abashment
(əˈbæʃmənt)
Forms: 5 abaysshment, abaschement; 6 abasshement, abashement; 6– abashment.
[ad. OFr. abaïssement = esbahissement, ébahissement, n. of action f. abaïr, esbahir. see abash and -ment.]
Confusion from surprise, shame, or sudden check; confusion of face.
| c 1410 Love Bonaventura's Spec. V. Chr. iii. (Gibbs MS.) As þe perfyte meke may not here his praysynge wyth owten abaschment and schame fastnesse. 1489 Caxton Faytes of Armes i. xv. 43 They were dysconfyted more by abaysshment than by armes. 1523 State Papers Hen. VIII, IV. 36 An abashment and grete discorage to all those that be of the Frenche faccion. 1600 Abbot Jonah 423 That speech of the great abashment of his people should be brought to the King. 1749 Walpole Lett. to H. Mann No. 200 (1834) II. 271 To the great abashment of the Jacobites. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. III. iv. vii. 168 (1871) On her countenance there was visible neither abashment nor pride. |