appall Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb strike with disgust or revulsion
    scandalize; appal; shock; scandalise; outrage; offend.
    • The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
  2. verb fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised
    horrify; dismay; alarm; appal.
    • I was horrified at the thought of being late for my interview
    • The news of the executions horrified us

WordNet

Ap*pall" transitive verb
Etymology
OF. appalir to grow pale, make pale; a (L. ad) + pâlir to grow pale, to make pale, pâle pale. See Pale, a., and cf. Pall.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Appalled present participle & verbal noun Appalling
Definitions
  1. To make pale; to blanch. Obs.
    The answer that ye made to me, my dear, . . . Hath so appalled my countenance. Wyatt.
  2. To weaken; to enfeeble; to reduce; as, an old appalled wight. Obs. Chaucer.
    Whine, of its own nature, will not congeal and freeze, only it will lose the strength, and become appalled in extremity of cold. Holland.
  3. To depress or discourage with fear; to impress with fear in such a manner that the mind shrinks, or loses its firmness; to overcome with sudden terror or horror; to dismay; as, the sight appalled the stoutest heart.
    The house of peers was somewhat appalled at this alarum. Clarendon.
    Syn. -- To dismay; terrify; daunt; frighten; affright; scare; depress. See Dismay.
Ap*pall" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To grow faint; to become weak; to become dismayed or discouraged. Obs. Gower.
  2. To lose flavor or become stale. Obs.
Ap*pall" noun
Definitions
  1. Terror; dismay. Poet. Cowper.

Webster 1913