▪ I. discomfort, n.
(dɪsˈkʌmfət)
Forms: see comfort.
[ME. disconfort, a. OF. desconfort (12th c. in Littré), mod.F. déconfort, vbl. n. from desconforter to discomfort. Cf. also dis- 9.]
† 1. Undoing or loss of courage; discouragement, disheartening. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 488 Oftsiss of ane vord may riss Discomfort and tynsall with-all. c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 168 The tothir Scottis..For disconford to leiff the feild was boun. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) vi. xviii. 264/1 More dyscomforte it is to an oost yf they see theyr chefteyne flee..and more comfort to the enmyes. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 20 §2 To the great discomforte and fere of your true officers. 1551 Crowley Pleas. & Payne 81 Wyth spytefull wordis of disconforte. |
† 2. Absence or deprivation of comfort or gladness; desolation, distress, grief, sorrow, annoyance. Obs. (exc. as in 3).
| 1382 Wyclif Matt. xxiv. 15 The abhomynacioun of discomfort, that is seid of Danyel, the prophete. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle Caxton (1483) i. iii. 4 This grysely ghoost also bygan to cryen, wherof I was ful gretely annoyed and in ful hyghe discomfort. 1529 More Comf. agst. Trib. i. Wks. 1144/1 So is the discomfort of that persone desperate, that desyreth not his owne coumforte. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iii. (1586) 150 For swine..eate not onely their owne, but yoong children..to the pittiful discomfort of the parent. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. iii. 34 What meane you (Sir) To giue them this discomfort? Looke they weepe. a 1716 South (J.), In solitude there is not only discomfort but weakness also. 1847 Longfellow Ev. ii. i. 68 Thus did that poor soul wander in want and in cheerless discomfort. |
† b. with pl. Something that causes distress; a trouble, grief. Obs. or arch. (exc. as in 3 b).
| c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 168 Here freendes sawe that it was no disport To romen by the see but disconfort. 1536 Wriothesley Chron. (1875) I. 33 Which was a great discompfort to all this realme. 1562 I. S. (title), Truth tried: very comfortable to the faithful, but a discomfort to the enemies of God. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 1066 This discomfort he hath done the house. |
3. Now in weakened sense: The condition of being uncomfortable; uneasiness (of mind or body): cf. comfort n. 6, comfortable a. 7, 10.
| 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 85, I will cure thee without any discomfort to thy person. 1842 A. Combe Physiol. Digestion (ed. 4) 205 The great discomfort which attends the subsequent indigestion of a heavy dinner. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 255 The Scots..began to find that independence had its discomfort as well as its dignity. 1862 Sir B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. III. iv. 126 The excitement produced by the cigar is followed by a feeling of discomfort. |
b. with pl. Something that makes one uncomfortable; an inconvenience, hardship. (Cf. comfort n. 7.)
| 1841 James Brigand i, The inconveniences and discomforts which those beautiful days of the south sometimes bring. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 485 The troops who had gone on shore had many discomforts to endure. 1885 E. Garrett At Any Cost i. 19 Mrs. Sinclair was one of those who instinctively avoid all avoidable discomforts. |
¶ Formerly, like the vb., confused with discomfit n.
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie i. xxiv. (Arb.) 62 Ouerthrowes and discomforts in battell. |
▪ II. discomfort, v.
(dɪsˈkʌmfət)
Also 4–6 dys-, -con-: see comfort.
[ME. discomfort, desconfort, a. OF. desconfort-er (12th c. in Littré), mod.F. déconforter, f. des-, dis- 4 + conforter comfort v.; cf. It. disconfortare.]
† 1. trans. To deprive of courage or strength of mind; to discourage, dishearten, dismay. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 70 Discomfort no þing þe, so faire happe neuer þou fond. c 1340 Cursor M. 15543 (Fairf.) Loke ȝe ȝu disconfort [earlier texts mismay] noȝt. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 28 Preamb., The seid sueters..were..disconforted & in dispayre of expedicion of ther suetes. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. x. 10 My Lord, you doe discomfort all the Hoste. a 1677 Manton True Circumcision Wks. 1871 II. 39 The mind..which is naturally discomforted and weakened..is mightely revived and encouraged with these glad tidings. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Discomfort..to afflict, cast down, or put out of Heart. |
† 2. To deprive of comfort or gladness; to distress, grieve, sadden; to render disconsolate or sorrowful. Obs. or arch. (exc. as in 3).
| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) i. iii. 4 The syght of some thynges that I sawe gladyd moche my herte and the syght of somme other thynges dyscomfortyd me hugely. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxviii. 590 Ye doo not well for to make soo grete sorowe, nor to discomforte yourself so moche as ye doo. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xlvii. 159 She was ryght sorowfull and sore dyscomfortyd. 1698 Norris Pract. Disc. IV. 109 Is not every Man concern'd to provide that neither the Desire of Life may imbitter his Death, nor the Fear of Death discomfort his Life? 1845 T. W. Coit Puritanism 386 The man who went to discomfort Abp. Laud in his imprisonment. 1882 Rossetti Ball. & Sonn., Rose Mary, Long it was ere she raised her head And rose up all discomforted. |
† b. intr. (for refl.) To distress oneself, grieve. Obs. rare.
| 1554–9 in Songs & Ball., Philip & Mary (1860) 3 O why shold we be..sad? Or for to dyscomfort what thyng shold us compell? |
3. Now in weakened sense: To make uncomfortable or uneasy (mentally or physically).
| 1856 Ruskin Mod. Paint. IV. v. xix. §27 He is careless..nor feels discomforted, though his walls should be full of fissures like the rocks. 1859 Thackeray Virgin. (1879) I. 296 Mr. Wolfe looked very much discomforted. 1893 Q. [Couch] Delectable Duchy 37 The Registrar..was discomforted by a pair of tight boots. Mod. Does the want of the cushion discomfort you? |
¶ Formerly often confused with or used for discomfit v., q.v.
| 1382 Wyclif Matt. xii. 25 Eche kyngdam departid aȝeins hym self, shal be desolat, or discounfortid. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour L iij, He allone discomforted and ouercame thre thousand persones. 1596 J. Norden Progr. Pietie (1847) 102 When the wicked shall fall and be utterly discomforted. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 288 The Turks discomforted with the inuincible courage of these old soldiers..betooke themselues to flight. 1628 Crt. & Times Chas. I (1848) I. 410 The news..almost discomforted our hopes. |
Hence disˈcomforted ppl. a., disˈcomforting vbl. n. and ppl. a.; disˈcomfortedly, disˈcomfortingly advs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 212 Þo þe Romeyns were wyþ out chef, dyscomforted hii were. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 193 For throw mekill disconforting Men fallis off into disparyng. c 1400 Melayne 240 The Sarazen slewe oure cristyn knyghte, It was dyscomforthynge. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) L ij, The bitter teares of the disconfortede Quene. 1787 William of Normandy I. 114 Amid the unavailing sorrows of a now discomforted people. 1857 Sir F. Palgrave Norm. & Eng. II. 418 A most discomforting knowledge of the consequences which had ensued. 1873 R. Broughton Nancy III. 64, I snubbedly and discomfortedly put them in my own breast. 1891 G. Meredith One of our Conq. II. i. 13 Involuntarily, discomfortingly. |