embarrass
pronunciation
How to pronounce embarrass in British English:
UK [ɪmˈbærəs]
How to pronounce embarrass in American English:
US [ɪmˈbærəs]
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- Verb:
- cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
- hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of
Word Origin
- embarrass
- embarrass: [17] As in the case of embargo, the etymological meaning of embarrass is ‘put behind bars’. It comes ultimately from Italian imbarrare ‘surround with bars’, hence ‘impede’, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- ‘in’ and Vulgar Latin *barra ‘bar’ (source of English bar). From this was derived imbarazzare, which passed into English via Spanish embarazar and French embarrasser. Its original meaning ‘impede, hamper’ remains in use, chiefly in the context ‘financially embarrassed’, but has been overtaken in frequency by ‘disconcert’.=> bar, barrier
- embarrass (v.)
- 1670s, "perplex, throw into doubt," from French embarrasser (16c.), literally "to block," from Italian imbarrazzo, from imbarrare "to bar," from assimilated form of in- "into, upon" (see in- (2)) + Vulgar Latin *barra "bar" (see bar (n.1)). Meaning "to hamper, hinder" is from 1680s. Meaning "make (someone) feel awkward" first recorded 1828. Original sense preserved in embarras de richesse (1751), from French (1726): the condition of having more wealth than one knows what to do with. Related: Embarrassed; embarrassing; embarrassingly.
Example
- 1. Don 't post photographs that could embarrass someone or yourself .
- 2. If this was meant to embarrass mr netanyahu , it succeeded .
- 3. He asked to remain anonymous so as not to embarrass his onetime employer .
- 4. How did I embarrass you ?
- 5. A little witch like you embarrass me .