Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To cause to lose composure; embarrass or confuse: synonym: embarrass.
  • transitive verb To frustrate (plans, for example) by throwing into disorder; disarrange.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To throw into disorder or confusion; come in the way of; disarrange; obstruct.
  • To unsettle the mind of; discompose; disturb the self-possession of; confuse.
  • Synonyms To ruffle. See list under discompose.
  • noun Disunion; disagreement; disconcertment.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Want of concert; disagreement.
  • transitive verb To break up the harmonious progress of; to throw into disorder or confusion.
  • transitive verb To confuse the faculties of; to disturb the composure of; to discompose; to abash.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb To upset the composure of
  • verb To bring into confusion
  • verb To frustrate, make go wrong

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb cause to lose one's composure
  • verb cause to feel embarrassment

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Obsolete French disconcerter, from Old French desconcerter : des-, dis- + concerter, to bring into agreement (from Old Italian concertare; see concert).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French disconcerter, an alteration of Middle French desconcerter, itself from des- 'dis' (from Middle French dis-)+ concerter 'to bring into agreement, organize'

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Examples

  • Some of our findings will irk the deeply religious reader, while others will disconcert the deeply secular.

    American Grace Robert D. Putnam 2010

  • See Hot Air for more, including a link to the actual language and a reminder that the Democrats never had any intention of doing anything at all to disconcert trial lawyers.

    Nancy Pelosi’s non-tort reform. - Moe_Lane’s blog - RedState 2009

  • My sounds seemed momentarily to disconcert the boar, and while he halted and shifted his weight with indecision, an apparition burst upon us.

    CHAPTER III 2010

  • A rock, turning under his foot on the edge of the precipice, did not disconcert him.

    All Gold Cañon 2010

  • Its emotional depths may disconcert some of his huge fan base, but also give them unexpected pleasure.

    La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith: Book summary 2010

  • And, besides, it's such good fun to see how one virtuous man can so disconcert you captains of industry and arbiters of destiny.

    THEFT 2010

  • A rock, turning under his foot on the edge of the precipice, did not disconcert him.

    All Gold Canon 2010

  • • Changes at News International, where James Murdoch, discombobulated perhaps by the phone-hacking revelations, devises new ways to disconcert his underlings.

    Hugh Muir's Diary 2011

  • How To Dress well hit the bulls-eye when he turned Ready For The World's "Love You Down" into an ethereal haze of mutant beats and chilling vocal samples that will make your cat stand up in disconcert.

    Joshua Glazer: 10 New Music Artists To Watch This Autumn 2010

  • It may disconcert the prevailing image of Jefferson the empiricist to observe that he also devoted his life to a religious project.

    The Chosen Peoples Todd Gitlin 2010

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