/ ˌʃeɪmˈfeɪst; NAmE / adjective
feeling or looking ashamed because you have done sth bad or stupid
SYN sheepish :
a shamefaced smile
► shame·faced·ly / ˌʃeɪmˈfeɪstli; NAmE ; -ˈfeɪsɪdli/ adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (in the sense modest, shy ): alteration of archaic shamefast , by association with face .