appall
VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (2)appalled, appalling
- strike with disgust or revulsion“The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends”Synonyms: shockoffendscandalizescandaliseappaloutrageMore general disgust, revolt
- fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised“I was horrified at the thought of being late for my interview”“The news of the executions horrified us”Synonyms: dismayalarmappalhorrifyMore general frighten, frightMore specific shock
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OF. appalir to grow pale, make pale; a (L. ad) + pâlir to grow pale, to make pale, pâle pale. See Pale, adjective, and cf. Pall.
1. To make pale; to blanch. obsolete
The answer that ye made to me, my dear,... Hath so appalled my countenance.— Thomas Wyatt
2. To weaken; to enfeeble; to reduce; as, an old appalled wight. obsolete Geoffrey Chaucer
Wine, of its own nature, will not congeal and freeze, only it will lose the strength, and become appalled in extremity of cold.— Philemon Holland
3. To depress or discourage with fear; to impress with fear in such a manner that the mind shrinks, or loses its firmness; to overcome with sudden terror or horror; to dismay; as, the sight appalled the stoutest heart.
The house of peers was somewhat appalled at this alarum.— Edward Hyde, first earl of Clarendon
Synonyms: To dismay; terrify; daunt; frighten; affright; scare; depress. See Dismay.
1. To grow faint; to become weak; to become dismayed or discouraged. obsolete John Gower
2. To lose flavor or become stale. obsolete
Terror; dismay. Poet. William Cowper
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54