EMBARRASSING

awkward, embarrassing, sticky, unenviable

(adjective) hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment; “awkward (or embarrassing or difficult) moments in the discussion”; “an awkward pause followed his remark”; “a sticky question”; “in the unenviable position of resorting to an act he had planned to save for the climax of the campaign”

embarrassing, mortifying

(adjective) causing to feel shame or chagrin or vexation; “the embarrassing moment when she found her petticoat down around her ankles”; “it was mortifying to know he had heard every word”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Verb

embarrassing

present participle of embarrass

Noun

embarrassing (usually uncountable, plural embarrassings)

The action of the verb to embarrass; embarrassment.

Adjective

embarrassing (comparative more embarrassing, superlative most embarrassing)

Causing embarrassment; leading to a feeling of uncomfortable shame or self-consciousness.

Synonyms

• awkward

• shameful

Source: Wiktionary


EMBARRASS

Em*bar"rass, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Embarrassed; p. pr. & vb. n. Embarrassing.] Etym: [F. embarrasser (cf. Sp. embarazar, Pg. embara, Pr. barras bar); pref. em- (L. in) + LL. barra bar. See Bar.]

1. To hinder from freedom of thought, speech, or action by something which impedes or confuses mental action; to perplex; to discompose; to disconcert; as, laughter may embarrass an orator.

2. To hinder from liberty of movement; to impede; to obstruct; as, business is embarrassed; public affairs are embarrassed.

3. (Com.)

Definition: To involve in difficulties concerning money matters; to incumber with debt; to beset with urgent claims or demands; -- said of a person or his affairs; as, a man or his business is embarrassed when he can not meet his pecuniary engagements.

Syn.

– To hinder; perplex; entangle; confuse; puzzle; disconcert; abash; distress.

– To Embarrass, Puzzle, Perplex. We are puzzled when our faculties are confused by something we do not understand. We are perplexed when our feelings, as well as judgment, are so affected that we know not how to decide or act. We are embarrassed when there is some bar or hindrance upon us which impedes our powers of thought, speech, or motion. A schoolboy is puzzled by a difficult sum; a reasoner is perplexed by the subtleties of his opponent; a youth is sometimes so embarrassed before strangers as to lose his presence of mind.

Em*bar"rass, n. Etym: [F. embarras. See Embarrass, v. t.]

Definition: Embarrassment. [Obs.] Bp. Warburton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

13 January 2025

SOAK

(noun) the process of becoming softened and saturated as a consequence of being immersed in water (or other liquid); “a good soak put life back in the wagon”


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Coffee Trivia

Espresso is both a coffee beverage and a brewing method that originated in Italy. When making an espresso, a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure forces through finely-ground coffee beans. It has more caffeine per unit volume than most coffee beverages. Its smaller serving size will take three shots to equal a mug of standard brewed coffee.

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