embarrass

Meaning

1. to humiliate; to disrupt somebody's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely; to abash.
2. To hinder from liberty of movement; to impede; to obstruct.
3. To involve in difficulties concerning money matters; to encumber with debt; to beset with urgent claims or demands.
4. To perplex mentally; confuse, disconcert; catch off guard.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪmˈbæɹ.əs/

Etymology

Borrowed from French embarrasser (“to embarrass; to block, obstruct”), from Spanish embarazar, from Portuguese embaraçar, from em- (“in”) (from Latin im-) + baraço (“noose, rope”), from Arabic مَرَسَة (marasa, “rope”), ultimately from Akkadian 𒄙 (GUR /⁠markasu⁠/, “rope”).