embarrass

Word family  noun embarrassment adjective embarrassed embarrassing verb embarrass adverb embarrassingly

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++em·bar·rass /ɪmˈbærəs/ ●●○ verb [transitive]  1  EMBARRASSEDto make someone feel ashamed, nervous, or uncomfortable, especially in front of other people 〔尤指在社交场合〕使尴尬，使窘迫 He didn’t want to embarrass her by asking questions. 他不想提问让她尴尬。2  PPEMBARRASSEDto do something that causes problems for a government, political organization, or politician, and makes them look bad 给〔政府、政治组织或政治人物〕出难题；使…陷入困境 The revelations in the press have embarrassed the government. 报纸披露的事实让政府很难堪。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

embarrass• But the Government has been severely embarrassed by the burgeoning cost of the programme.• I was embarrassed for a moment by my immodesty.• One woman was trying to embarrass me by asking me questions I couldn't answer.• The release of these secret documents has embarrassed the administration.• It will only embarrass the Church.• They'd do it deliberately to embarrass the Government.• I hope I didn't embarrass you in front of your friends.• I hope my little dance didn't embarrass you.Origin embarrass (1600-1700) French embarrasser, from Spanish embarazar, perhaps from Vulgar Latin barra “bar”

em·bar·rass verbChineseSyllable  

to feel nervous, make uncomfortable, someone especially ashamed, in Corpus or

embarrass
em‧bar‧rass /ɪmˈbærəs/ verb [transitive]1. to make someone feel ashamed, nervous, or uncomfortable, especially in front of other people:
    He didn’t want to embarrass her by asking questions.
2. to do something that causes problems for a government, political organization, or politician, and makes them look bad:
    The revelations in the press have embarrassed the government.

🔑 em·bar·rassBrE /ɪmˈbærəs/ 🔊NAmE /ɪmˈbærəs/ 🔊 verbpresent simple - I / you / we / they embarrass BrE /ɪmˈbærəs/ 🔊 NAmE /ɪmˈbærəs/ 🔊present simple - he / she / it embarrasses BrE /ɪmˈbærəsɪz/ 🔊 NAmE /ɪmˈbærəsɪz/ 🔊past simple embarrassed BrE /ɪmˈbærəst/ 🔊 NAmE /ɪmˈbærəst/ 🔊past participle embarrassed BrE /ɪmˈbærəst/ 🔊 NAmE /ɪmˈbærəst/ 🔊 -ing form embarrassing BrE /ɪmˈbærəsɪŋ/ 🔊 NAmE /ɪmˈbærəsɪŋ/ 🔊🔑 to make sb feel shy, awkward or ashamed, especially in a social situation （尤指在社交场合）使窘迫，使尴尬◆~ sb Her questions about my private life embarrassed me. 她询问我的私生活使我感到很尴尬。🔊🔊◆I didn't want to embarrass him by kissing him in front of his friends. 我并不想当着他的朋友吻他而使他感到难堪。🔊🔊◆it embarrasses sb to do sth It embarrassed her to meet strange men in the corridor at night. 夜里在走廊上遇见陌生男人使她感到很不好意思。🔊🔊🔑 ~ sb to cause problems or difficulties for sb 使困惑；使为难；使陷入困境◆The speech was deliberately designed to embarrass the prime minister. 这个发言是故意为难首相。🔊🔊