Definition of Shame

1. Noun. A painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt.

Generic synonyms: Feeling
Specialized synonyms: Conscience, Self-disgust, Self-hatred, Embarrassment

2. Verb. Bring shame or dishonor upon. "The performance is likely to shame Sue"; "He dishonored his family by committing a serious crime"
Exact synonyms: Attaint, Disgrace, Dishonor, Dishonour
Specialized synonyms: Befoul, Defile, Foul, Maculate
Derivative terms: Disgrace, Dishonor, Dishonor, Dishonour, Dishonour
Antonyms: Honor

3. Noun. A state of dishonor. "Suffered the ignominy of being sent to prison"
Exact synonyms: Disgrace, Ignominy
Generic synonyms: Dishonor, Dishonour
Specialized synonyms: Humiliation, Obloquy, Opprobrium, Odium, Reproach
Derivative terms: Disgrace, Disgrace, Ignominious

4. Verb. Compel through a sense of shame. "The performance is likely to shame Sue"; "She shamed him into making amends"
Generic synonyms: Compel, Obligate, Oblige

5. Noun. An unfortunate development. "It's a pity he couldn't do it"
Exact synonyms: Pity
Generic synonyms: Bad Luck, Misfortune
Derivative terms: Piteous

6. Verb. Cause to be ashamed.
Generic synonyms: Arouse, Elicit, Enkindle, Evoke, Fire, Kindle, Provoke, Raise
Specialized synonyms: Discountenance

7. Verb. Surpass or beat by a wide margin. "Sam cannot shame Sue "

Definition of Shame

1. 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.

2. v. t. To make ashamed; to excite in (a person) a comsciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of conduct derogatory to reputation; to put to shame.

3. v. i. To be ashamed; to feel shame.

Definition of Shame

1. Noun. Uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of impropriety, dishonor(,) or other wrong in the opinion of the person experiencing the feeling. It is caused by awareness of exposure of circumstances of unworthiness or of improper or indecent conduct. ¹

2. Noun. Something to regret. ¹

3. Noun. (archaic) That which is shameful and private, especially on the personal body. ¹

4. Interjection. A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, often used reduplicated, especially in political debates. ¹

5. Verb. (obsolete intransitive) To feel shame, be ashamed. ¹

6. Verb. (transitive) To cause to feel shame. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Shame

1. to cause to feel a painful sense of guilt or degradation [v SHAMED, SHAMING, SHAMES]

Medical Definition of Shame

1. 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 Csar, 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. 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." Origin: OE. Shame, schame, AS. Scamu, sceamu; akin to OS. & OHG. Scama, G. Scham, Icel. Skomm, 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. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Shame

shamateurs
shamba
shambas
shamble
shambled
shambler
shamblers
shambles
shamblier
shambling
shamblingly
shamblings
shambly
shambolic
shambolically
shame (current term)
shame, shame
shame on you
shame plant
shameable
shameably
shamed
shamefaced
shamefacedly
shamefacedness
shamefast
shamefastly
shamefastness
shameful
shamefully

Literary usage of Shame

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The pilgrim's progress from this world to that which is to come by John Bunyan (1838)
"Yes, I met with shame; but of all the men that I met with in my pilgrimage, he, I think, bears the wrong name. The other would be said nay, after a little ..."

2. The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin (1872)
"SHLF-ATTENTION — shame — SHYNESS — MODESTY : BLUSHING. Nature of a blush — Inheritance — The parts of the body most affected—Blushing in the various races ..."

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