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 *megʰ- ( “ 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
Verb
dismay (third-person singular simple present dismays , present participle dismaying , simple past and past participle dismayed )
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 and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
What words be these? What fears do you dismay ?
To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet.
(Can we date this quote by Spenser and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
Do not dismay yourself for this.
To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay.
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
(deprecated template usage ) {{trans-mid }}
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
Noun
dismay (uncountable )
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
He looked in dismay at the destruction of the town caused by the hurricane.
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 )
(deprecated template usage ) {{trans-mid }}
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
Anagrams