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^(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; consternation.
2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.

Translations

a sudden loss of courage

• Bulgarian: страх (bg) m ‎(strah), смут (bg) m ‎(smut)
• Czech: zděšení n
• Dutch: teleurstelling (nl)
• Finnish: tyrmistys (fi)
• French: désarroi (fr) m, consternation (fr) f
• German: Furcht (de) f, Ohnmacht (de) f
• Irish: anfais f
• 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)
• 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)
• 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.
   • Bible, Josh. i. 9

     Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.

   • Fairfax

     What words be these? What fears do you dismay?

2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
   • 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)
• Dutch: met wanhoop vervullen
• French: affliger (fr)
• Italian: abbattere (it), abbattersi (it), mortificare (it), mortificarsi

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

to render lifeless

• Dutch: laten besterven
• French: mortifier (fr)

• Italian: scoraggiare (it), scoraggiarsi, mortificarsi

to take dismay or fright

• Dutch: angstig zijn

• French: avoir peur (fr)