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shame - 7 dictionary results
shame
[sheym]
noun, verb, shamed, sham⋅ing.–noun
| 1. | the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another: She was overcome with shame. |
| 2. | susceptibility to this feeling: to be without shame. |
| 3. | disgrace; ignominy: His actions brought shame upon his parents. |
| 4. | a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret: The bankruptcy of the business was a shame. It was a shame you couldn't come with us. |
–verb (used with object)
—Idioms| 5. | to cause to feel shame; make ashamed: His cowardice shamed him. |
| 6. | to drive, force, etc., through shame: He shamed her into going. |
| 7. | to cover with ignominy or reproach; disgrace. |
| 8. | for shame! you should feel ashamed!: What a thing to say to your mother! For shame! |
| 9. | put to shame,
|
Origin:
bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE sc(e)amu; c. G Scham, ON skǫmm; (v.) ME schamen, shamien to be ashamed, OE sc(e)amian, deriv. of the n.
bef. 900; (n.) ME; OE sc(e)amu; c. G Scham, ON skǫmm; (v.) ME schamen, shamien to be ashamed, OE sc(e)amian, deriv. of the n.

Related forms:
sham⋅a⋅ble, shame⋅a⋅ble, adjective
sham⋅a⋅bly, shame⋅a⋅bly, adverb
Synonyms:
1. Shame, embarrassment, mortification, humiliation, chagrin designate different kinds or degrees of painful feeling caused by injury to one's pride or self-respect. Shame is a painful feeling caused by the consciousness or exposure of unworthy or indecent conduct or circumstances: One feels shame at being caught in a lie. It is similar to guilt in the nature and origin of the feeling. Embarrassment usually refers to a feeling less painful than that of shame, one associated with less serious situations, often of a social nature: embarrassment over breaking a teacup at a party. Mortification is a more painful feeling, akin to shame but also more likely to arise from specifically social circumstances: his mortification at being singled out for rebuke. Humiliation is mortification at being humbled in the estimation of others: Being ignored gives one a sense of humiliation. Chagrin is humiliation mingled with vexation or anger: She felt chagrin at her failure to remember her promise. 5. humiliate, mortify, humble, abash, embarrass.
1. Shame, embarrassment, mortification, humiliation, chagrin designate different kinds or degrees of painful feeling caused by injury to one's pride or self-respect. Shame is a painful feeling caused by the consciousness or exposure of unworthy or indecent conduct or circumstances: One feels shame at being caught in a lie. It is similar to guilt in the nature and origin of the feeling. Embarrassment usually refers to a feeling less painful than that of shame, one associated with less serious situations, often of a social nature: embarrassment over breaking a teacup at a party. Mortification is a more painful feeling, akin to shame but also more likely to arise from specifically social circumstances: his mortification at being singled out for rebuke. Humiliation is mortification at being humbled in the estimation of others: Being ignored gives one a sense of humiliation. Chagrin is humiliation mingled with vexation or anger: She felt chagrin at her failure to remember her promise. 5. humiliate, mortify, humble, abash, embarrass.
Antonyms:
1. pride, self-esteem, self-respect.
1. pride, self-esteem, self-respect.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To shame
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Shame
Shame\, n. [OE. shame, schame, AS. scamu, sceamu; akin to OS. & OHG. scama, G. scham, Icel. sk["o]mm, shkamm, Sw. & Dan. skam, D. & G. schande, Goth. skanda shame, skaman sik to be ashamed; perhaps from a root skam meaning to cover, and akin to the root (kam) of G. hemd shirt, E. chemise. Cf. Sham.]1. 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. --Dryden. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame? --Shak. 2. Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonor; ignominy; derision; contempt. Ye have borne the shame of the heathen. --Ezek. xxxvi. 6. Honor and shame from no condition rise. --Pope. And every woe a tear can claim Except an erring sister's shame. --Byron. 3. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others; disgrace. O C?sar, what a wounding shame is this! --Shak. Guides who are the shame of religion. --Shak. 4. The parts which modesty requires to be covered; the private parts. --Isa. xlvii. 3. 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." --Ps. xl. 14.Shame
Shame\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Shaming.]1. 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. --South. 2. To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace. And with foul cowardice his carcass shame. --Spenser. 3. To mock at; to deride. [Obs. or R.] Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor. --Ps. xiv. 6.Shame
Shame\, v. i. [AS. scamian, sceamian. See Shame, n.] To be ashamed; to feel shame. [R.] I do shame To think of what a noble strain you are. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : shame
Spanish:
vergüenza, pena,
German:
die Scham,
Japanese:
恥かしさ
shame (n.)
O.E. sceamu, sceomu "feeling of guilt or disgrace," from P.Gmc. *skamo (cf. O.S. skama, O.N. skömm, Swed. skam, O.Fris. scome, Du. schaamte, O.H.G. scama, Ger. Scham), probably from PIE *skem-, from *kem- "to cover" (covering oneself being a common expression of shame). An O.N. word for it was kinnroði, lit. "cheek-redness," hence, "blush of shame." Gk. distinguished shame in the bad sense of "disgrace, dishonor" (aiskhyne) from shame in the good sense of "modesty, bashfulness" (aidos). The verb is O.E. sceamian (cf. Ger. schämen sich).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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shame
In addition to the idiom beginning with shame, also see crying shame; for shame; put to shame.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

