honi soit qui mal y pense

American

[aw-nee swa kee mal ee pahns] / ɔ ni ˈswa ki mal i ˈpɑ̃s /

French.

shamed be the person who thinks evil of it: motto of the Order of the Garter.

honi soit qui mal y pense British

/ ɔni swa ki mal i pɑ̃s /

shamed be he who thinks evil of it: the motto of the Order of the Garter

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

If ever a man could have taken honi soit qui mal y pense for his motto, it was our Commandant.

From Major Vigoureux by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

The bearded lady had very, very masculine features, but honi soit qui mal y pense.

From A Frenchman in America Recollections of Men and Things by O'Rell, Max

Whether indeed these little fish are caught by the angler, I know not; but this is certainly the way they are eaten—if inelegant, honi soit qui mal y pense.

From Holidays in Eastern France by Betham-Edwards, Matilda

It was a honi soit qui mal y pense remembrance of the royal wedding.

From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by Hegermann-Lindencrone, L. de (Lillie de)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023