1. To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive or firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify. "Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed." (Josh. I. 9) "What words be these? What fears do you dismay?" (Fairfax)
2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet. "Do not dismay yourself for this." (Spenser)
Synonyms: To terrify, fright, affright, frighten, appall, daunt, dishearthen, dispirit, discourage, deject, depress. To Dismay, Daunt, Appall. Dismay denotes a state of deep and gloomy apprehension. To daunt supposes something more sudden and startling. To appall is the strongest term, implying a sense of terror which overwhelms the faculties.
"So flies a herd of beeves, that hear, dismayed, The lions roaring through the midnight shade." (Pope) "Jove got such heroes as my sire, whose soul No fear could daunt, nor earth nor hell control." (Pope) "Now the last ruin the whole host appalls; Now Greece has trembled in her wooden walls." (Pope)
Origin: OE. Desmaien, dismaien, OF. Esmaier; pref. Es- (L. Ex) + OHG. Magan to be strong or able; akin to E. May. In English the pref. Es- was changed to dis- (L. Dis-). See May.
(01 Mar 1998)
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