browbeaten

/ˈbraʊˌbitən/

When someone is browbeaten, they're intimidated by verbal bullying. After being yelled at by an irritable customer, a browbeaten server may tremble nervously while refilling the table's water glasses.

If you find yourself shaken, scared, or disconcerted by another person's language, you're browbeaten. It's almost always forceful, aggressive speech that causes another person to become browbeaten, and you can describe the action of bullying someone this way as browbeating them. The verb dates from the 16th century, originally meaning "bear down with stern or arrogant looks" — or to "beat" someone using one's (eye)brows.

Definitions of browbeaten

1. adjective

   made scared or fearful as by threats
   synonyms: intimidated

   timid

   showing fear and lack of confidence