▪ I.abash,v.|əˈbæʃ|Forms: 4 abayss, abaisse, abasse; 4–5 abaisshe, -aische, -asche, -assche; 5–6 abasshe, -asche, -aszshe; 4–6 abashe; 6– abash. Northern: 4–6 abaiss(e, abase.[ad.Anglo-Fr.abaïss-=OFr.ebaïss-, esbaïss-, lengthened stem (occurring inpple.abaïss-ant, 3pl.abaïss-ent,subj.abaïsse, etc.) of ésb-aïr,mod.Fr.ébahir;f.es:—Lat.ex ‘out, utterly’ + baïr, bahir=Ital.baïre to astound, regarded as formed on bah! a natural exclamation of astonishment. TheOFr.-iss here became -ish, as in perish, finish, punish, and the i was absorbed, as in punch; in the north the -s remained, as in cheriss, fluriss, punyss; hence a formal confusion between northern forms of abash, and the distinctvb.abase,q.v.]1.To destroy the self-possession or confidence of (any one), to put out of countenance, confound, discomfit, or check with a sudden consciousness of shame, presumption, error, or the like.a.active.1375BarbourBruce viii. 247And thouch that thai be ma than we, That suld abaiss ws litill thing.
1430Pilg. Lyf of Man 117It is thilke bi whiche I abashe alle the bestes of the cuntre.
1496W. de WordeDives & Pauper xiv. viii. 340/1The lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes.
1570LevinsManipulus,To Abashe Stupefacere.
1574tr.Marlorats Apocalips 26For although lightning be bright, yet is it not chærefull, but rather abasheth men.
1600Heywood1stEdw.IV, iv. 27To weaken and abash their fortitude.
1751FieldingAmelia iii. ix.Wks.1784 VIII. 304A man whom no denial, no scorn could abash.
1863H. RogersLife of J. Howe iii. 83If not to convince, to silence and abash the gainsayer.
†b.refl.[mod.Fr.has only therefl.form s'ébahir.]To gape with surprise, to stand confounded. Obs.c1450LonelichHoly Grail xxi. 291Thanne the Kyng Abasched him sore For þe wordes he herde thore.
1485CaxtonParis & Vienne 62Abasshe you not for thys derkenes.
c.Most common in the pass.: to be, stand, or feel abashed; at an occasion, of (obs.), by a cause.c1325E.E.Allit.P. 42. 149Þat oþer burne watȝ abayst of his broþe wordeȝ.
1366Mandeville xxix. 295Alisandre was gretly astoneyed and abayst.
1382WyclifMark v. 42And thei weren abaischt[1388 abaischid]with greet stoneying.
c1386ChaucerClerk's T. 955Right nought was sche abaissht of her clothing[v.r. abayst—2, abast, abayssht, abasshed, abassched].
1483CaxtonG.Leg.70/3Whan Dauid herd this he was sore abasshed.
1535CoverdaleIs. xiii. 8One shall euer be abaszshed of another.
1667MiltonP.L. i. 331They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung.
1807CrabbeVillage ii. 79And while she stands abash'd, with conscious eye.
1876GladstoneHomeric Synch. 72I might have been abashed by their authority.
†2.intr.(by omission ofrefl.pron.) To stand dumb with confusion or astonishment; to lose self-possession or confidence; to flinch or recoil with surprise, shame, or sense of humiliation. Obs.1391ChaucerBoeth. 146 (1868)No strong man ne semeþ nat to abassen or disdaigner as ofte tyme as he hereþ þe noise of þe bataile.
1477CaxtonJason 45 b,The herte of man sholde not abasshe in no thing.
1530Palsgr.I abasshe, or am amazed of any thing, Je me esbahis.
1577–87HolinshedChron.III. 1098/2For she, notwithstanding all the fearefull newes that were brought to hir that daie, neuer abashed.
1585James IEssayes in Poesie 44She did shame The Sunne himself, her coulour was so bright, Till he abashit beholding such a light.
▪ II.†aˈbash,n.Obs.rare—1.[f.thevb.]Loss of self-possession, confusion from surprise, shame, or the like.=abashment.1393GowerConf.II. 46The kynges doughter, which this sigh, For pure abasshe drewe hir adrigh.
