embarrass

Definition

to humiliate; to disrupt somebody's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely; to abash.

Etymology

Borrowed from French embarrasser, from Middle French embarrasser, embarasser (“to embarrass; to block, obstruct”), from Spanish embarazar, either from Italian imbarazzare or from Portuguese embaraçar.

Example Sentences

• "The crowd's laughter and jeers embarrassed him."
• "The motion was advanced in order to embarrass the progress of the bill."
• "If they [registers] act It all, it must be by opposing their flat surfaces to the current of rising smoke in a manner which cannot fail to embarrass and impede its motion.."