shame

Meanings

Noun

• Uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
• Something to regret.
• Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonour; ignominy; derision.
• The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach and ignominy.
• That which is shameful and private, especially private parts.

Interjection

• A cry of admonition for the subject of a speech, either to denounce the speaker or to agree with the speaker's denunciation of some person or matter; often used reduplicated, especially in political debates.
• Expressing sympathy.

Verb

• To cause to feel shame.
• To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace.
• To drive or compel by shame.
• To feel shame, be ashamed.
• To mock at; to deride.

Related

Similar words

• dishonor
• dishonor, humiliation, mortification, pity
• demean, humiliate, insult, mortify

Opposite words

• honor
• honor, dignify

Origin

• From Middle English schame, from Old English sċamu, from Proto-Germanic *skamō.
• From Middle English schamen, from Old English sċamian, from Proto-West Germanic *skamēn, from Proto-Germanic *skamāną.