discomfit v. 使尴尬、使窘迫、使不安;(较旧/文学用法)击败、挫败(尤指在战斗中)。
/ˌdɪs.kəmˈfɪt/
来自中古法语 desconfire(使溃败、使挫败),进一步可追溯到拉丁语系词根,原意偏向“打散、击溃”。后来词义逐渐从“军事上的击败”扩展到更常见的“让人难堪、失去镇定”。
Her blunt question discomfited him.
她直率的问题让他很尴尬。
Though he tried to stay calm, the unexpected criticism discomfited him, and he struggled to answer smoothly.
尽管他努力保持冷静,突如其来的批评还是让他不安,他一时很难流畅作答。