*sham*

a. [ Orig. a p. p. of ashame, v. t. ] Affected by shame; abashed or confused by guilt, or a conviction or consciousness of some wrong action or impropriety. “I am ashamed to beg.” Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

All that forsake thee shall be ashamed. Jer. xvii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

I began to be ashamed of sitting idle. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Enough to make us ashamed of our species. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

An ashamed person can hardly endure to meet the gaze of those present. Darwin. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Ashamed seldom precedes the noun or pronoun it qualifies. By a Hebraism, it is sometimes used in the Bible to mean disappointed, or defeated. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Bashfully. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Something used to conceal infamy. [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Named after Lord Petersham. ] A rough, knotted woolen cloth, used chiefly for men's overcoats; also, a coat of that material. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Rakehell, Ragabash. ] A vile, dissolute wretch. [ Obs. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Originally the same word as shame, hence, a disgrace, a trick. See Shame, n. ] 1. That which deceives expectation; any trick, fraud, or device that deludes and disappoints; a make-believe; delusion; imposture; humbug. “A mere sham.” Bp. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Believe who will the solemn sham, not I. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A false front, or removable ornamental covering. [ 1913 Webster ]

Pillow sham, a covering to be laid on a pillow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. False; counterfeit; pretended; feigned; unreal; as, a sham fight. [ 1913 Webster ]

They scorned the sham independence proffered to them by the Athenians. Jowett (Thucyd) [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shammed p. pr. & vb. n. Shamming. ] 1. To trick; to cheat; to deceive or delude with false pretenses. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fooled and shammed into a conviction. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To obtrude by fraud or imposition. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We must have a care that we do not . . . sham fallacies upon the world for current reason. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To assume the manner and character of; to imitate; to ape; to feign. [ 1913 Webster ]

To sham Abram or
To sham Abraham, to feign sickness; to malinger. Hence a malingerer is called, in sailors' cant, Sham Abram, or Sham Abraham. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make false pretenses; to deceive; to feign; to impose. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wondering . . . whether those who lectured him were such fools as they professed to be, or were only shamming. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Hind. shāmā. ] (Zool.) A saxicoline singing bird (Kittacincla macroura) of India, noted for the sweetness and power of its song. In confinement it imitates the notes of other birds and various animals with accuracy. Its head, neck, back, breast, and tail are glossy black, the rump white, the under parts chestnut. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From the native name. ] A priest of Shamanism; a wizard among the Shamanists. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Shamanism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The type of religion which once prevalied among all the Ural-Altaic peoples (Tungusic, Mongol, and Turkish), and which still survives in various parts of Northern Asia. The Shaman, or wizard priest, deals with good as well as with evil spirits, especially the good spirits of ancestors. Encyc. Brit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An adherent of Shamanism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. schamel a bench, stool, AS. scamel, sceamol, a bench, form, stool, fr. L. scamellum, dim. of scamnum a bench, stool. ] 1. (Mining) One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. A place where butcher's meat is sold. [ 1913 Webster ]

As summer flies are in the shambles. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. A place for slaughtering animals for meat. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make a shambles of the parliament house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Shambled p. pr. & vb. n. Shambling ] [ Cf. OD. schampelen to slip, schampen to slip away, escape. Cf. Scamble, Scamper. ] To walk awkwardly and unsteadily, as if the knees were weak; to shuffle along. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by an awkward, irregular pace; as, a shambling trot; shambling legs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An awkward, irregular gait. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. shame, schame, AS. scamu, sceamu; akin to OS. & OHG. scama, G. scham, Icel. skömm, shkamm, Sw. & Dan. skam, D. & G. schande, Goth. skanda shame, skaman sik to be ashamed; perhaps from a root skam meaning to cover, and akin to the root (kam) of G. hemd shirt, E. chemise. Cf. Sham. ] 1. A painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of having done something which injures reputation, or of the exposure of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal. [ 1913 Webster ]

HIde, for shame,
Romans, your grandsires' images,
That blush at their degenerate progeny. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Reproach incurred or suffered; dishonor; ignominy; derision; contempt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye have borne the shame of the heathen. Ezek. xxxvi. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Honor and shame from no condition rise. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

And every woe a tear can claim
Except an erring sister's shame. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The cause or reason of shame; that which brings reproach, and degrades a person in the estimation of others; disgrace. [ 1913 Webster ]

O C&unr_;sar, what a wounding shame is this! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Guides who are the shame of religion. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The parts which modesty requires to be covered; the private parts. Isa. xlvii. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

For shame! you should be ashamed; shame on you! --
To put to shame, to cause to feel shame; to humiliate; to disgrace. “Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.” Ps. xl. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shamed p. pr. & vb. n. Shaming. ] 1. To make ashamed; to excite in (a person) a comsciousness of guilt or impropriety, or of conduct derogatory to reputation; to put to shame. [ 1913 Webster ]

Were there but one righteous in the world, he would . . . shame the world, and not the world him. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cover with reproach or ignominy; to dishonor; to disgrace. [ 1913 Webster ]

And with foul cowardice his carcass shame. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To mock at; to deride. [ Obs. or R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor. Ps. xiv. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ AS. scamian, sceamian. See Shame, n. ] To be ashamed; to feel shame. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I do shame
To think of what a noble strain you are. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ For shamefast; AS. scamfaest. See Shame, n., and Fast firm. ] Easily confused or put out of countenance; diffident; bashful; modest. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your shamefaced virtue shunned the people's prise. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Shamefaced was once shamefast, shamefacedness was shamefastness, like steadfast and steadfastness; but the ordinary manifestations of shame being by the face, have brought it to its present orthography. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Shame"faced, adv. -- Shame"faced`ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. scamfæst. ] Modest; shamefaced. -- Shame"fast*ly, adv. -- Shame"fast*ness, n. [ Archaic ] See Shamefaced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shamefast she was in maiden shamefastness. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Conscience ] is a blushing shamefast spirit. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Modest apparel with shamefastness. 1 Tim. ii. 9 (Rev. Ver.). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Bringing shame or disgrace; injurious to reputation; disgraceful. [ 1913 Webster ]

His naval preparations were not more surprising than his quick and shameful retreat. Arbuthnot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Exciting the feeling of shame in others; indecent; as, a shameful picture; a shameful sight. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Disgraceful; reproachful; indecent; unbecoming; degrading; scandalous; ignominious; infamous. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Shame"ful*ly, adv. -- Shame"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. scamleás. ] 1. Destitute of shame; wanting modesty; brazen-faced; insensible to disgrace. “Such shameless bards we have.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shame enough to shame thee, wert thou not shameless. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Indicating want of modesty, or sensibility to disgrace; indecent; as, a shameless picture or poem. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Impudent; unblushing; audacious; immodest; indecent; indelicate. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Shame"less*ly, adv. -- Shame"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Shameless. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, disgraces, or makes ashamed. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who shams; an impostor. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. chamious a chamois, shammy leather. See Chamois. ] 1. (Zool.) The chamois. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A soft, pliant leather, prepared originally from the skin of the chamois, but now made also from the skin of the sheep, goat, kid, deer, and calf. See Shamoying. [ Written also chamois, shamoy, and shamois. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. See Shammy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Shammy. ] A process used in preparing certain kinds of leather, which consists in frizzing the skin, and working oil into it to supply the place of the astringent (tannin, alum, or the like) ordinarily used in tanning. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Shampooed p. pr. & vb. n. Shampooing. ] [ Hind. chāmpnā to press, to squeeze. ] [ Writing also champoo. ] 1. To press or knead the whole surface of the body of (a person), and at the same time to stretch the limbs and joints, in connection with the hot bath. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To wash throughly and rub the head of (a person), with the fingers, using either soap, or a soapy preparation, for the more thorough cleansing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of shampooing. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who shampoos. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. seamrog, seamar, trefoil, white clover, white honeysuckle; akin to Gael. seamrag. ] (Bot.) A trifoliate plant used as a national emblem by the Irish. The legend is that St. Patrick once plucked a leaf of it for use in illustrating the doctrine of the trinity. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The original plant was probably a kind of wood sorrel (Oxalis Acetocella); but now the name is given to the white clover (Trifolium repens), and the black medic (Medicago lupulina). [ 1913 Webster ]