'Dismay' definitions:

Definition of 'dismay'

From: WordNet
noun
The feeling of despair in the face of obstacles [syn: discouragement, disheartenment, dismay]
noun
Fear resulting from the awareness of danger [syn: alarm, dismay, consternation]
verb
Lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her" [syn: depress, deject, cast down, get down, dismay, dispirit, demoralize, demoralise] [ant: elate, intoxicate, lift up, pick up, uplift]
verb
Fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised; "I was horrified at the thought of being late for my interview"; "The news of the executions horrified us" [syn: dismay, alarm, appal, appall, horrify]

Definition of 'Dismay'

From: GCIDE
  • Dismay \Dis*may"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dismayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dismaying.] [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, v. i.]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed. --Josh. i. 9. [1913 Webster]
  • What words be these? What fears do you dismay? --Fairfax. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • Do not dismay yourself for this. --Spenser.
  • Syn: 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. [1913 Webster]
  • So flies a herd of beeves, that hear, dismayed, The lions roaring through the midnight shade. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • Jove got such heroes as my sire, whose soul No fear could daunt, nor earth nor hell control. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • Now the last ruin the whole host appalls; Now Greece has trembled in her wooden walls. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Dismay'

From: GCIDE
  • Dismay \Dis*may"\, n. [Cf. OF. esmai, F. ['e]moi. See Dismay, v. t.]
  • 1. Loss of courage and firmness through fear; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation. [1913 Webster]
  • I . . . can not think of such a battle without dismay. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
  • Thou with a tiger spring dost leap upon thy prey, And tear his helpless breast, o'erwhelmed with wild dismay. --Mrs. Barbauld. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Condition fitted to dismay; ruin. --Spenser.
  • Syn: Dejection; discouragement; depression; fear; fright; terror; apprehension; alarm; affright. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Dismay'

From: GCIDE
  • Dismay \Dis*may"\, v. i. To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'dismay'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Dismay'