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CONSTERNATION
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Dictionary entry overview: What does consternation mean?
• CONSTERNATION (noun)
The noun CONSTERNATION has 1 sense:
1. fear resulting from the awareness of danger
Familiarity information: CONSTERNATION used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Fear resulting from the awareness of danger
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Synonyms:
Hypernyms ("consternation" is a kind of...):
fear; fearfulness; fright (an emotion experienced in anticipation of some specific pain or danger (usually accompanied by a desire to flee or fight))
Attribute:
alarming (frightening because of an awareness of danger)
unalarming (not alarming; assuaging alarm)
Context examples
The sailors looked at me in consternation.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
In fear I turned to the Professor; to my consternation, however, he was not there.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
It was on this very first day that I had the misfortune to throw her, though she was not subject to such weakness in general, into a state of violent consternation.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
The family of Lord Robert St. Simon has been thrown into the greatest consternation by the strange and painful episodes which have taken place in connection with his wedding.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Nigel! cried Sir Simon Burley, hurrying up with consternation upon his face, Aylward tells me that there are not ten-score arrows left in all their sheaves.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
But, besides, I could not bring myself to disclose a secret which would fill my hearer with consternation and make fear and unnatural horror the inmates of his breast.
(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)
He gave one yelp of consternation, and then her punishing jaws closed upon him.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
How is the consternation of the party to be described?
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
Emma turned round to look at her in consternation, and hastily said, Have you any idea of Mr. Knightley's returning your affection?
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
What a consternation of soul was mine that dreary afternoon!
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"The more you know, the less you need." (Aboriginal Australian proverbs)
"If you conduct yourself properly, fear no one." (Arabic proverb)
"Keep throwing eggs on the wall." (Cypriot proverb)