I. ˈshām noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scamu, sceamu; akin to Old High German scama shame, Old Norse skömm
1.
a. : a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety in one's own behavior or position or in the behavior or position of a closely associated person or group
she felt no shame , no remorse, seeing the death as purely accidental — Arnold Bennett
b. : the susceptibility to such emotion
was not upset because she had no shame
2.
a.
(1) : the condition of one that is in disgrace : ignominy
free from these slanders and this open shame — Shakespeare
put his father to shame by his dishonest acts
(2) : an instance of dishonor
let his shames quickly drive him to Rome — Shakespeare
b. archaic : dishonor from loss of chastity or illegitimacy of birth
every woe a tear can claim except an erring sister's shame — Lord Byron
3.
a. : something worthy of strong censure
it were shame to our profession were we to suffer it — Sir Walter Scott
— often used interjectionally
interrupted the speech by calling out shame
b. : a cause of feeling shame
put out of human reach to be a warning and a shame — Sacheverell Sitwell
c. archaic : the external genitalia
Synonyms: see dishonor
•
- in shame of
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English shamen, from Old English scamian; akin to Middle Dutch schamen to feel shame, be ashamed, Old High German scamōn; denominative from the root of Old English scamu, sceamu, n.
intransitive verb
chiefly dialect : to feel shame
I do shame to think of it — Shakespeare
transitive verb
1. : to bring shame to : cover with contempt : dishonor , disgrace
public opinion tolerant to a degree which shames the prejudice of other peoples — W.C.Brownell
2. archaic : to shun from shame
she shamed his fond embrace — Robert Bridges †1930
3. : to put to shame by outrivaling
the urge to self-preservation among politicians shames that among the beasts of jungle and tundra — R.L.Neuberger
4. : to cause to feel shame : make ashamed
his father had shamed him for playing with dolls — John Dollard
5. : to force by shame
shamed him into action by running the gauntlet of the forts in his own small vessel — American Guide Series: Louisiana
•
- shame the devil