Shame Definition

shām

shamed, shames, shaming

noun

shames

A painful feeling of having lost the respect of others because of the improper behavior, incompetence, etc. of oneself or of someone that one is close to or associated with.

Webster's New World

Respect for propriety or morality.

Have you no shame?

American Heritage Medicine

A tendency to have feelings of this kind, or a capacity for such feeling.

Webster's New World

A pervasive, negative emotional state, usually originating in childhood, marked by chronic self-reproach and a sense of personal failure.

American Heritage

Dishonor or disgrace.

To bring shame to one's family.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
respect
honor
pride

verb

shamed, shames, shaming

To cause to feel shame; make ashamed.

Webster's New World

To cause to feel ashamed to the point of doing something.

I was shamed into making an apology.

American Heritage

To dishonor or disgrace.

Webster's New World

To drive, force, or impel by a sense of shame.

Shamed into apologizing.

Webster's New World

To disgrace by surpassing.

Wanted revenge because a rival had shamed him in the previous race.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Antonyms:
honor
regard
be proud
respect

interjection

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

Wiktionary

(South Africa) Expressing sympathy.

Shame, you poor thing, you must be cold!

Wiktionary

idiom

put to shame

To cause to feel shame.
To outdo thoroughly; surpass:
Your kindness has put the rest of us to shame.

American Heritage

sense of shame

An understanding and respect for propriety and morality.

American Heritage

for shame!

you ought to be ashamed! here is cause for shame!

Webster's New World

put to shame

to cause to feel shame
to do much better than; surpass; outdo

Webster's New World

shame on

shame should be felt by; this is shameful of

Webster's New World

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Shame

put to shame
sense of shame
for shame!
put to shame
shame on

Origin of Shame

From Middle English, from Old English scamu, scomu, sceamu, sceomu (“shame"), from Proto-Germanic *skamō, and thus cognate with Old High German skama (whence German Scham), Old Dutch skama (Dutch schaamte), Old Frisian skame (West Frisian skamte), and Old Norse skÇ«mm (whence Icelandic skömm, Danish skam). From Proto-Indo-European *ḱem- (“cover, shroud"), which may also be the source of heaven; see that entry for details.

From Wiktionary
Compare also Persian شرم (Å¡arm) and Tosk Albanian shaj (“to insult, offend, slander") / Gheg Albanian shamÃ« (“an insult, offence").

From Wiktionary
Middle English from Old English sceamu

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old English scamian.

From Wiktionary