discomfit - Dictionary definition and pronunciation - Yahoo! Education

Definition of discomfit


Reference
Dictionary
Encyclopedia
Thesaurus
World Factbook
Spanish Dictionary
Anatomy
Conversion Calculator
 
dis·com·fit  audio  (ds-kmft) KEY 

TRANSITIVE VERB:
dis·com·fit·ed, dis·com·fit·ing, dis·com·fits
  1. To make uneasy or perplexed; disconcert. See Synonyms at embarrass.
  2. To thwart the plans of; frustrate.
  3. Archaic To defeat in battle; vanquish.
NOUN:
Discomfiture.

ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English discomfiten, from Old French desconfit, past participle of desconfire, descumfire, to defeat : des-, dis- + confire, to make (from Latin cnficere, to prepare; see comfit)
Usage Note:
It is true that discomfit originally meant "to defeat, frustrate" and that its newer use meaning "to embarrass, disconcert" probably arose in part through confusion with discomfort. But the newer sense is now the most common use of the verb in all varieties of writing and should be considered entirely standard.


Visit our partner's site
Provided by Houghton Mifflin
logoeReference -- Download this interactive reference software to your desktop computer