Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Absence of composure.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being discomposed; disorder; agitation; disturbance; perturbation: as, discomposure of mind.
  • noun Inconsistency; incongruity; disagreement.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The state of being discomposed; disturbance; disorder; agitation; perturbation.
  • noun obsolete Discordance; disagreement of parts.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The state of being discomposed.
  • noun obsolete Discordance; disagreement of parts.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a temperament that is perturbed and lacking in composure
  • noun anxious embarrassment

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Her discomposure was a clear pain to herself; she had had a shock of extreme violence, and Nick saw that as Miriam showed no symptom of offering to give up her sitting her stay would be of the briefest.

    The Tragic Muse Henry James 1879

  • Walton, imagining that his discomposure was the consequence of guilty fear, called upon him to remember the duties which he owed to England, the benefits which he had received from himself, and the probable consequence of taking part in a pert boy's insolent defiance of the power of the governor of the province.

    Waverley Novels — Volume 12 Walter Scott 1801

  • Walton, imagining that his discomposure was the consequence of guilty fear, called upon him to remember the duties which he owed to England, the benefits which he had received from himself, and the probable consequence of taking part in a pert boy’s insolent defiance of the power of the governor of the province.

    Castle Dangerous 2008

  • Rachel, who in moments of the discomposure George referred to, tended to revert to thinking in the Spanish of her childhood, murmured,

    Dearly Beloved 2010

  • Her attention was distracted just then by the appearance of a small child in the doorway, and she pulled away from her brother without noticing his discomposure.

    Sick Cycle Carousel 2010

  • Heledd, without haste or discomposure, gave them a slight, curt inclination of her head to share between them, and turned and walked away.

    His Disposition 2010

  • I trust, this time around, that I have a decent chance of regaining my normal acuity (and natural discomposure) when the progesterone drops off.

    Write Where You Are : Rachel Zucker : Harriet the Blog : The Poetry Foundation 2007

  • They found that those without had thrown fagots enough upon the fire to serve the purpose of light and heat at the same time, and, wrapping themselves in their cloaks, had sat down on the floor, in postures which variously expressed the discomposure and dejection of their minds.

    Quentin Durward 2008

  • This must have been owing to her recollection of the audacious stranger in the neighbouring turret at the Fleur de Lys; but did that discomposure express displeasure?

    Quentin Durward 2008

  • Your lordship has now heard the cause of my discomposure, and of my sudden desire to leave your hospitable castle.

    The Tapestried Chamber 2008

Comments

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  • This often happens to Artie when Jim gets hurt.

    July 25, 2013