SHAME • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Shame

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/ʃeɪm/ Listen

noun

Shame n.

A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of having done something which injures reputation, or of the exposure of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. "HIde, for shame, Romans, your grandsires' images, That blush at their degenerate progeny." "Have you no modesty, no maiden shame?"

Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonor; ignominy; derision; contempt. "Ye have borne the shame of the heathen." "Honor and shame from no condition rise." "And every woe a tear can claim Except an erring sister's shame."

The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others; disgrace. "Guides who are the shame of religion."

The parts which modesty requires to be covered; the private parts.

For shame! you should be ashamed; shame on you!

To put to shame, to cause to feel shame; to humiliate; to disgrace. "Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil."

verb

Shame v. t. (past & past part. shamed; pres. part. shaming)

To make ashamed; to excite in (a person) a comsciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of conduct derogatory to reputation; to put to shame. "Were there but one righteous in the world, he would... shame the world, and not the world him."

To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace. "And with foul cowardice his carcass shame."

To mock at; to deride. (Obs. or R.) "Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor."

Shame v. i. To be ashamed; to feel shame. (R.) "I do shame To think of what a noble strain you are."

See images of 'Shame'

Etymology of 'Shame'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Shame" Quotes from Famous Books

... than that of two or three ordinary mortals. With her great bare arms folded across her ample person she waddled towards the triumphant young man, and there was a look in her eye that made him wriggle uneasily upon his chair. I think he was tempted to run away, but shame nailed him to his seat. As soon as the pair were at close quarters, one of the folded bolster-like arms made a sudden movement, and the back of the strong rough hand, hardened by forty years or more of toil, covered for an instant the youth's nose and mouth. That single movement of ...

— Wanderings by southern waters, eastern Aquitaine • Edward Harrison Barker

... front with Sergeant McGillicuddy, who led Gamechick, his head hanging down, looking the picture of shame but carefully retracing his steps. Behind them rode Mrs. Fortescue and Anita, and then came a small escort. Gamechick, walking wearily in advance over the frozen snow, suddenly lifted his head and gave a loud whinnying of joy, and at the same moment his tired ...

— Betty at Fort Blizzard • Molly Elliot Seawell

... head and faced her mother, her eyes blazing with indignant shame and glistening with tears, which were quite dried up by her hot cheeks ere they ...

— The Duke of Stockbridge • Edward Bellamy

... those who deal in horses and dogs; the youth from Texas who claims that the French philosopher, Janet, cannot be an authority on morals, since he asserts that he who cheats at cards must feel a burning shame. With the ethics of the ancient Hebrews, of the Greeks, of the Romans, our young moralist has had the opportunity to acquire some familiarity, and he can compare them, if he will, with the Christian ethics of his own day. ...

— A Handbook of Ethical Theory • George Stuart Fullerton

... innocent Spaniards has been shed," continued the muleteer, "men who had no ill-will towards our cause; and, shame to say, the only one in this our province who now carries the banner of the insurrection is ...

— The Tiger Hunter • Mayne Reid

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