discomfit

1. (transitive) To embarrass (someone) greatly; to confuse; to perplex; to disconcert.Examples: "Don't worry. Your joke did not really discomfit me."; "The Captain, with a half-guilty secret to confess, and with the prospect of a painful and stormy interview before him, entered Mr. Osborne's offices with a most dismal countenance and abashed gait, and, passing through the outer room where Mr. Chopper presided, was greeted by that functionary from his desk with a waggish air which farther discomfited him."; "She is a pretty, silly girl: but are you apprehensive that her titter will discomfit the old lady?"Synonyms: abash, disconcert, abase, abash, bring low, confuse, confound, debasetransitive

2. (rare) To defeat the plans or hopes of; to frustrate; disconcert.Examples: "In these disguises, Maitland argued, he would certainly avoid recognition, and so discomfit any mischief planned by the enemies of Margaret."Synonyms: foil, thwartraretransitive

3. (archaic) To defeat completely; to rout.Examples: "Claudius therefore leauing this Ile, paſſed into Pomonia the chiefeſt of all the Orkenies, where diſcomfiting ſuch as appeared abroad to make reſiſtance, he beſieged the king of thoſe Iles named Ganus, within a caſtell where he was withdrawen, [...]"; "And Joſhua diſcomfited Amalek, and his people, with the edge of the ſword."; "And his proud foes discomfit in victorious field."Synonyms: overthrow, vanquisharchaictransitive