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To scatter in fight; to put to rout; to defeat. And his proud foes discomfit in victorious field. Spenser.

The act of discomfiting, or the state of being discomfited; rout; overthrow; defeat; frustration; confusion and dejection. Every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 1 Sam. xiv. 20. A hope destined to end . . . in discomfiture and disgrace. Macaulay.

also of the ship when the sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. Dickens.

Abashed; confounded; discomfited. [Obs.] Chaucer.

nly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit. Abashed, the devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is. Milton. He was a man whom no check could abash. Macaulay.

A defeat by artifice, shifts, and turns; discomfiture. [R.] "A baffle to philosophy." South.

Frustrating; discomfiting; disconcerting; as, baffling currents, winds, tasks. -- Bafflingly, adv. -- Bafflingness, n.

Utterly confounded or discomfited. Adam . . . astonied stood, and blank. Milton.

be used to increase one's power or influence. He tried to make capital out of his rival's discomfiture. London Times.

An overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; -- opposed to victory.

To laugh (one) out of a purpose, principle, etc.; to discourage or discomfit by laughing; to laugh down. [R.] His apprehensions of being outlaughed will force him to continue in a restless obscurity. Franklin.

Discomfit. [Obs.]

To make worse; to put disadvantage; to discomfit; to worst. See Worst, v. Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton.

antage over, in contest or competition; to get the better of; to defeat; to overthrow; to discomfit. The . . . Philistines were worsted by the captivated ark. South.