Other forms: discomfitures
Discomfiture is a state of being embarrassed and a little confused. There is nothing quite like the discomfiture of being abruptly reprimanded by your favorite teacher.
Discomfiture comes from discomfit, which originally meant "defeat in battle," from the Latin fortis, "strong." The meaning of discomfiture evolved over time from "state of having been defeated or thwarted" to "perplexed embarrassment." Being ignored by your friends would definitely cause discomfiture, and so would confidently talking in French class about your dream of being a hair stylist, only to realize you've been saying "horse stylist" the whole time.
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anxious embarrassmentsynonyms: discomposure, disconcertion, disconcertmenttype of:embarrassmentthe shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made publicanxietya vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune
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Vocabulary lists containing discomfiture
Sojourner Truth's speech at the 1851 Women's Rights Convention in Ohio asked a question that could not be denied in order to draw attention to the humanity, abilities, thus rights, of both women and slaves. The overall tone was passionate and provocative. In a version published in an 1863 issue of the Anti-Slavery Standard, the presiding officer of the convention Frances Dana Gage quoted the speech within her descriptions of the setting, audience, and speaker. Read the full text here.
Torn between love and duty, Ethan Frome struggles to find a way to follow his heart in this haunting American classic. Read the etext here.