disconcert

English

Etymology

From Middle French desconcerter, from des- (“dis-”) + concerter (“to bring into agreement, organize”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌdɪskənˈsɜːt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌdɪskənˈsɝt/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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Verb

disconcert (third-person singular simple present disconcerts, present participle disconcerting, simple past and past participle disconcerted)

1. (transitive) To upset the composure of; to startle.

   Synonyms: disturb, unsettle; see also Thesaurus:upset

   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 4, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:

     The embrace disconcerted the daughter-in-law somewhat, as the caresses of old gentlemen unshorn and perfumed with tobacco might well do.

2. (transitive) To bring into confusion

   Synonyms: agitate, upset; see also Thesaurus:confuse

3. (transitive) To frustrate, discomfit.

   Synonyms: foil, thwart

   The emperor disconcerted the plans of his enemy.

Derived terms

• disconcerting
• disconcertingly
• disconcertment
• undisconcertable

 

Translations

upset the composure

• Bulgarian: разстройвам (bg) (razstrojvam)
• Dutch: verstoren (nl), verwarren (nl), in de war brengen
• Welsh: taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echel (literally “to throw someone off their axle”)

bring into confusion

• Bulgarian: обърквам (bg) (obǎrkvam)
• Dutch: verstoren (nl), verwarren (nl), in de war brengen
• German: verwirren (de)
• Maori: whakapōhēhē, kōnatunatu
• Scottish Gaelic: cuir tro-chèile
• Spanish: desconcertar (es)
• Welsh: taflu rhywun oddi ar ei echel (literally “to throw someone off their axle”)

frustrate

• Bulgarian: смущавам (bg) (smuštavam)
• Dutch: doorkruisen (nl), verstoren (nl), verijdelen (nl)
• German: stören (de), vereiteln (de)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} déconcerter (fr), ^{(please verify)} confondre (fr), ^{(please verify)} perturber (fr), ^{(please verify)} frustrer (fr)
• German: ^{(please verify)} beunruhigen (de), ^{(please verify)} verwirren (de)

Noun

disconcert

1. A state of disunion.