- shamefaced
- shamefacedmeaning ‘showing shame’, is a 16c alteration of an older word shamefast, meaning ‘bashful’, and should be spelt as one word. The adverb shamefacedly should be pronounced as four syllables.
Modern English usage. 2014.
shamefaced
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Shamefaced — Shame faced , a. [For shamefast; AS. scamf[ae]st. 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]… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Shamefaced — Shame faced , a. [For shamefast; AS. scamf[ae]st. 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]… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
shamefaced — (adj.) 1550s, modest, bashful, folk etymology alteration of shamefast, from O.E. scamfæst bashful, lit. restrained by shame, or else firm in modesty, from SHAME (Cf. shame) (n.) + fæst, adjectival suffix (see FAST (Cf. fast) (adj.)) … Etymology dictionary
shamefaced — [adj] embarrassed abashed, chagrined, disgraced, guilty, humble, humbled, humiliated, mortified, regretful, shamed, sorry; concept 550 … New thesaurus
shamefaced — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ showing shame. DERIVATIVES shamefacedly adverb shamefacedness noun … English terms dictionary
shamefaced — [shām′fāst΄shām′fāst΄] adj. [altered, by folk etym. < ME schamfast < OE scamfæst < scamu, shame + fæst, firm, FAST1] 1. Now Rare very modest, bashful, or shy 2. showing a feeling of shame or embarrassment; ashamed: Also Archaic shamefast … English World dictionary
shamefaced — shame|faced [ˌʃeımˈfeıst] adj [: Old English; Origin: scamfAst, from scamu ( SHAME1) + fAst fixed ; influenced by face] if someone is shamefaced, they look and feel ashamed because they have done something wrong or they have behaved badly ▪… … Dictionary of contemporary English
shamefaced — [[t]ʃe͟ɪmfe͟ɪst, AM feɪst[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you are shamefaced, you feel embarrassed because you have done something that you know you should not have done. [FORMAL] There was a long silence, and my father looked shamefaced … English dictionary
shamefaced — shamefacedly /shaym fay sid lee, shaym fayst lee/, adv. shamefacedness, n. /shaym fayst /, adj. 1. modest or bashful. 2. showing shame: shamefaced apologies. [1545 55; alter. of SHAMEFAST by folk etym.; see SHAME, FACED] * * * … Universalium
shamefaced — adjective looking ashamed or embarrassed about having behaved badly: “You really blew it, Ian.” He nodded, shamefaced. shamefacedly / feIsifidli/ adverb … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
