dismay: [13] The underlying meaning of dismay is ‘deprive of power’ – its second syllable is ultimately the same word as the verb may. It comes via Old French desmaier from Vulgar Latin *dismagāre ‘deprive of power’, a compound verb formed from the prefix dis- ‘un-’ and the borrowed Germanic base *mag- ‘power, ability’ (source of English may). => may
dismay (v.)
late 13c., dismaien, from Old French *desmaier (attested only in past participle dismaye), from Latin de- intensive prefix + Old French esmaier "to trouble, disturb," from Vulgar Latin *exmagare "divest of power or ability" (source of Italian smagare "to weaken, dismay, discourage"), from ex- (see ex-) + Germanic stem *mag- "power, ability" (cognates: Old High German magen "to be powerful or able;" see may (v.)). Spanish desmayer "to be dispirited" is a loan word from Old French. Related: Dismayed; dismaying.
dismay (n.)
c. 1300, from dismay (v.).
雙語(yǔ)例句
1. The ministers expressed dismay at the continued practice of ethnic cleansing.