daunt

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To make someone feel nervous or less confident, so they are afraid to do something.

   The size of the task did not daunt her in the least.

2. 2
   verb

   To discourage or intimidate someone.

   Difficult interview questions can daunt even the best candidates.

From Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, donter (“to tame”), from Latin domitō (“tame”, verb), frequentative of Latin domō (“tame, conquer”, verb), from Proto-Italic *domaō, from Proto-Indo-European *demh₂- (“to domesticate, tame”). Doublet of dompt.

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