi (fr) m, consternation (fr) f
• German: Furcht (de) f, Ohnmacht (de) f
• Irish: anfais f, anbhá m
• Italian: sbigottimento (it) m, costernazione (it) f, smarrimento (it) m
• Japanese: 狼狽 (ja) (ろうばい, rōbai)

• Korean: 놀람 (nollam), 경악 (ko) (gyeong-ak), 실망 (ko) (silmang)
• Maori: pororaru
• Polish: przerażenie (pl) n
• Portuguese: espanto (pt) m
• Romanian: desperare (ro) f, spaimă (ro) f
• Russian: страх (ru) m (strax), уны́ние (ru) n (unýnije), испу́г (ru) m (ispúg)
• Slovak: ohromenie n, údes m, zhrozenie n
• Spanish: espanto (es) m, estupefacción (es) f, consternación (es) f
• Vietnamese: ^{(please verify)} sự mất hết tinh thần, ^{(please verify)} sự mất hết can đảm

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.
   • 1611, King James Version, Josh. i. 9

     Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.

   • (Can we date this quote by Fairfax?)

     What words be these? What fears do you dismay?

2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
   • (Can we date this quote by Spenser?)

     Do not dismay yourself for this.

3. To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1, III. iii. 1:

     Dismay not, princes, at this accident,

Translations

to disable with alarm or apprehensions

• Bulgarian: уплашвам (bg) (uplašvam), ужасявам (bg) (užasjavam)
• Czech: poděsit pf, děsit impf, vyděsit (cs) pf, vystrašit, strašit impf, postrašit pf, ohromit (cs) pf, odradit (cs) pf, odstrašit pf
• Dutch: met wanhoop vervullen
• Finnish: tyrmistyttää (fi)
• French: affliger (fr)
• Italian: abbattere (it), abbattersi (it), mortificare (it), mortificarsi

• Korean: 놀라다 (ko) (nollada), 경악하다 (ko) (gyeong-akhada)
• Maori: pororaru
• Portuguese: assombrar (pt)
• Russian: ужаса́ть (ru) impf (užasátʹ), ужасну́ть (ru) pf (užasnútʹ), трево́жить (ru) impf (trevóžitʹ), встрево́жить (ru) pf (vstrevóžitʹ)
• Slovak: ohromiť
• Vietnamese: ^{(please verify)} làm mất tinh thần, ^{(please verify)} làm mất hết can đảm

to render lifeless

• Czech: vyděsit k smrti, ochromit pf, ochromovat impf
• Dutch: laten besterven
• Finnish: lannistaa (fi)

• French: mortifier (fr)
• Italian: scoraggiare (it), scoraggiarsi, mortificarsi

to take dismay or fright

• Czech: zhrozit se (cs) pf, zděsit se pf, vyděsit se pf
• Dutch: angstig zijn

• Finnish: tyrmistyä (fi)
• French: avoir peur (fr)

Anagrams

• yidams