embarrass: [17] As in the case of embargo, the etymological meaning of embarrass is ‘put behind bars’. It comes ultimately from Italian imbarrare ‘surround with bars’, hence ‘impede’, a compound verb formed from the prefix in- ‘in’ and Vulgar Latin *barra ‘bar’ (source of English bar). From this was derived imbarazzare, which passed into English via Spanish embarazar and French embarrasser. Its original meaning ‘impede, hamper’ remains in use, chiefly in the context ‘financially embarrassed’, but has been overtaken in frequency by ‘disconcert’. => bar, barrier
embarrass (v.)
1670s, "perplex, throw into doubt," from French embarrasser (16c.), literally "to block," from Italian imbarrazzo, from imbarrare "to bar," from assimilated form of in- "into, upon" (see in- (2)) + Vulgar Latin *barra "bar" (see bar (n.1)).
Meaning "to hamper, hinder" is from 1680s. Meaning "make (someone) feel awkward" first recorded 1828. Original sense preserved in embarras de richesse (1751), from French (1726): the condition of having more wealth than one knows what to do with. Related: Embarrassed; embarrassing; embarrassingly.
实用例句
1. I did not embarrass her with my effusions.
我并没有太过热情而让她为难。
来自柯林斯例句
2. She may embarrass you with her uncouth behavior.
她的粗野行为可能会让你尴尬.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. He didn't mean to embarrass you.
他不是成心让你难堪.
来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
4. He has decided that he doesn't want to embarrass the movement and will therefore step down.
他已拿定主意：他不想令运动陷入困窘的境地，因此决心辞职。
来自柯林斯例句
5. The Republicans are trying to embarrass the president by thwarting his economic program.
