/ ʃeɪm; NAmE / noun , verb , exclamation
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the feelings of sadness, embarrassment and guilt that you have when you know that sth you have done is wrong or stupid :
His face burned with shame.
She hung her head in shame.
He could not live with the shame of other people knowing the truth.
To my shame (= I feel shame that) I refused to listen to her side of the story.
2.
[ U ] ( formal ) (only used in questions and negative sentences) the ability to feel shame at sth you have done :
Have you no shame?
3.
a shame [ sing. ] used to say that sth is a cause for feeling sad or disappointed
SYN pity :
What a shame they couldn't come.
It's a shame about Tim, isn't it?
It's a shame that she wasn't here to see it.
It would be a crying shame (= a great shame) not to take them up on the offer.
4.
[ U ] the loss of respect that is caused when you do sth wrong or stupid :
There is no shame in wanting to be successful.
( formal )
She felt that her failure would bring shame on her family.
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IDIOMS
- put sb/sth to shame
- shame on you, him, etc.
—more at name verb
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to make sb feel ashamed :
His generosity shamed them all.
2.
( formal ) to make sb feel that they have lost honour or respect :
You have shamed your family.
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PHRASAL VERBS
- shame sb into doing sth
■ exclamation
( SAfrE ) used to express sympathy, or to show that you like sb/sth :
Shame, she's so cute!
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English sc(e)amu (noun), sc(e)amian feel shame , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schamen (verb) and German Scham (noun), schämen (verb).