Literary notes about abash (AI summary)
The word "abash" has historically been used in literature to convey feelings of embarrassment or to describe actions that lead to a loss of composure. In early poetic works such as those by Robert Burns [1] and John Milton [2, 3], it evokes a sense of timid hesitation or emotional discomposure, as with Adam’s half-abashed reply. Later authors, like Charles Dickens in "Our Mutual Friend" [4] and Rudyard Kipling in "Kim" [5], employ the term to illustrate moments of ridicule or upward challenge causing someone to feel diminished in the eyes of others. In contexts ranging from the mockery in Fox’s account [6] to the more satirical, almost ironic, usage by Jane Austen [7] and Thomas Jefferson (also echoed by Addison [8]), "abash" spans a rich spectrum—from highlighting an individual’s vulnerability to critiquing societal or political behavior.
- Why shrinks my soul half blushing, half afraid, Backward, abash'd to ask thy friendly aid?
— from Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Robert Burns - To whom thus half abash’t Adam repli’d.
— from Paradise Lost by John Milton - To whom thus half abash't Adam repli'd.
— from The Poetical Works of John Milton by John Milton - This remark seemed rather to abash Mr Venus.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - One of his flock had made some rude remarks about the Chaplain's mettle; and to abash him Bennett had marched step by step with the men that day.
— from Kim by Rudyard Kipling - A chaplain of the bishop, standing by, turned the poor man about and thinking to abash him, said, in mocking wise, "What have we here—a player!"
— from Fox's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe - You quite abash me by your progress in notting, for I am still without silk.
— from The Letters of Jane Austen by Jane Austen - But if thou wert a Man of Understanding, thou wouldst not take Advantage of thy courageous Countenance to abash us Children of Peace.
— from The Spectator, Volume 1 by Joseph Addison and Sir Richard Steele
