To make someone feel embarrassed, confused, or self-conscious; to surprise someone in a way that makes them lose their composure.
From Middle English 'abashen,' possibly from Old French 'esbahir' meaning 'to astonish,' with roots possibly connecting to Latin 'ex-' (out) + 'badare' (to gape).
Abash is milder than abase—while abase is about deliberately humiliating someone, abash just means surprising them into embarrassment, like catching someone mid-yawn!
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