DISCOMPOSURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does discomposure mean? 

• DISCOMPOSURE (noun)
  The noun DISCOMPOSURE has 2 senses:

1. anxious embarrassment

2. a temperament that is perturbed and lacking in composure

  Familiarity information: DISCOMPOSURE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISCOMPOSURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Anxious embarrassment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

discomfiture; discomposure; disconcertion; disconcertment

Hypernyms ("discomposure" is a kind of...):

embarrassment (the shame you feel when your inadequacy or guilt is made public)

anxiety (a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune)

Derivation:

discompose (cause to lose one's composure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A temperament that is perturbed and lacking in composure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("discomposure" is a kind of...):

disposition; temperament (your usual mood)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discomposure"):

disquiet; unease; uneasiness (the trait of seeming ill at ease)

fluster; perturbation (a disposition that is confused or nervous and upset)

Antonym:

composure (steadiness of mind under stress)

Derivation:

discompose (cause to lose one's composure)

 Context examples 

The inattention of the two brothers and the aunt to Julia's discomposure, and their blindness to its true cause, must be imputed to the fullness of their own minds.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The discomposure of spirits which this extraordinary visit threw Elizabeth into, could not be easily overcome; nor could she, for many hours, learn to think of it less than incessantly.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Whenever she was particularly discomposed, she always performed one of these pedestrian feats; and the amount of her discomposure might always be estimated by the duration of her walk.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He quite shook hands with me—which was a violent proceeding for him, his usual course being to slide a tepid little fish-slice, an inch or two in advance of his hip, and evince the greatest discomposure when anybody grappled with it.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She was quite amazed at her own discomposure; but amongst other causes of disquiet, she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favour; and, more than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

And, taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy who, though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back, and said with some discomposure to Sir William: Indeed, sir, I have not the least intention of dancing.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)