shame

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 ]