chagrin

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See also: Chagrin

English

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WOTD – 25 May 2009

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From French chagrin (“sorrow”), from Middle French chagrin (“pain, affliction”) (compare Middle French chagriner, chagrigner (“to experience sorrow”), Old French chagrin (“painful, afflicted”)), probably derived from Old Northern French chagreiner, chagraigner (“to sadden”),[1] of uncertain origin. Likely an enlargement of Old French greignier, graignier (“to cringe, growl, be sullen, be angry, grieve over”),[2] from Old French graigne (“sadness, resentment, grief”), from graim (“sorrowful”), related to Old High German gram (“furious, gloomy, grieved”).[3] The initial syllable is obscure. It may represent Old French chat (“cat”) to express the idea of "lamenting or yowling like cats" (compare German Katzenjammer (“distress, frustration, depression, chagrin”, literally “cat-wailing, cat-misery”), katzbalgen (“to cat-fight”)).[4]

An alternative theory is that it came from a metaphorical use of French chagrin, (peau de) chagrain (“a type of roughened leather”),[5] with the connection of roughness, though some dictionaries consider this to be a separate word derived from Old French peau de sagrin, from Ottoman Turkish [script needed] (sağrı, “the rump of an animal, skin for tawing”). The alteration of initial s to ch is likely due to influence from chagrin meaning "sorrow".

Pronunciation

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Noun

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chagrin (countable and uncountable, plural chagrins)

  1. Distress of mind caused by a failure of aims or plans, want of appreciation, mistakes etc; vexation or mortification.
    Synonyms: disquiet, fretfulness, mortification, peevishness, vexation
    much to the chagrin (of)
    • 1876, Louisa May Alcott, chapter 8, in Rose In Bloom:
      [H]e alone knew how deep was the deluded man's chagrin at the failure of the little plot which he fancied was prospering finely.
    • 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Tragedy in Dartmoor Terrace”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
      “Mrs. Yule's chagrin and horror at what she called her son's base ingratitude knew no bounds ; at first it was even thought that she would never get over it. […]”
    • 2019 May 5, Danette Chavez, “Campaigns are Waged On and Off the Game Of Thrones Battlefield (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club‎[2], archived from the original on 28 January 2021:
      And even though their numbers have been halved—that’s the unofficial tally given in one of the strategy sessions—everyone from Sansa to Daenerys to Varys is wondering who is going to rule over which pile of smoking ruins. That’s when the campaigning begins, much to Jon and Dany’s chagrin.
  2. A type of leather or skin with a rough surface.[6]
    Synonym: shagreen

Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

See also

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Verb

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chagrin (third-person singular simple present chagrins, present participle chagrining or chagrinning, simple past and past participle chagrined or chagrinned)

  1. (transitive) To bother or vex; to mortify.
    • 1683, Richard Tonson, Jacob Tonson, translated by Daniel Defoe, An Account of Monsieur De Quesne’s Late Expedition at Chio‎[3], London, page 50:
      But since this Infidel Minister knows the folly of these Brags; which he sees destroy’d by the Relations Printed in other Countries: They serve only, for a Subject to augment his Pride; and gives him a Pleasure, the mor to Chagrine and Mortifie the French Ambassador.
    • 1748, Laetitia Pilkington, Memoirs‎[4], volume 3, Dublin, page 75:
      […] though you send at any Time, and even received an unmannerly Answer, do not let a rash Pride drive you to return the Affront, since it is impossible for you to know what at that Instant had chagrin’d their Temper.
    • 1764, William Shenstone, “The Progress of Taste,” Part I, in The Works in Verse and Prose of William Shenstone, London: R. & J. Dodsley, Volume I, p. 265,[5]
      But friends and fav’rites, to chagrin them,
      Find counties, countries, seas, between them:
      Meet once a year, then part, and then
      Retiring, wish to meet again.
    • 1855, Elizabeth Gaskell, chapter 40, in North and South‎[6]:
      He felt pretty sure that, if this interview took place, his mother's account of what passed at it would only annoy and chagrin him, though he would all the time be aware of the colouring which it received by passing through her mind.
    • 1970, Toni Morrison, “Autumn”, in The Bluest Eye‎[7], New York: Pocket Books, published 1972, page 23:
      She would go on like that for hours, connecting one offense to another until all of the things that chagrined her were spewed out.
  2. (reflexive, obsolete, rare) To be vexed or annoyed.
    • 1760, Arthur Murphy, The Way to Keep Him‎[8], London: P. Vaillant, act I, scene 1, page 8:
      Dear Ma’am, why will you chagrine yourself about a vile Man, that is not worth,—no, as I live and breathe,—not worth a single Sigh?—

Usage notes

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The verb form is now mainly used in the passive voice.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Adjective

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chagrin (comparative more chagrin, superlative most chagrin)

  1. (obsolete) Feeling chagrin; annoyed; vexed, fretful.[17th to 18th centuries.][7]
    • 1673, John Dryden, Marriage a-la-mode‎[9], London: Henry Herringman, act III, scene 1, page 33:
      Dear, my dear, pity me; I am so chagrin to day, and have had the most signal affront at Court!
    • 1718, Daniel Defoe, The Family Instructor‎[10], London: Emanuel Matthews, Volume 2, Dialogue 5, p. 390:
      […] instead of rejoycing at this Prosperity of his Family, which a true Father of his Children would have esteem’d his own, a Spirit of Envy and Discontent seized him, and he went away chagrine and melancholy.
    • 1728, Henry Fielding, Love in Several Masques, Act V, Scene 3, in The Works of Henry Fielding, Esq, London: W. Strahan et al., 1784, Volume I, p. 174,[11]
      I wou’d not have your ladyship chagrin at my bride’s expression […]
    • 1758, “Captain T—of BATTEREAU’s Regiment in the Isle of SKIE to Captain P— at Fort AUGUSTUS” in Robert Dodsley (ed.), A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes, London: R. & J. Dodsley, p. 243,[12]
      All pensive, heartless, and chagrine
      I sit, devoted prey to spleen;

Synonyms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Etymology and history of “chagrin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
  2. ^ Etymology and history of “grigner”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
  3. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/chagrin?s=t
  4. ^ Etymology and history of “chagriner”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
  5. ^ http://triggs.djvu.org/century-dictionary.com/cent2jpgframes.php?volno=02&page=0909
  6. ^ “chagrin”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
  7. ^ B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, London: W. Hawes et al., 1699.[1]

Anagrams

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French

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Etymology

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From chagriner, perhaps from Frankish *gram, akin to German Gram[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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chagrin m (plural chagrins)

  1. sorrow, grief, chagrin

Derived terms

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Adjective

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chagrin (feminine chagrine, masculine plural chagrins, feminine plural chagrines)

  1. (literary) despondent, woeful
  2. (literary) disgruntled, morose

Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “chagrin”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Further reading

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Louisiana Creole

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Etymology

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From French chagrin (“sorrow”), compare Haitian Creole chagrin.

Adjective

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chagrin

  1. sorrowful, grieved, sad, unhappy
  2. sorry, regretful
    • 1895, Alcée Fortier, compiler, Louisiana Folk-Tales, page 70:
      Fille la té si chagrin li té pas connin ça pout fait.
      The girl was so sorry that she did not know what to do.

Noun

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chagrin

  1. sorrow, grief
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Old French

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Etymology

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From Old Northern French chagraigner, eventually from Frankish *gram(i).

Adjective

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chagrin m (oblique and nominative feminine singular chagrine)

  1. painful, afflicted

Noun

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chagrin oblique singular, m (oblique plural chagrins, nominative singular chagrins, nominative plural chagrin)

  1. pain, affliction

Descendants

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  • Middle French: chagrin
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