Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
ABASHED
abashed, chagrined, embarrassed
(adjective) feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed; “felt abashed at the extravagant praise”; “chagrined at the poor sales of his book”; “was embarrassed by her child’s tantrums”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Adjective
abashed (comparative more abashed, superlative most abashed)
Embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
Verb
abashed
simple past tense and past participle of abash
Synonyms
• embarrassed
• ashamed
• shamefaced
• mortified
• humiliated
• taken aback
• disconcerted
• nonplussed
• discomfited
• discomposed
• perturbed
• confounded
• dismayed
• dumbfounded
• confused
• put out of countenance
• discountenanced
Source: Wiktionary
ABASH
A*bash", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abashed; p.pr. & vb. n. Abashing.] Etym: [OE. abaissen, abaisshen, abashen, OF.esbahir, F. Ă©bahir, to astonish, fr. L. ex + the interjection bah, expressing astonishment. In OE. somewhat confused with abase. Cf. Finish.]
Definition: To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit. Abashed, the devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is. Milton. He was a man whom no check could abash. Macaulay.
Syn.
– To confuse; confound; disconcert; shame.
– To 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 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. Milton.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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