Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Loss of honor, respect, or reputation.
  • noun The condition of having lost honor or good repute.
  • noun A cause of loss of honor.
  • noun Failure to pay or refusal to accept a note, a bill, or another commercial obligation.
  • transitive verb To bring shame or disgrace upon.
  • transitive verb To treat in a disrespectful or demeaning manner.
  • transitive verb To fail or refuse to accept or pay (a note, bill, or check, for example).

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Want of honor; dishonorable character or conduct.
  • noun The state of being disgraced, or considered dishonorable; disgrace; shame; reproach.
  • noun Disgrace inflicted; violation of one's honor or dignity.
  • noun In com., failure or refusal of the drawee or acceptor of a bill of exchange or note to accept it, or, if it is accepted, to pay and retire it. See dishonor, transitive verb, 4.
  • To deprive of honor; violate the honor or dignity of; disgrace; bring reproach or shame on; stain the character of; lessen in reputation.
  • To treat with indignity.
  • To violate the chastity of; ravish; seduce.
  • In com., to refuse to honor; refuse or fail to accept or pay: as, to dishonor a bill of exchange. A bill or note is also said to he dishonored when overdue and unpaid, although there may have been no actual demand or refusal to pay.
  • To disgrace by the deprivation of, or as of, ornament.
  • Synonyms To shame, degrade, discredit.
  • To insult.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Lack of honor; disgrace; ignominy; shame; reproach.
  • noun (Law) The nonpayment or nonacceptance of commercial paper by the party on whom it is drawn.
  • transitive verb To deprive of honor; to disgrace; to bring reproach or shame on; to treat with indignity, or as unworthy in the sight of others; to stain the character of; to lessen the reputation of.
  • transitive verb To violate the chastity of; to debauch.
  • transitive verb To refuse or decline to accept or pay; -- said of a bill, check, note, or draft which is due or presented.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Alternative form of dishonour.
  • verb Alternative form of dishonour.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb bring shame or dishonor upon
  • verb force (someone) to have sex against their will
  • noun lacking honor or integrity
  • verb refuse to accept
  • noun a state of shame or disgrace

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English dishonour, from Old French deshonor : des-, dis- + honor, honor; see honor.]

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Examples

  • Then Al Trautwig, commentating on the Tour de France, said "The greatest dishonor is to literally have the maillot jaune ripped from your body, which is what happened to Michael Rasmussen yesterday."

    When good kids show bad judgment Roger Sutton 2007

  • Spurred on by the word dishonor, he had started instantly, without awaiting his leave of absence, risking his place and his future prospects; and, hurrying from steamships to railways, he had not stopped until he reached Paris.

    The French Immortals Series — Complete Various

  • "Never yet has the word dishonor been breathed with my name, but I should count myself faineant if I did not fight beside my comrades when chance has made it right and proper that I should do so."

    Sir Nigel Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir, 1859-1930 1906

  • "Never yet has the word dishonor been breathed with my name, but I should count myself faineant if I did not fight beside my comrades when chance has made it right and proper that I should do so."

    Sir Nigel Arthur Conan Doyle 1894

  • Spurred on by the word dishonor, he had started instantly, without awaiting his leave of absence, risking his place and his future prospects; and, hurrying from steamships to railways, he had not stopped until he reached Paris.

    Fromont and Risler — Complete Alphonse Daudet 1868

  • Therefore, by definition, “dishonored memories” is a variable cost, as the idea of dishonor and memory would change according to the course of action.

    More Sunk-Cost Thinking on Iraq War - Freakonomics Blog - NYTimes.com 2007

  • His service to Congress is tainted by this revelation, and as such his dishonor should be absolute in the adminstration of punishment!

    Think Progress » Accountability, Congress-style: 2005

  • If you insist on dying in dishonor, that is your own affair.

    Into the Labyrinth Hickman, Tracy 1993

  • "Did any thought of me make you bring Martha Ensley to Nickols 'death bed and take into your heart and home what the world calls dishonor?"

    The Heart's Kingdom Maria Thompson Daviess 1898

  • I felt my health and strength decline; and such was the horror with which my mind was filled, at the idea of dishonor to my memory in the work most worthy of myself, that I am surprised so many extravagant ideas did not occasion a speedy end to my existence.

    The Confessions of J J Rousseau Rousseau, Jean Jacques 1896

Comments

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  • This is very bad for a Klingon.

    June 13, 2012