Daunt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Daunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Daunting.]
Etymology: [OF. danter, F. dompter to tame, subdue, fr. L. domitare, v. intens. of domare to tame. See Tame.]
1. To overcome; to conquer. [Obs.]
2. To repress or subdue the courage of; to check by fear of danger; to cow; to intimidate; to dishearten. Some presences daunt and discourage us. Glanvill.
Syn. -- To dismay; appall. See Dismay.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for daunt; he lists it under abash, frighten.
Where he writes about it:
"I might have been abashed by their authority." GLADSTONE Homeric Synchron., p. 72. [H. '76.] To confuse is to bring into a state of mental bewilderment; to confound is to overwhelm the mental faculties; to daunt is to subject to a certain degree of fear. — from abash
To browbeat or cow is to bring into a state of submissive fear; to daunt is to give pause or check to a violent, threatening, or even a brave spirit. — from frighten