What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Alarm vs Abash - What's the difference?

alarm | abash | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between alarm and abash

is that alarm is to keep in excitement; to disturb while abash is to make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit.

As a noun alarm

is a summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.

alarm

English

Alternative forms

* alarum

Noun

  • A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy.
    • ''Arming to answer in a night alarm . --Shakespeare.
  • Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger.
    • ''Sound an alarm in my holy mountain. --Joel ii. 1.
  • A sudden attack; disturbance.
  • * Shakespeare
    • these home alarms
  • * Alexander Pope
    • thy palace fill with insults and alarms
  • Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use, commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise.
    • ''Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. --.
  • A mechanical device for awaking people, or rousing their attention.
    • ''The clockradio is a friendlier version of the cold alarm by the bedside
  • An instance of an alarum ringing or clanging, to give a noise signal at a certain time.
    • ''You should set the alarm on your watch to go off at seven o'clock.

    Related terms

    * alarm bell * alarm clock * alarm reaction * fire alarm * raise the alarm

    See also

    * tocsin

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To call to arms for defense
  • To give (someone) notice of approaching danger
  • To rouse to vigilance and action; to put on the alert.
  • To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear.
  • To keep in excitement; to disturb.

    • Related terms

    * alarming * alarmist

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    abash

    English

    Verb

    (es)
  • To make ashamed; to embarrass; to destroy the self-possession of, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to disconcert; to discomfit.
    • "He was a man whom no check could abash ." – .
  • (obsolete) To lose self-possession; to become ashamed.

    • Usage notes

    * Of abash, confuse, confound: Abash' is a stronger word than '''confuse''', but not so strong as ' confound . ** We are abashed'' when struck either with sudden shame or with a humbling sense of inferiority; as, Peter was ''abashed'' by the look of his Master. So a modest youth is ''abashed in the presence of those who are greatly his superiors. ** We are confused'' when, from some unexpected or startling occurrence, we lose clearness of thought and self-possession. Thus, a witness is often ''confused'' by a severe cross-examination; a timid person is apt to be ''confused in entering a room full of strangers. ** We are confounded'' when our minds are overwhelmed, as it were, by something wholly unexpected, amazing, dreadful, etc., so that we have nothing to say. Thus, a criminal is usually ''confounded at the discovery of his guilt. *::* Satan stood Awhile as mute, confounded what to say. – John Milton

    Synonyms

    * confuse * confound * disconcert * shame * humiliate * embarrass * See also

    Antonyms

    * embolden * reassure

    Derived terms

    * abashed * abashedly * abashedness * abashless * abashment

    Anagrams

    * *

    References