shame

English Online Dictionary. What means shame‎? What does shame mean?

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃeɪm/
• Rhymes: -eɪm

Etymology 1

From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō.

Noun

shame (usually uncountable, plural shames)

1. An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
2. Something to regret.
3. Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision.
4. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy.
5. That which is shameful and private, especially private parts.
6. The capacity to be ashamed, inhibiting one from brazen behaviour; due regard for one's own moral conduct and how one is perceived by others; restraint, moderation, decency.

Synonyms

• (uncomfortable or painful feeling): dishonor
• (something regrettable): dishonor, humiliation, mortification, pity
• See also: Thesaurus:shame

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “uncomfortable or painful feeling”): honor

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

shame

1. A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, either to denounce the speaker or to agree with the speaker's denunciation of some person or matter; often used reduplicated, especially in political debates.
2. (South Africa) Expressing sympathy.

Derived terms

Adjective

shame (comparative more shame, superlative most shame)

1. (Australian Aboriginal) Feeling shame; ashamed.

Etymology 2

From Middle English schamen, from Old English sċamian, from Proto-West Germanic *skamēn, from Proto-Germanic *skamāną.

Verb

shame (third-person singular simple present shames, present participle shaming, simple past and past participle shamed)

1. (transitive) To cause to feel shame.
2. (transitive) To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace.
3. (transitive) To denounce as having done something shameful; to criticize with the intent or effect of causing a feeling of shame.
4. (transitive) To drive or compel by shame.

5. (obsolete, intransitive) To feel shame, be ashamed.
6. (obsolete, transitive) To mock at; to deride.

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to cause to feel shame): demean, humiliate, insult, mortify

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to cause to feel shame”): honor, dignify

Derived terms

Translations

References

• “shame”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Hames, Shema, ahems, haems, hames, heams