discomfit v : cause to lose one's composure [syn: upset, discompose, untune, disconcert]

English

Etymology

< Old French desconfit, past participle of desconfire "to undo", "to destroy" < des-, "completely" (< Latin dis-) + confire "to make", "to accomplish" < Latin conficere "to finish up", "to destroy" < com- "with", "together" + facere "to make", "to do".

Verb

1. To defeat completely; to rout.
   • 1611, Bible: King James Version, Exodus 17:13,

     And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

2. To defeat the plans or hopes of; to frustrate.
   • 1886, Andrew Lang The Mark Of Cain, ch. 10,

     In these disguises, Maitland argued, he would certainly avoid recognition, and so discomfit any mischief planned by the enemies of Margaret.

3. To embarrass greatly; to confuse.
   • 1853, Charlotte Brontë, Villette, ch. 20,

     She is a pretty, silly girl: but are you apprehensive that her titter will discomfit the old lady?

Synonyms

• (defeat; rout) overthrow, vanquish
• (frustrate) foil, thwart
• (embarrass; confuse) abash, disconcert

Translations

abash, addle, addle the wits, annoy, appall, astound, baffle, balk, ball up, becloud, bedazzle, befuddle, bewilder, blast, bother, brave, bug, cast down, chagrin, challenge, check, checkmate, circumvent, cloud, confound, confront, confuse, contravene, counter, counteract, countermand, counterwork, cross, dash, daze, dazzle, defeat, defy, destroy, discombobulate, discompose, disconcert, discountenance, dish, dismay, disorganize, disorient, disrupt, disturb, elude, embarrass, entangle, faze, flummox, flurry, fluster, flutter, fog, foil, frustrate, fuddle, fuss, irk, knock the chocks, maze, mist, mix up, moider, mortify, muddle, nonplus, outdo, outwit, overcome, panic, perplex, perturb, pother, put out, put to flight, put to rout, raise hell, rattle, rout, ruffle, ruin, sabotage, scatter, scotch, spike, spoil, stampede, stonewall, stump, take aback, throw into confusion, thwart, trump, unnerve, unsettle, upset, vex, worry