shame
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,111 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 16,551 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.008% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
- a state of dishonor also: disgrace, ignominy one mistake brought shame to all his familysuffered the ignominy of being sent to prison
- an unfortunate development also: pity it's a pity he couldn't do it
verb
- bring shame or dishonor upon also: dishonor, disgrace, dishonour, attaint he dishonored his family by committing a serious crime
- compel through a sense of shame She shamed him into making amends
- cause to be ashamed
- surpass or beat by a wide margin
shame in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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It was enough to make her die of shame.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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He was not able to speak; he was helpless with shame and fright.
Following the Equator — Part 1 · Mark Twain · Chapter 1
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No, this face of mine I 'll arm, and fortify with lusty wine, 'Gainst shame and blushing.
The White Devil · John Webster · Chapter 1
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Gravely Pastorius listened, not the less Discerning through the decent fig-leaf dress Of the poor plea its shame of selfishness.
Pennsylvania Pilgrim, and other poems Part 6 From — Volume I · John Greenleaf Whittier · Chapter 1
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Shame on the false Etruscan, Who lingers in his home, 15 When Porsena of Clusium Is on the march to Rome.
Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) · O. J. [Annotator] Stevenson · Chapter 1