Shames

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cause an individual to experience feelings of guilt or embarrassment due to their actions or choices
2. To instill a sense of disgrace or humiliation in someone as a result of judgments or comparisons made about their behavior
3. To evoke feelings of regret or embarrassment in a person through critical judgments about their actions or decisions

Etymology: "Shames" is the third-person singular present of the verb "shame," so the word itself simply inherits the verb's history. The verb comes from Old English "scamu," meaning shame, disgrace, or the feeling of being exposed or humiliated, and it was closely tied to the idea of being seen in a dishonourable state. Its older root is linked to the idea of covering or concealing oneself, which is why shame is so often about wanting to hide. The verb sense of "to shame," meaning to make someone feel shame or to bring disgrace on them, developed in Old English as a transitive use of the noun, and the sense of making another person feel guilty or embarrassed about their conduct follows naturally from that. The modern phrasing "shames" in this sense is the regular present tense, with no separate history of its own.

Synonyms: embarrasses, humiliates, disgraces, dishonors, degrades

Antonyms: honors, prides, celebrates, elevates, ennobles