embarras

From French embarras.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɒmbəˈɹɑː/

embarras (countable and uncountable, plural embarras) (now rare)

1. Embarrassment; confusion, uncertainty.
   • 1906, Henry James, letter, 17 November:

     I envy & sympathise—being in all sorts of embarrass now, myself, over the finish of many things.

2. An embarrassment; an obstacle or hindrance.
   • 1751, Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle , volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., , →OCLC:

     ne day in his way to the opera, his chariot was stopped by an embarras in the street, occasioned by two peasants, who having driven their carts against each other, quarrelled, and went to loggerheads on the spot.

3. Embarrassment; intense social awkwardness.
4. (historical, Canada, US) A clump of driftwood obstructing a waterway.

Deverbal from embarrasser (“embarrass”).

• IPA^(key): /ɑ̃.ba.ʁa/ ~ /ɑ̃.ba.ʁɑ/

• Audio:

  (file)

embarras m (plural embarras)

1. embarrassment
2. obstacle, hindrance
3. lack of money

• débarras
• aisance
• désinvolture

• embarras du choix (“too many choices, an embarrassing wealth”)

• Nouveau Petit Larousse illustré. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Paris, Librairie Larousse, 1952, 146th edition

• “embarras”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

• ambreras, barrâmes, brameras

embarras

1. second-person singular present indicative of embarrar