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 in pple. abaïss-ant, 3 pl. 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. The OFr. -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 distinct vb. 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.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VIII. 247. And thouch that thai be ma than we, That suld abaiss ws litill thing.
1430. Pilg. Lyf of Man, 117. It is thilke bi whiche I abashe alle the bestes of the cuntre.
1496. W. de Worde, Dives & Pauper, XIV. viii. 340/1. The lyon with his crye abassheth all other bestes.
1570. Levins, Manipulus, To Abashe Stupefacere.
1574. trans. Marlorats Apocalips, 26. For although lightning be bright, yet is it not chærefull, but rather abasheth men.
1600. Heywood, 1st Edw. IV., IV. 27. To weaken and abash their fortitude.
1751. Fielding, Amelia, III. ix. Wks. 1784, VIII. 304. A man whom no denial, no scorn could abash.
1863. H. Rogers, Life of J. Howe, iii. 83. If not to convince, to silence and abash the gainsayer.
† b. refl. [mod. Fr. has only the refl. form s’ébahir.] To gape with surprise, to stand confounded. Obs.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xxi. 291. Thanne the Kyng Abasched him sore For þe wordes he herde thore.
1485. Caxton, Paris & Vienne, 62. Abasshe you not for thys derkenes.
c. Most common in the passive: to be, stand, or feel abashed; at an occasion, of (obs.), by a cause.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. Poems, 42. 149. Þat oþer burne watȝ abayst of his broþe wordeȝ.
1366. Maundev., xxix. 295. Alisandre was gretly astoneyed and abayst.
1382. Wyclif, Mark v. 42. And thei weren abaischt [1388 abaischid] with greet stoneying.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 955. Right nought was sche abaissht of her clothing [v.r. abayst–2, abast, abayssht, abasshed, abassched].
1483. Caxton, G. Leg., 70/3. Whan Dauid herd this he was sore abasshed.
1535. Coverdale, Is. xiii. 8. One shall euer be abaszshed of another.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 331. They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung.
1807. Crabbe, Village, ii. 79. And while she stands abash’d, with conscious eye.
1876. Gladstone, Homeric Synch., 72. I might have been abashed by their authority.
† 2. intr. (by omission of refl. 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.
1391. Chaucer, Boethius, 146 (1868). No strong man ne semeþ nat to abassen or disdaigner as ofte tyme as he hereþ þe noise of þe bataile.
1477. Caxton, Jason, 45 b. The herte of man sholde not abasshe in no thing.
1530. Palsgr., I abasshe, or am amazed of any thing, Je me esbahis.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1098/2. For she, notwithstanding all the fearefull newes that were brought to hir that daie, neuer abashed.
1585. James I., Essayes in Poesie, 44. She did shame The Sunne himself, her coulour was so bright, Till he abashit beholding such a light.
