dishonor
Americannoun
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lack or loss of honor; disgraceful or dishonest character or conduct.
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disgrace; ignominy; shame.
His arrest brought dishonor to his family.
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an indignity; insult.
to do someone a dishonor.
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a cause of shame or disgrace.
He is a dishonor to his family.
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Commerce. failure or refusal of the drawee or intended acceptor of a bill of exchange or note to accept it or, if it is accepted, to pay and retire it.
verb (used with object)
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to deprive of honor; disgrace; bring reproach or shame on.
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Commerce. to fail or refuse to honor or pay (a draft, check, etc.).
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to rape or seduce.
Related Words
See disgrace.
Other Word Forms
- dishonorer noun
- undishonored adjective
Etymology
Origin of dishonor
1250–1300; Middle English dishonour (noun), dishonouren (v.) < Anglo-French, Old French; dis- 1, honor
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The sad state of the memorial doesn’t dishonor Kennedy, it dishonors local officials.
From Los Angeles Times
“It dishonors the service of the brave men and women whose names are on that wall,” Berardino said.
From Los Angeles Times
To violate the terms of the agreement brings dishonor to the university.
From Los Angeles Times
He talked behind my back in ways that I felt dishonored me.
From Los Angeles Times
According to Patterson, social death is a state of permanent and violent domination coupled with physical separation from one’s family or homeland and marked by a pervasive condition of dishonor.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
