DISCOMFITURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does discomfiture mean? 

• DISCOMFITURE (noun)
  The noun DISCOMFITURE has 1 sense:

1. anxious embarrassment

  Familiarity information: DISCOMFITURE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISCOMFITURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Anxious embarrassment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

discomfiture; discomposure; disconcertion; disconcertment

Hypernyms ("discomfiture" is a kind of...):

embarrassment (the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public)

anxiety (a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune)

Derivation:

discomfit (cause to lose one's composure)

 Context examples 

My fears told me that it might be my own very great discomfiture, but I did not say so.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

At such moments a great sympathy welled up within me, and I felt shame that I had ever joyed in his discomfiture or pain.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Much to the discomfiture of Mr. Dick, who knew this to be a bad symptom.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"It was brave of you to help Arthur the way you did—and you a stranger," she said tactfully, aware of his discomfiture though not of the reason for it.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

So terrible was his appearance that Spitz was forced to forego disciplining him; but to cover his own discomfiture he turned upon the inoffensive and wailing Billee and drove him to the confines of the camp.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Just then she was both, for it was perfectly evident from the knowing glances exchanged among the gentlemen that her little fiction of 'my friend' was considered a good joke, and a laugh, produced by some inaudible remark of the editor, as he closed the door, completed her discomfiture.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He was laying up trouble for himself, for lack of food and short tempers went together; but with the boundless faith of youth he persisted in repeating the manoeuvre every little while, though it never succeeded in gaining anything for him but discomfiture.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Not to lengthen these particulars, I need only add, that she made a handsome provision for all my possible wants during my month of trial; that Steerforth, to my great disappointment and hers too, did not make his appearance before she went away; that I saw her safely seated in the Dover coach, exulting in the coming discomfiture of the vagrant donkeys, with Janet at her side; and that when the coach was gone, I turned my face to the Adelphi, pondering on the old days when I used to roam about its subterranean arches, and on the happy changes which had brought me to the surface.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My poor little wife was in such affliction when she thought I should be annoyed, and in such a state of joy when she found I was not, that the discomfiture I had subdued, very soon vanished, and we passed a happy evening; Dora sitting with her arm on my chair while Traddles and I discussed a glass of wine, and taking every opportunity of whispering in my ear that it was so good of me not to be a cruel, cross old boy.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)