daunt
[dawnt, dahnt]
- to overcome with fear; intimidate: to daunt one's adversaries.
- to lessen the courage of; dishearten: Don't be daunted by the amount of work still to be done.
Origin of daunt
1250–1300; Middle English da(u)nten < Anglo-French da(u)nter, Old French danter, alteration of donter (probably by influence of dangier power, authority; see danger) < Latin domitāre to tame, derivative of domitus, past participle of domāre to tame
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com1. overawe, subdue, dismay, frighten. 2. discourage, dispirit.
Antonyms
2. encourage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for daunted
Contemporary Examples
Having been raised in the Midwest, I am always astonished by people who are daunted by snow.
He was daunted by the thought of writing it for everyone else.
Historical Examples
But his faith in the France of his imagination was not daunted.
The Raid From Beausejour; And How The Carter Boys Lifted The MortgageCharles G. D. Roberts
Maurice was daunted; he stooped and raised the weapon in his hand.
The DownfallEmile Zola
An entire brigade of Crippses would not have daunted me then.
Kent Knowles: QuahaugJoseph C. Lincoln
Philip was vanquished, and he knew it, but he was not daunted, he was not distressed.
The ManxmanHall Caine
See now, let us dance and sing, so that the jailers may know we are not daunted.
Two Penniless PrincessesCharlotte M. Yonge
daunt
- to intimidate
- to dishearten
Word Origin
C13: from Old French danter, changed from donter to conquer, from Latin domitāre to tame
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for daunted
daunt
v.
c.1300, "to vanquish," from Old French danter, variant of donter (12c., Modern French dompter) "be afraid of, fear, doubt; control, restrain," from Latin domitare, frequentative of domare "to tame" (see tame (v.)). Sense of "to intimidate" is from late 15c. Related: Daunted; daunting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper